There will come a time when your puppy starts to bite and chew almost everything that comes in its way. That is when you know Puppy Teething has begun. Often pet parents notice other symptoms like swelling, pain or discomfort and bleeding gums in their pets. Your pet will chew a lot and even bite your hands and feet. I have already covered some great tips of ways to stop your puppy from biting. In this article, we will talk about the best products to invest in when puppy teething symptoms begin. First some basics:
Puppy Teething Age Chart
Puppies start shedding their baby teeth at 4 months of age and the process can take 2-3 months to complete. Most puppy teeth will be out by 6-7 months after which they start growing adult canines. Teething can be a painful time for your pet. Here is an image of a puppy teething age chart.
Image via The Spruce Pets
Puppy teething phases
- Puppy will bite and nip from 3 months of age in order to loosen the baby teeth.
- The biting and nipping phase can last for months (until puppy is nearly 6 months of age). Read my article on ways to stop puppy biting.
- At 6 months, they should have 42 adult teeth.
- Some pets experience puppy teething diarrhea. This is usually not serious and might have been caused by puppy having eaten something that does not agree with its developing system. Avoid solid foods for a few hours. Continue feeding fluids, broth and some rice and chicken. If diarrhea does not ease up, see your vet. Some rawhide bones and chew sticks can cause diarrhea in pets. If that is the case, stop giving them.
- Puppy teething bleeding is usually normal and some gels and cool, frozen toys can help. However, excess bleeding when the adult teeth come out could indicate hemophilia in pets. See your vet immediately.
Homemade treats and toys can help
In order to stop puppy nipping and biting, you can give him/her plenty of homemade treats or toys as below.
- Frozen foods numb puppy’s inflamed gums and provide relief. Freeze fruits like watermelons, apples, carrots etc and feed them.
- You can also feed frozen chicken or beef broth cubes.
- Dip a piece of old, clean cloth in the broth and freeze it. Give this to your pet to numb the inflamed gums.
Always keep these acceptable items all over the house for puppy to bite and chew on. Note that these treats will help numb up puppy teething pain but it will still not save your home and furniture from bite marks.
Things to remember when your pup is teething
- You have to think like your puppy. Never expect it to think like you.
- You must give her/hi a clear idea as to what is acceptable to chew on and what isn’t.
- Never give your pet old shoes to chew on. They will understand shoes but they might not understand the difference between old and new. This will encourage a bad habit which will not be cute when he/she chews up your guests’ shoes.
- The same is true for clothes. If you give old clothes for puppy to tear, tie it up into knots first. This will help puppy recognize difference between old and new clothing.
Products to invest in for puppy teething phase
Anti chew spray
There are many bite deterrent sprays available in the market. Use them on the couch legs, doors, and other furniture pieces that your puppy loves to bite. Anti-chew sprays have a bitter taste and contain all natural ingredients which will not harm your pet. Additionally, the sprays will not affect or damage your furniture.
Teething Gel
Mark&Chappell make a great teething gel for puppies. This contains clove and chamomile oils which can soothe sore gums, reduce swelling and pain and also prevent bleeding. The best part is that there is no artificial stuff like sugar, colors etc in these.
Toys
Pull-A-parts by Plush Puppies
These are novel toys that your teething puppy can pull apart without breaking it. You can re-join the parts and give it back to your pet to pull apart over and over.
PuzzlePup
Teething puppies have a great time with this one. It involves pulling apart soft rings on a stacked dachshund. You can easily place the rings back and pets have a great time pulling it apart over and over.
Knot Ropes
Play fetch, tug of war or allow your pet to chew on these ropes that are colorful, inexpensive and great for training your pet as well.
Long Term Chew Bones
There are hundreds of chew bone type products that last long and are great for not only teething issues but also for preventing tartar and plaque buildup. You can also talk to your vet about natural bones or rawhide bones/sticks. NylaBone is one company that makes a variety of bones including big and small, flexible and double chews.
Cool Sticks and Freeze Toys
Kong toys filled up with chicken or beef stock and frozen can provide hours of entertainment to your puppy. Peanut butter is another great treat to fill up Kong with. Colorful teething rings as well as sticks made from crinkly fabrics or soft materials can also be frozen to provide relief from puppy teething pain. NylaBone and PetStages make great teething toys for chewing as well as brain development in puppies. Nuby silicone teeth-eez teether rings are also loved by pups.
Crate, Baby Gates and Corrals
Chewing is great for puppies as it helps loosen their baby teeth. However, if puppy’s chewing and biting is getting too rambunctious for you, corral your puppy or gate him in an area. Give him one of the bones or chew toys mentioned above. This allows puppy to have a space of his own. You can even create a den like area for him to chew his toys in. It is a good idea to get your pup used to crate training from an early age. Make the crate comfortable for your pet by adding blankets, plush toys, chew toys, newspapers, wee pads, water bowls etc.
What Else Can You Do?
- While puppy is teething, always keep an eye on him.
- Teach your pet the Stop it or Drop it Commands in order to prevent them from biting or chewing stuff you don’t want to. Immediately provide them with whatever acceptable item he is allowed to chew on.
- If you are going to leave puppy home alone, keep him/her in the crate.
- Be consistent and patient, this phase might seem to last forever but it will pass soon.
Conclusion
Having your puppy chew the right things during teething phase of puppy-hood will help keep your sanity and get your puppy through this uncomfortable teething stage.