Learning how to stop a dog from chewing children’s toys is important because allowing the dog to do so may cause conflict to both the dog and the child. Left un-managed, there are chances that the dog may resort to resource guarding when the child tries to retrieve the toy or the child may get angry towards the dog once he or she notices that the dog has stolen and managed to chew off the head of a much cherished doll. Whether you have a baby, a toddler or school-age children, it’s important to learn how to stop a dog from chewing children’s toys.
A Toy is a Toy in a Dog’s Eyes
For a good reason, many dog trainers discourage dog owners from providing their dogs with old shoes and slippers to gnaw on: once he is done chewing an old pair of stinky sneakers, he’ll go straight to those new pair of expensive stilettos that were left unattended for a split second.
But let’s hear the dog out for a second before scolding him and sending him into the dog house: how in the world could he have distinguished the old shoes from the new ones?
The same thing applies to children’s’ toys. To a dog’s eyes, a toy is a toy. In other words, dogs have difficulty discriminating children toys from dog toys since they often look very similar. It’s not surprising, therefore, if one day he gets up from chewing his own toy and goes straight to steal a child’s toy laying on the floor.
Dogs are attracted to novelty, and especially when they are puppies, they may seek items to chew on with different textures. It just feels good to them to hold and chew certain items. This makes children toys very appealing and the act of stealing and chewing on them, very rewarding.
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Dogs are also interested in children’s toys because dogs have a natural instinct to shake and shred things apart and many children toys are filled with stuffing or internal parts which makes them irresistible to destroy.
On top of this, it’s important to consider that children’s toys weren’t crafted with puppies or dogs in mind. Some children toys can be downright dangerous to dogs especially considering a dog’s tendency to chew parts or even ingest them whole. Some parts can be choking hazards to dogs, and if the dog doesn’t happen to choke, there are chances for a piece of toy to become lodged somewhere along the dog’s digestive tract. This can turn out to be a very expensive surgery and sometimes with complications.
The Importance of Management
Just as it happens with toddlers where items that can be dangerous are stacked and stored away, puppies and dogs should be kept away from children toys. This means picking up all children’s toys when they are not playing with them so to keep them out of harm’s way.
However, this can be easier said than done when children’s toys are scattered everywhere or hidden in the most inconspicuous places and when dealing with sneaky puppies.
As already mentioned, puppies and dogs have a hard time differentiating toys meant for them from toys meant for children as they often look very similar so it’s not fair to expect them to not be tempted by a toy that a child has aside abandoned on the floor. To a dog’s eyes a toy abandoned on the floor is fair game as it means the child has lost interest in it, so why not put it to good use and gnaw on it? (Just talking from a doggy perspective.)
An option in this case is to simply install a baby gate so that the children can be free to scatter their toys everywhere without having to worry about the dog stealing them and breaking them apart. Children should be aware of the new rule that playtime must be confined to the gated area and no toys are to be brought into the other areas of the home. Children should also be discouraged from using their toys to play with the dog.
This offers also an optimal situation because the dog is set up for success and can play with his own toys while he’s spared from the heartbreaking risk of having to go to surgery when the issue could have been easily prevented.
How to Stop a Dog From Chewing Children’s Toys
Management is always the best option when it comes to stopping certain dog behaviors that are difficult to control because they are self-reinforcing and difficult to prevent 100 percent (you never know when your child may forget a toy on the floor and it can be quite a hassle being always on “toy patrol“).
However, there’s also a place for training for those interested in pursuing this path, although it takes time, patience, determination and close monitoring.
In an ideal world, puppies and dogs would be taught to not play with children’s toys from the get-go. It is far easier to prevent undesirable behaviors than to to teach new rules after a behavior has been rehearsed for some time and therefore the dog must “unlearn” it.
A disclaimer is warranted here though: no matter how much training is done, dogs may always remain dogs. So we can teach them appropriate behaviors, but we can’t expect them to be 100 percent foolproof especially when dealing with instinctive behaviors such as chewing items that feel good to chew. Just like toddlers who end up opening cabinets if left unlocked, dogs may be drawn to be get into mischief, not because they act out of spite, but because they act out of instincts.
Here are some tips to stop a dog from chewing children’s toys, but as a very first step it helps making it almost impossible for the puppy to make an inappropriate choice through management at least until training has reached a fluent stage.
Choose toys that are completely different. Because children toys and dog toys are very similar, Rover can be helped out if we pick toys for him that are completely different. If your dog is provided with stuffed toys made for dogs, you can’t blame him much if he steals your child’s teddy bear.
So for example, if your children play with figurines and dolls, provide your dog with balls and chew toys purposely crafted for dogs. Picking toys that are particularly interesting (toys that provide enrichment) can also help make children’s toys look boring in comparison. Rotating the toys also helps keep interest alive.
[adinserter block=”1″]Interactive toys that provide enrichment include many dog food puzzles like Buster Cubes, Kong Wobblers, Westpaw’s Zogoflex Qwizl, Starmark’s Everlasting puzzles. With these toys, your dog or puppy can be kept busy working on them.
Words of caution: Dogs should be always supervised when provided with toys/ food puzzles. Puppies should be given age-appropriate chew toys that are suitable for their teeth (some toys are too hard). Caution is needed in giving these toys around children if there are dogs who resource guard or prone to it. For safety or when in doubt, provide them when the dog is crated.
