Chewing releases stress. It is one of the most important natural activities a dog has, and for an anxious dog it is a way of bringing themselves back down without any help from you.
It is also, occasionally, a warning sign. Both things are true and it is worth knowing which you are looking at.
Sustained chewing is repetitive, absorbing and self-directed. A dog with a good chew is not monitoring the window, listening to the street, or waiting for something to happen. For dogs who struggle to settle in the evening, a chew often works better than another walk.
Green & Wild's is a UK brand doing this properly — natural chews including antlers and buffalo horns, plus eco-friendly toys made from jute and leather. Their products are free from fillers, artificial additives and GMOs, and they hold Ethical Accreditation.
Gatsby's coat was dull and coarse. Since adding Green & Wild's natural salmon oil to his daily routine it has become noticeably shinier, softer and healthier, and his overall vitality seems to have lifted with it.
It is a small thing that turned out not to be a small thing.
A sudden increase in chewing, particularly chewing things that are not chews — post, furniture, skirting — is worth looking at rather than only managing.
Chewing is self-soothing, and dogs self-soothe when something is wrong. That can be stress, boredom or under-stimulation. It can also be discomfort. I have had cases where a dramatic increase in chewing sat alongside a gait that turned out to need veterinary attention.
If the chewing has changed recently and nothing else in the household has, do not assume it is behavioural.