dog smile

northamerica.covetrus.com

Products

Trainer’s Choice: 4 Best Toys & Chews for Teething Dogs

By: Hannah Richter

Monday, January 25th, 2021 • 6 mins read

#, #, #, #

northamerica.covetrus.com

Learning how to manage your dog in their teething phase is an important first step in dog parenting. At two weeks old your puppy’s 24 baby teeth grow in. This razor sharp set of teeth helps the puppy to get milk from its mother, but is incredibly painful when on human skin. 

It is up to you to set your puppy up for success while teething by giving them plenty of options to chew on and by giving them feedback when they are nipping or biting you. We are going to give you our top 4 picks for the best toys and chews for teething puppies. But first, let’s go over some of the techniques you can use to curb the behavior.

01

Kkyr.com

Using Time-Outs

A time-out involves removing the dog from you by walking away and going into another room for 10-30 seconds. When you come back, ask the dog to ‘sit’ or go ‘down’ and then let them try again. You are often the most rewarding thing in the environment for the dog so taking yourself away from them gives across the message that something they did made you go away. This visual bit of feedback will encourage your dog to stop biting. You can also divert attention away from you by giving them a toy (which we’ll talk about below!)

Puppyhood

Remember that this time in puppyhood is often uncomfortable and painful. Be patient with your puppy and never try to correct them with physical force or yelling. Remind yourself that this will get better as your dog gets older. Puppies are usually finished losing teeth at six months. The desperate need to put their mouth on things will lessen after the puppy loses its last few baby teeth. 

02

@winnie.the.toypoodle

While your puppy is teething they need to have several options to work out the urge to chew. Giving your puppy a healthy option to chew on (aka not you or your furniture) is the best thing you can do during this time. Puppies gravitate toward different textures as they teethe, so here are 4 of the best types of toys you can get a teething pup:

01

https://www.carousell.sg

Hard Plastic Toys

You want to give your dog something that challenges them and allows them to burn energy. But you don’t want to give them something so hard they chip their brand new teeth! Thankfully there are a lot of chew toys made specifically for teething from brands like Nylabone, ZNOKA, etc.

Chews

Unlike rubber or nylon toys, chews are made of (or made to mimic) more natural materials like deer antlers, bones, tendons, and wood. Once again you want to make sure the toys are made for puppies as otherwise they may be too hard. We recommend brands like N-Bone, Nylabone, or Nature Gnaws.

02

etsy.com

03

nymag.com

Food Toys

Food toys are toys that you can put food in. These toys act like puzzles that make the dog have to work out how to get to the food. Some examples would be snuffle mats, lickimats, and puzzle bowls. These toys are a great way to mentally stimulate your dog and tire them out. Tired dogs are much less likely to get into trouble, so these toys are a great way to curb unwanted behaviors.

Plush Toys

These toys are plush toys with squeakers. Plush toys are often great for playing games with your puppy like tug and fetch. It may take your dog a bit of time to learn to play with these toys properly. Try teaching your dog to fetch or playing tug of war with them for a fun diversion. This also gives them another outlet to chew (other than your legs!). The squeakers in these toys let them know their bite is effective and teaches them when it is appropriate to bite. There are a lot of great plush toys for puppies to choose from, so just find some you and your pup will like!

 

04

@louis_thepomsky

Do you have a favorite toy for teething pups? Let us know in the comments below! Be sure to become a Spotter for more puppy training tips and tricks.

By: Hannah Richter

Hannah Richter is a trainer in NYC with Andrea Arden Dog Training and has earned her CPDT-KA certification. Hannah recently wrote a dog trick book titled Teach Your Dog New Tricks. She is passionate about ongoing enrichment, including canine fitness, advanced obedience, tricks, and agility. Hannah is a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers and IAABC, is a major dog training nerd and advocate for positive dog training, and is passionate about helping furry friends and their owners develop deep bonds and strong communication skills using positive reinforcement and management. Author of Dog Training Book, Teach Your Dog New Tricks: Step-by-Step Instructions for Novice, Intermediate, and Advanced Tricks.

Want More Products?

doxie eating food

Top 5 Dog Foods for Picky Eaters under 25 LBS

By: Nikki Giovanelli

Wednesday, June 8th, 2022 • 10 mins read

#, #, #
dog in fleece coat

6 New York City Dog Stores: Best in Dog Clothes

By: Sheila Joseph

Friday, June 3rd, 2022 • 4 mins

#, #, #, #, #

Trending Posts

uncategorized

Your Ultimate Guide to Spotting and Celebrating Dogs in Your Neighborhood

By: Ketty

Tuesday, September 10th, 2024 •

Paw-renthood

Let Agnes Tell You if Daycare is Right For Your Pup!

By: Amanda Gay

Tuesday, April 25th, 2023 • 6 mins

#, #, #
  • Be the first to post a comment.
    • beagle
    Conversation

    Leave a Reply ·