My Pets: puppy teething advice

10 Puppy Teething Survival Tips!

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When Do Puppies Start Teething

Depending on your puppy’s breed, teething will begin somewhere between 12 and 14 weeks, and the small, sharp milk teeth will begin to be pushed out by the larger adult teeth.

With this developmental stage comes a new set of challenges. This is the puppy equivalent to the “terrible twos” -staircase banisters, window sills, house plants, leashes, table and chair legs, shoes and socks, all are fair game to the teething puppy that does not yet know its boundaries. If she can get her mouth around it, it’s going to be fun to destroy!

Why Do Puppies Chew?

Like infants, puppies explore the world by putting objects in their mouths. As they mature, dogs continue to place a high emphasis on how an object feels in its mouth, to gain understanding of a new item. The following study explains how dogs' mouths are their equivalent to human hands.

In the study, How Dogs Learn The Meaning of Words, a dog named Gable was taught to associate words with objects to be retrieved. The first set of items for retrieval were made of abstract forms, designed with differences in size, shape as well as texture and firmness.

Once the dog had a firm understanding of the name of each object, the articles were replaced with a new set items, from which the dog could chose the next closest object to retrieve, based on his perception of the original item associated with that command.

The dog nosed and mouthed the new objects trying to make the best match to the original object he had learned to retrieve, for each command. When making a choice between several new objects of varying size, shape and texture, the dog chose the object that felt, in his mouth, most like the original retrieval item associated with that word.

It appears dogs use their mouths, much the same way we use our hands in order to determine the physical properties of a new article in his environment. While humans would tend to select the next best replacement based on shape, dogs will instead make that selection based on texture. Dogs use their mouths not only to grasp objects, but also to form a definition of an object. Puppies chew in part to explore their world and learn about new objects, but during the teething phase, gnawing brings relief to the hot, irritated gums..

How Long Do Puppies Teeth?

Puppies begin teething at around 3 months of age and should have all of their adult teeth by 8 months of age. Large dogs tend to fill in their teeth faster than do smaller breeds. During the teething phase you will want to keep an eye out for any retained baby teeth. Sometimes the adult tooth will come in beside the baby tooth, and fail to push it out. These will need to be removed by your veterinarian as they will decay and can cause an abscess, which can affect the health of the permanent tooth as well.

Example of a wry bite caused by misaligned puppy teeth.

You will also want to check for any misalignment of the teeth. Upper and lower teeth that do not properly align can cause a "wry bite." A wry bite means that the jaw has been pulled out to one side due to one tooth getting hung up on its corresponding tooth on the upper or lower jaw. In extreme cases the lower jaw is noticeably off to one side, making it very difficult for the dog to chew. If you catch it early, the tooth that is causing the misalignment can be removed, taking the pressure off of the jaw, and allowing it to develop normally.

Keep in mind, as the puppy begins to teeth, the jaw is growing rapidly; the gums are inflamed from cutting new teeth, and your puppy is, in general, feeling pretty miserable. This is not a good time to do any serious training outside of basic puppy manners. He or she is going to be crabby, easily distracted and not a good candidate for learning new tricks. You will both be frustrated with any advanced training in this phase of your puppy’s development.

To help ease his pain and yours, here are some tips and tools of the trade that we and other breeders have used with success to channel a puppy’s need to chew towards appropriate objects. Included are some of the best teething toys for puppies of all breeds as well as chew deterrents. Additionally, the training techniques discussed will help him learn some important boundaries in his relationship with his new family members.

10 Puppy Teething Survival Tips

1) Teaching “Leave It!”

It’s a good idea to begin to teach your puppy “Leave It!” as soon as you bring him home. A good “Leave It” will prevent you from getting into a tug of war over an object that you value, leaving it in worse condition than when you first discovered it in puppy’s mouth.

“Leave It!” is taught by playing tug with your puppy with a preferred toy. When you want the puppy to let go of the toy, you say “Leave It,” holding the toy with one hand, and producing a treat in the other hand. The puppy will release the toy for the treat, and you reward the puppy with the treat, saying, “Good Leave It!” Eventually, you will replace the treat with another favored toy, alternating between a reward of favored toy or treat until the puppy has a firm grasp of the phrase “Leave It.”

2) Trade Up

Whenever you find your puppy chewing on something inappropriate, correct him with a “no.” Then trade up by giving him a toy that you know he likes. Once he starts chewing on the correct toy, praise him.

Always try to find a way for your puppy to be “right” and deserving of praise at the end of any training session or correction. In times when a training session has not resulted in a breakthrough, end the session with a command that the puppy knows well, so that it can be ended with a “good dog,” praise and a treat.

3) Grannick’s Bitter Apple Spray

Grannick’s Bitter Apple Spray has prevented my dogs from chewing on leads, furniture and themselves. The taste is unpleasant, and puppies generally look for something else to chew on. Spray down any hard surfaces that your puppy may be inclined to chew on: window sills, stair railings, furniture legs etc… Color test any fabric before you spray Grannick's on large areas of cloth.

