Stop Your Puppy or Kitten From Chewing Up Everything in Sight While Teething

Just like infants, puppies and kittens go through the teething process. However, pets go through it much sooner and their baby teeth or replaced by adult teeth. Most puppies and kittens start teething between three and six months. Teething helps to relieve the pressure and discomfort associated with the growth of new larger teeth. But unlike your child, young pets that are teething chew on everything in sight; couches, shoes, chairs, doors, any and everything they can sink their teeth into. Rest assured it will end, but there are a number of things you can do to help ease the discomfort of teething and save many of your personal items from being gnawed and destroyed.

The best thing you can do to ease your pet’s teething is to give them special toys to chew on. Firm, not soft toys will do the job. Don’t give them too many toys, however, because that will make them think it is okay to chew on anything since there are so many toys -everything becomes a toy. Also, make sure the toy is not too hard or too soft, a hard toy can damage or break their teeth and a soft toy is not hard enough, they will leave it alone and go find something harder to chew on like your favorite pair of shoes. Make sure you keep your personal items away from your puppy or kitten. Puppies and kittens, especially puppies will find ways to chew everything. Be sure to keep electrical wires, cords, and chemicals out of sight.

Another way to save your personal items and keep your pet chewing on their toys is to make their toys tasty. Put a small amount of sauce or seasoning on their toys. Don’t put too much sauce or seasoning puppies and kittens don’t need to eat a lot of human food. You can also rub their toys with your hands your smell on their toys will keep them happy. When you see your pet chewing on something they shouldn’t, tell them NO in a firm voice, but make sure you give them a toy that they can chew on. If you do come home and find your favorite chair has teeth marks all over it, don’t lose it. Remember, they are young and have no idea what is right or wrong.

Provide some extra playtime with your pet, extra playtime will tire them out and they will sleep instead of chew. When playing with them you can put on an old unwanted pair of heavy work gloves on and let them gnaw on your finger. Another way to ease the pain of teething is to give your pet some ice cubes to suck on, this will ease the pain and the coldness numbs their teeth relieving the pain, plus it helps give them something to play with and chew. You can also give your pet a cold rag to chew on, which works similar to the ice cubes. Finally, another way to ease your pet’s teething is to give their teeth a little massage, everyone loves a nice rub. Lift your pet’s lip and slowly circle your fingers back and forth along the upper gums. Don’t massage too hard but be firm, this will help ease the pain.