Anyone who’s ever raised a puppy knows that one of the most trying times is when your puppy is teething. Your precious antique furniture and favorites pairs of shoes become victims while you’re not watching! And although you’re tempted to get angry at your pup for all the damage he or she has wreaked, you also know that the poor thing probably just couldn’t help it or simply doesn’t know any better. Here are some tips to help you and your puppy get through this challenging stage:

- Teething can be a result of boredom, so make sure you spend a lot of quality time with your puppy. Take him/ her for walks or play with him/ her either in a park or around the house so he/ she doesn’t resort to playing (and chewing) on your treasured possessions instead!

- Give your puppy a wide selection of toys and have him/ her play with a different one every few days so he/ she doesn’t easily tire of them. Chewing is also a sign that your puppy has the desire to discover and explore the world around him/ her so he/ she will be pleased and eager to be introduced to new things.

- More than boredom, a puppy’s main reason for chewing is to alleviate the pain of growing teeth. Give him/ her frozen fruits or vegetables (try carrots, potatoes, or apples!) or ice cubes to chew on. This should both keep him/ her entertained and ease swollen gums.

- Make sure that the toys you give your puppies don’t resemble things that you wouldn’t want him/ her to chew on. For example, it may not be a good idea to give your puppy old pairs of socks or shoes because then he/ she might not be able to distinguish between the old ones that are ok to chew on and the new ones that are not!

- If your puppy insists on chewing on forbidden items, don’t hesitate to let him/ her know of your disapproval. In a loud enough and firm voice, say “No!” Eventually he/ she will figure out what the word means and will refrain from committing the same mistake again. Never, and we repeat never, hit a puppy. This is not a recommended form of discipline because it can cause them to be aggressive or extremely timid as adult dogs.

- One of the easiest ways to avoid damage on prized possessions is to simply keep them out of sight. If there is anything that you think your teething pup might go after, store them away or keep them in harder to reach places.

- Of course, not everything can be safely kept out of sight. Furniture is one example. Commercial sprays that leave an undesirable taste to avoid chewing are now available in the market. Try Bitter Apple. These sprays are supposed to taste awful but are safe. If your puppy happens to have an odd sense of taste and happens to like the spray, try another one until you find a brand that works!

- Another full-proof method would be to crate your puppy. While you are not around to keep an eye on him/ her, keep him/ her in a baby crate so he/ she won’t have access to items around the house. Many people think this is harsh, but on the contrary, if you leave your puppy in a crate with plenty of toys to keep him/ her company, you’ll find that he/ she will actually enjoy being in there!

We hope these tips work for you! Feel free to leave us a comment to let us know what you think!