4) The Chilly Bone Dog Chew Toy

MultiPet makes a very durable toy called the Chilly Bone. This toy lasted us through 3 generations of teething puppies, before it disappeared in the backyard. It may still be out there in reasonably good condition.

The Chilly Bone is covered with a tough canvas outer and filled with a non-toxic gel that will freeze quickly in the freezer. This toy numbs the sore gums and cools the tendency towards feverishness. It’s great for the adult dogs too on hot summer days, helping to lower body temperature after exercise in the heat of the day. Rinse with plain soap and water and freeze while still damp once it has thawed.

Most soothing chew toy for teething puppies

5) Soft Mouth Training for Your Puppy

I like to be able to put my hands in my dog’s mouth whenever I need to give her a pill or remove something from the back of her throat that I don’t want her to swallow. Teaching a soft mouth and eliminating biting at an early stage in the puppies development is critical. A cute nip or bite from a puppy can become a dangerous liability in a grown dog.

Teaching a soft mouth can be done by lying on the floor with the puppy and playing a little tug. Remove the toy and gently play with the lower jaw. It’s okay to let him gently “mouth” your hand, but if he bites down hard make a sharp, high pitched “ouch.” Then clamp is mouth shut gently but firmly for 2-3 seconds. If he bites again, say “no” and clamp the mouth again for 2-3 seconds.

This action mimics his mother’s method of correction, and has a calming effect on the puppy. When the mother sees behavior she does not like, she will snap the puppy’s mouth closed with gentle bites in quick succession. You can use this technique to stop nipping and barking as well. Snapping their mouths shut has been equated to sticking the puppy’s head in the toilet, so don’t go overboard, or hold their mouths shut for more than 2-3 seconds.

6) Rope Toys

Rope toys are some of the best teething toys as they are inexpensive, easy to clean, versatile and last a long time. Rope toys are great for teaching fetch, tug or for solitary chewing activities. They also promote dental health by helping to clean teeth and strengthen gums. Rinse the toys with plain soap and water every few days, and freeze them while still wet for extra soothing chewing.

7) Kong Chew Toys

The Kong Company makes a variety of tough toys that are great for all levels of chewers. The original Kong product line includes hard rubber toys in which treats may be hidden. Puppies will work these toys for hours trying to dig the treats out of them.

The Kong Wubba toy line, which resembles an octopus, is great for fetch and tug games. These colorful and tough toys will last beyond a year in most multi dog households. Wubbas come in a variety of sizes from Puppy up to Mega Wubba. Our boy Boomer keeps a large Wubba in his mouth about 30% of the day!

The Kong Puppy Classic chew toy adds interest with an
unpredictable bounce with treats stuffed in the cavity.

8) Chilled Carrots Are Good For Puppies

A cold carrot soothes the gums, tastes great and is rich in Omega 6 fatty acids, Vitamins A and K and Potassium. Puppies love chewing on carrots and watching them disintegrate. As carrots are also high in fiber, limit the puppy to one carrot per day to avoid stomach upsets.

9) Crate Training

We recommend crate training for protecting the household when you are asleep or away and also to aid in potty training. Dogs are den animals and love small dark spaces to call their own. In the wild, mothers dig underground dens for a safe haven to whelp and raise their litters. Puppies will stay under ground until they begin to walk steadily enough to climb out of the den, usually around 3 to 4 weeks old.

If your puppy has not been crated before, you can expect a night or two of lamentation at having his activities restricted. Don’t feel too bad about it; he should cry himself to sleep within 45 minutes of being crated, and typically they adjust to being crated at bedtime after 2 nights.

Feeding your puppy in the crate will help him to appreciate his new space. Also, toss in a treat whenever you want him to get in the crate; eventually he will go to the crate on his own when he is ready for a nap or just to relax. Be sure the puppy has access to clean water while he is in his crate. To Learn More About Crate Training click here.

10) The Naughty Paws Puppy Teething Survival Kit

Wags-n-Whiskers-Gifts and Gift Baskets makes a gift basket for training and entertaining teething puppies. Consider investing in this gift basket in preparation for the inevitable terrible teething phase - it's the gift that keeps on giving!

In addition to healthy training treats, it includes Grannicks Bitter Apple, the Chilly Bone, a dental rope toy, a training clicker complete with a training guide, a dental cleaning kit, a poop bag dispenser with refills, Training Treats, a plush toy with replaceable squeakers, 1 Skinneeez stuffing-free toy, a 160 oz food or water bowl. (Get it with an extra 10% off with Coupon Code RP2012 and Free Shipping)

(Wags and Whiskers Gifts also offers many pet play pen options for indoors and outdoors as well as crates with dividers for puppies to grow into. The discount coupon can be used on the entire order!)

Wags and Whiskers Puppy Teething Survival Kit

Includes many teething supplies as well as clicker training manual and clicker.

Toys to Avoid

Don't confuse your puppy by providing him with cute toys that resemble objects that you don't want destroyed, such as rubber tennis shoes with squeakers, imitation remote controls or cell phones.

Remember that consistency is the key to all successful puppy training – the teething phase won’t last forever, but the good habits you instill in him or her now will last a lifetime!

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