Pets and Puberty: A Guide for Owners and Breeders

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Sooth your Poodle: Help Your Puppy Get Through The Teething Craze

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Teething can be a real nightmare for you and your little buddy. This phase can set in at 3-4 weeks of age. If you are not well equipped, you will have a hard time loving him, and this might be the best time for some tough love. So how do you know that the teething phase has begun?

Signs to look out for

The first thing you should know is that puppies use the sensory abilities of taste and smell to feel the objects around them. Just like you use your hands, a puppy learns from a tender age how to distinguish one object from another by sniffing around and biting stuff. During the teething phase, the puppy will take this to a whole new level, biting on chair legs, shoes and just anything that is within sight. You might want to keep anything within reach behind the closed doors of your closet. If you're going to leave the house, lock the pooch in a room that is clear of anything precious.

Give him a distraction

This is probably not the best time to teach your puppy some new tricks as he is likely to get easily distracted. However, teaching him some basic discipline will stick. Don't get physical at this moment; it will only make him more rebellious, so go soft on him. Give him a tasty distraction. Play tag, on one hand, using something you don't want him touching and on the other, hold a tasty treat and when he lets go reward him with the tasty treat. Play with buddy on the carpet, and whenever he bites, even gently, let out a sharp cry to show discomfort, and walk away remorsefully, this way, he will learn his boundaries.

Soothe the pain

A distraction alone won't do the trick. The puppy needs something to chew on. A good treat that will work the trick is to prepare some cold chews. Get a damp napkin, soak it in some chamomile herbal tea and freeze it. Herbs relieve a great deal of pain. This will give him something to chew on, in place of your favorite sheets or curtains. Some puppies are comfortable chewing on plain ice cubes. Throw in a few ice cubes in his food. While you're at it, grab some chew toys from your local store and throw them at your little pooch, a few at a time. Fill a few of them with dog biscuits and peanut butter for him to chew the pain away.

Tip- it's important that you become familiar with your pet's mouth at this delicate time. It's best to have a veterinarian perform an oral examination to assure the overall health of your pet.


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