Why do dogs eat shoes?
This dog blog will answer the major question, “Why do dogs eat shoes?” we will also discuss the major reasons of consuming shoes for your dog, the harmful effects of consuming shoes for your dog, and what are the ways to discipline your dog.
Why do dogs eat shoes?
Dogs eat shoes to grab your attention. Dogs are attention seekers. They love when their owners give them attention. If you are not giving attention to your dog, your dog will do things to grab your attention. Boredom and nutritional deficiencies are the other reasons for dogs eating shoes.
What are the reasons for dogs eating shoes?
Following are the major reasons of dog consuming shoes:
Boredom
The first problem is boredom. Dogs are active animals, they love to eat and run. When they are not given an opportunity to play and run, they are hit by boredom. Consuming shoes is one of the consequences of boredom.
Following are the major clinical signs of boredom in your dog:
- Lethargy
- Restlessness
- Less interest in food
- Loss appetite
You should look for these signs and always provide opportunities for your dog to play around.
Attention
Your dog wants you to look at it. If your dog is consuming shoes, it means you are not giving it attention. If you walk home after work, your dog wants you to pat it, but you simply ignore your dog. Your dog will grab your shoes and will chew on them. This will help your dog to grab your attention.
Basic Instinct
Chewing on things is the basic instinct of your dog. Your dog loves to chew on things. The dogs spent most of the time chewing on bones and other chew toys.
If your dog doesn’t get any chew toys, your dog will chew on whatever it gets in the house. In the wild dogs chew on bones to satisfy their needs. Chewing also cleans the teeth and further strengthens them.
Chewing toys can be a very good addition to your dog’s boring life.
Teething
If you have puppies at home, it is very obvious that the puppies will chew on shoes to relieve the sore gums. The teething process in puppies takes time. In this process your puppies will suffer from sore gums, so they will chew on things around the house.
Smell of the shoes
Many dogs like the smell of the shoes, so they will chew on them. Some people think it is the instinct of your dog to be attracted to the foul smell of the shoes.
What are the effects of consuming shoes for your dog?
Following are the harmful effects of consuming shoes for your dog:
Choking
The first problem is choking in your dog. Choking can be painful as your dog is not able to eat anything. Your pet is in continuous pain so you need to make sure that your dog doesn’t chew on shoes.
Choking can also cause a collapse of the trachea in your dog. The trachea is the windpipe of your dog. Respiratory collapse occurs in your dog as it leads to the death of your dog.
Intestinal blockage
The next thing is the intestinal blockage in your dog. The intestine of the dog is a sensitive organ that is involved in nutrient absorption in the body. If the intestine has a foreign body stuck in it, the intestinal motility and nutrient absorption capacity decreases.
Following are the major clinical signs of intestinal obstruction in your dog:
- Constipation
- Loss of appetite
- Vomiting
- Abdominal pain
- Abdominal pain on palpation
- Swollen abdomen
Indigestion
The last problem is indigestion in your dog. The shoes are made up of leather which is not food for your dog. The leather is not properly digested in the stomach of your dog.
What are the ways to discipline your dog?
Following are the ways to discipline your dog:
- You can train your dog not to eat shoes, you should teach your dog the basic commands.
- You should keep all the shoes in the closet, a place where your dog cannot reach them.
- You should provide a chewing toy to your dog so that it doesn’t chew on your shoes.
- Claim that the shoes are yours so that your dog will know not to eat shoes.
- You should also set up a no-go area for your dog where your dog is not allowed to enter. It is the area where you keep your shoes.
- You should provide a distraction to your dog.
Conclusion
This dog article will answer the major question, “Why do dogs eat shoes?” we also discussed the major reasons of consuming shoes for your dog, the harmful effects of consuming shoes for your dog, and what are the ways to discipline your dog.
References
https://www.hepper.com/how-to-stop-a-dog-from-chewing-shoes/
