It’s no secret that puppies chew everything. From shoes to toys to furniture, if your puppy can at least try to wrap its teeth around something, it’s going to be chewed.
Not to mention that it’s not safe for your puppy to potentially digest parts of the pee pad.
So, if you’re wondering “why does my puppy chew the pee pad?”, then you’ve come to the right place. Here’s the ultimate guide on how to stop your puppy from chewing its pee pad!
Why Does My Puppy Chew The Pee Pad?
Before we get started on the best ways to stop your puppy from chewing the pee pad, let’s take a look at why your puppy is doing this in the first place.
Unfortunately, there is no clear answer to this question.
There are several reasons why your puppy is chewing its pee pad, with the most obvious being because your puppy is bored.
When puppies are bored, they will find their own way to cure their boredom.
Young dogs are full of energy (some more than others, depending on the breed) and will require a lot of attention. If their needs aren’t being met, then they will probably become chaotic and destructive.
Toys, shoes, furniture, and other accessible objects are the main victims of a bored puppy.
In the same way that your puppy will chew your table legs or the toilet paper, it will also chew pee pads that are left unattended.
Also some pee pads aren’t secured to the floor, which results in them being scratched and chewed by bored puppies.
So, when your puppy is bored, they will find a way to stimulate themselves as well as steal your attention. If this behavior isn’t amended quickly, their destructive behavior will continue into their adult years.
Aside from their boredom, your puppy might be chewing the pee pad because they are simply curious.
In the same way human babies will put anything new in their mouths, your puppy might simply be wondering why they are constantly being placed on a pee pad.
Also, in the same way that human babies chew things when they are teething, your puppy might be chewing the pee pad to relieve the discomfort of growing teeth.
This is unavoidable, but there are other ways to aid their teething problems.
How To Stop Your Puppy From Chewing Pee Pad
So, we’ve established that puppies will chew their pee pad out of boredom or if they’re curious about the new object.
Chewing is a normal habit for puppies, and fortunately, there are ways to associate the pee pad with peeing rather than playtime.
Here are my top tips for how to stop your puppy from chewing the pee pad!
Secure The Pee Pad To The Floor
Puppies will chew on anything that is accessible to them.
Pee pads don’t often come with an adhesive backing, leaving them merely resting on the floor and in a perfect place for the curious jaws of a puppy.
So, the first thing you should do to stop your puppy from chewing the pee pad is to make it impossible for them to do so.
Even if you have pee pads with an adhesive backing, the adhesion usually isn’t sticky enough.
We recommend taping the edges to the floor with duct tape, as this will stop the corners from curling, and therefore should prevent your puppy from chewing.
Just make sure to stick it to a permanent surface that can handle duct tape, such as laminate flooring.
Of course, some puppies will do whatever it takes to chew what they like, even if it means scratching the pee pad beneath the duct tape.
Keep Your Puppy Distracted
Distraction is key when owning a puppy. If boredom is the reason why your puppy is chewing the pee pad, then make sure to keep your pup distracted by toys and attention whenever they start attacking the pee pad.
Chew toys are great, but if you don’t have the time to give your puppy attention 24/7, then invest in some puzzles and Kong toys.
These are designed to keep your puppy distracted with dog food, so not only will your puppy be mentally and physically challenged, but they’ll also receive yummy treats.
Not only this, but distracting your puppy with chew toys will also help to keep their jaws and teeth moving during the teething period.
Don’t Be Tempted To Use A Stern Voice
Its hard to see your puppy engaging in frustrating behaviours and there is a temptation to raise your voice, or adopt a stern tone to discipline your puppy.
While the key to being a good dog parent is making sure your puppy knows the difference between a happy and not happy voice, I would not recommend shouting or speaking sternly to your puppy.
This type of discipline is a punishment, and while it might work in the moment to stop your puppy, it is unlikely to produce good results long term.
For example, rather than teaching your your puppy what they are doing is wrong, you might terrify them instead. This will affect your bond and may lead to issues with your puppy trusting you in future.
Your puppy also doesn’t understand the words you are saying, so while they might drop the pee pad in fear they may not understand the lesson is not to chew the pee pad at all. They may think that you are asserting dominance and assume they cannot chew the pad in your presence.
This means your puppy will chew the pad either when you are not home, or sneak off to chew the pad out of site. This will make it extremely difficult in the future for you to train your puppy out of chewing the pee pad!
A better way is to train your puppy to respond to the “Drop it” command. This can be done in a positive manner such as learning to play fetch. Once your puppy has learnt the command as them to drop it.
As soon as they obey the command reward them with lots of praise and a treat, then immediately distract them with a fun toy to stop them going back to chew the pee pad
Make sure to repeat this command whenever your puppy goes to chew the pee pad, and reward them when they listen to you.
As commands can take a while to teach, make sure to invest in some healthy puppy treats to prevent your puppy from gaining weight!
Use The Pee Pad Just For Peeing
As the name suggests, pee pads are purely for bathroom business. They are essential for puppy training, especially if your pup doesn’t have access to a backyard.
In most cases, people will try to train their puppy with a pee pad before encouraging them to go outside (especially if they haven’t been vaccinated).
However, it’s typically encouraged to train them to pee and poop outside as early as possible to prevent them from doing so inside.
So, if you are using pee pads for potty training, make sure to remove the pee pads from the floor as soon as your puppy has finished peeing or pooping.
Not only can they not chew what they can’t reach, but this will also help them to associate the pee pad with peeing.
Also, once they have used the pee pad, you need to praise them properly.
Rewarding them with cuddles and treats is a great way to teach them how to use the pee pad properly, because once they do their business, they will be rewarded.
Create A Time-Out Zone
If your puppy is being particularly destructive, then the best thing to do is limit its interactions with whatever it’s trying to destroy.
The best way to do this is to fill a large crate or play pen area with toys and blankets to keep them distracted from chewing the pee pad.
Not only does this encourage your puppy to keep themselves entertained, but it also helps to promote independence from a young age.
As a lot of dogs are prone to developing separation anxiety, it’s best to stay in the same room, or at least in view of the play pen area, to reassure your puppy that you are always nearby.
Plus, play pens and crates are a brilliantly humane way to promote bite and chew control.
When used properly, they will eventually associate the play pen with chilling out and taking a nap rather than chewing.
So, try not to use the crate/play pen as a negative area when they’re being naughty.
Instead, treat it like a time-out zone where they can chew whatever they like in a controlled environment until they tire themselves out.
Conclusion
So, there you have it! If your puppy is chewing their pee pad due to boredom or teething problems, hopefully this guide has given you some ideas on how to stop them.
It’s important to implement these tips as early as possible to prevent the habit from worsening.
Hi, my name is Daniel Johnson, and I am a professional dog trainer that specializes in positive training methods. I have worked with many dogs over the years, and have provided fantastic and improved results for both the owner and the dog.
When it comes to dog training, it is important for the owner to be taught the simple but correct techniques, and the way in which you communicate with your dog is vital to this process. I recently decided to set up this blog to share my knowledge and skills with a wider audience.
