Puppy Teething: What to Expect, How to Make Puppy More Comfortable

You probably thought that you were over and done with teething after your last child had gone through it, right? Wrong. Little did you know that the adorable fluff you brought home would actually take you to the teething zone all over again!Puppy teething is indeed very distressing, and your pet’s primary aim during this time is to simply ease the pain. No wonder, they suddenly resort to excessive chewing on almost everything in sight. You will notice your puppy’s teething phase has begun when little teeth marks appear around the house. Aside from too much chewing, puppies also tend to show bleeding gums, whining, upswing in aggression, and even apathy.

Puppy Teething Timeline

Puppies are generally born with no teeth, but baby canines’ longer teeth on each side located in front of the mouth start to erupt between three to four weeks of age. The incisors, or the tiny teeth in front, as well as the premolars, or the larger teeth on the sides, begin to appear when they are around four to six weeks of age. Puppies should have a complete set of 28 baby teeth by the age of eight weeks.

By the age of four to five months, puppies will start to shed their baby teeth, and around the age of seven months, all permanent incisors, canines, premolars, and molars are expected to be in. Adult dogs of most breeds display 42 teeth.

How to Help the Puppies from Teething Discomfort

Some of the basic guidelines to aid the pets in successfully getting past their harrowing teething stage include:

• Providing them with several tough chew toys such as Nylabone, Kong, or Orbee brands
• Putting these toys in the freezer so the cold will contribute in relieving their pain
• Giving your puppy frozen fruits such as strawberries and apples, or ice cubes
• Keeping the pets distracted with obedience training as well as with playtime
• Handing out some aspirin on the days when the pain seems high (20 mg of baby aspirin) – of course, check with your vet first
• Make use of the homeopathic kind of Chamomile several times a day (low potency- 12X or 30X)

There is no way around teething. If you leave your pup to his own devices, he will try every untethered object in his mouth. And, worse, he will be suffering when you can help alleviate his pain. And, by keeping your puppy’s discomfort in mind it will be easier to forgive the tattered shoes.