How to Stop a Puppy Chewing Everything

To stop a puppy chewing everything, you don't stop the chewing, you redirect it. Chewing is normal, necessary puppy behaviour, so the job is to puppy-proof your home, supervise closely, and consistently swap forbidden items for appealing chews until your puppy learns what's theirs. Punishment doesn't work and can backfire; calm redirection does.

Why puppies chew in the first place

Understanding the cause makes the fix obvious. Puppies chew because:

• They're teething. Sore gums drive a need to gnaw, usually peaking during the months their adult teeth come through.
• They explore with their mouths, the way babies do with their hands.
• They're bored or under-exercised, and chewing burns energy.
• They're anxious, and chewing is self-soothing.

If teething is the main driver, our puppy teething timeline and relief guide explains the stages and what helps at each one.

Step one: puppy-proof the house

You can't train a behaviour your puppy practises all day while you're not looking. Set them up to win:

• Move shoes, cables, remotes and children's toys out of reach.
• Use baby gates to limit access to one safe, cleared room.
• Use a playpen or crate for short periods when you can't watch.
• Protect skirting and table legs the puppy can reach.

Management isn't cheating, it's the foundation. Every shoe never chewed is a habit never formed.

Step two: supervise and redirect

When your puppy is loose, watch them. The moment they grab something off-limits, stay calm, take it away gently and immediately offer an appropriate chew in its place. When they take the right item, praise warmly. You're teaching a simple rule: that's not for chewing, this is, and chewing the right thing is rewarding.

Never chase, shout or scold for chewing. It often turns into an exciting game of keep-away, and it can make an anxious puppy more anxious, which means more chewing.

Never offer old shoes or socks as toys either. A puppy can't tell your good trainers from the sacrificed ones.

Step three: give them the right things to chew

This is where you win or lose. A puppy needs a rotating selection of safe, appealing chews so the legal options always beat the furniture:

• Teething toys you can chill to soothe sore gums. Browse puppy teething toys for textures designed for young mouths.
• Natural chews for longer-lasting gnawing satisfaction. See the natural dog chews range, and always supervise and pick a size appropriate to your puppy.
• A variety of [dog toys](/dog-toys) including soft, squeaky and textured options to keep things interesting.

Match the toy to the moment: a chilled teether for gum pain, a tougher chew for a determined gnawer, a soft comfort toy for settling down. Rotate them so they stay novel.

Step four: tackle boredom and energy

A huge amount of destructive chewing is simply an under-stimulated puppy. Build in age-appropriate exercise, training little and often, and brain work. A treat-dispensing puzzle ball is brilliant here: it makes your puppy work for food, channels chewing into something productive, and tires them out mentally. A tired, fulfilled puppy chews the house far less.

Step five: rule out anxiety

If chewing happens mainly when your puppy is left alone, or comes with pacing, whining or toileting accidents, it may be linked to separation anxiety rather than teething or boredom. A comfort or snuggle toy can help some puppies settle, but if the signs are strong it's worth raising with your vet, who can rule out other causes and point you towards a behaviourist if needed.

For the wider picture of raising a young dog, the new puppy hub and the dogs shop gather the essentials, and if mouthing is also an issue, our guide on how to stop a puppy biting and nipping tackles that closely related habit.

The short version

• Puppy-proof so there's little to chew wrongly.
• Supervise, and redirect calmly to a proper chew.
• Keep a rotating box of appealing, safe chews ready.
• Meet exercise and mental-stimulation needs daily.
• Be patient; most chewing eases hugely once adult teeth are through.