Puppies grow quickly and have special nutritional needs to keep their bodies strong. The most noticeable time is known as the rapid growth stage, which occurs between 2 and 6 months of age. From about 3 to 6 months, most pups will lose their puppy teeth. You might find a tooth near his dish or on the floor; this is normal.

 

During this phase, his mouth and gums may be very sensitive, which could cause him to be a bit picky when it comes to eating. There's nothing you can do except to wait it out, even if his appetite is low for a couple of days.

 

Helpful Hints

Don't switch to a new dog food to stimulate your puppy's appetite. Changing food at this time can cause additional stress and intestinal upset. The tips below could help your puppy make the change:

 

• Mix his regular, dry food with a premium canned puppy food to soften the dry food and make mealtime even more appealing. Or, try some moist food to help him through this sensitive period. The puppies received Blue Buffalo Puppy canned wet food from week four through six. That's a good brand to mix with the food. If you use this method, do use to much wet food. Dogs love wet food and you don't want them to demand wet food for the next twelve to fifteen years.

• Soak dry food in warm water for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Feeding a dry food  loosens the teeth, so pups can get through the teething process quicker. If his appetite loss persists, see your veterinarian before you switch food.

 

You should try the warm water method before the wet food.

 

Best Puppy Teething Toys:

 

A Kong or another hard rubber toy, especially one that’s fillable works well. The beauty of these types of toys is that they are nearly impossible to destroy. Also, a fillable toy like a Kong gives you the ability to add water and freeze it, adding a cooling element to soothe those sore gums.

 

A hard nylon toy. Again, these types of toys are practically indestructible. Just make sure that you select the appropriate size for your pet so that he doesn’t accidentally swallow it, causing a blockage. Also, consider if you have a large dog in the house. The large dog can swallow the puppy toy and choke.

 

A thick rope toy. With toys like this, quality is key. Make sure your puppy isn’t able to pull off any little fibers of the toy. If he swallows them, it can cause an intestinal blockage that can make him very sick. These types of toys can be tempting to play tug-of-war with—but don’t do this until your puppy is full-grown. It can affect his teeth as they grow in. A tip: Soak the toy in water and then put it in the freezer for a few hours or overnight. As mentioned above, it will have a cooling effect on the puppy’s sore gums.

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If your puppy is chewing on furniture or an item that is a no-no, you can use NaturVet Bitter YUCK! spray. Chewy.com carries the product.

 

Treat toys. Treat toys that are designed for puppy teething have the added benefit of being interactive, as well as good for a puppy’s teeth. This Treat Pod Toy, for example, can be filled with treats for your dog to manipulate so they can play and learn with a tasty reward for perseverance. In addition, the pods are made of durable, non-toxic rubber for ultimate chewing and long-lasting play.

 

Worst Puppy Teething Toys:

• Items with small or sharp metal parts such as pins, springs, or batteries.

• Long strips or fibers, such as strings or thin ribbon. Nylon hose can be dangerous if swallowed.

• Cooked real bones of any kind. Cooked bones break into tiny, highly abrasive fragments that damage the digestive tract over time.

• Sheets of plastic film (e.g., garbage bags) can cause choking.

• Chewies made of large pieces or knots of rawhide. Swallowed pieces of these often cause intestinal obstructions.

• Thin, squeaky-type rubber pet toys. Dogs who are vigorous chewers can swallow these toys whole, swallow large pieces of them, or swallow the metal squeakers inside.

• Soft toys with foam stuffing.

• Anything of yours (or something that looks like your stuff). A puppy doesn’t understand that he’s allowed to chew the toy you gave him and not your fancy new Manolo Blahnik shoes.

 

No matter what toy you select for your puppy, it’s important to monitor him while he’s playing and to pick up the toys and check them from time to time to make sure your puppy hasn’t bitten off any chunks or that no fibers are coming loose from the toy.

 

This is the best we've found:

 

KONG Puppy Tires Toy

https://www.chewy.com/kong-puppy-tires-dog-toy-color-varies/dp/177284

 

Help your puppy spend his boundless reserves of energy with the KONG Puppy Tires Dog Toy. This long-lasting chew toy, specifically designed to ease your teething pup, will provide hours of playtime for you and your furry friend. It’s made in the USA from super-durable rubber, making it erratically bounce, zig-zag and hop on the ground when thrown, engaging your dog's natural chase instincts. The stuffable inner track is a great way to keep your pal engaged for hours while he tries to retract the treats you hid inside. Plus, you can put it in the freezer to help soothe teething puppies even more.

 

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