The best puppy toys for teething 2021
All toys used at our puppy therapy events are carefully chosen to provide a good amount of stimulation for the pups if they need to have a good chew on a toy or two, (and not on the people taking part, of course!) What’s great is that we make sure all toys that have been previously used are donated to dog shelters, so they don’t go to waste.
By Emily Roach, Paws in Work guest blogger.
what age do puppies teeth.
Puppies start teething from as young as just 3 weeks of age; their deciduous (baby) teeth start erupting from their gums and will be fully present at around 6 weeks of age, perfect timing for when they come home to you at around 8-12 weeks old! The process doesn’t stop there, from around 12-16 weeks of age, puppies will start losing their deciduous teeth as their permanent teeth begin to erupt, which requires a lot of puppy teething toys on standby.
why does it hurt so much when puppies bite you.
Puppy teeth are widely recognised for their needle-like feel; making them quite painful at times if your puppy decides to take out their teething discomfort on you! The reason that your pups have such sharp teeth is all part of the natural weaning process. Their mum will start to become agitated when her litter of pups try to constantly feed with their razor-sharp teeth, which prompts mum to start preventing them from feeding too much. At this point, the puppies will be ready to become weaned onto soft food, and eventually dry or raw food when they go to their forever homes.
can i make my own teething toys.
You can get creative when your puppy is teething and think of innovative ways to help sooth your pups’ sore teeth and gums, providing that you always supervise your puppy whilst playing with their teething toys. You also need to make sure that any materials and ingredients used are 100% puppy friendly. A great example of a big teething reliever for dogs is soaking a tea towel in cold water, tying it in a knot and putting it in the freezer for a couple of hours. This is simple, safe, and extremely satisfying for your puppy. Frozen pieces of fruit or vegetables can also be a great way of helping your puppy whilst they’re teething, not to mention they make a nutritious snack!
when should i use food/treats.
As previously mentioned, you can use food as an aid for your teething puppy; chopping up pieces of fruit such as bananas and putting them in the freezer will go down a treat. You can also freeze a carrot whole, it’s okay if your puppy eats the carrot too, as this can be a healthy part of their diet.
Another great way of incorporating food to help your puppy with teething is by making a paste of their favourite snacks such as dog-friendly peanut butter and freezing it into a sturdy toy, just like a kong. Be sure to research what ingredients are safe to put into the kong before feeding your puppy something new. You can also purchase edible long-lasting chews, like a yak chew for example. Yak chews are simply made from Yak’s milk, and a pinch of salt and lime juice. These chews are high in calcium, produce low odour and provide your pup with great relief for their inflamed gums. It should be noted that Yak chews and many other chews are only suitable for puppies 4 months of age and older.
Always make sure you supervise your pup whilst they’re eating any new food. It’s also advised to seek professional advice when introducing new foods to your puppies’ diet if you’re unsure on the quantities they’re allowed to eat. Puppies have sensitive stomachs, especially just after going to their new homes, so you might want to hold off on the treats until their stomachs are a little more settled. Teething can additionally cause nausea, vomiting and stomach upset in puppies, so this is something for you to look out for.
selection of toys.
Having a variety of toys available for your puppy is extremely important, as you’ll want to keep things interesting for them. If your puppy gets bored of their teething toys, they might focus their attention onto undesired objects, like your favourite pair of shoes, your sofa, or even yourself!
Therefore, it’s so important to have a variety of toys, some can be soft with a squeaker, some are harder with textured elements, some toys are specifically designed to be frozen and some are hollow so you can fill them with all kinds of treats! When buying your puppy teething toys, it’s important that you check whether the toys are suitable for your puppy's age, as your puppy may be too young for particular toys.
We hope this has given you the inspo needed to keep your puppies’ teething at bay, whilst making things interesting for them and as relaxing as possible for you!
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