How to stop a puppy from eating toys and plush stuffing
Puppies often chew apart toys and swallow non-food items like plastic bits and cotton stuffing because their natural urge to chew is hard to redirect. This destructive behavior prevents them from safely enjoying their favorite plush toys and leaves owners constantly worried about choking or dangerous blockages.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1Remove access to soft toys, plushies, and stuffed beds
- 2Provide alternative chew items like yak chews or blankets that the dog does not chew
- 3Supervise the puppy constantly when they have access to items
- 4Use treat-filled kongs designed for heavy chewers
- 5Try tuffy plush toys
- 6Trade with the dog for something super high value like food instead of just taking the toy away
- 7Take the toy away once it becomes unsafe to prevent swallowing stuffing or fabric
- 8Not leaving the dog with anything like that unattended
- 9Using high-value and low-value treats to teach drop it and leave it
- 10Shoving a treat right on the puppy's nose the second they look away from ground junk
- 11Considering going back to puppy pads or using a grass patch on the balcony
In their words
Unedited, most upvoted first, each linked to the thread it came from.
“The one huge problem I have with him is that he wants to eat everything on the floor outside.”source ↗
“I spend half the time trying to get things out of his mouth, and I'm worried it's damaging our bond.”source ↗
“I can't continue to take him out so much only for him to never go (he pees when we come back inside).”source ↗
“Nowadays he won't stop eating toys. He chews them apart and swallows the bits of plastic and cotton from plushies, licky mats, anything he can find! I don't know what to do because he wants to chew so badly, but I really don't want him to get a sore tummy😭😭”source ↗
“Is this normal for puppies? I want him to play but I'm so worried he's going to eat something too big and choke. Is there anything I can do to teach him not to swallow?”source ↗
“I wish she would keep some soft toys which she loves playing with by herself and not destroy them all.”source ↗
“Do you think it is okay to take away her fav toy from her if she is destroying it?”source ↗
“now I’m worried my dog might chew on the beads or swallow one if it comes loose.”source ↗