# Is it OK for puppy to chew on sticks?



## Dreadog

Hoku loves to chew on sticks, even if I give her something better to chew on (nylabone, or even peanut butter filled kong) she is frequently finding sticks to chew on. We spend much of the day outside, and letting her chew on the sticks would be SO EASY. She doesn't seem to be swallowing the pieces of wood she breaks off, so is it OK?


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## FourIsCompany

I don't like my dogs chewing on sticks. Of course, they're grown now and don't do it much, but when they were puppies, it was their favorite chew toy and I spent a lot of time keeping the sticks out of the yard. 

The problem is splinters. They can puncture the inside of the mouth, get stuck between teeth and even puncture an esophagus and cause graver danger. Some people take the chance. But I don't.


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## LoveMyBirdDog

My dog chewed on sticks when he was a puppy all the time. He never died. He still chews them occasionally. I try to keep and eye on him when he does it though. He likes to eat mulch too.


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## MichMoeLevi

My puppy loves to chew sticks, but mostly just likes to pick them up and drag them around the park. I usually let her until she starts to gnaw too much on it, then I take it away. A couple other dog owners have told me to not let her do it, but I've always wondered what's the big crime with it. I usually supervise her when she does have a stick in mouth. Her other favourite out door chew toy is pine cones! Again, she mostly likes to pick them up and walk with them around the block. I think it's kind of funny sometimes.


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## winniec777

FourIsCompany said:


> I don't like my dogs chewing on sticks. Of course, they're grown now and don't do it much, but when they were puppies, it was their favorite chew toy and I spent a lot of time keeping the sticks out of the yard.
> 
> The problem is splinters. They can puncture the inside of the mouth, get stuck between teeth and even puncture an esophagus and cause graver danger. Some people take the chance. But I don't.


Agree 100%. Had a dog die from chewing sticks. Sure some dogs do it with no problem. Do you think you can tell which kind of dog your dog is? My family didn't know until it was too late.


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## ilovemydogs

My Cocker Spaniel got a small stick lodged in the front of his throat when he was a puppy. Thankfully, my dad was able to get it out without any problem and it didn't cause any scratching of his throat. He just kept coughing, trying to get it up. Had my dad not seen the whole thing and gotten it out in time, there's not telling what could have happened. Puppies are also really spastic, and you can't guarantee that you will see it if something like this were to happen, because they are always getting into stuff. I wouldn't recommend it.

Ashley


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## FourIsCompany

On a dog board I belong to, one member had a dog who loved sticks and used to play with them and chew them. One time, he was running with one end of a stick in his mouth and the far end fell and hit the ground and the stick was driven into the dog's brain, killing him instantly. 

Jaia (my dog) also loved sticks and when I heard this story, I started making sure he always had something else to chew on and carry around so he would forget about sticks.


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