It’s strange and a little worrying: your dog keeps chewing on water bottles. Should you allow this? And why do dogs chew on water bottles? What is it about this that they enjoy? Can dogs chew on empty water bottles? And is it ok for puppies to chew on water bottles?

Today, we’re going to answer all of the questions you have about this possible safety issue. We’ll also, of course, cover how to stop your dog from chewing on your water bottle. Soon, you’ll know if this is safe and how you can stop it! Keep reading below for our article “Dog Chewing on Water Bottle? Here’s What to Do!”

How to Stop Dog Chewing on My Water Bottle

To stop dog chewing on your water bottle:

1. Keep your water bottles where your dog can’t get to them.
2. Use a trash can or recycling bin with a lid when you dispose of them.
3. Make sure your dog can always find an acceptable outlet for biting like a toy they enjoy chewing on.
4. Give a firm but calm “no” or “stop” right away when you notice your dog is again biting water bottles.
5. Do not get mad or yell, because if they’re misbehaving like this due to anxiety (which is extremely likely), this will only make their stress worse.
6. Put them into a brief time-out in a closed-off room or their crate for roughly ten minutes.
7. If you see your dog starting to go for the bottle of water, point them to one of their toys.
8. Give them pets, praise, and a treat when they choose their toy instead of biting on a water bottle.
9. Ensure that everyone else who lives with you is also following these instructions.
10. Stay consistent and patient.

But you’ll still need to do something about the root problem that was causing all of this disobedience to begin with, which is your dog’s feelings of anxiety. Letting this continue will just lead to your dog’s issue growing and escalating into other behavioral problems.

To properly address that, we must first talk about what makes dogs tick deep down. You’ve likely heard before that dogs are pack animals, and that in every pack there is a pack leader.

But when your dog chews on water bottles, they are definitively showing you that they don’t trust you in this leadership role.

If they did, they wouldn’t chew on your water bottle and then ignore your commands to stop. They wouldn’t display any other types of anxiety-related misbehavior. And they would immediately obey your commands at all times, and they would do so happily.

Show your dog that you are not just their pack leader, but a capable one worthy of respect, and you’ll make all of these wonderful things a reality.

You’ll be better off for obvious reasons. But your dog will be too because they’ll no longer have to deal with all of the confusion and worry that their anxiety problems are currently burdening their little shoulders with every moment of every day.

Sounds terrific, doesn’t it?

“Yes, absolutely, but how do I do any of this?”

You should watch an incredibly useful free video series which is on this very subject — how to be your dog’s pack leader — by a renowned trainer named Dan. In the series, he explains all you’ll need to know in ways that are very simple to understand and teach to your own dog, and he gets immediately to the point so that you can start seeing these crucial changes in your dog before things escalate any further.

Start watching Dan’s free training series now by clicking here. And no, you’re not going to have to be mean or yell at your dog. Dan uses only 100% humane and loving teaching methods at all times. Not just because they’re the right thing to do, but also because they’re the fastest way to achieve permanent changes in your dog’s behavior.

Why Do Dogs Chew on Water Bottles?

Dogs chew on water bottles because it relieves anxiety by releasing endorphins. They’re also perfectly sized for most dogs’ mouths, and the crackle of the plastic while they chew is also enjoyable. If it’s your water bottle, they’ll like it even more because things with your scent help to ease their worries.

Remember that dogs have very strong senses of smell, so even if you think it just smells like plastic, your dog can definitely still pick up on your scent. But if your dog is chewing on water bottles to ease anxiety, which is likely, then you need to address that right away.

Right now, your dog is going through a lot of stress and worry and seeking out whatever outlet they can find. When they ignore you when you tell them to stop, but it then continues happening, they are showing you that in addition to their anxiety they also have problems with trusting you and respecting you.

A dog that has trust in you and respect for you will obey commands when given and will only chew for fun and only on things they’re allowed, such as their toys. They’ll also experience very low levels of anxiety — if any at all — because they’ll have faith that you have everything handled.

If your dog has respect and anxiety issues, then you’re likely seeing their worry-induced chewing elsewhere when water bottles aren’t available. Just a few possibilities are your dog chewing on your headphones, chewing up your shoes, chewing their water bowl, chewing the doormat, or chewing the water hose.

Obviously, you don’t want your dog suffering, you don’t want them disobeying, and you don’t want to have to constantly be replacing things around your home. To learn how to stop your dog from chewing on water bottles while also addressing their root issues at the same time, go back to the first section now.

Can Dogs Chew On Empty Water Bottles?

Dogs cannot chew on empty water bottles. They should not chew on full ones, either. Both adult dogs and puppies are capable of breaking through the plastic on water bottles, which could break off into dangerous little slivers. These could become lodged in your dog’s digestive tract, which could lead to painful, expensive surgeries or even death.

Only allow your dog to chew on proper outlets, like toys specifically made for dogs. If your dog is having issues with chewing on anything they can find and is not a puppy still teething, then they are almost certainly experiencing anxiety problems. Go back to the first section now where we’ll teach you how to address this while also handling their water bottle chewing issue.

Is It Ok for Puppies to Chew on Water Bottles?

It is not ok for puppies to chew on water bottles. While puppies need things to chew on while they’re still teething, you should not give them water bottles even if they enjoy them. Puppies can break apart the plastic which could break off in tiny slivers. These could become lodged in your puppy’s digestive tract which could be very painful and even fatal for them.

Always ensure that your puppy has a proper outlet for their chewing, especially when they’re under six months old and still teething. If they seek out a water bottle, take it away and put it somewhere they can’t get to it, then redirect them to a toy. Give them pets, a small treat, and excited praise when they chew on this instead.

I’m sure you’re ready to quit finding chewed up water bottles, so I’ll let you get started now. Good luck with everything, and thank you for checking out our article “Dog Chewing on Water Bottle? Here’s What to Do!”