By Natalie Lester, PetSafe Brand Marketing Specialist
When you adopt a puppy, you have to be prepared to possibly say good bye to your favorite pair of shoes or a comfy pillow. Why? Because dogs tend to chew and they never seem to quite totally understand what they can and cannot rip apart. I try to keep my house picked up as to remove temptations from Emma’s sight. Yet, there have been a few times that I (or someone else) missed something and she tore it apart. None of the damage was too bad for a while. A few of my heels have bite marks in them, but they are still wearable. Yet, then she got a hold of something and rendered it unusable and I was pretty upset. How in the world would I live without this? 
When Emma chewed through Natalie's phone charger, it was the first time Natalie was really upset with her puppy. Yet, she knew she could replace the cord and was glad Emma wasn't shocked in the process.
The phone charger was easily replaced and I forgave her. Really, I was just thankful she didn’t get electrocuted. I also invested in the contraptions that stick to your furniture and hold your cords off the ground to keep the new one away from her. Good decision. A few weeks later, however, I was working and a friend was hanging out at my place before a job interview. He had slept in, and Emma had started out in the room with him. He failed to shut the door all the way, and she got a little bored. Like all bored doggies, she found something else to amuse herself with. When he sent me the picture, I freaked out. I was terrified some of the shoe could be lodged inside of her and took her to the vet on my lunch break to make sure.
After the iPhone cord, Emma turned her sights to a friend's shoe. Has your pet destroyed any of your shoes? Luckily, Natalie's friend had recently ordered another pair to replace these.
Luckily, she didn’t eat much of what she ripped up. I was also lucky my friend had recently ordered a new pair of tennis shoes and they arrived within the week.
Neither of these two issues compare to the picture one of my best friends sent me a few weeks ago. She had gone to run a few errands. She came home to a pet parent’s worst nightmare. Her beautiful leather couch was ruined, and her rescue lab puppy was the culprit. He has shown signs of anxiety before, and she has lost a few pillows to such reactions. Yet this was unlike anything either of us had ever experienced. 
Her dogs and Emma both have ample amounts of toys available, which they always seems to enjoy when we are home with them. Why is it they get into such mischief when we leave? And, does anyone have any advice for my poor friend? She desperately wants to help her dog, and protect her next couch!
Has your dog ever destroyed anything you loved? What did you do to teach him or her that she wasn’t supposed to chew on it?
ABOUT NATALIE
As the PetSafe Brand Marketing Specialist, Natalie manages The Paw Print blog and generates other brand related content including public relations and promotions. Before PetSafe, Natalie worked in the local media covering politics, education, and religion. Natalie’s puppy, Emma, spends almost as much time in the office as she does.
