When is a puppy no longer considered a Pup or Puppy? My little girl 8months old, will be 1 on Nov 18th. Also when will she stop being so destructive to toy, (plush) she tears them apart in 15 mins as well as the canvas tugs etc she will chew on the ribbing til she gets to the stuffing.

Thanks

you should train your dog...

Also it might make a miraculous change when she's a bit older yet. Maturing age depends on the breed. Think you also have a character to deal with, that's individual.

Originally Posted by mom2silky

When is a puppy no longer considered a Pup or Puppy? My little girl 8months old, will be 1 on Nov 18th. Also when will she stop being so destructive to toy, (plush) she tears them apart in 15 mins as well as the canvas tugs etc she will chew on the ribbing til she gets to the stuffing.

Thanks

Did you know that dogs chew to DE STRESS. Is your puppy stressed ???

A puppy is classed a puppy up to 2 years old depending on the breed.

You need to check out your training too.

DONT give her soft toys that she can destroy. Buy yourself a kong one that you can fill with food and make her WORK for her food.

What breed is she?
How long do you leave her for?


maria

I would stay away from the soft toys, since they won't challenge her to any degree of satisfaction, and she might eat parts of them.

Also, have you looked up the basic behavioral attributes of the breed and are you fulfilling them? The chewing could be a side effect of a lifestyle deficiency.

[Yogi]

the age in which a dog goes from puppy to adult is dependent on the breed. Generally larger breeds reach maturity at approx 3 years, smaller breeds at 2 years. In most cases though at approx 1 year you start to change their food from puppy to adult food. This though does not mean they are adult.
As for slowing down, again this is breed related. Terriers generally do not slow down til late in life where other breeds at 5 to 6 will begin to slow down.

Do you give your puppy appropriate chew toys besides the stuffies? Kongs, Nylabones, raw bones from the butcher? If you have appropriate chew toys, you can take the stuffies away and let her chew something that's more satisfying. Only allow her to play with her stuffed toys when you can supervise, and if she starts tearing them up, take the stuffed toy and give her an appropriate chew toy.

Also, you didn't mention what breed your dog is. If she's a terrier or Dachshund, it's natural for her to unstuff the stuffies. That's what they were bred to do, catch little (or not so little) vermin and kill them. So she's "killing" her toys. Even dogs of breeds other than terriers will stalk and kill prey, so it's not unusual for them to kill their toys.

Or, last of all, buy really inexpensive stuffed toys, and let her have at it, while you watch to be sure she doesn't eat any of it.

[wishbone]

There are dogs who even considered as adult still act as puppy. Do you give her enough exercise?

Hi, when my dogs were puppies (and still) they would tear those toys up so fast it wasn't worth buying them! Especially the plastic ones, and they could choke on the pieces so we stopped buying them.

-Katie
www.customdogbandanas.com

I have a standard still does that I found that the best thing for her as someone else is the kongs, I don't always put food in them but she does like them, also I have bought her other things made like the kong the are much tuffer to distory. Good luck it isn't easy to find something that they can't chew up.

What is the bread? My dog (Husky) likes to have a kong stuffed with treats as she is then working for her treat, it also keeps them busy and keeps their minds going. A tennis ball is also something she enjoys to play with. If i gave her a soft toy it would be unstuffed within minutes.