The teething period is nothing more than the stage in which a puppy forms his teeth or changes his baby teeth for his permanent teeth. All dogs go through this process because when they are born, they do it without teeth. Something completely normal because they could hurt the mother a lot in the lactation period.
If you have a dog or have had it, you will surely remember those moments when they literally want to bite everything, and it is a process that sometimes becomes very painful. We must take special care especially with first teeth, since in general … they are sharp as needles. Let’s see step by step all the stages of canine teething.
Index of contents
- 1 What is the puppy teething period?
- 2 Teething in young dogs, the definitive change
- 3 Tips for our dog or puppy to have healthy teeth
- 4 How to brush a dog’s teeth?
What is the puppy teething period?
Puppies are born toothless, though that doesn’t stop them from trying to chew on anything that gets in their way. That is why it is so important to always have a toy as a teether and teach him from a very young age that it is not right to bite his owner or other people, he must vent with his toys and not with humans, furniture, slippers …
Although it is something simple to say but difficult to fulfill, since in general… they wipe out slippers, socks and low furniture.
From the fourth week of life is when their first teeth begin to emerge milk. These teeth are like those of humans, false teeth that in the future will be replaced by the definitive ones, although they are no longer important. Some dogs begin to develop them a little earlier and others a little later, although on average the fourth week is an excellent reference.
When they have removed all the milk teeth, their dentures will be made up of a total of 28 or 32 pieces, depending on each dog. For example, the premolars and the molars do not develop at this stage. Milk teeth are very sharp and fine, they can easily hurt us if we play with our dog and he nibbles us a little bit lovingly.
Teething in young dogs, the definitive change
We already have our puppies with all their baby teeth, enjoying life and eating solid things (I think or natural diets like BARF diet). Some people think that it is the baby teeth that grow and form the final denture, but this is not the case.
When our young dogs are about four months old, some a little earlier and some a little later, will begin to develop their final denture. The definitive teeth will begin to grow in your mouth, pushing the milk teeth until they are pulled.
This process can take a few months, from the beginning to the end pulls his last baby tooth and shows his final denture. On this occasion, we will see already well developed premolars and molars. Your new teeth will not be as fine or sharp but much more hard and resistant.
It is completely normal for our dogs to show pain, nibble on everything more than normal, cry a little or even suffer from occasional diarrhea due to the accidental ingestion of a baby tooth. Your final dentition will have a total of forty-two pieces, well designed to last.
We must remember that dogs are carnivores (although some feed on commercial feed …), which means that their teeth are designed to nail, tear, cut and grind.
Tips for our dog or puppy to have healthy teeth
Because, as happens with us humans, the teeth of dogs can be crooked or cause deformations … it is highly recommended that a vet checks our puppy’s mouth once it has shown most of its teeth of milk and again during the transition process to your final denture. In this way, if you notice any problem of deformation, infection or an attempt to come out overlapping … you can easily solve it.
When we play with our dog to see who throws more of his toy, a sock or whatever … (that moment in which the owner and dog pull the same object to see who takes it), we must do it with great care. At least until you have your final dentures, since baby teeth are very sensitive and could break easily. The teething period is something that we all have to go through with a lot of patience.
When they develop the definitive teeth, it is also not good to force their bite too much, since we could cause them to come out crooked. These are times when we can play with them, but without tugging at the things they are biting.
Although it seems curious, it is highly recommended to brush the teeth of our dogs at least once a week, as we explain a little below.
How to brush a dog’s teeth?
Under no circumstances do you think of using the same toothpaste that you use, dogs use a specific toothpaste free of toxic substances for them. Must buy a special toothpaste from your trusted vet.
To make this process easier and more enjoyable, it is recommended that playing … touch the gums and teeth of our puppies, so that when they are adults, this pass is simple. Since usually dogs don’t like to be trashed in their mouths.
There are two ways to brush your teeth The first is using a glove and applying a bit of dog-specific toothpaste on it. With the index finger we will clean your teeth in circular movements and from top to bottom, so that they are clean. We must do it by showing the pasta and the glove to our dog first, so that he smells it and takes it as a game.
The second is using a toothbrush, but we must be very careful not to hurt his gums They are very sensitive. We must also ensure that the dog takes it as a game … or it will be impossible to do so.
Doing this once a week will be enough for our puppy or adult dog to have healthy and enviable teeth. Remember that like humans, they can suffer from tartar and cavities … so it is absolutely forbidden to give them food with sugar.
To prevent the development of tartar and that our dogs clean their teeth in a natural way, it is positive to give them from time to time a raw bone beef or cow knee. It is super important that they are raw, since cooked or cooked bones can splinter and cause them to choke and even die.
And of
course, don’t forget that teeth can suffer if your dog eats stones (there are people who throw stones so that dogs can pick them up, like their balls). Never let your dog bite stones, metal sticks, etc … This will hurt your teeth and over time, you will have a serious dental problem.
Every three or four years, you can take your dog to the vet for a thorough tartar cleaning (they will obviously need to get them to sleep). It is a very common and beneficial practice for your dog.