Store them in different areas. Another way to help differentiate children toys from dog toys is to store them in different areas. Rover can be taught that children toys are stored in a chest or on a shelf, while dog toys are stored in a basket.
Avoid chastising the pup/dog. Punishing the dog or puppy for getting a child’s toy can lead to mistrust, tension and the dog may learn to associate your presence with punishment which means that he’ll likely grab a toy and sneak off with it, chewing it under the bed or behind a couch. Also, harsh scolding may cause a sensitive dog to stop using its own toys and chews altogether. Instead of punishment, teach your dog/ puppy what you want him to do instead.
Train your dog the leave it command and the drop it command. As already mentioned, we can train a dog to leave children’s toys alone, but mishaps can sometimes happen because toys are appealing and chewing is a strongly instinctive behavior. A well-trained “leave it” said the moment when we notice the intent to steal a toy can stop the puppy or dog in his tracks, and if we’re too late to say “leave it,” and therefore, find the puppy or dog with the toy already in his mouth, then a well-trained “drop-it” should do.
Reward your dog for making good choices. Start with this easy exercise, get one of your children’s toys and place it on the floor and then place your dog’s toy next to it. Then, call your dog. He may be interested in the child’s toy because it’s something he doesn’t regularly have. If that’s the case, as soon as he moves towards it, say “leave it” and then redirect him to his toy by waving it excitedly to attract him. When he gets it, make sure you give oodles of praise. Repeat this exercise with several different children toys and then gradually add more and more children toys.
[adinserter block=”2″]Out of sight, but not out of mind. Sometimes dogs associate our presence with the training and also think that by moving away we are relinquishing “our claim” over an item, so as part of the proofing process it may help to add some distance to this exercise. Move away from the toys and test your dog. You may find a need to remind him to “leave” the child’s toys as you move away. If he does, you can redirect him to a dog toy stuffed with some goodies or a treat you have held in your pocket.
You can then further add more distance by leaving the room and watching your dog from behind a window or furniture or behind a wall. A well-placed mirror can turn handy too. This teaches your dog that “leave it” applies as well in your “apparent absence.” If you have a remote monitoring system, you can further practice with that by telling your dog “leave it” over the monitoring system and then rushing inside to give him his reward. Don’t count though on this working 100 percent if you leave the home for sustained periods of time and your dog grows lonely and bored. It is always best to keep children toys out of reach when you can’t supervise or keep your dog crated.
Train your dog/puppy to swap and bring things to you. A great side effect that comes from teaching your dog to drop something and swapping it with something valuable to a dog (read here for a guide on how to trade and take toys from your dog) such a dog toy your dog can have or a tasty treat, is that your dog may come to learn to bring things to you. If your puppy or dog grabs a child’s toy and brings it to you, make a fuss saying what a clever pup he is and swap it for a dog toy, a treat or a short fun game.
A word about”Scent Marking” Children Toys. Some dogs owners have had further success ‘scent marking’ their children’s toys with a taste deterrent such as Bitter Apple Spray to remind the dog to leave them alone. They therefore spray the children’s toys before practicing “leave its” or when leaving the room. Many dogs are deterred by the bad taste, they’ll grab a toy, and therefore, then spit it out, but many dogs still find that the value of the toy and chewing worthy despite the initial bitter taste. On top of this, some dogs don’t mind the taste deterrent and some taste deterrents leave residue, so that, should children put their fingers or toys in their mouths, they’ll end up tasting it too, which is not good.
Baby toy/toddler toys consideration: it may be more difficult at times to train dogs to stay away from baby toys because, on top of being attractive to chew on, babies or toddlers may smear food on them or spit/regurgitate on them, which adds another bonus (yuck right?) making them extra appealing and therefore difficult to resist. With baby toys, it’s best to simply manage for safety and hygiene matters considering the risks of dogs guarding toys from babies or toddlers and babies or toddlers putting in their mouths toys that were previously mouthed by dogs. Dogs often have bacteria in their mouths that may cause diseases.
Provide training, socialization, exercise and mental stimulation. Puppies and dogs who tend to seek out things to chew a lot are often bored or frustrated or anxious. It’s important to provide them with sufficient training, exercise, socialization and mental stimulation. These activities will tire most puppies and dogs out. Puppies can then be crated with a safe chew toy to relax and have a nap versus getting cranky and misbehaving around the house.
Importance of supervision: dogs and children should always be supervised, no matter how small or how good the dog is. This is to prevent mishaps, rehearsals of problematic behaviors and to ensure that children are following the rules on how to properly interact with the dog.
Teach the kids too! As seen, there are several ways on how to stop a dog from chewing children’s toys. Perhaps one of the most valuable and productive lessons is teaching children to put toys away. There’s nothing like a puppy or dog to teach children to put toys (or other belongings) away. If the kids cherish something, they are better off keeping it off the floor and stored safely away so to avoid slobbery toys or destruction. This is a great motivator that is likely to remind children that the dog will eat toys or anything they leave out. This way, the puppy is safe and children learn to be orderly, and this organizational skill may carry on to other habits in life too!
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