Shoes, cushions, skirting boards? Why bulldogs chew, when to see the vet, and how to give them something better to do.
Chewing is normal dog behaviour, and most bulldogs who wreck shoes and furniture are chewing because they are bored, under-stimulated, teething or stressed, not because they are naughty. The fix is to give them enough daily activity and their own things to chew, put tempting items out of reach while they learn, and reward them for choosing the right thing. If the chewing is sudden, constant, or your dog is swallowing what they chew, talk to your vet.
Sound familiar?
The pattern is usually the same. The chewing happens when the dog has nothing else to do, often when you are busy, out, or the day has been quiet.
RSPCA Australia says dogs need opportunities to chew, and it only becomes a problem when it is excessive, causes injury or damages property. Researchers at the University of Sydney's School of Veterinary Science describe gnawing as a common part of how dogs normally behave. Your bulldog is not going to stop wanting to chew, so the goal is to point that urge somewhere acceptable.
The ASPCA lists boredom and a lack of physical and mental exercise as a main reason dogs chew household items. RSPCA Australia also notes that feeding a dog only from a bowl can leave the urge to chew and forage unmet. A bulldog who sleeps most of the day and then has a burst of energy will often spend it on whatever is nearby.
Many owners are told a tired dog is a good dog, but short-nosed breeds can't safely do long, hard exercise in warm weather. A UK veterinary consensus statement found English bulldogs had around 14 times the risk of heat-related illness compared with labradors, that exercise was the most common trigger, and that some flat-faced breeds overheat at temperatures as low as about 21°C. On hot Queensland days, a bulldog may get much less exercise than they need, so mental work matters more.
Puppies explore with their mouths, and RSPCA Queensland notes puppies around three to six months often chew household items while their adult teeth come through. The ASPCA says this teething phase usually ends around six months. Chewing for fun can carry on well past that if the puppy never learned which things are theirs.
RSPCA Queensland lists self-soothing and anxiety as reasons dogs chew, and RSPCA Australia lists destructiveness among the signs a dog may be distressed when left alone, alongside barking, pacing, toileting inside and trying to escape. If the chewing only happens when you're out, it may not be boredom at all. See our home alone guide and speak to your vet.
The ASPCA notes dogs on restricted diets may chew things that smell of food. RSPCA Queensland points out that even a telling-off can reward chewing if the dog is after attention. VCA Animal Hospitals lists several medical conditions that can cause a dog to eat non-food items, which is one reason a sudden change needs a vet check.
Warning signs
If you see any of these, call your vet.
VCA Animal Hospitals describes a swallowed object blocking the gut as potentially life-threatening, so don't wait to see if it passes.
Before anything else: products won't fix a dog who is under-exercised or left alone too long. Start with a daily routine of short walks in the cool part of the day, a few minutes of training, and some of their daily food given through a puzzle instead of a bowl. Put shoes, socks, remotes and washing away. Then give them their own things to chew. Here's what we use with our own dogs, and you'll find the full range on our bored and chewing things page.
Bored and chewing things
$93.95
See what's insideYour dog nudges and rolls the JW Treat Puzzle Tumbler ($29.95) to work treats out through its internal maze. It turns a handful of food into a job, which is the kind of mental activity the RSPCA recommends for bored dogs. We put part of their dinner in it on days we can't walk far.
Bored and chewing things
$29.95
The Scream Treat Dispensing Tyre Chew Toy, Green ($45.95) can be filled with food, so your dog chews and plays with it to get the food out. It puts chewing and finding food into one toy that's theirs. It also comes as the Scream Treat Dispensing Tyre Chew Toy, Orange ($45.95) if you want two to rotate.
The Fido Superflex Bone, Chicken Flavour, Medium ($32.95) gives your dog a flavoured thing of their own to chew instead of the table leg. Pick a size your dog can't fit wholly in their mouth, supervise them, and replace it once the ends are worn down, as the ASPCA advises for any durable chew. For a different option, the GURU Adjust-A-Chew Chew Toy Medium ($42.95) can be set up to suit how they chew.
A treat toy that sits empty is just another toy. The All Barks Australian Natural Beef Dog Treat Sticks 110g ($30.95) break into small pieces that fit the tumbler and tyre. Count them as part of the day's food so your dog doesn't gain weight, which the RSPCA flags as a risk of relying on food-based activities.
If you'd rather start with a set, the Bored Bulldog Brain Bundle ($93.95) has three toys: one to sniff out, one to chew for treats and one to chase indoors. It's useful for wet or hot days when a long walk isn't on. See also our guides for too hot to walk and needs to burn energy.
Teething chewing usually eases at around six months, but the need to chew doesn't go away. Puppies who are taught early which things are theirs tend to keep choosing those.
A sudden change can be boredom after a change in routine, stress, or a health problem. Because medical conditions can cause dogs to eat non-food items, a sudden change in an adult dog is worth a vet visit.
If the chewing happens mainly when you're out and comes with barking, pacing, toileting inside or trying to escape, it may be separation distress. Talk to your vet, as the RSPCA recommends.
No. Dogs can't link a telling-off to something they did earlier, and RSPCA Australia warns that punishing chewing without understanding the cause can create more problems.
The ASPCA says taste deterrents can help, but only alongside teaching your dog what they are allowed to chew. On their own, they rarely solve it.
Choose chews sized so they can't be swallowed whole, supervise, and throw them out once they're worn or breaking. If your dog swallows a chunk of anything, the ASPCA advises calling your vet straight away.
Use food puzzles, filled chew toys, short training sessions and sniffing games indoors. Flat-faced dogs can overheat at fairly mild temperatures, so mental work is safer than hard exercise on warm days.
Choose toys by mouth size and play style, check them for damage and plan short indoor games for hot days. Practical guidance from bulldog owners.
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