Puppies love to chew. Whether it’s a Husky, Chihuahua, or a terrier chewing is a natural activity. Giving your puppy things to chew on is good for the puppy and good for you! It directs his chewing activity to something that is allowed. It exercises his mouth and even can help with dental health.
Of course we don’t want our puppies chewing on shoes or kitchen items. Rope toys are a good item to use because they are not confused with anything else in the home. They are identified as something distinctly ‘belonging’ to the puppy.
One caution to this is to be sure to be clear about exactly what the puppy can and cannot have. Don’t allow your puppy to play with a three foot piece of rope then expect him to automatically understand that other ropes in your house are not chew toys! This is not difficult to teach if you are consistent. Get chew toys with things tied on them, or scent them slightly with a little bacon grease so that it’s clear for the puppy what is allowed.
Be ready to redirect if the puppy goes after shoe strings and other items that you don’t want chewed on. Persist! Remember puppies are smart and they want to please their leader.
Use the rope toys to play with them. Pick up the toy and gently shake it or play a game of tug-of-war. Encourage healthy and respectful playtime.
When purchasing rope toys, pay attention to the texture and size of the toy. Avoid the slick nylon feel to the toy as it will give conflicting messages – remember the leash can be seen as a rope until they learn the difference! You don’t want to encourage a puppy that chews leashes.
Some puppies, especially terriers and “rambunctious” individuals, will get quite vigorous in tug-of-war. This can be great exercise for them especially on rainy days and as they get older, but make sure it stays within the bounds of safe play. Don’t encourage rough or vicious behavior like nipping, biting, and growling. If these begin, simply stop the game and walk away. This helps promote gentle puppy behavior.
Rope toys can help strengthen the bond between you and the puppy but remember that you are the one setting the rules. Your puppy doesn’t know any better until you show him what is acceptable.
Keep the rope toys sized to the puppy. Large breeds will need larger toys to keep from swallowing them, while very small puppies need something small enough they can fit in their mouth to be able to play with it.
You can also put knots in it as these provide a chewing ‘target.’ Some puppies, especially the larger and medium sized ones, are attracted by movement. Chasing a rope can also be exercise in fairly small areas.
Be sure to balance play with discipline. Play and toys are valuable learning tools for your puppy. They can learn simple commands such as ‘sit,’ ‘come’ and ‘down’ with a reward not of food but of play.
Some of the most valuable time spent with your puppy is training time which is much easier to absorb if it’s fun for the puppy. Rope toys can be a valuable part of the “bag of tricks” to making a lifetime connection with your puppy.
Additionally it gives the puppy an acceptable (by our standards) thing to chew. This creates and allows an outlet that helps puppies grow into happy, healthy, well adjusted dogs with a solid basis of training for life.
Rope toys are a good – and inexpensive! – investment for your puppy’s development.
Related posts:
- Cleaning Time – How to Clean Rope Toys
- Make Your Own Dog Toys
- You Don’t Have to Spend a Fortune for Dog Toys
- Choosing Toys That Are Safe For Your Puppy
- Dog Parks – The Benefits and Pitfalls for New Puppies
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
One of the things I like the most about rope toys is that your puppy can get his teeth clean while playing. The rope toy acts almost as a toothbrush to help clean plaque off the teeth as the puppy plays. It is not a substitute for other types of dental care, but it certainly helps.
That’s a great point. Puppies and dogs use their teeth (and mouth) for so many things in life that adding this to the overall dental hygiene routine can only help. Think about the amount of bacteria and germs that can be scraped off by them simply chewing on a rope toy!
Just another benefit to rope toys!
- Jeff