You may find your puppy's teething phase to be a challenging time. Today, our Benton vets share some advice on how to alleviate your puppy's tooth pain and make the teething process as easy as possible for both of you.
Puppy Teething
Puppy teething can feel like an endless, frustrating phase of development – especially when your adorable four-legged friend chews on absolutely everything they can find! It is essential to recognize that they are not doing this to be bad; your pup is simply attempting to ease their pain and discomfort while their adult teeth are growing in.
As you've probably already realized, your furniture, kids' favorite toys, shoes, and perhaps some prized items sometimes look like the perfect thing that may help make your pooch's mouth feel better.
Teething timelines for Puppies
While teething timelines can vary somewhat based on breed, a puppy will typically get their first of teeth at about five to six weeks of age. By the time they cross the 16-week mark, your pup will start to lose their needle-sharp baby teeth and their adult teeth will begin to appear.
By the time your pup turns about six to seven months old, all 42 of their adult teeth should have emerged. Teething should not last past this age.
That said, your puppy will experience about for or five months of intense teething. This period can be a real struggle for many pet parents as their puppies try to find relief from the pain erupting teeth bring by chewing on almost anything they can find. Due to their small stature, this often leaves expensive footwear, furniture legs, and even your feet and fingers within easy reach.
So, what can you do to help relieve your canine companion's discomfort while protecting your valuable belongings? Here are a few suggestions from our veterinary team at Saline County Animal Clinic.
Managing Your Puppy's Pain While They're Teething
Edible Teething Sticks for Puppies
Many reputable dog food brands offer edible puppy teething treats and bones to help relieve your puppy's mouth pain. 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. Make sure you choose one that is appropriately sized for your puppy so they have the most beneficial experience.
Place Teething Toys in the Freezer
Much like teething babies, puppies often find that chewing cold or frozen items helps to soothe teething pain. 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.
Offer Your Pup Extra Durable Chew Toys
Specific puppy teething bones by brands such as Nylabone are sized appropriately for small, medium, and large breeds. They can also be flavored to help encourage your puppy away from your valuables and over to a tasty chewy treat. This will encourage both healthy chewing habits and relieve pain simultaneously.
Frozen Foods for Puppies to Chew
Many puppies enjoy tasty treats such as frozen bagels, frozen carrots, or other healthy veggies. If you plan to offer your pup frozen food always speak to your vet first to ensure it's a good option for your pup.
Preventing Your Puppy From Biting
Nipping and biting are naturally how puppies play. When one puppy bites another too hard the hurt pup will let out a high-pitched 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. A loud little 'OW' in a high-pitched voice should startle your puppy and cause them to back off. When your puppy stops and backs off be sure to offer a reward for their good behavior.
If this approach leads your puppy to nip at you more aggressively, quietly stop playing with your puppy and walk away, or gently put your pup in their crate for some quiet time.
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.