Teething
Westie puppies will start to lose their milk teeth at around 8 weeks of age and their adult set will continue to push the milk teeth out until around 6 months of age.
During this stage it is important to provide your puppy with lots of chew treats and toys to soothe the pain and encourage the milk teeth to fall out allowing room for the adult set.
We recommend providing your Westie puppy with multiple different types of chew treats and toys to assist them in loosening their milk teeth. Treats which we use and recommend are made from natural ingredients and less likely to become choking hazards. In the photograph above we have shared a few of our favorites including antler chews, hooves, bully rings (or sticks) and pizzle twizzles. These chews last a long time and soften but do not break apart easily.
Another excellent method for easing the gums of your puppy is to provide them with frozen treats, we provide frozen steak which can be placed in a sock or another material to prevent your puppy from eating it too quickly. This encourages chewing and the cool temperature reduces swelling and pain. Frozen damp cloths and ropes also make excellent teething aids.
When your puppy finally loses their teeth you will start to see their new adult teeth emerging and these should be monitored periodically for placement. Westies should have an edge to edge bite or a close scissor bite, they also have very large strong teeth for their size. By around 6 months of age, you will begin to notice the shape of your puppy’s bite. If your puppy retains any teeth, these may need some extra encouragement to remove in order to preserve the correct dental alignment. In our experience providing a few extra toys and playing games such as tug-o-war usually is enough to remove a few stubborn teeth. Should any teeth remain in place as your puppy nears 7 months of age, you should contact your veterinarian to have these removed as your puppy will should have their full dentition by around 7 months of age.
In order to prepare for teething we recommend spending a little bit of time preparing your house by puppy-proofing. Secure electrical cords and items within reach of your puppy which you do not want them to chew on. Encourage chewing on treats and toys which you have provided and deter your puppy through redirection when attempt to chew on less desirable items.
Puppies learn very quickly what is acceptable for them to chew and what is not, we reward our puppies with little bits of freeze dried liver or other homemade treats to reinforce the desired behavior.
