All puppies go through a teething phase. Puppy teething is when they lose their puppy teeth that they have had since 3-6 weeks of age and begin to develop their 42 permanent adult teeth.
This happens at a slightly different age depending on their breed and type - but the effects of teething are the same: pain and discomfort, a potentially irritable puppy, and a desire to chew everything!
In this article, we explore why puppy teething can be a difficult time for you both and talk you through three simple steps that can make the process easier on both you and your pup.
When do puppies start teething?
Puppy teething starts at around 12 weeks of age. Like all mammals, puppies go through a teething stage (just as humans do), which means their milk teeth will begin to loosen and then fall out, and new adult teeth will start to poke through.
Once the puppy teething process begins do not be surprised if your dog wants to che everything is sight – their gums and mouth will be painful, and they will want to gnaw to relieve the discomfort.
It is important to give your puppy appropriate things to chew during their period as it will help them feel more comfortable and you can focus this natural need to gnaw on things onto their own toys rather than furniture or personal items they find around the home.
Why can puppy teething be so destructive?
Puppy teething means discomfort (and sometimes pain) for your pup: their gums may become red and swollen both as their milk teeth become loose and fall out and while new, bigger ones erupt.
Your pup tries to get relief from this discomfort and pain by chewing. Chewing helps ease some of the irritation on their gums (a bit like scratching an itch) – and helps the new teeth grow through healthily.
While puppy teething is a natural part of canine development, it doesn’t mean you have to survive with chewed-up furniture and missing shoes! Keep on reading to find out how to puppy-proof your home from puppy teething while helping your puppy cope better with the teething period.
How to create a puppy-proof home when your puppy is teething
1. Provide your puppy with chew toys
The best ways to keep a puppy away from furniture, soft furnishings and slippers or shoes is to provide plenty of puppy teething toys. These are specifically designed for teething, chewing and gnawing. These kinds of toys, usually made of durable but pliable rubber are available from pet stores or the internet. Rubber Kong toys are ideal as you can put some food inside them – or smear them with meat paste – which will make them far more appealing to chew than your slippers.
There are a range of chew toys you can buy during the puppy teething phase. We would recommend buying several so that your puppy can move from one to the other, depending on their mood. The softness and chewability of the chew toy is important. When your pup has just started teething, they may need something softer on their milk teeth, whereas they would need something more durable and challenging once their jaws are beginning to develop and they have more adult teeth. Experiment with what your puppy prefers – and needs at any one time.
2. Use cold chews to soothe your pup’s gums
You can also buy puppy teething chew toys that can be frozen. As examples, a Chilly Bone can be soaked and then frozen, while a rubber Kong toy can be stuffed with food and then put in the freezer. Try different alternatives to see which works best for your puppy.
These freezable toys are particularly beneficial because they are soothing for your pup’s gums. This can be a blessing for those pups who are having a rough time with the teething process.
Make sure you do not give your pup ice cubes though, as they may be too rough on their teeth, and there is a danger they can be swallowed whole. Frozen carrots are a much better alternative to ice cubes (although they will stain your carpet so be careful).
3. Remove objects you don’t want them to chew
You can do this by making sure they have plenty of their own things to chew in every room they spend any time that are more appealing than the things they might find lying around.
And of course, don’t leave things lying around! Tidy up anything that your puppy might gnaw on – this includes potentially dangerous things like electricity cables which can be extremely tempting, plants, shoes and valuables.
If you do catch them with the remote control in their mouth or chewing enthusiastically on a cushion, simply get one of their own toys, make it seem far more interesting than whatever they have found and then swap them – and remind yourself to tidy up a bit better!
Remember, your puppy needs to chew when they are teething—they are not misbehaving or being naughty. So, make sure you replace what they are chewing with something more appropriate.
How do I keep my puppy safe when teething?
Puppy teething can also be a dangerous phase. Puppies do not always gravitate towards cushions or shoes; sometimes they want to chew electricity cables or swallow a button. While playing, pups can seriously harm themselves.
This is a time to supervise your puppy at all times because they need to chew during these weeks and will gnaw on anything they find that might help to relieve the discomfort they are feeling, and they will not know what is safe and what is dangerous.
Continue to use baby gates and play pens to keep them safe when you can’t give them your 100% attention and make sure you remove any dangerous items from around the house. Always make sure they have something appropriate and rewarding to chew at all times.
While puppy teething can be a potentially destructive phase in life, there are ways to make it easier for your puppy while still making sure it does not ruin your house.
There is a lot to learn about caring for a new puppy, and it isn’t an easy task, but it does get easier! That’s our guide on puppy teething, and all the tips and tricks to make it that little bit easier. So, if you want to learn more about your puppy and what to expect in the coming months, why not check out our article on preparing for a puppy.
Puppy teething FAQs
Purina Editorial Team
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