Why is my dog eating my shoes? The risks and reasons why, revealed

Dogs love to chew things. It’s in their nature, and we can’t begrudge them too much for doing it. But sometimes, they chew on something they shouldn’t, leading to frustrations, costly replacements and potential health problems. So, what happens if your dog likes your shoes a little too much? Do you need to know how to stop your dog from chewing shoes? Are you curious if this is just a “your dog” thing or a wider issue? We're here to help. We've interviewed two dog owners who own shoe-obsessed Golden Retrievers. We also explain why dogs may do this and share some guidance on what to do if your dog eats leather or plastic. Let’s get a foothold on this issue. So, do dogs like shoes? Well, some dogs do, especially during the puppy teething phase. The combination of shoes being chewable and having a familiar scent can comfort some pups. We recently interviewed Rimma and Alexis about their Golden Retriever, Vesper, and they mentioned their dog loved shoes a little too much: “She was eating everything - everything from the walls to furniture. She was teething, as every puppy does, so she was trying to find an outlet. We found that we had to be there with any other toy just in time, to give it to her instead of the thing she shouldn’t be chewing." "She ate one shoe - a slipper, actually - when she was bored. She was about six months old. One morning, we woke up and we saw that a quarter of a slipper had gone!” “Nowadays, even though Vesper has grown out of her 'eating things' habit, she still remains a big fan of shoes, and she just likes to have them around when her humans are not there.” “Every time we leave, the first thing she’s going to do is take a shoe and put it in her bed. A few shoes even - she’ll stash them around her, like a nest. Sometimes, you come back after being away for a couple of hours and there's one on the couch, one downstairs, one on our bed, everywhere! We think that it’s just her coping mechanism."| Another owner we interviewed, Della, and her Golden Retriever, Bertie, also had a shoe-related story: “Bertie will walk around with a sock in his mouth. One time, he gently pulled out the insoles from my trainers and my husband's slippers, not on the same day, different days, and chewed them, nibbled them, and chewed little chunks off.” “He's got this thing about smelly socks and shoes. So, when anyone came to visit, we had to say: ‘Can I have your shoes please and place them in a high place or away in the cupboard?', because otherwise, he would take out the insoles and shoe around. But that's puppy teething for you." So, be extra careful during that puppy teething phase , as shoes aren’t the safest things for dogs to munch on. How to get a dog to stop chewing shoes Avoid scolding or shouting at your dog, as that can reinforce the behaviour and can make your dog anxious. It’s better to use positive reinforcement training to help them unlearn it. Our guide on how to stop a dog chewing has more advice. My dog ate leather or plastic from my shoe – should I panic? No, there’s no need to panic. But you may need to take steps and get your dog to a vet. Panicking will only make your dog feel worse. As you know, most shoes are made from leather and plastic, which are far from ideal for dogs to eat. The first steps depend on how much leather or plastic your dog has eaten. If it’s a small amount and your dog passes it through their stool, they’ll probably be OK. But you need to go to a vet if you notice symptoms or if they’ve eaten a lot of it. Worrying symptoms can include: These can indicate conditions like: If the plastic or leather from your shoe is sharp, your dog can suffer from: You must take your dog to the vet if they have one or more of these issues. Action plan if your dog’s swallowed something dangerous If treatment is required, this may include: Dog insurance that does more than what you need So yes, dogs can do things that surprise us sometimes, and it can land them in a bit of trouble. That’s why dog insurance is so good – it’s there for things you know you’ll need, like covering vet fees for illnesses. But it’s also there for the things in life that’ll surprise you, like catching your dog wolfing down a second course of New Balance.

Why is my dog eating my shoes? The risks and reasons why, revealed

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