Puppies have a knack for chewing on everything in sight, including their pet parents. But how can you stop them? Here, our Cumming vets help you to understand why puppies teethe and offer some tips to help ease their pain and make teething go smoothly.
How to Help a Teething Puppy
If you have a puppy then you are sure to know the pains of puppy teething. They will chew on anything that they can get their mouth on. But it's important to try and stay calm and remember that your pup isn't trying to be naughty, they are trying to relieve the pain and discomfort they are feeling. It just so happens that chewing on your new sofa's leg may be the perfect thing for making your pup's mouth feel better.
At what age do puppies start teething?
Once your pup is five to six weeks old, the baby teeth should start erupting. At around 16 weeks old your pup will begin to lose their needle-sharp baby teeth and their adult teeth will begin to appear.
While the timeline may vary slightly from puppy to puppy, their teeth will usually erupt in the following order:
- Incisors
- Canine teeth
- Premolars
- Molars
How long will my puppy be teething for?
You should notice that your pup has all 42 of their adult teeth by the time they are six or seven months old and teething should be a thing of the past.
Teething can last nearly 5 months and cause a great deal of frustration for pet parents. Puppies looking to find relief from the pain will often chew on almost anything they can find, and because of their small stature that can often mean furniture legs, expensive footwear or even your feet or fingers.
So what can you do to help relieve your furry friend's discomfort and protect your valuable belongings? Here, our vets at Animal Medical Center of Cumming offer some tips on preventing your puppy from chewing.
What can you do to help your teething puppy?
Here are some of the items you can offer your pup in order to help relieve their teething pain:
Give Them Frozen Treats
Chewing on frozen treats or toys can provide your pup with a great deal of relief from the pain that they may experience with teething. While there is a range of teething-specific toys available from most pet stores almost any dog toy can be frozen to help provide relief for your pup. Kongs, rubber bones, and dog-specific soft toys are all great options.
Only Let Them Chew on Strong Toys
Specific puppy teething bones by brands such as Nylabone are sized appropriately for small, medium and large breeds and come flavored to help encourage your puppy away from boring smelling valuables and over to a tasty chewy treat - encouraging both healthy chewing habits and relieving pain at the same time.
Let Them Chomp on Teething Sticks
Teething sticks were created specifically to meet the needs of teething puppies. Your vet may recommend one specifically for your little dog or you can pop by your local pet store and choose from a range of flavors and sizes. Be sure to choose the right size for your pup so they will gain the most benefit from the teething treat you choose.
Offer Them (Dog Safe) Frozen Foods
Many puppies enjoy tasty treats such as frozen bagels, frozen carrots or other healthy veggies. Always speak with your vet if you plan on giving them frozen foods.
How can you get your dough to stop biting?
One of the ways that puppies learn to interact with each other is through play. Sometimes this can become rough. If that happens, the other dog will usually yelp.
If your young pup is nipping and biting at you it's important to put a stop to this behavior before it gets out of hand. One effective approach for stopping this behavior is to mimic the yelp of a hurt puppy when your little friend digs their teeth into you. Once your puppy has stopped you can offer them a treat or reward for listening.
If this approach leads your puppy to nip at you more aggressively, You should stop playing immediately and move away quietly to another area or place them in the crate to relax.
Note: The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice regarding pets. For an accurate diagnosis of your pet's condition, please make an appointment with your vet.