Why You Should Choose Natural Chews for Teething Puppies
Today’s post is guest written by Susan Bewley of Budget Earth
How many of you have a new puppy at home? While our latest addition was very unexpected, she was welcomed with open arms, especially by her big sister – Ivi. While having a new puppy is often quite a bit of fun, there is one stage that nearly every dog owner dreads – teething. While we all joke about it, not being prepared for teething can be quite destructive to just about…well…everything. We learned the hard way with our first Alaskan Malamute – Reya – who didn’t just bite the legs of my kitchen chairs, but chewed a crater into the drywall as well. At the suggestion of quite a few sites, we went with what we thought would be the answer – plastic chew bones. Sure, they were great in theory until you realized dogs are shredding this plastic, eating it, and leaving destructive shrapnel all over your home. Like any good dog mom, the thought of them eating plastic left me quickly throwing these toys away. Luckily, we found the perfect solution – natural chew toys.
In all honesty, with natural chew toys, teething isn’t just easier, but more productive. If you give a puppy a choice between a plastic or a natural chew toy, they will almost always go toward the bone or natural chew. Since they are naturally nutritious and delicious to dogs, it is their instinct to go after these treats. For example, wolves and many other feral canine breeds chew on antlers out in nature. When we moved to using natural antlers, bones, and natural meat chews, teething didn’t just become easier, but our dogs didn’t like the idea of chewing other items. They WANTED their chewing treats.
Benefits to Teething Puppies
In my opinion, the best part is that natural chews have so many benefits for teething puppies. Some of the benefits of going with natural chew toys include:
- Naturally scraping away plaque, tartar build up, & maintaining gum health
- Stimulating your dog’s brain and keeping it active, especially during times of rest
- Satisfies your dog’s urge to chew, avoiding destruction in your home
- Relieves puppy teething pain and stimulates the growth of their adult teeth
- Provides calcium & other essential ingredients from chewing (unlike plastic!)
Caution
That being said, there are some things pet parents should consider, no matter what type of chew toy you give your dog (natural or the plastic bones). Teething puppies or dogs that are power chewers should be watched at all times to make sure they don’t become too aggressive with the toy. If they are biting too hard on the exterior, they have a chance of chipping or breaking teeth. While I have never seen this with my own dogs (or puppies), it can happen with power chewers who are too excited about the treat. If you see this, take away the treat immediately. As well, bones and natural chews can be chewed to the point of becoming too small and a choking hazard, so make sure you are constantly watching your pup with their new treat.
As well, it is important to remember that there are a variety of different natural chews for teething puppies. For small puppies, I usually prefer softer treats that can be broken apart for training or given in larger pieces to keep puppies entertained. For me, Jones Natural Chews have always been my go to brand during this type of training. My current favorite soft natural chew for Rylie is their Tender Taffy. It can easily be broken apart by humans but takes puppies some time to chew, like human taffy. As well, I also love their Lamb Lung Puffs. They can easily be broken apart by humans but are a fun chew toy for puppies, especially once they are licking and slobbering on the treats.
For puppies 12 weeks or older who aren’t too aggressive with their other natural chews, I start upgrading to bones and antlers. Part of what makes both of these chews so amazing is that they don’t just satisfy their need to chew, but encourage them to get marrow from the bones. I love Jones Natural Chews Bandit’s Bones since they encourage dogs to go after the center of the bones themselves (which are filled with meat), getting puppies ready to eventually upgrade to antlers and other types of bones.
While teething may be challenging with a new puppy, it is possible to survive this stage of puppyhood without too much damage. With the right natural chews and positive reinforcement training, you will breeze through teething before you know it, leaving you with a very happy puppy who just thinks they got the best treats from the humans ever!
About the Author
Susan Bewley is a professional writer & blogger at Budget Earth who has been writing content online & in print format for over 10 years. As well, she is an alumni of the University of Louisville with a Masters Degree in Special Education. When not working at Budget Earth, she can be found working on her own novel or more importantly, playing with her two Alaskan Malmautes – Ivi and Rylie. Like her dogs, she is always happy to make new friends on her blog or out and about as she teaches other how to live a natural lifestyle with their furry family friends.
Giveaway
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Spreading the good chews …
Flea
