Is Your Puppy Teething?

There is nothing cuter than a puppy and nothing quite as harsh as the bite of a puppy tooth. Luckily, at around 3 months of age, they start losing these little daggers. Unfortunately though, that brings up a whole other problem, teething.

Teething can be a difficult time in your puppies life and your life, but you can get through it. Before long, it will just be another benchmark in your puppies life.

The Process Of Puppy Teething

By about 4 weeks of age, your puppy will have a full set of puppy teeth. You will quickly find that these short lived chompers are menacingly sharp. Nothing can cut through you like a puppy tooth.

At about the 3 to 4 month mark, luckily, these teeth start to come out. That does bring with it some drama though. This can be a tough time on your puppy and they will likely experience a bit of pain and irritation. This will lead them to essentially want to put everything that they can in their mouth to ease their discomfort.

As frustrating as this time can be, you will get through it. Here are some tips to help you along the way.

Be Prepared

The first thing that you need to do is be prepared for the intense desire to chew that your puppy will have. This means that you should have a variety of chew toys on hand and ready to go.

One of my favorites is the line of toys by Kong. These are not only durable but entertaining. They also come in a variety of sizes making them suitable for everything from a French Bulldog pup to a full grown Irish Wolfhound. Many of them can be filled with treats that reward your dog for being patient and persistent. Most dogs, during their teething period, can literally chew on these bones for hours. If they are chewing on their Kong, they are not chewing on your shoes.

Another good option is frozen treats. This could be as simple as a frozen carrot or bagel. It allows them to get their chewing urge out with the soothing comfort of cold.

Try to have a variety of teething treats available. A little extra money spent here could save you hundreds of dollars in unchewed personal property.  The only caveat with chewing treats is that you should avoid rawhide, especially the kind with knotty ends. Rawhide can very easily get swallowed in chunks which can lead to an intestinal obstruction. An intestinal obstruction can sometimes be deadly and will always be expensive.

Be Patient

During this period in your puppies life, you need to be patient. Teething can be very uncomfortable and your puppy does not have a thumb to suck on. All they can do is put things in their mouth. it is your responsibility to show them the right things.

Always be prepared with a proper chew toy. When your puppy starts to chew on something inappropriate, simply correct them and give them the proper toy. When they begin to chew on it, praise them.

Once They Are Done

When your puppy is done teething, the work is not over. Now you have to take care of their permanent adult teeth just like you take car of yours. This means coming up with a cleaning regiment.

Ideally, you want to brush your dogs teeth, but even something as simple as a daily dental bone can go a long way towards maintaining dental health.