Puppy teething

Puppies teethe twice. Their 28 baby teeth come through from about 3 weeks of age, and from around 3 to 4 months those fall out as 42 adult teeth push through, a process that is usually finished by 6 to 7 months. The second phase is the chewy one: sore gums, mouthing everything, and the odd spot of blood on a toy. Give them safe things to chew, and check their mouth each week for baby teeth that refuse to fall out.

The puppy teething timeline

Exact timing varies between breeds and individuals. Very small breeds often lose baby teeth and gain adult teeth a little later, and are more likely to have baby teeth that stay put.

Signs your puppy is teething

• Chewing everything: furniture, shoes, hands, skirting boards, cables
• More mouthing and nipping than usual
• Small spots of blood on toys or chews
• Finding a tiny tooth on the floor, though most are swallowed
• Gaps in the front teeth, or two teeth in the same place for a short time
• Red, puffy gums where a tooth is coming through
• Eating a little more slowly, or preferring soft food for a day or two
• Drooling a bit more than usual

A teething puppy should still be eating, drinking, playing and sleeping normally. Don’t put a high temperature, vomiting, diarrhoea or a puppy who stops eating down to teething: call your vet.

Safe chews for a teething puppy

Chewing soothes sore gums. The aim is to point it at the right things.

Good choices

• Rubber chew toys with a bit of give, in a size too big to swallow
• Toys you can freeze: some rubber toys can be filled with wet food or soaked kibble and frozen. The cold soothes the gums
• A clean, wet flannel, twisted and frozen, for supervised chewing
• Soft puzzle toys and lick mats to keep them busy
• Several toys, rotated, so a couple are new each day

The bend test. Veterinary dentists often put it simply: don’t let your dog chew anything that won’t bend. If you can’t dent it with a fingernail, it is hard enough to break a tooth.

Avoid

No toy is completely safe, so supervise chewing, and replace toys as soon as pieces start coming off.

Managing the mouthing

Teething makes a puppy bitier, but biting hands is a habit to stop early, not wait out.

• When teeth touch skin, stop the game: go still, take your hand away, and turn away for a few seconds
• Offer a toy instead, and praise them for chewing it
• Don’t play with hands, and don’t let children wind the puppy up with rough games
• Tidy away shoes, socks, cables and children’s toys
• Plenty of rest. An overtired puppy bites more (see how much puppies sleep)
• Use a pen or crate with a chew when you can’t supervise

More in how to stop a puppy biting.

Retained baby teeth

Sometimes a baby tooth doesn’t fall out, and the adult tooth comes in beside it, giving a double row. These are called retained or persistent deciduous teeth.

• Which teeth: most often the upper canines, then the lower canines, then the incisors
• Which dogs: especially common in small breeds and flat-faced breeds such as Pugs, Bulldogs, Boston Terriers and Boxers. It often runs in families
• Why it matters: the crowding traps food and leads to gum disease early, and a stuck baby tooth can push the adult tooth out of place. A lower canine forced inwards can dig into the roof of the mouth, which is painful

What to do: look in your puppy’s mouth once a week until they are 7 to 8 months old. If you see two teeth where there should be one, or the bite looks wrong, see your vet promptly. VCA advises removing a persistent baby tooth as soon as it is noticed, which needs a general anaesthetic. Some vets do it during a spay or neuter if the timing fits. Don’t try to wiggle it out yourself.

Start caring for teeth now

The adult teeth have to last a lifetime, and the habits start now.

• Handle the mouth daily: lift the lips, touch the teeth, with a treat after
• Start brushing with a soft puppy brush and dog toothpaste only: human toothpaste isn’t safe for dogs. Gums may be sore while teething, so keep it gentle and brief
• Ask your vet to check the bite at your puppy’s vaccine visits

See how to brush a dog’s teeth for the step-by-step.

When to see your vet

• A baby tooth still there once the adult tooth has come through
• Teeth that look crooked, a bite that doesn’t meet, or teeth hitting the gums or palate
• A broken or discoloured tooth
• Swelling of the face or jaw
• Bleeding that doesn’t stop, or bad breath that smells of infection
• Not eating for more than a day
• Chewing that seems frantic or destructive despite plenty of toys and exercise