Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Puppy Teething

Puppy’s teeth just like babies and that is why they tend to chew on everything. Even if you scold them it isn’t going to change their mind about it. You will find most older dogs obey this type of warning not to do it because they aren’t teething. It is going to be your responsibility to keep things out of the reach of your puppy during this stage. Otherwise your furniture, shoes, and even collectibles could end up in their mouths.

This is why it is important to feed your puppy food specially formulated for them. Adult dog food can be too hard and crunchy for them to enjoy. Puppy food is softer so even if their teeth are bothering them they can still consume it. You may notice your puppy isn’t eating like normal. If this persists for several days you should call your vet. It may be due to teething but that isn’t always the case.

Make sure your puppy does have plenty of things they are allowed to chew on. This can help with the teething process for them. Bones that won’t splitter as well as toys are very good choices. You need to be careful that they can’t chew the toys in half and swallow pieces of it though. You will likely notice they enjoy sticks from the yard to chew on too. Keep your children’s balls and other toys out of reach or they will become destroyed as well.

Should you have an outside puppy make sure they can’t get to any cords. They will also chew on them. This can result in you not having phone, cable, or internet service. They can also injure themselves if they get a hold of an extension cord with power surging through it. A light coat of rubbing alcohol on such cords will also deter them from chewing on them.

Many people find limiting the amount of access that the puppy has around the home can greatly prevent them from chewing up things. Even outdoors you can put them on a dog run so they can’t venture too far. Keep in mind that teething is a stage your puppy is going through. It will soon pass and then you won’t have to worry so much about inappropriate chewing.

Baby Teething

For many new parents certain times in their child’s development can be difficult. One of them is teething as it can make your baby very ill and also very cranky. Happy babies can become fussy and those that normally eat well can become very picky about it. As a new parent you may not realize what is wrong with your baby. They may have a high fever in addition to these other signs.

A baby can start to teeth at any point, but most do so about three months of age. Others don’t until about a year though so don’t worry about when it takes place. Some teeth will be harder for them to get in than others. You may see your baby smile and discover they have a new tooth coming in. If you think they may be teething you can feel the surface of the gums. You may see the tip of it poking through as well.

One of the most common signs of a baby teething is the drool. They will seem to soak their shirts in no time at all. You can give them small balls that dissolve in their mouth to help cut down on the amount of drool. Most doctors will tell you this is going to help the new teeth come in though. Place a bid on their shirt so it will soak up the drool. Change them as necessary to keep your baby comfortable.

You can place ointment on the gums to numb them and this will give your baby some temporary relieve. There are teething rings as well that you freeze and then let them chew on. Many babies will also chew on their toys, hands, and even their shoes while they are teething. Older babies may like to chew on a piece of beef jerky as well.

Do your very best to comfort your baby when they are teething. This includes giving them soft foods and medicine to relieve the pain. This is a part of parenting that can be difficult but you will get through it. Your child may end up very unhappy during the process so give them all the love and attention you can. They will likely be exhausted as well so let them sleep when they are comfortable enough to do so.