The first thing to know about Golden Retrievers in their teething phase is that they tend to chew on things a lot. While this is something that happens even after teething, you should know how the process itself unravels so that you can help your dog.
To begin with, let’s look at the symptoms of teething and how and when that happens and what it leads to.
How Do You Know They Are Teething
Even though Golden Retrievers like to chew quite a bit and that’s an obvious sign of teething, there are a few things that will tell you specifically that this is the case.
Lack of Appetite
This is a typical sign of teething among dogs and it is not something to stress about. Not too much anyway.
Teething is a painful process which is why puppies don’t like to eat as much at this time. However, you must keep giving them food.
Ideally, get dry food instead of moist or wet foods because it helps them with their gums. This will keep their teeth and gums strong and both those things need all the help they can get during this phase.
Bleeding Gums
Speaking of gums, this part of the mouth will obviously experience some bleeding during the teething phase. That’s because they will be chewing on toys and things a little more than usual.
You might find a little bit of blood on these objects which means their gums are bleeding because of teething. Blood on toys and other objects is also a sign of teething.
This is because the gums will be swollen during the teething phase. Of course, it could mean other gum problems in adult dogs.
That’s why you should check your pup’s mouth to see if the gums are red in color and look inflamed. This will confirm that it’s a teething problem.
How to Deal With It?
While chewing on things is natural, especially during the teething phase, it doesn’t mean you can’t or shouldn’t do something about it.
Golden Retrievers in particular love to chew. So, you need to have a whole range of chew toys for these not so little canines to get their paws on.
Chew toys help the dogs relieve some of the pain they are feeling in the gums while they are teething. Ideally, the toys should be hard and soft toys and all, if not most of them, should contain nubs and ridges.
Cow hooves are also a good choice as are frozen items when it comes to helping pups with pain relief in the teething phase. It is not unusual for pet parents to get some of these for adult dogs too.
If you are looking for a quick solution, try getting a clean washcloth and knot it up. Then put it in the freezer and give it to your Golden Retriever.
Sometimes, you will notice that their baby teeth will fall off in the process. This is not a problem because it makes way for the new teeth to grow.
To help the Golden Retriever pups further, you can give them small-sized ice cubes too. And if you can, try to massage their teeth and gums gently with your fingers.
This helps with the pain but it also gets them prepared for the time you will start brushing their teeth at a later stage.
Chewing is not a huge problem when it comes to dogs. Even healthy canines do this depending on the breed and circumstances that are not related to teething.
It is an activity that actually strengthens the gums and teeth. But if they do too much chewing it turns into a problematic habit.
Also Read: Do Golden Retrievers Bite?
That means teaching your puppy what they can chew on and what they shouldn’t. The first thing to remember in this process, of course, is not to be harsh because that can morph into other behavioral problems.
Golden Retrievers in particular do not have a good response to harsh punishments because they tend to get aggressive over time. And no one wants that.
On the other hand, it might also make your Golden Retriever sad or submissive and that is not a good thing either. There are many positive ways of helping your puppy go through teething and if you were looking for answers, here are a few.
Apart from making the teething process easier, they will also teach the puppy what they can chew on post this stage.
The Switch
These dogs are known for their fondness for chewing long after the teething stage. So, you must find toys and objects that they are allowed to chew on and train them to restrict themselves to those objects only.
You need to switch the object they are chewing on with the one that is acceptable. You should do this when they are watching and make the dos and don’ts of the operation clear.
You will need to do this a few times and the process of switching must be consistent so that the puppy is not confused.
Stay Active
The second solution is to keep them busy. These dogs are very active and you must tap into that trait.
Regular exercise is a good way to keep them away from chewing on things considering that is something dogs even other than Golden Retrievers do when they are bored.
Apart from exercise, you should find fun activities that the dogs will enjoy all through the day instead of chewing.
Limit Their Space
A lot of dogs also tend to chew a great deal when no one is home. One way to sort that out is to reduce the space they have to move around.
This means you might have to give crate training a shot.
Aversion Sprays
There are sprays in the market that can help with your chewing problem. These sprays are used to make an object smell or taste bad to keep the dog away.
But it is important to remember that this is not a standalone solution. You must use it along with training to make sure that you get the best results.
Also Read: When Do Golden Retrievers Go Into Heat?
When Do They Stop Chewing?
As mentioned before, Golden Retrievers tend to chew even after the teething phase. So, it is not something you can stop entirely.
But what you can do is make sure they are not doing this for reasons that are not their fault. For example, if you leave them alone too often or they get bored, it’s not exactly their fault that they have resorted to chewing.
It’s what dogs do.
Teething happens in the six- to eight-month phase. During this time, it is natural for them to chew on things.
While you can let them do some of it, you also know what to do to help them out of the pain. And if you have done things right, you will see a big change after the teething phase when they will stop chewing on things as much.
The best you can do is teach them what to chew on and what not to so that it doesn’t turn into a problem.
How Long Before Adult Teeth Show Up?
In Golden Retrievers, baby teeth start showing up when they are about three to four weeks old. This is the start of the teething process.
At this point, the incisors on the upper jaw will develop and then the low jaw will start to fill up. They will grow a set of 28 teeth by the time the pups are about six weeks old.
But shortly after that, the baby teeth will fall out and the adult teeth will start to develop. In Golden Retrievers, this will happen when they are about six months old.
As mentioned before, the teething phase can last from six to eight months while the pups grow their adult and permanent teeth.
There isn’t much of a gap between the two phases which means you will see adult teeth right after the baby teeth start to fall out. As a result, there won’t be too many gaps in your Golden Retriever’s mouth.
When this process ends, the dog will have 42 teeth including molars, all of which are permanent.
You should make sure that you check their mouth regularly during this process so that no baby teeth are left behind. Sometimes the baby teeth need to be pulled out to make room for the adult teeth.
That’s a good time to go see the vet.
Also Read: Can Golden Retrievers Tolerate Cold Weather?
Summary
The teething phase among Golden Retrievers has two parts. One is when they get their baby teeth and the other is when they get their adult teeth.
The baby teeth start to show up when the puppy is about 3 to 6 weeks old. They grow a set of 28 teeth and the process leads to a lot of chewing.
But by the time the dogs are 6 to 8 months old, the baby teeth will fall out and the adult teeth will start to appear. These teeth are permanent and Golden Retrievers grow a set of 42 permanent teeth.
