The first thing you should know is, your puppy is in serious and constant discomfort. He is not gnawing on your arm because it's fun...well it is, but that's not the primary reason. They do it because they are in pain! It helps release the pressure of their teeth tearing though their gums!
What they are experiencing is nothing different than a baby when they are teething. We don't get angry with the baby...we sympathize. We shouldn't get angry at the puppy. It's nature taking its course. They call it growing pains.
As everyone who has ever known or loved a puppy will attest, those "baby teeth" are like razor blades! Just imagine what your puppy must be going through.
Here's how teething works.
· At birth your puppy has no teeth.
· At 3-4 weeks, the long teeth in the front, commonly known as canine, pop through.
· At 4-6 weeks the incisors (teeth in the front) and pre-molars (teeth on the sides) push their way out.
· At 8 weeks, your puppy now has 28 razor sharp teeth in his or her mouth.
· At 4-5 months your puppy starts shedding their "baby" teeth.
· By 8 months, most puppies have shed all their "baby" teeth. They now have the 42 adult teeth they will use for the rest of their life.
So what happens to all the "baby" teeth? Sometimes you may get lucky and find one on the floor, in their bedding or stuck in a chew toy. Some may get swallowed and passed without any problems. Others fall out in the yard...lost to the ages!
Why your puppy gnaws on anything and everything is because chewing:
· Chewing relieves the discomfort.
· Gums are swollen, sore and or bleeding.
· Relieves boredom.
· It's a way to explore...remember puppies have only their mouths and noses to explore their new world.
· Is how they played with their littermates...that had thicker skin, and a lot more hair than we do!
If your puppy is using you or your clothes as a chew toy, here is what you need to do:
· Give a high-pitched "YELP!" That is exactly what a littermate being used as a chew toy would do!
· Tuck your hands under your armpits,
· Turn your back to your puppy,
· Walk away from him or her,
· Ignore your puppy for a minute or two - they HATE being invisible!
· Then, give them an appropriate chew toy.
· DO NOT GET ANGRY! They are not doing this to hurt you. They are doing it because it feels good to them; it relieves their discomfort.
If your puppy is going to be left unsupervised and you don't want to find everything in the house gnawed on:
· Crate them with appropriate safe items to chew or
· Limit their access to only a small-designated area, with safe, appropriate items, to chew.
Suggestions to help you and your puppy survive the blood letting associated with teething
· Ice...lots of ice...big ones, little ones.
· Frozen fruit or freeze fruit in ice cubes.
· Frozen ice cubes with their favorite treat "locked" inside.
· Frozen ice cubes flavored with cream cheese, Gatorade, broth, or peanut butter
· Frozen ice cubes of yogurt.
· Large, hard, dog biscuits.
· Frozen toys - wet, squeeze out and then freeze their favorite toys. Gnawing on cold toys helps relieve the discomfort.
· Quality chewable toys...lots of them! Do not give them anything that will break off or shred. Rotate the toys daily; it will keep your puppy interested.
· Exercise, Exercise, Exercise!-Tire your puppy out! A pooped pooch is too exhausted to gnaw on anything. A trip to a dog park will keep them busy, they can gnaw on their new friends, and they will sleep for an hour or two when they get home.
· Teach them to control their chew urge, by praising and rewarding them when they are calm.
· Puppy Kindergarten, where they will learn to associate what "NO!", "ENOUGH!"
and "LEAVE IT!" mean. It's also a great way to tire them out!
Never give your teething pup a sock or old shoe to gnaw on. They won't know the difference between your old running shoe and the one you just spent a couple hundred dollars on last week.
Bottom line: Be patient. Be consistent. You and your puppy will survive this trying period of their young life. In the blink of an eye, he or she will be an adult dog. This will all be history.
Remember, it's stressful and painful time for your puppy. You know why...they don't.
