Are German Shepherds Chewers? See Here
So many German Shepherd owners do ask, Are German Shepherds Chewers? Why German Shepherds chew? How can I stop my German Shepherd from chewing?
Well, if you’re a German Shepherd owner seeking for answers to above questions, we’ve got you covered in this article. Just read it.
In recent years, the German Shepherd has become popular all over the world. With their smart faces, long legs, and “bat” ears, these tall, normal dogs are hard to resist.
But taking care of a German Shepherd for the first time can be a learning experience in and of itself.
These dogs are very determined, and they know how cute they are. Your German Shepherd won’t be afraid to tell you what it wants.
And chewing is something that most German Shepherds really want to do.
They are always chewing. Know that it will be up to you to make sure that your German Shepherd only chews on things that you like.
This article has a lot of tips on how to keep your dog from chewing on dangerous things and how to make chewing fun for your dog.
Are German Shepherds Chewers
Are German Shepherds Chewers?
A German Shepherd owner’s response to the question, “Does your German Shepherd like to chew?” is likely to be a loud “yes!”
Dogs usually like to chew. But German Shepherds seem to love it even more than most because their jaws are so strong and powerful.
How Strong Is the German Shepherd’s Jaw?
An expert breeder of a German Shepherd says that the German Shepherd’s jaw is so strong that your dog may be able to break apart toys meant for small dog breeds.
Dog bite strength is a very controversial topic, and there doesn’t seem to be a single source that agrees on how to accurately measure it.
In a pilot study from University of Oxford, bite force was estimated based on the size and shape of a dog’s skull.
Even though the German Shepherd breed wasn’t part of this study, the researchers did look at brachycephalic (short muzzle) dog breeds and found that smaller brachycephalic dogs tend to have weaker bites than larger ones.
But, as Dr. Stanley Coren points out in Psychology Today, a dog’s bite force depends on a lot more than just the size or shape of its jaw.
For example, let’s say your German Shepherd has found a tasty treat that you don’t want them to have.
You decide that you will take it from your dog. Your German Shepherd doesn’t want to give it up, though.
You might find that your 28-pound dog decides to grab that treat with every bit of strength and determination they have.
You can’t do anything else but admit that your German Shepherd won that round.
Dr. Coren says that the average bite strength of the dog breeds he studied in depth was about 269 psi, which is just over double the jaw strength of the average person (120 psi).
This is still important, but it is nowhere near the 2,000 psi that was said to be the strength of a dog’s jaw, which is now known to be a complete lie.
How to Keep Your German Shepherd From Chewing Your properties
The first thing you need to know is that German Shepherds like to chew so much that your dog will probably find lots of things to chew that you don’t want your German Shepherd to have.
You can do your best to give your dog safe chewing toys and materials.
But the breeder of Carolina dog German Shepherd mix says that the only way to make sure your dog doesn’t chew on your things is to make sure he or she can’t get to them.
This usually means “dog-proofing” your house, which is hard to do when you have a German Shepherd who thinks table legs, couch cushions, crown moulding, and pretty much everything else in your house is there for them to chew on.
The Humane Society says that dog proofing, which rarely works the way you want it to, is not the best way to stop your dog from chewing on things it shouldn’t.
Instead, dog training is the best thing you can do. But you have to use the right ways to train or your efforts could go wrong.
Dog Training Tips to Deal With a Chewing German Shepherd
The breeder of a German Shepherd wolf mix says that you should start teaching your dog the “no bite” command right away.
When a dog is having trouble chewing, you can also use commands like “no,” “drop it,” and “leave it.”
German Shepherds are smart and sensitive dogs, which means that punishment-based (negative reinforcement) training methods don’t work at all with this breed.
(In fact, there is no breed of dog that usually does well with training based on fear or punishment).
So, when you start teaching your German Shepherd “no bite,” you can use praise, pats, playtime, and treats to get more of the behaviour you want and less of the behaviour you don’t want.
For instance, if your German Shepherd is chewing on something you don’t want them to have, you can tell them to “no bite” or “drop it.”
Then, every time your dog obeys and drops the item, you give him a treat or a pat as a positive reinforcement.
Aside that, you can get them a dog muzzle for German Shepherd.
People also ask,
Why do German Shepherds chew on things that they shouldn’t?
Are German Shepherds Chewers? Why do German Shepherds chew inappropriately?
When your German Shepherd chews on things that aren’t supposed to be chewed, it may be because of an underlying problem and not because he doesn’t want to listen.
Let’s look at some of the most common developmental, behavioural, and health reasons why your German Shepherd may still chew on things that aren’t dog toys, even though you’ve trained them a lot and are sure they know the difference.
Teething
All dog breeds, including German Shepherds, have a time when their puppy teeth fall out and their adult dog teeth grow in.
But this can be especially painful for German Shepherds, whose jaws are often too full of teeth that fight for space.
Giving your German Shepherd cold or frozen dog toys can help ease the pain of teething while letting the dog enjoy chewing.
Boredom
The American Kennel Club (AKC) says that German Shepherds are not dogs with a lot of energy.
But because they are smart, they can get bored quickly, especially when you aren’t home.
Hunger
German Shepherd owners who have had them for a long time know one thing for sure: they like to eat!
German Shepherds can easily gain weight because they don’t have a lot of energy.
But if you don’t give in when your dog begs, it might start chewing on other things.
Loneliness
German Shepherds care a lot about people. When left alone for a long time, especially if it happens often, they don’t do very well.
A lovely German Shepherd may turn into a destructive German Shepherd because it doesn’t want to be alone.
Even though it’s not the only sign that your dog has separation anxiety, chewing is one of the most obvious ones.
How to Choose Safe Chew Toys for Your German Shepherd
So, if German Shepherds love to chew so much and will chew your furniture if you don’t give them something better to do, how do you choose the safest chew toys for them?
“watch them closely”
Don’t leave your German Shepherd alone with a new toy.
Before you decide if the toy is safe, you need to see how your dog plays with it. Some toys may only be safe to chew on with an adult watching.
People also ask,
Look at the chew strength rating of a German Shepherd
Known dog toy makers, like Kong, will tell you how strong each toy is to chew on.
You don’t want a toy that is so tough that your German Shepherd can’t chew it at all (this can also be dangerous), but you should definitely stay away from toys labelled “soft chewers” or “mouthers.”
Ask other people who own a German Shepherd.
If you’re not sure, it’s always a good idea to ask other people who own German Shepherds what their dogs like to chew on and try those first.
You can also ask the person who raised your dog or your vet for advice on the safest toys to buy.
Lastly, you might want to set up a toy rotation to keep your dog interested in their toys.
Give your dog a toy to play with for a day or two, and then get him a new one.
Conclusion
Thanks for reading. German Shepherd owners do ask Are German Shepherds Chewers? yes they are. We’ve explained everything in this article. Please kindly drop an experience about your German Shepherd in the comment section below.
