Living With A Land Shark!!
When we bring our puppies home…we KNOW they have sharp little teefs but that is just a fleeting thought at the time we don’t really think about what the impact could be on us humans when living with a little LAND SHARK day in…day out!
We love the term Land Shark. It sums up puppies pretty well in our opinion!
Cute and floofy but when those gnashers get you…ouch!
In reality it can be..
FRUSTRATING
OVERWHELMING
SORE
We know pups are going to teethe if you’ve read anything about bringing a puppy home teething features pretty heavily.
It’s a very normal and natural part of your puppers development.
However it is only one part, a BIG part of the Land Shark period!
You might ask yourself WHY ARE THOSE TEETH SO SHARP!!
We know it's quite mean isn’t it…cute puppy…razor sharp teeth!
Well the deciduous teeth(your pups first set of teeth) have very thin enamel and long roots. The sharpness helps puppies to chew on food while their jaws are gaining strength.
It’s one of those stages in puppy development that can feel like it goes on forever and can be pretty unpleasant for the puppy and for all humans involved.
We’ve had our fair share of puppy teefs meeting our skin over the years and it's not something we enjoy either although the smooshes that often come with it do soften the pain a little!
However we get to go home to our adult dogs that are lonnnnng past that stage you’re on the front line!
So what can you do to navigate this time?
The reality is your puppy has been teething since not long after they were born!
So as soon as you bring your puppy home they will be dealing with this happening within their wee mouth.
So you can better understand what's happening in there and before we will give you some support on what to do.
Here's a teething timeline
Weeks 2 to 4:
Your puppy will still be with their mother and breeder when their baby teeth start coming in. At this point, their eyes will have opened and they’ll still be nursing.
Weeks 5 to 6:
By now all of your puppy’s baby teeth should have come in. Dogs usually have about 28 baby teeth total. Around this time, the breeder will likely have already or will be in the process of weaning the puppies in the litter as they learn to eat moist, soft puppy food.
Weeks 7 to 16:
This is around the time you’ll get to take your puppy home with you (some breeders let puppies go to their new owners’ homes at 8 weeks, but others wait an extra month or so, depending on the breed and the individual breeder’s preferences). So now it’s down to you! This is also the time when you may start to find little crumb- to rice-sized teeth around your home as your puppy’s baby teeth start to shed and permanent adult teeth emerge.
6 Months and Older:
By the time your puppy is about six months old or so, all of their puppy teeth should have fallen out, and their adult teeth should have grown in. In general, adult dogs have about 42 teeth. If you notice any baby teeth remaining, make sure to let your veterinarian know as they may need to be removed.
Fun Fact: dogs have about 10 more teeth than people!
So what do you do when The Land Shark is in full Land Shark Mode!
First of all is a bit of empathy!
Teething is painful! Just look at a human baby! They will likely be experiencing pressure in their mouth and soreness as the teeth push through the gums. That for sure won’t be pleasant. Just think about how you feel as a human if you’ve ever experienced a toothache! Not nice is it? We can take painkillers when we need them to help us through that experience. Yes there are puppy teething gels on the market however how well they work we are unsure. So yeah have a bit of empathy for that wee squish.
Give them things to naturally help with the pain!
Puppies will want to bite down to relieve the pressure and discomfort they are feeling in their mouth. Cold can be really soothing and reduce inflammation so popping some of their toys or a carrot in the freezer can give them a temporary reprieve.
Another question to ask yourself is the behaviour you’re seeing teething or something else?
Puppies nip and bite for LOT’S of reasons, they also put things in their mouth for LOT’S of reasons.
While teething very likely will be a factor there could well be other things playing into the bigger picture.
Some things to look at if your puppy is in full Land Shark mode…
Are they getting enough truly RESTFUL sleep?
By this we don’t mean a wee quick nap! We mean undisturbed RESTFUL sleep! Getting good sleep is absolutely vital to growing puppies. Also we find when puppies don’t get the sleep they NEED they are more likely to act in ways we don’t find appropriate! Such as ragging leads, trouser legs, nipping at the kids or destroying toys! An overtired puppy is one that is very unlikely to make good choices. Very much like an overtired toddler! Not overly fun to be around. So making sure that rest is ticked off that list is super important!
Another thing to look at is are they really getting their needs met.
By this we mean are they receiving good nutrition? Are they getting the opportunity to relieve themselves frequently? Are they getting to do things that as a puppy make them feel happy and fulfilled such as appropriate exercise, opportunities to sniff things and lick things? Are you playing with them in a way that they enjoy and not accidentally building frustration?
We find it can be helpful to keep a wee diary of your pups every day activities and when they go full Land Shark mode! This can help you determine what might be the reason behind it!
For example
Just had a big walk…went Land Shark Mode = Tiredness
So to support them in the future…
Go for walk
Pop into crate/puppy safe area with a long lasting chew for a sleep
This way you can bypass the opportunity for your puppy to get themselves into bother by truly meeting their needs at that moment.
You’ll get to know your puppy as time goes on, you will pick up on their subtle little cues of what they need. It really is a small part of your time with your dog and it WILL pass in a blink of an eye, even if it doesn’t feel like it right now.
Our best advice if you're feeling the Land Shark OVERWHELM is to take a step back…
BREATHE!
Then ask yourself what does my puppy need?
