Teething issues

Puppies are adorable, but they can be challenging to live with! Here are our tips to help with a few common new puppy “teething issues”.

Chewing

It’s natural for puppies to want to chew things, this is their way of exploring the world! Additionally, when they start shedding their baby teeth at around four-to-six months old, gnawing provides some relief the discomfort of the new teeth coming through.

Try to get a range of safe chewing toys, and offer several different items daily on a rotating schedule to keep things interesting. Only provide toys that don’t have small parts that may be chewed off, as this can be a choking hazard.

When giving your puppy chew treats, it’s safest to stick with food-stuffed Kong toys or digestible treats soft enough to bend slightly (e.g. dried chicken breast, vet-approved dental chews) to reduce the risk of tooth breakage or an upset tummy.

Play-biting

Many puppies play-bite with excitement, but those tiny little teeth can hurt! If your puppy is play-biting, try to distract them with a chew-toy instead. If they persist in nipping you, it can help to make a high-pitched “yelp” sound (which is puppy language for “ouch, you hurt me!”), and then calmly place your puppy into a safe “time-out” area for one minute before trying again with some calmer play.

Bear in mind that some puppies can become over-excited when tired, so if your puppy has been awake for several hours, consider putting them down for a nap in their bed or crate – they may surprise you by going to sleep!

If you’re having any cheeky puppy problems, ask our friendly team for advice!