Why Does My Year Old Yorkshire Terrier Always Eat Wood?

It can be a nightmare if your Yorkshire Terrier starts chewing the wooden furniture in the house. In most cases, this habit develops when the Yorkshire Terrier is around one year old. So, you might be wondering, why does my year old Yorkshire Terrier always eat wood?

Why Does My Year Old Yorkshire Terrier Always Eat Wood?

The main reason why one year old Yorkshire Terriers always eat wood is the discomfort and pain that comes with teething. They also eat wood as they try to alleviate the separation anxiety and boredom when left alone.

Since Yorkshire Terriers mature from the age of eight months to one year, there is a lot of transitioning that happens at this age. As a result, the following physical and mental reasons might make your one year old Yorkshire Terrier start eating wood.

Separation Anxiety

Yorkshire Terriers are social and affectionate and tend to develop separation anxiety and stress if you leave them alone for too long. The Yorkies might start getting anxious when they notice you’re preparing to leave them alone.

For instance, if you tend to carry your backpack when leaving the house, you might see a Yorkshire Terrier starting to eat wood when you carry the backpack. Typically, it’s because the Yorkshire Terrier is feeling upset and nervous, and the best way to relieve this is by eating wood.

In most cases, this behavior will be more prominent at the age of one year as the Yorkshire Terrier will be mature enough to understand what it means to be left alone and knows when you are preparing to leave.

Teething

There are higher chances that at the age of one year, the permanent teeth of your Yorkshire Terrier will be fully replacing the puppy teeth. As a result, the Yorkshire Terrier might be having some discomfort or pain that comes with teething.

The Yorkshire Terrier might try to relieve this discomfort and pain by chewing wood. Even if the permanent teeth are fully developed, the Yorkshire Terrier might still eat wood as it tries to explore the surrounding environment with its mouth.

You can try to minimize this behavior by providing your Yorkie with chew toys that can help relieve the pain and discomfort. However, it can be challenging to control this behavior if the Yorkie is chewing wood as it tries to explore the world.

Natural Instinct

Yorkshire Terriers have strong hunting instincts, which come with chewing instincts. The instincts in Yorkshire Terriers dictate they run after prey, grab it with their mouth and carry it. As Yorkshire Terriers mature at one year, these instincts become stronger.

If you don’t provide your Yorkshire Terriers with play toys, they will try to practice hunting with pieces of wood. When chewing wood behavior results from instincts, Yorkshire Terriers tend to chew small pieces of wood that they can grab and carry around instead of large pieces of furniture.

Boredom

Yorkshire Terriers are energetic dogs, and they need exercise to help relieve the excess energy. In most cases, Yorkshire Terriers will take long naps after intense exercises. Without exercise, the higher energy levels will make the Yorkie bored, and it will look for a way to alleviate the boredom.

Unlike separation anxiety, Yorkshire Terriers can get bored even when you are at home, provided you are not engaging them in exercises. If there are no toys to play with, Yorkshire Terriers might try to alleviate the boredom by clawing, grabbing, and trying to carry small pieces of wood.

If left uncontrolled, this might develop into destructive behavior. Fortunately, you can help control your Yorkies’ excessive energy levels through the following:

• Leaving the Yorkshire Terriers in a larger backyard where they can chase small prey
• Going out with your Yorkies for jogging, long walks or hiking 
• Providing your Yorkshire Terrier with stimulating toys such as food dispensing toys

Pica

Pica is an eating disorder that can make Yorkies eat non-food items such as wood. This disorder can make Yorkshire Terriers crave wood because of its smell or how it looks. Sometimes this disorder might result from intestinal parasites, nutritional deficiency, or poor diet.

Keep in mind that this disorder can make your Yorkshire Terrier eat toxic things other than wood. It is advisable to consult a vet when your Yorkshire Terrier develops this problem. You can also switch diets and provide your Yorkshire Terrier with comprehensive supplements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Chewing Wood Risky for My Yorkie?

Yes, it’s risky for a Yorkie to chew wood as it can lead to serious health problems. For instance, wood splinters can cause injuries to the mouth or stomach lining of the Yorkshire Terrier. Larger pieces of wood can even cause a total blockage of your Yorkies’ bowels.

Is There a Spray That Can Help Prevent My Yorkie From Chewing Wood?

Yes, a spray such as Bluecare Lab’s Bitter Apple Spray can help prevent Yorkies from chewing wood. It emits a bitter taste that makes wood unappealing, preventing your Yorkshire Terrier from chewing it.

Final Thoughts

Yorkshire Terriers’ playful nature and hunting instincts can make them chew wood if they are in a small room where they can’t expend their energy levels. They can also eat wood due to the Pica eating disorder that causes Yorkies to eat non-food items.