Ask These Girls

Human feet have about half a million sweat glands, which are always secreting moisture. When feet are tucked into hot, humid shoes, the glands can release a half pint of sweat a day. The perspiration, in turn, is loaded with human scents, and that’s hard for any dog to resist.

Adult dogs generally understand that just because something smells good doesn’t mean they have to chew it. But when they’re young, dogs respond to shoes in the same way they respond to anything that gets their attention - by putting them in their mouths. Added to this natural attraction is that fact that puppies go through a teething phase. Few things make their gums feel better than working over a nice pair of loafers.

It sometimes seems that dogs’ interest in shoes is directly related to the cost: The more expensive the shoes, the more likely dogs are to leave them in tatters! But they really don’t have a preference. They can’t tell which shoes come from Macy’s and which come from K-Mart. All they know is that shoes smell exciting and are worth an exploratory chew or two.

To your dog, that personal smell is the next best thing to you. In fact, dogs rarely chew up the shoes of people whom they dislike. If they really hate someone, they might tear their shoes up. But most dogs really want to be close to the familiar, pleasant smell of their owners.

More important, shoes are singularly convenient. When people leave home for the day, it’s normal for dogs to explore a bit. They’ll sniff around the living room, the bedrooms, and the closets. Sooner or later, they’ll come across a pair of shoes. They’re right on the floor, they smell great, and they’re just the right size. They may decide that their search is over and commence digging in.

Dogs Prefer Chewing Leather Shoes

Some dogs will chew rubber galoshes if that’s all they can find. But given the choice, most go for leather shoes. Leather is made from cowhide. Despite all the treatments and tanning and dyes that go into shoe-making, dogs still recognize leather as a substance that’s dam close to food.

An added bonus is that leather gets softer and tastier the more dogs chew it. Once they’ve started to wear it away, leather massages their gums just like rawhide does. There’s a good taste, a good smell, and great mouth appeal, too. Leather shoes with tassels are especially popular. They’re like great smelling chew toys with tails and that makes them very hard to resist.

By Kelly Marshall

http://www.ohmydogsupplies.com