Most dog owners know better than to give their dog a shoe as a chew toy, even if the shoe is old and already destroyed and even if the puppy loves it and looks cute dragging that big shoe around. Most dog owners don't allow it because they know that this same dog would very likely select other shoes, good shoes, as their next toy. A shoe is a shoe is a shoe!

As a trainer, I have always looked at how and why a dog learns to behave in a particular way. Pulling the stuffing out of furniture is a learned behavior. Dogs that learn this behavior usually learn it because:

1. As teething puppies they were given a dog bed, which they destroyed,
and if that wasn't bad enough, the owners bought them another bed which they also destroyed.

2. As teething puppies they were left outdoors with access to furniture with cushions.

3. As teething puppies they were left indoors unsupervised with access to furniture with cushions.

You get the picture. It is normal for teething puppies to put anything available in
their mouth. You have to control what is made available to them and direct them to play only with the toys given to them.

I'll never forget my amazement when I first saw stuffed toys hanging in the dog toy aisle, and stuffed toys with squeakers in them to boot! It was no surprise to me that dogs love stuffed toys. I have been helping dog owners teach their puppies to leave their children's stuffed toys alone for years. They have a natural affinity for them so it makes sense when you don't have other stuffed toys lying around that there shouldn't be a problem.

Many dogs play nicely with stuffed toys, squeaking them, tossing them, retrieving them, and that's fine. They're wonderful toys for those dogs. However other dogs learn that it's fun to gut stuffed toys and take their squeakers out. Squeaker or no squeaker, the act of gutting a stuffed toy is pulling the threads apart and pulling out the stuffing. Here is my warning: The dog that delights in gutting their stuffed toys may later delight in gutting your furniture. Furniture is very often filled with the same material used to stuff toys.

Many responsible dog owners have no idea that allowing a puppy to gut stuffed toys can lead to destroyed furniture. Please spread the word. If you know someone whose dog attacks cushioned furniture, tell them about the Invisible Fence® brand indoor system. It is a fool proof way to save all home furnishings, not just those with cushions!!

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