Anyone who owns a dog knows how much they love to chew on shoes. While puppies chew to soothe their itchy gums during teething, most dogs chew shoes simply for fun. However, this playful behavior can come at a cost.
The Dangers of Shoe Chewing
When indigestible foreign objects enter a dog's digestive tract, it can lead to serious health issues if not expelled. These objects can cause blockages, leading to vomiting, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, and in severe cases, perforation of the intestines [1].
A study found that plastic and rubber items account for about 25% of the foreign objects found in dogs' gastrointestinal tracts [2], which coincidentally are common materials in slippers that dogs love to chew on.
Common Solutions and Their Effectiveness
Dog owners have tried various methods to prevent their pets from chewing shoes:
- Hiding the shoes: Dogs often find them.
- Spraying lemon juice on shoes: Some dogs can tolerate the taste.
- Scolding the dog after the fact: This often has little effect.
But now, a new solution is on the horizon – a pair of slippers that dogs truly won't want to chew on.
The Innovation: Dog-Proof Slippers
A Brazilian footwear manufacturer has developed slippers incorporating a substance that dogs find particularly unpleasant to taste, protecting both the dog's health and the lifespan of the slippers.
After consulting with a pet food company, the brand discovered the perfect ingredient – denatonium benzoate, known as the world's bitterest substance.
How Bitter Is Denatonium Benzoate?
For dogs, denatonium benzoate is extremely bitter. Research indicates that dogs can detect the bitter taste of denatonium benzoate in water at concentrations as low as 44.7 parts per million (ppm), and they are likely to reject these substances [3]. At these concentrations, denatonium benzoate is typically non-toxic to dogs.
A Bitter But Effective Solution
Adding denatonium benzoate to slippers could be an effective way to deter dogs from chewing them. However, it's important to note that this substance is also incredibly bitter to humans.
Human Sensitivity to Bitterness
For those curious about trying these dog-proof slippers themselves, a warning: denatonium benzoate is extremely bitter to humans as well. Even a tiny amount can make a large swimming pool's water taste unbearably bitter.
People who have accidentally tasted denatonium benzoate describe it as an intense, unpleasant bitterness that can't be washed away with water, soda, or even whiskey. Humans are much more sensitive to its bitterness, detecting it at concentrations as low as 10 ppm.
Applications Beyond Footwear
Due to its intense bitterness, denatonium benzoate is used as a bittering agent in products to prevent accidental ingestion. It's added to items like detergents, paints, nail polishes, and industrial alcohol to deter children and adults from consuming them.
Conclusion
Protecting dogs from the hazards of chewing shoes while extending the life of our footwear is a win-win situation. With the development of these dog-proof slippers, we can look forward to fewer chewed-up shoes and healthier pets.
References
[1] ACVS: Gastrointestinal Foreign Bodies in Dogs
[2] Kassem M M, El-Kammar M H, El-Menshawey M F. Surgical Management of Foreign Bodies in Stomach and Intestine of Some Foreign Breed Dogs. Alexandria Journal for Veterinary Sciences, 2014, 42(1).
[3] Gibbs M, Winnig M, Riva I, et al. Bitter taste sensitivity in domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) and its relevance to bitter deterrents of ingestion. PLOS One, 2022, 17(11): e0277607.