TEETHING
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| petwellbeing.com |
By four months of age a puppy’s sharp
little teeth have been replaced by adult ones—twenty-eight puppy teeth become
forty-two permanent ones.
This time can be difficult for him,
because it can be painful when his adult teeth come in, and they can drive him
crazy. Chewing is one way to relieve the pain and tension, so most puppies want
to chew nonstop to feel better.
There can be problems with teeth,
such as baby teeth being retained after the adult teeth come in—the new teeth
erupt but the baby teeth do not fall out. This can cause problems like
infection, misalignment of the permanent teeth or problems with jaw
development.
You need to check your puppy’s mouth
regularly while the new teeth are coming in. If you see a double row of
teeth—it is easiest to see this in the front teeth—or anything that looks fishy
to you, have your vet check it out. Retained baby teeth have to be surgically
removed, as they do with people.
THE PUPPY’S COAT
| spoiledmaltese.com |
Even by the seventh or eighth month
the puppy’s fur has not fully grown in, so if you live in a cold climate you
might want to protect him with dog clothing of some kind. He’s still a growing
baby: dry the puppy off when he gets wet so he doesn't get a chill.
The exception to this is breeds
similar to Siberian Huskies, Alaskan Malamutes and Samoyeds, whose fur is fully
developed at an early age. This is probably because in their native
environments these breeds were subjected to below-freezing temperatures before
their first birthday. In the summer, don’t clip these thick-furred breeds,
which have double coats. Just as it functions against the cold, their long hair
provides insulation against the heat.
Copyright © Tracie Hotchner – Originally appeared in The Dog Bible: Everything Your Dog Wants You to Know by Tracie Hotchner
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