Dog and puppy teething

Dog teething stages

You've fallen in love with your new puppy, but his teething is causing some problems. When dogs are four to six months old, their milk teeth begin to drop out and are replaced with adult teeth. During this period, your four-legged youngster will start teething and chewing. This helps ease the pain of the new teeth penetrating the gums. Unfortunately, your pet can't always distinguish between what he should and shouldn't chew. Indeed, many a sofa leg and sneaker have fallen victim to a teething pup. Instead of grinning and bearing it, you can minimize the damage, and help relieve your pet's discomfort with these tips.

Chew-proofing your home

First, you'll need to puppy-proof your home. There's a good chance your pup will gnaw on your soft leather slippers if he has access to them, so be sure to remove anything that you think seems tempting. Remember to tape down or hide all electrical cords, and get household chemicals and cleaning products out of the way. If necessary, cover target areas of your furniture with plastic. You may also wish to treat objects with a special anti-chew spray available at pet supply stores. These sprays impart a smell and taste that animals dislike.

Next, you must provide your pet with appropriate items to chew on that he can call his own. Hard-rubber toys are your best bet. Avoid ones with bells or other small parts that could be swallowed. To make safe toys even more attractive, spread some peanut butter on them. This way, your pet is sure to choose to chew his yummy-tasting synthetic bone over the chair leg.

If you catch your pet in the act of teething on an inappropriate object, tell him a firm "No!" and offer him one of his own toys. Heap on the praise when he chews it.

Dog teething and confinement

If you come home to find that new pair of boots in bits, unfortunately, it's already too late for a reprimanding. Your dog will not be able to associate your correction with the destructive chewing he did when you were gone. Save both your pup and yourself trouble by confining him in a crate or pet-proofed room when you are not around to supervise him.

While you are waiting for your pet's permanent teeth to come in, you can help relieve teething pain by giving him some ice cubes to chew. The cubes will really numb his tender gums. And if your pet allows it, try giving him a mouth massage. First, relax him with some gentle stroking on the outside of his mouth, and gently rub his gums in a circular motion.