How to Deal with Puppy Teething

Do you have a young puppy? Has he reached the teething stage? Puppy teething can be a difficult time for both puppies and human family members alike, and it’s a stressful time to be a pet owner. However, by helping your puppy get through this challenging period, you can ensure a stronger bond and a healthier dog, too.

6 Tips to Help You and Your Pet Get Through Puppy Teething

In the article below, we’ll guide you through several steps you can take to deal with your puppy’s teething. With the help of this information, the teething experience should be easier and should go much more smoothly.

Below are 6 tips to keep in mind to help you and your pet during puppy teething stages:

Remember: It Isn’t Forever

First and foremost, remember that this challenging period in your experience with your puppy won’t last forever. The first puppy teething period starts at three weeks and ends at six weeks, when a puppy has all of the baby teeth. Your puppy is likely already through this stage if you got  from a breeder, rescue, or anywhere else other than breeding your own dog.

The next teething stage, however, begins at around four months and lasts until about six months. This is the more difficult teething stage to deal with, but just try to remember that it only lasts a couple of months!

Start Training Early

The earlier you start working on your puppy’s training and commands, the easier it will be to stop her or him from chewing on your furniture or clothing while teething. Although your pup likely won’t know more than one or two commands during this stage (even if you start training from day one), you can use those commands to distract your pup from unwanted chewing.

Additionally, your puppy needs to learn boundaries and must understand what “no” means. Work on training your puppy by scolding (but never hitting!) when he or she chews something undesired, and petting or praising when he or she chews something appropriate.

Provide Soothing Cold Treats

Just like human babies, puppies enjoy the relief they can get from teething pain when they have something cold to chew on. You can find puppy-safe teething chews that are able to be dipped in water and then put in the freezer, giving your dog a cool and refreshing way to relieve any teething pain.

You can also try giving your dog some frozen canned pumpkin (100% pure pumpkin only; no other ingredients), or freeze some peanut butter as a teething treat. If all else fails, many dogs enjoy chewing on a simple ice cube to deal with teething pain.

Provide Safe Teething Chews

Another tip to help with puppy teething is to choose puppy-safe teething chews that are intended for young, small teeth. Give your puppy these chews any time you are around to supervise the chewing but do not use if  your pup is unsupervised. There is the risk of you pup pulling part of the toy off and swallowing it.

Safe teething chews are the best way to encourage your dog to chew on the right objects and avoid chewing on you, the furniture, or your shoes. Best of all, these chews are usually flavored or provide various textures to encourage your dog to try them.

Treat Your Puppy

When your puppy chews on something appropriate instead of something that is not, be sure to give lots of praise and reward your pup with some puppy-safe treats, too. With enough treats, he or she will quickly get the idea that some objects are good to chew on and some are not.

Giving treats to your puppy can also help you bond with one another, which can further help your pup deal with the emotional and physical struggle of teething. And it can help you feel less frustrated with your puppy, too!

Comfort Your Puppy

Your puppy may be in a lot of pain from teething, and may not understand what’s going on. Pups knows that chewing on things (and people) can make the  teeth stop hurting for a while, but they also knows they risk getting in trouble for chewing on those things sometimes. It’s a very confusing time for a young puppy, and it’s up to you to provide comfort for your pet through this period.

Spend time cuddling and playing with your puppy as much as possible during the puppy teething stages. If you pup gets too nippy, give a few minutes of crate time to settle down, and then go back to cuddling or playing. She or he will appreciate the attention, and you’ll both be able to bond more.

Contact Heart + Paw for More Advice on Puppy Teething

By following this guide, the teething process with your puppy should be as smooth as possible. Although it’s never easy for any puppy or pet parent, it doesn’t have to be too overwhelming or stressful, and the right framework can make all the difference.

If you have any further questions or concerns, talk to your vet or consider working with a professional puppy trainer. The sooner you can get started working with a professional, the more well-trained your puppy is sure to become!

Our team at Heart + Paw is ready to help provide more information and advice on how to best get through the puppy teething stages for you and your pet. At each of our locations, we have compassionate team members who are dedicated to making sure your pet is as comfortable as possible throughout every stage of life. If you have any questions regarding your pet’s health, book an appointment with us today.