You might have witnessed other puppies from your friends or in your neighborhood go through the teething process. It is a painful and uncomfortable period for every puppy. Now that you are a parent to a German shepherd puppy or you are planning to be, you must ask yourself when the teething process starts and end.
German shepherds start teething at around the age of six weeks and end at around 4-6 months. This period will vary from one dog to the other.
Read on to know the signs of teething, GSDs teething remedies, how to puppy proof your home
Contents
Signs and symptoms of teething in a GSD
Swollen and Red Gums
This is one of the most notable signs of teething. Your puppy’s gum will be reddish and will budge out ready to let the teeth out.
Bleeding Gums
You will notice tiny drops of blood on their toys or anything else they have chewed. The bleeding should not be much and in case it is, take him to a vet for a checkup.
Small Baby Teeth
Small cute teeth can be found in his bowl of food, toy, or in the house. You might not find all the teeth because dogs swallow some of their teeth.
Drooling
This is not common in many puppies, some will drool while teething while others won’t. If there is excessive drooling, take him to a vet.
Excessive Chewing
Your puppy will chew more to relieve the teething pain. You should give him more chew toys and keeping anything you value far from his reach.
Change in Behavior
Teething is painful and irritable. Your dog will not be his normal self at that time. You should give him more attention and affection.
Mild Fever
Just like human babies have a fever when teething, German shepherd puppies are the same.
Misaligned Teeth
Some milk teeth might not come out on time, this will make him have two teeth sitting together. After some days, the milk teeth fall out, but a vet will help you remove it if it doesn’t.
Eating Problem
Because of the swollen gums, your puppy will have trouble while eating. You should not feed him dry food.
How to Stop A German Shepherd Puppy From Chewing When Teething
Puppy Proofing
You should keep everything chewable out of his reach. You can also lock some rooms until the process is over. Keep all chemicals and detergents away and cover all electricity cables.
Use a Taste Deterrent
Spray taste deterrent on items that cannot be kept out of his reach but are chewable. Though taste deterrent tastes bad, it does not have any effect on dogs.
Chew Toys
During this period, your puppy will need more toys to keep him distracted from the pain. Fetch game is also recommendable.
Don’t give him hard things to chew
Don’t think of replacing chew toys with hard objects, it can make the milk teeth get stuck in the mouth leading to two teeth sitting in the same place. It can also make the teeth crack.
Don’t send mixed signals
If you give your dog your shoes or socks to chew instead of toys, chances are that he will continue with the habit to adulthood. If an item is not meant for chewing keep it out of reach so that he will not be confused when you will want him to stop.
If you find your puppy chewing your cloth or shoe, switching items is the best way to stop it. If you give him a toy instead, he will know that only toys are meant for chewing.
Exercise
Exercise will help in getting rid of boredom which makes puppies chew more. It will also help in maintaining good health.
Lock him in a crate
If the chewing is excessive and uncontrollable, you can lock him in a crate until the teething phase is over.
It is not advisable to lock him throughout, it should only be for about two hours. Locking him for long will lead to aggression problems.
Remedies for puppy teething
Frozen Treats
Frozen fruits or vegetables will help to reduce teething pain and keep him entertained. You can make your treats or buy them from a store.
Aloe Vera Juice
You can spread aloe Vera juice on the swollen gums of your puppy. It will help reduce pain and assist in the digestion process.
Cooled Chamomile Tea
Chamomile tea helps to relieve teething pain in puppies. It also helps to reduce sleeplessness.
Freeze a Piece of Cloth
Cut a small piece of cloth, dip in cold water, and freeze. Give it to your puppy to chew, it will relieve his pain and numb his mouth.
Massage
Massaging your puppy on the gums will reduce the pain and make him calm.
Puppy Teeth Gel
There are many types of puppy teeth gel available in the market. You should buy the one with ingredients like peppermint and clove oil.
Conclusion
Teething is painful and stressful for all puppies. The amount of pain will vary from one puppy to the other. You should always be prepared for this process with lots of chew toys and teething remedies.
Hope the teething process for your puppies will be stress-free by following the above tips.
Related Posts: