The destructive behaviour of puppies normally results in the lost of your valuables such as shoes, clothing and carpets.

This behaviour at times may lead to the death of the animal due to the ingestion of indigestible items.{{more}}

Puppies, like children, will attempt to bite on anything in their path. This practice of biting foreign objects facilitates teething, strengthens jaws and assists in the development of facial muscles.

It is recommended that your puppy be given a toy of its own on which to chew. These toys are very useful in preventing your puppy from biting on your valuables and thus reduces the chances of death due to ingestion of indigestible materials.

Another way of dealing with the problem of your puppy chewing on your shoes is to have these moistened in a bitter solution such as vinegar.

The bitter taste discourages the animal and so eliminates or reduces the problem.

When choosing a toy, ensure that it is large and difficult to disintegrate when moist with saliva.

There are a wide variety of toys that will help bring comfort to our canine friends.

Next week’s article will deal with canine oral care and its importance.