Puppies start losing their baby teeth at around 3 to 4 months old, and most have all 42 adult teeth by about 7 months. The chewing doesn't stop there: VCA's veterinarians say heavy chewing seems to ease around 18 months. So you are surviving two things at once, a short teething phase and a longer chewing habit.
Both respond to the same few moves: the right chews, a calm way to stop the nipping, a puppy-proofed house and a regular look in the mouth. One thing does need your vet: a baby tooth still sitting next to the adult tooth that should have replaced it.
Puppies are some of the most adorable creatures on the planet: soft fur, big eyes, goofy moves. They also come with a mouthful of tiny, razor-sharp teeth. Very useful in the wild. Less so when it's your hand they're grabbing, your shoe they're chewing or your children they're playing with.
When do puppies start and stop teething?
Puppies are born without teeth. Their 28 baby (deciduous) teeth come in over the first 2 months, then fall out as the 42 adult teeth push through underneath. That is about 10 more teeth than people have. Here is the typical schedule, based on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Aging Puppies by Teeth guide and the Merck Veterinary Manual:
Age | What is happening in the mouth | What you will notice |
|---|---|---|
Birth to 2 weeks | No teeth yet | Nursing only |
2-8 weeks | Baby teeth come in: incisors first, then canines, then premolars. All 28 are in by about 8 weeks | Usually still with the litter |
About 3-4 months | Baby teeth loosen and fall out as the adult incisors come in | Chewing ramps up; tiny teeth on the floor, a little blood on toys |
4-6 months | Adult canines (around 5 months), premolars and the first molars erupt | Lots of chewing as adult teeth come in |
About 7 months | All 42 adult teeth are in (7 or 8 months in the USDA guide) | The teeth are done; the chewing habit isn't |
Sources differ by a few weeks at each step (VCA, for example, has the first baby teeth falling out at around 12 weeks), and every puppy runs on its own schedule, so treat the ages as a guide. For the tooth-by-tooth version, see our guide on how to tell how old a dog is, and our page on dental formulas in animals shows where each tooth sits.
Signs your puppy is teething
Puppies explore everything with their mouths, so how do you tell teething from plain curiosity?
Everything needs chewing
A teething puppy shows a clear jump in interest in chewing, and chewing seems to ease the discomfort of new teeth coming through, according to VCA Animal Hospitals. If your puppy suddenly goes after things it never touched before, teething is a likely reason.
Sore gums and a little blood
Red, sore gums and drooling are common while teeth are coming in. A little bleeding is normal when baby teeth fall out. VCA describes it as tiny, usually noticed only as mild red staining on a chew toy. More than that is a reason to call your vet.
Whining and slower eating
Greencross Vets, an Australian veterinary group, lists a smaller appetite and fussiness among teething signs, so your puppy may whine a little or eat more slowly while its gums are sore. A puppy that stops eating, seems to be in real pain or won't chew at all is not "just teething" and should see the vet.
Teeth on the floor, or no teeth at all
You may find a tiny white tooth on the floor or stuck in a toy, or notice a gap in your puppy's smile. Don't be surprised if you never find one: puppies usually swallow most of their baby teeth while eating, and that is harmless.
Retained baby teeth: when two teeth share one spot
Sometimes a baby tooth doesn't fall out when the adult tooth comes in. Vets call it a retained or persistent deciduous tooth, and it is the one teething problem you shouldn't wait out.
You'll see two teeth in the space meant for one, most often a thin baby canine (fang) right next to the thicker adult canine. Upper canines are the most common, then lower canines, then incisors. Small breeds and flat-faced (brachycephalic) breeds such as bulldogs, pugs, Boston terriers and boxers get it more often.
It matters because the crowded teeth trap food and plaque, which leads to tartar, gum inflammation and periodontal disease. A retained baby tooth can also push the adult tooth into the wrong place and cause bite problems, such as a lower canine poking into the roof of the mouth.
So have your vet check any baby tooth that is still there when the adult tooth comes in. The Merck Veterinary Manual puts the rule simply: "No two teeth trying to occupy the same space should be in the oral cavity at the same time." Removing a baby tooth needs general anesthesia, and when to do it is your vet's call. VCA's veterinary dentists explain more in their guide to persistent baby teeth.
VCA suggests checking your puppy's mouth every week until about 7 to 8 months old. Lift the lips gently, look at the fangs and front teeth, and reward your puppy for letting you look. That habit pays off later at the vet and at brushing time.
What to give a teething puppy to chew
Chewing is a natural instinct, so the job is to point it at the right things. A good chew toy keeps your puppy busy, eases sore gums and saves the legs of your favorite chair.
Run the thumbnail test first. Most veterinary dentists go by a simple rule, according to Cornell University's Riney Canine Health Center: you should be able to make a dent in a chew with your fingernail. VCA gives a similar rule: don't let your dog chew anything that won't bend. Hard objects can break both baby and adult teeth.
Usually a good choice | Skip these |
|---|---|
Rubber or soft teething toys sized for your puppy | Real bones |
Rubber teething toys chilled in the freezer | Antlers and hooves |
Food puzzle toys at mealtime | Hard nylon toys |
A few different toys you rotate so they stay interesting | Chomping on ice cubes |
Sticks and rocks | |
Anything small enough to swallow, or already falling apart |
Three habits make any chew safer:
- Supervise. VCA's vets put it plainly: no toy is 100% safe, even the recommended ones.
- Size it right and check it often. The toy should suit your puppy's size and strength and be too big to swallow. Puppies grow fast, so size up as they do, and throw out anything your puppy can chew chunks off or pull stuffing from.
