Dog lovers are always concerned about their dogs' growth, including issues such as daily living, diet, and toy selection. Chewing is a natural and necessary behavior in a puppy's growth process. Choosing the right toys for dogs also requires a lot of thought. So, at what age can puppies play with
Chew Toys?From a professional perspective, it is generally recommended to start introducing chew toys to puppies when they are 6 to 7 weeks old. Below, we will comprehensively analyze the appropriate age for puppies to play with chew toys.
When puppies reach 6 to 7 weeks of age, it is a suitable time to start introducing chew toys. At this stage, puppies are in a critical period of tooth development. Their deciduous teeth are gradually growing, and their gums will feel itchy and uncomfortable. Chewing behavior can effectively relieve this discomfort. Meanwhile, puppies at this time have increased curiosity and begin to explore the surrounding environment. Chew toys can satisfy their desire to explore and help them understand the world.
From a physiological development perspective, the digestive system and swallowing reflex of 6-7 week-old puppies gradually mature, enabling them to better cope with the risks that chew toys may bring. However, this does not mean that any toy can be chosen arbitrarily. At this time, the toys must meet the requirement of "being large and durable, and cannot be swallowed". The material is preferably hard rubber or nylon. For example, Nylabones are a good choice.
As puppies grow, their tooth hardness, chewing ability, and needs will change. At around 8-12 weeks, puppies' deciduous teeth are basically fully grown, their chewing strength increases, and the requirement for the bite resistance of chew toys is higher. At this time, you can appropriately replace them with more durable toys, but you still need to avoid products that are too small or fragile.
At 4-6 months, puppies enter the teething period. Permanent teeth start to grow, and deciduous teeth fall out. During this stage, puppies' desire to chew will be extremely strong, and their gums will feel painful. At this time, it is necessary to provide chew toys specially designed for the teething period. These toys usually have a certain degree of elasticity and hardness, which can not only meet the chewing needs but also help relieve the discomfort caused by teething and protect the newly grown permanent teeth.
Chew toys can help puppies clean their teeth and reduce the accumulation of plaque and tartar. During chewing, the friction between the toy and the tooth surface can remove food residues and reduce the risk of oral diseases. At the same time, appropriate chewing can massage the gums, promote blood circulation in the gums, and contribute to the normal development of teeth.
For puppies in the teething period, chew toys can help loosen deciduous teeth, promote their shedding, make room for the growth of permanent teeth, and reduce the occurrence of abnormal dental development such as double rows of teeth.
Puppies are prone to emotional problems such as separation anxiety after leaving their mother and companions. Chewing is a way for puppies to relieve stress and anxiety. Chew toys can provide them with psychological comfort, keep them occupied when they are alone, and reduce destructive behaviors caused by anxiety, such as chewing furniture and shoes.
In addition, chewing behavior can stimulate the development of puppies' brains. Through interaction with toys, their cognitive ability and problem-solving skills can be improved, especially some chew toys with food puzzle functions, which can allow puppies to exercise their thinking while obtaining food.
Providing puppies with suitable chew toys from an early age can make them understand what can be chewed and what cannot, thereby developing good behavioral habits. If chew toys are not provided in a timely manner, puppies may take household items as "substitutes", leading to the formation of destructive behaviors, which will be more difficult to correct later.
- Hard rubber: It has good elasticity and bite resistance, is not easy to break, and has high safety, suitable for most puppies.
- Nylon: It has high hardness and strong wear resistance, which can meet the strong chewing needs of puppies. For example, Nylabones is a well-known brand mainly made of nylon.
- Natural rubber: Such as Kong toys, which are soft and elastic, suitable for puppies to use at different stages, and can also be filled with food to increase Interesting.
The following materials for toys should be avoided:
- Fragile plastic: It is easy to be crushed by puppies, and the fragments may be swallowed, leading to serious problems such as intestinal obstruction.
- Poor-quality rubber: It may contain harmful substances such as formaldehyde and heavy metals, which pose a threat to the health of puppies.
- Plush materials: For puppies in the teething period or with a strong desire to chew, plush toys are easy to be torn apart, and the filling inside may be accidentally eaten.
The size of the toy must be determined according to the size of the puppy. Generally speaking, the length of the toy should exceed the width of the puppy's mouth to prevent the puppy from being able to hold the entire toy in its mouth and swallow it. For example, puppies of small dog breeds are suitable for smaller toys that still cannot be swallowed, while puppies of large dog breeds need larger and more durable toys.
In terms of shape, toys with overly complex or sharp edges should be avoided to prevent scratching the puppy's mouth. A rounded shape and appropriate groove design are better, which can not only meet the chewing needs but also increase comfort.
In addition to the simple chewing function, toys with other functions are more attractive to puppies. For example:
Food-stuffed toys: Such as Kong, which can be filled with dog food, peanut butter (without xylitol), etc. Puppies can get food while chewing, which prolongs the playing time and increasesInteresting.
Squeaky toys: Toys with squeakers can attract puppies' attention through sound and stimulate their interest in playing, but it is necessary to ensure that the squeakers are not easy to be taken out and swallowed.
Puzzle toys: Such as food puzzle toys, which require puppies to perform certain operations to get food, can exercise their intelligence and problem-solving ability.
No matter how safe the chew toy is, supervision is necessary when puppies use it initially. Observe the puppy's chewing method and check if the toy is damaged. If the toy is found to have cracks, fragments falling off, etc., it should be replaced immediately to prevent the puppy from accidentally eating the damaged part.
Especially for 6-7 week-old puppies who have just been introduced to chew toys, they may not have formed good chewing habits, and supervision can promptly detect and correct improper behaviors.
Chew toys will be contaminated with puppies' saliva, food residues, etc., and are prone to bacterial growth. It is necessary to regularly clean and disinfect the toys. Different materials of toys have different cleaning methods:
Hard rubber and nylon toys: They can be rinsed with water or cleaned in the dishwasher (according to the product instructions).
Natural rubber toys such as Kong: They can be first cleaned with soapy water and then rinsed with clean water.
Avoid using strong harsh detergent to prevent residual chemicals from being ingested by puppies.
Even the most durable chew toys will wear out after long-term use. Generally speaking, when the toy is significantly damaged, deformed, or becomes small enough to be swallowed, it needs to be replaced in time. In addition, regularly replacing different types of toys can maintain the puppy's interest and meet their changing needs.
When providing chew toys to puppies, simple training can be combined. For example, when the puppy starts to chew furniture, promptly attract its attention with a chew toy, and reward it for using the toy (such as snacks, praise), so that the puppy understands that chewing the toy is the correct behavior.
Puppies can start using chew toys at 6-7 weeks of age, which is a reasonable time determined based on their physical and psychological development characteristics. But this is just a starting point. In the subsequent growth process, it is necessary to choose appropriate toys according to factors such as the puppy's age, dental condition, and size, and do a good job in supervision, cleaning, and replacement.
Chew toys are not only tools to satisfy puppies' chewing desires but also important aids to promote their healthy growth and cultivate good behavioral habits. As owners, we should fully recognize the importance of chew toys, scientifically and reasonably select and use them for puppies, so that they can grow up in a safe and happy environment. Through correct guidance and appropriate toys, puppies can enjoy the fun of chewing, reduce destructive behaviors at home, and enhance the relationship between owners and puppies.
