This whole big world is new and exciting to your puppy, and the way that they begin to explore this new environment is with their mouth by chewing on anything and everything. That’s why, as a puppy owner it’s important to provide them with all the right toys for them to chew on safely. Otherwise, you might end up finding out that your puppy was chewing on your furniture or something else that they shouldn’t have.
Best Teething Toys for Puppies
Puppies are especially fond of chewing on everything once they begin teething. This instinct kicks in pretty fast and they will need to be given the right kind of chew toy for the job. From the two months to ten-month point in your puppy's young development, they will be on the lookout for anything and everything that they can sink their teeth into. You may also want to start looking into the different diet for your dog based on their developmental stage.
When choosing the best teething toys for puppies, you need to take into consideration their size/age. Often the manufacturers will note on the toys packaging what age they are meant for. Some toys might be too big or too small, so it’s important to keep this in mind. There are dangers in giving your puppy the wrong size toy, as they could accidentally ingest it, leading to potentially severe health problems.
For any puppy owner who has also raised a young human child, you know how painful and uncomfortable teething can be for a young one. This can also make your pet become stressed out.
Many teething toys that are made for puppies are made to help alleviate much of this pain and soothe their gums as they get through this stage in their development. If your dog is dealing with any pain and discomfort, talk to your vet about possible treatment options such as holistic treatments for aches and pains.
Some canine specialty businesses make a special sort of “teething starter kit” for puppy owners to provide them with all of the best toys for teething. These toys include a toy that can be chilled to provide some pain relief, and a durable KONG toy that can withstand even the most aggressive chewers.
Toys that You Should Avoid Giving Your Puppy
There are a handful of toys that puppy experts will advise you against, especially if you are looking for the best toys for puppies home alone. You would think that all puppy toys are made with their safety and well-being in mind, but the thing is that all puppies are different. Different size/weight with different levels of aggression when chewing on their toys.
Toys Shaped Like Items They Should Not Chew On
One of the toys that rank high on this list are toys that are shaped like real items that you wouldn’t want your puppy chewing on when you aren’t looking. Such as a squeaky toy that resembles a shoe. Or, if you don’t want them out chasing small woodland creatures when you let them out into the yard, it might also be a good idea to avoid chew toys that resemble small animals such as squirrels.
Your puppy won’t know any better if the toy you provide to them is shaped like another object in the house around them. They might just come to think that your favorite tennis shoe should also squeak when they bite into it.
You also should not be giving your puppy actual household items to chew on, such as an old pair of shoes or clothing. This is for the same reason, that they may begin to believe that any pair of shoes or piece of clothing is then fair play.
Cooked Animal Bones
The most stereotypical dog toy of all time is a bone but giving your dog a leftover bone from a meal that you’ve prepared for your family could be very harmful to their health. The integrity of an animal bone that has been cooked can be very fragile. Meaning, the bone could splinter, and your puppy could swallow these fragments or even have them cause damage to their mouth.
Thin Squeaky Toys
Some toys aren’t made to stand up to the relentless teething or just aggressive chewing of a young puppy. Thin walled rubber squeaky toys can be incredibly harmful to puppies. If you are looking for the best puppy toys to keep them busy, don’t look in the direction of these toys.
Although these toys will keep your puppy busy for some time, that will all come to an abrupt halt if/when your puppy gets their teeth on the squeaker on the inside of the toy and swallows it. Your puppy will need a more durable toy that doesn’t have loose parts in it that they could accidentally (Or intentionally) swallow.
Conclusion
Owning and taking care of a young puppy is a big responsibility for any one person to take on. Aside from regular puppy grooming, routine vet checkups, and giving them a balanced and healthy diet, you should also know how to deal with your puppy when they're teething.
You would never want any harm or discomfort to come to your little angel, so knowing which toys they should and should not have is imperative. You want to provide them with a toy that will soothe their teething pain as well as pique their interest and keep them entertained and happy for hours on end.
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What are the best toys for puppies?
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