How to Stop Puppy Teething
How to survive puppy teething?
Welcome to the world of puppy teething, where your angel of a pup has turned into a land shark.
Before we dive into this, there are a few key points for you to remember:
- During the teething phase, your puppy is going to be extremely uncomfortable and will chew on literally anything that alleviates the pain. Make sure they have plenty of age appropriate teething toys available (check out the teething toys that came in your Super PawBox) and hide anything you don’t want your puppy to chew on like your favorite pair of shoes.
- Puppy teething lasts for about 6 months so make sure you are prepared.
- The main thing to remember is that your dog never does anything out of spite so if they did end up ruining a pair of shoes, they were just looking for something to chew on.
When the day comes, you are not only going to be bringing an adorable puppy home but a landshark with 28 razor sharp teeth as well. For the first few months, your arms, legs, toes, fingers are going to be your pup’s new favorite chew toy but once your pup learns bite inhibition and what is appropriate to chew on, it gets a lot better.
How long does puppy teething last?
As mentioned previously, puppy teething is extremely painful for your pup and their gums will be super sore. Their teeth usually start to fall at the 3-4 month mark so you may notice some spots of blood on your clothing / their toys. If you notice anything out of the norm or of concern, reach out to your Vet.
Puppy teething usually lasts till about 6 months and you’ll be finding your pup’s baby teeth around the house well before that. Your pup may also eat his baby teeth which can be gross to some but it is completely normal!
How to soothe your puppy during teething?
There are a lot of things you can do to help your pup get through and make them as comfortable as possible.
- Give them teething friendly toys (ie: from your monthly Super PawBox)
- Ice cubes / frozen fruits and vegetables (apples, bananas, carrots)
- Dip a washcloth in chicken broth, freeze it for an hour and give it to them
- Give them a variety of toys / chews (rubber, plush, latex)
- Edible dog chews such as bully sticks. *Avoid rawhide chews as they are not safe for dogs.
When giving your puppy teething chews / toys, make sure it is safe for them by making an indent in it with your fingernail. As long as you can make a mark in it, you and your pup are good to go! Whenever in doubt about a toy or chew, consult your Vet.
How to stop your puppy from nipping?
Help! Your adorable teddy bear of a puppy has turned into a landshark and those razor teeth (though cute) hekkin hurt! Puppies have zero idea how hard they are biting especially if it is a human telling them it hurts rather than a fellow pup. There are multiple ways we can communicate to our pup that their bites hurt;
- Say a loud, high-pitched “OW!” when they bite. Make sure to praise them if they back away.
- If your pup mistakes that “OW!” for “this is fun, let's continue”, just walk away quietly and they will soon realize that all the fun ends. If your puppy is still worked up, put them in a crate or an exercise pen for a few minutes to let them chill out and relax.
- You may also notice that there are times when your puppy is nipping more than usual. This could be because of a lack of exercise/stimulation or a lack of sleep. If you’ve spent quality time with your puppy and met their exercise needs, it may just be time to keep them in a safe space and let them sleep it off. Remember, puppies sleep anywhere from 18-20 hours a day!
We are ultimately trying to teach your puppy about bite inhibition--where they learn to moderate the strength of their bite. Always offer your puppy appropriate chew toys and if you see them nibbling on your toes, shoes, furniture, redirect them towards their toys. If your pup has excess energy, play fetch or tug with one of the toys from your Super PawBox. If you feel like the biting is still out of control and you have tried everything, consult a Vet for any underlying issues.
Never hit or punish your pups. It is very important to remember that they are learning to live with us and that they never do anything out of spite. Teething is just one of things that come with puppyhood, it will be over before you know it.
Read Leaving Your Dog Alone at Home and Setting Up a Puppy Play Date for more puppyhood guidance.