- Count the food in food toys. Feeding part of a meal from a puzzle toy gives the chewing a job. Keep track of how much goes in so you don't overfeed.
Sticks are on the skip list because the American Kennel Club calls them hazardous, however much your puppy loves them. More in why dogs chew on sticks. Cornell is fine with puppies licking, chasing and playing with ice cubes; it's the chomping that can break teeth. Unsure about a chew? Ask your vet.
How to stop puppy nipping and biting
Puppies nip because that's how they play with their littermates. If one bites too hard, the other yelps and stops playing. That is how puppies learn bite inhibition: control over how hard they use their mouth. Your job is to keep teaching it.
Remember one thing: your puppy just wants your attention. So make the fun stop when the teeth come out.
- React the moment teeth touch skin. The ASPCA suggests a high-pitched yelp, as if you are hurt, and letting your hand go limp. Don't jerk your hand away: that turns it into a game.
- Stop the game. Gentle play continues, painful play stops. Stand up, turn away, or leave the room for a short while.
- Use a short time-out if the yelp makes things worse. Some puppies get even more worked up by the noise. Quietly walk away, or calmly put your puppy in its crate or a puppy-safe area for a few minutes to settle.
- Offer something better. Keep chew toys within reach and swap one in when your puppy goes for fingers, toes, sleeves or shoes. Praise or treat the moment the toy goes in the mouth.
- Reward calm. Use positive reinforcement with healthy, puppy-safe treats, and keep treats for training so they still mean something.
A few don'ts matter just as much:
- Don't ever hit your puppy. The ASPCA warns that slapping or hitting a puppy for playful mouthing can make it bite harder. The same goes for scruff shaking, tapping the nose and other punishments that hurt or scare.
- Don't let anyone reward the nipping. If children keep playing after a puppy bites, the puppy learns that hands are toys. Kids should stop the game too.
- Don't chase. If your puppy grabs a shoe, don't turn it into a chase game. Call your puppy to a chew toy and reward the trade. If it has something dangerous or precious, remove it calmly. Trust me on this one. When I first wrote this guide, my two-year-old poodle still made a run for it whenever he got hold of a shoe. By then he had mostly settled for sitting there with it, waiting for someone to chase him. Lesson learned: don't chase, ignore the theft where you safely can, and reward the good choices.
Exercise and short training sessions help too: a tired puppy nips less. If the biting seems driven by fear or frustration rather than play, or it isn't improving, talk to your vet. The ASPCA recommends a certified professional dog trainer, or a veterinary behaviorist for fear and aggression.
Puppy-proof the house
The easiest chewing problem to fix is the one that never happens. Before your puppy finds trouble:
- Put shoes, clothes, socks and children's toys up and out of reach.
- Gate off rooms you don't want your puppy in.
- Lock away foods that are toxic to dogs. The ASPCA lists chocolate, grapes and raisins, alcohol and anything sweetened with xylitol among the foods to keep away from pets. More in our list of human foods toxic to dogs.
- Check your plants: some common house and garden plants are toxic to dogs. See yard plants poisonous to dogs.
If your puppy eats something toxic, call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 right away.
Start dental care now
Teething is a good time to get your puppy used to having its mouth handled. Lift the lips, touch the teeth, then introduce a dog toothbrush.
- Use toothpaste made for dogs. Human toothpaste can make dogs sick, and some contains xylitol, which is toxic to dogs.
- Go slowly and never force it. Let your puppy sniff and lick the brush and paste first. Be gentle while the gums are sore.
- Ask your vet to show you how to brush and how to build a routine.
Our pet dental health guide walks through brushing step by step.
When to call your vet
Call your vet or a poison line now if your puppy:
- Has eaten something toxic, such as chocolate, grapes or raisins, or anything with xylitol
See your vet soon if:
- You can see a baby tooth and an adult tooth in the same spot
- The bite looks off, or a tooth seems to poke into the gums or the roof of the mouth
- A tooth looks chipped, cracked or broken
- The mouth bleeds more than the light spotting on toys described above, or your puppy seems to be in a lot of pain
- Your puppy stops eating, refuses to chew, or the gums are red with discharge
- The nipping is getting worse, or the biting looks fearful or frustrated rather than playful
Mention it at the next visit:
- Questions about which chews to use, how the adult teeth are coming in, or how to start brushing
You will survive this
Every puppy is different. Some barely seem to notice their teeth changing; others turn into fluffy piranhas for a few months. If your house is being shredded while the neighbor's puppy never chewed a thing, it isn't your fault.
It is also okay to take a break. Ask a partner or a friend to take the puppy for a few minutes while you rest. Better to take a break than to break.
And remember an old motto that fits puppy teething perfectly: "This too shall pass."
Originally written by Dr. Catharina Hjorth. Updated by the I Love Veterinary editorial team.
Sources
- USDA APHIS Animal Care: Aging Puppies by Teeth (2023)
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Dental Development of Dogs
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Dental Disorders of Dogs
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Developmental Abnormalities of the Mouth and Dentition in Small Animals
- VCA Animal Hospitals: Teeth, Teething and Chewing in Puppies
- VCA Animal Hospitals: Persistent Deciduous Teeth (Baby Teeth) in Dogs
- Cornell University Riney Canine Health Center: Risks from a fractured tooth
- ASPCA: Mouthing, Nipping and Biting in Puppies
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control: People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets
- American Kennel Club: Puppy Teething and Nipping, A Survival Guide
- Greencross Vets: Puppy Teething, Chewing and Nipping
This article is for general information and is not a substitute for advice from your veterinarian.
