Puppy teething in a rented flat

Teething is one of the most intense periods of puppyhood — and when you're renting with a landlord who watches the floors and walls closely, the stakes feel even higher. Having the right chew toys available makes a real difference: ones that are firm enough to satisfy the urge to gnaw, safe for developing teeth, and ideally chillable to soothe sore gums. That combination genuinely redirects chewing away from skirting boards and furniture legs. To point you toward the best option, how old is your puppy, what breed are they, and is the main worry the chewing behaviour itself or protecting specific parts of the flat?

That's a very specific and completely understandable worry — skirting boards are exactly what puppies target at this age because they're at the right height and the edge gives satisfying resistance. With a Shih Tzu at 11 weeks, her jaw is still tiny and her adult teeth won't start coming through for another few weeks, so you want something firm but not rock-hard. Before I give you my recommendation, one quick question: is she mostly going for the skirting boards when she's loose in a room unsupervised, or is it happening right in front of you too?

That tells me she genuinely needs something in her mouth — the urge is strong and a verbal correction alone won't cut it at this age without an immediate alternative to redirect her to. For a small breed puppy in your situation, I'd go with the Nylabone Puppy Starter Pack. It comes with two small chew toys — a softer one for when gums are really sore and a slightly firmer one for more active chewing. They're sized correctly for a Shih Tzu mouth, they hold up well, and crucially they're interesting enough texturally that most puppies will choose them over a skirting board when you make the swap consistently. Keep one in the freezer at all times — the cold version is noticeably more soothing at this teething stage and she'll seek it out. Every time she goes for the skirting board, swap silently rather than making a fuss, and reward when she takes the toy. Within a week or two you'll see the habit shift. Your deposit should be safe.

Yes — a short-term physical barrier is worth it while you're building the new habit. You can get clear plastic skirting board protector strips that stick on with removable adhesive and peel off cleanly without marking paintwork. They're cheap and your landlord won't even notice they're there. Pair that with the Nylabone chews and you've got both ends covered: something to deter her from the boards and something better to offer instead. You won't need the strips forever — usually by 14 to 16 weeks the habit is well established and you can take them down.

Great choice — keep that freezer chew rotated and you'll notice a real difference quickly. Shih Tzus are clever little dogs and they respond well to having a clear substitute. If she starts teething harder around 14 to 16 weeks when the adult teeth come through, come back and we can look at something with a bit more resistance for that stage. Good luck with the flat — it'll be fine.