Top 3 Reasons Why Puppies Chew and Bite the Crate Bars

While the concept of keeping a puppy inside a cage might sound cruel, there are actually many important benefits that crate training may offer to a dog. One common challenge that dog owners face while crate training their puppy is when a puppy starts to chew through the crate bars (even if they are made of metal). Here are the top reasons that may explain this behavior.

The puppy is teething

Once they are a few weeks old, puppies go through a period when their baby teeth fall out to make way for the adult teeth. This is known as teething. It can be quite a painful and uncomfortable experience for the puppies. They will try to relieve some of that pain by chewing any object that’s in front of them. This may include the crate bars and cover if the puppy is being crate trained.

Anxiety in confined spaces

Some puppies may freak out when they are suddenly placed in a confined space. They may try to chew through the crate bars in order to get out. The level of anxiety should drop over time as long as you are using the proper crate training method.

Dog just being a dog

Dogs are packed with curiosity and energy. Chewing new objects is one way for dogs to discover the world around them. There might be nothing wrong with your puppy. Some dogs may still try to chew the crate even if they are perfectly healthy and are getting plenty of playtime. They are just being dogs.

How to stop a dog from chewing the crate

There are a few methods recommend assuming your puppy is perfectly healthy, both mentally and physically. One suggestion is to deter the puppy from chewing the crate bars by applying some bitter apple spray. This non-toxic chew deterrent is known for stopping dogs from licking and chewing specific objects.

You could also put a cover over the crate. Old blankets would work just fine in this case. Some dogs may start to bite through the crate bars because they are excited to see you and want to approach you. Covering the crate could reduce the likelihood of this happening.

Last but not least, make sure the dog has plenty of safe toys to chew on. Don’t give them a reason to chew the crate bars. It’s important to stop this behavior. It could pose a safety risk as puppies have been noted to get their mouth stuck as they try to bite through the crate.