If you are a new puppy owner, you might notice your puppy is attracted to almost anything he could clamp his jaws on, whether it be little toys or your toes and fingers.
This is called the teething or nipping.
Since puppies get their baby teeth as early as two weeks old. As your puppy grows, he starts to explore the world around him by biting anything that he can. You might end up with a lot of chewed shoes and items.
A puppy’s baby teeth begin to fall out at about three to four months to make room for his 42 adult teeth. This process can be very uncomfortable for your pup as his gums will be sore.
There will be drooling and even tiny spots of blood. He will chew on anything as a way of comforting his sore gums, so be sure not to punish your puppy for doing this.
So how will you survive this stage of your puppy’s growth?
Puppies are naturally playful and they nip at each other on a regular basis. Sometimes, they bite too hard without realizing and you’ll hear one of them make a loud yelp.
When your puppy nips you, you can make a loud, high-pitched OW when he bites you. If he backs off, make sure to give him a treat. This is how he knows that he did something good.
Next, you should teach him what items are good for biting and chewing. Whenever he starts nibbling on your fingers and toes, offer him a chew toy. If he still continues on nipping you, stop him so that he realizes that this kind of behavior is not rewarded.
Nylon and hard rubber are a good choice for chew toys for your teething puppy, especially those that can be filled with water and frozen. This will cool your pup’s sore gums.