Taking care of a pup is hard work, and while most people are aware that puppy hood will come with messes due to the fact they need to be potty trained, the amount of chewing a pup does may come as a surprise to some. Not only do pups explore the world with their mouth, they will also lose their baby teeth and gain their adult ones, which can lead to increased chewing and biting. To be able to give your pup the understanding and care they require, it’s useful to know the basics of the teething process. So, what can you expect when it comes to your puppies teeth, and how can you help them when they are teething?
When do pups start teething?
Pups are born without teeth, and on average, their first puppy teeth will appear around 2 to 3 weeks of age. Usually incisors will come through first, followed by the canines, and lastly the premolars will appear. Around the age of 6 to 8 weeks, all the pups’ teeth have erupted, and they will have a total of 28 puppy teeth. Puppy teeth are known to be razor sharp and are prone to leave marks on anything the pup will get a hold of.
A pups’ baby teeth don’t last long, and generally they start losing their puppy teeth around 3 to 4 months of age. For some dogs this may also happen sooner, or later. Most of the time, the incisors and canines will fall out first and get replaced with adult teeth, followed by the premolars.The adult molars typically will come through last, around the age of 5–7 months. Once the process is complete, your dog will have their 42 adult teeth.
Signs of teething
Pups explore the world with their mouth, so it’s normal for them to be mouthy. When you notice your pup becoming more chewy and destructive than before, this may be because they are teething. Other symptoms of teething are drooling, bad breath, and finding specks of blood on the things they chew.
It sometimes may be difficult to know if your pup is chewing things because he is having teething pain, or just because he is exploring. Whatever the reason is, the behaviour should be redirected to something that your pup is allowed to chew and bite.
What to look out for when your puppy is teething
In most cases, the changing of the baby teeth to adult teeth will need no intervention. In some cases however, the teething process doesn’t go as intended. Sometimes baby teeth get stuck and won’t fall out by themselves. Do not remove these baby teeth yourself, as you may damage the adult teeth. When you notice problems, take your pup to a veterinarian who can assess the situation, and make a proper plan of action. Certain breeds are more prone to having stuck baby teeth, such as the Yorkshire terrier.
Once your dog has all their adult teeth, regularly check their mouth to keep track of the status of their teeth. Dental problems such as gingivitis and periodontitis often go unnoticed, and symptoms usually only appear when the problems are in advanced stages. Provide your dog with adequate dental care in their care routine.
How to help your teething puppy?
1 Set your puppy up for success. Remove anything you don’t want destroyed out of reach of your pup, and instead put many options around for them they are allowed to chew. Remove any common dangerous household items such as toxic plants, batteries, cables, cleaning products and medication. By making use of puppy pens, or using dog gates, you can partition areas in the house where you can leave your pup safely.
2. (Frozen) Teething Toys and treats
Teething toys are a great way to help your pup dealing with the discomfort of teething. Some of these toys can provide extra comfort if they are frozen.. Frozen snacks, such as carrots and green beans, may also provide relief for your teething pup. Make sure that any toys you get are puppy safe. Rubber and soft toys are the best, as harder items such as bones, can lead to broken teeth. Avoid plush toys as the plush can get easily ingested by accident and cause internal blockage.
3. Practice makes perfect. While frustrating for us, chewing and being mouthy is normal for pups. Start redirecting chewy behaviour from the start to items that they are allowed to chew and bite on. If the redirection doesn’t work, remove yourself calmly from the situation until your pup has settled down. When training your pup, you should only use force free methods and positive reinforcement. Force free training is the most up to date science based training approach, and promotes a strong dog-owner bond, without creating fear or anxiety in your pup.
Conclusion
Puppies are mouthy and chewy, and even more so when they are teething. Biting and chewing behaviour should be redirected to items they are allowed to chew on.There are ways you can help your pup go through the teething process as smoothly as possible, such as offering them sufficient puppy safe chew toys. If the biting and chewing behaviour persist , it can be useful to consult with a dog behaviourist.
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