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August 19, 2014

The Joys of Living With a Teething Puppy

Raising a puppy sometimes feels a lot like driving in circles. “Didn’t we already pass this place?” is a common refrain in both cases. Currently, Penny is in the throes of teething and has reentered the much dreaded “If it is a thing, and I can reach it, I’m chewing on
Raising a puppy sometimes feels a lot like driving in circles. “Didn’t we already pass this place?” is a common refrain in both cases. Currently, Penny is in the throes of teething and has reentered the much dreaded “If it is a thing, and I can reach it, I’m chewing on it” phase that typified her first days home. I do my best to keep the little menace occupied.Rhodesian Ridgeback, puppy, teething, chicago, marking our territory

I strategically place bones and chew toys along the floor to keep Penny away from the furniture

Rhodesian Ridgeback, puppy, teething, chicago, marking our territory

That plan doesn’t always work, unfortunately. Penny feels compelled to test her jaws out on everything

Rhodesian Ridgeback, puppy, teething, chicago, marking our territory

Including Eko’s collar…

Rhodesian Ridgeback, puppy, teething, chicago, marking our territory

And shoot, she’ll even munch on Eko! Who clearly doesn’t find this particular habit as funny as I do

Maybe it was karma, or maybe my luck ran out, but we just suffered our first real teething casualty.

Rhodesian Ridgeback, puppy, teething, chicago, marking our territory

I ran downstairs to take out the trash only to find Penny had begun an art project in my brief absence

I walked in and was handed that strong emotional cocktail of frustration, guilt, self-hatred and regret that only dogs know how to perfectly mix up. That pit in your stomach is the worst!

But there was nothing to do except be thankful I only own second-hand furniture! After they give you that gut wrenching feeling, dogs are also excellent at helping you find zen. Penny’s teething is no fun for us, but I’ve been keeping an eye on her gums and know that it’s certainly a real pain for her.

Rhodesian Ridgeback, puppy, teething, chicago, marking our territory

A baby tooth (curved, middle of mouth), crowded out and hanging by a thread. Looked painful!

In the hopes of saving the rest of my furniture, I’ve added a number of frozen treats to Penny’s daily schedule. The above tooth finally fell out, but the ice should help numb those gums while the rest of her teeth come in.

If you have any additional suggestions for helping along a teething pup be sure to let me know. I’d like to keep those little razor-wire teeth from cutting through everything I own!

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