One of the best ways to keep a new dog happy and minimize stress in the house is to provide them with chew toys. Chew toys can help keep your pet active, entertained, and happy. When choosing the best toys for puppies to chew on while teething, consider their age, breed, size, personality, and stage of dental development. Dog training with toys is an effective way to teach your dog various commands and tricks while keeping them engaged and motivated.
The best toys for puppies to chew on while teething aged 4 to 24 weeks
From birth to 12 weeks of age, there is no need to provide the best toys for puppies to chew on while teething. The puppy’s milk teeth can start coming in around 4 weeks of age, but this is usually not a time when puppies require toys or activities outside of their den-like environment.
From 4 weeks to 12 weeks of age, the puppy’s milk teeth continue to grow. Most puppies at this age do not require dental chew toys. This period is typically when puppies are still nursing from their mother and should be fed soft food. Their tiny teeth may be sharp but are usually not very strong. If the puppy has access to chew toys designed for larger dogs, their teeth can easily get damaged.
From 12 weeks to 24 weeks of age, the puppy’s milk teeth start to fall out, and their permanent teeth begin to replace them. This stage marks the peak of the puppy’s teething process and is usually the most uncomfortable time for them as they experience a lot of pain.
It is crucial to choose the best toys for puppies to chew on while teething that help alleviate their teething pain. Additionally, dental chew toys prevent your puppy from chewing on furniture, shoes, fingers, or even engaging in aggression towards other pets. Suitable chew toys for puppies should be appropriate in size, and breed, and match their chewing tendencies.
Chew toys are excellent for puppies as they have textured surfaces that massage the gums while they chew. For more aggressive breeds and larger breed puppies, it is advisable to provide more durable or tougher chew toys.
At 24 weeks of age, adult chew toys are suitable for your pet. As their permanent teeth come in, your puppy’s life will become more comfortable. After this period, they will have less inclination to chew on various objects. Depending on the size and activity level of your puppy, you will have a variety of safe toy options to choose from at this stage. For more information about 5 tips for starting training a puppy, click on the link.
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Best Chew Toys for Teething Puppies
1-Puzzle Toys
Puzzle toys can serve as the best toys for puppies to chew on while teething. These toys, designed for puppies that spend more time in their crates or kennels during their owner’s absence, are great.
These puzzle toys are made of soft rubber and are designed to soothe the puppy’s teeth and gums. They can be filled with treats or food and even frozen to provide a rich source of stimulation for the puppy’s body and mind over a few hours. The coolness of these chewable toys helps alleviate tooth pain.
2- Highly Active Toys
These types of toys are highly suitable for puppies that are never quiet. Tug-of-war toys and rope toys are not designed solely for teething puppies.
3-Soothing Toys
Providing soft and plush toys is ideal for puppies that haven’t fully developed their teeth because they can’t damage the toys. These toys are chewable and suitable for small breed puppies under 12 weeks old or puppies that have anxiety issues and need to calm down. Soothing toys can also be used for puppies that have been weaned from their mother’s milk.
What toys should you not give a puppy?
Avoid giving your puppy any toys filled with beads or beans. Many toys that produce animal sounds or move on their own contain batteries that can be toxic. Never leave your puppy alone with these toys, as they may swallow the battery. Never give your puppy a container that could get stuck on their head.
Here’s a suggestion: KONGs are a classic choice for reasons. Fill them with peanut butter to make it a tasty treat. You can even freeze a stuffed KONG to add an extra challenge and increase its soothing effect on the gums. KONG has recently introduced a new solution to help relieve puppy teething discomfort – the Puppy Teething Stick.