Surviving Puppy Teething: Real Remedies That Actually Work (and Expert Tips to Keep Your Sanity)
If you have a puppy at home, you are already getting an appreciation for what the little needle teeth can do. Puppy teething is normal (and temporary) but can put puppies to all lengths, even to the most tolerant of puppy owners. When my Labrador puppy Max started chewing on everything, I began my quest to find solutions, since asking professionals for advice is practical, along with a bit of science, to trial and error until I found what actually worked. Here is a summary of everything I tried that ended up working for us- plus, what some of the best veterinarians and trainers have advised making it easier for you and your pup.
Frozen treats and chew toys to cool
As part of Dr. Jerry Klein, Chief Veterinary Officer of the AKC, recommendations for teething puppies, frozen rubber chew toys was the first solution. "The cold numbs the aching gums which reduces the inflammation," explain Dr. Klein. I was inspired to wet a clean dish cloth, twist into a shape Max could identify, and freeze. Max loved this, I am pretty sure he chewed this for over 30 minutes!! This not only provided him relief but also spared my furniture from his chewing.
Another of his favourites was quite similar but a bit more fun for him: I would stuff a durable KONG https://amzn.to/446U3Zu with peanut butter or mashed banana and freeze it overnight. This was chewing comfort, numbed his sore gums, and provided him with a wee bit of mental stimulation.
Safe and durable chews
I learned pretty quickly that chew toys can really vary. His plush toys lasted minutes and left him unsatisfied. So I was encouraged to switch to vet recommended durable rubber and nylon toys. Dr. Stephanie Liff, a Veterinarian in New York, recommends not giving a puppy real bones or antlers to puppies while teething. "Puppy teeth are fragile. Hard chews can fracture teeth and can be painful." She warned.
Max switched from a plush toy to a rubber bone https://amzn.to/4nt1CBd ; this checked the box on chewing safely.
Redirecting instead of Punishing
My first instinct was to yell at Max every time caught him chewing on the corner of my chair. Talking with a professional trainer, I realized that it would be much easier to be gentle in redirecting him. Each time I caught him going for everything I didn't want him to have, I put his chew toy in place, and praised him for accepting it. Instead of impatiently waiting for him to chew what he wanted to chew, I was slowly helping him understand what to chew and not to chew.
Puppy Teething Gel as an additional pain relief
On some of those particularly difficult days, especially at night, my vet suggested puppy safe teething gel. I would rub it on his sore gums with my finger (as you might for a human baby) and it eased the pain enough for him to settle down.
Stick with routine
The last aspect that surprised me most about this experience was that keeping Max on a routine actually helped. Daily walks, play time, quiet time, all provided routine that Max greatly benefited from, and also kept his anxiety low during teething. Certified trainer Victoria Stilwell says, "Keeping a consistent schedule gives puppies confidence and predictability while also helping to reduce stress and undesired behaviour"; primarily the inappropriate chewing behaviour associated with stress.
Conclusion and reflection
Max is now over a year old, fully grown, has strong, healthy adult teeth and is much less interested in destroying my shoes. The teething months sometimes felt like forever, but they were actually just a short little chapter in our experience together.
If your puppy is teething, be assured it will pass. Freezing toys, safe chew items, gentle redirection, and vet-approved remedies can all help to make this easier. Most importantly, be patient—with your puppy and yourself. One day, those razer sharp baby teeth will be gone, and you will have a happier, calmer dog (and hopefully, furniture that is still intact!) to show for it.