Every puppy owner goes through it: the relentless chewing, the tiny needle-sharp teeth embedded in furniture legs and fingers, the occasional spot of blood on a favorite toy. Puppy teething is a completely normal developmental process, but it can be uncomfortable for the puppy and bewildering for first-time owners who do not know what to expect. Understanding the timeline, recognizing the signs, and knowing how to provide safe relief makes the entire process smoother for everyone involved.
How Many Teeth Do Puppies Have?
Puppies are born without any visible teeth. Their first set — called deciduous teeth, primary teeth, or simply baby teeth — consists of 28 small, sharp teeth. These begin erupting through the gums at around two to three weeks of age and are typically all in place by eight weeks. The deciduous set includes 12 incisors (the small front teeth), 4 canines (the long, pointed fangs), and 12 premolars. Puppies do not have deciduous molars.
The adult set is considerably larger. Dogs end up with 42 permanent teeth: 12 incisors, 4 canines, 16 premolars, and 10 molars. The transition from 28 baby teeth to 42 adult teeth is the process we call teething, and it unfolds in a predictable sequence over several months.
The Puppy Teething Timeline
Weeks 2–4: The first teeth appear. The incisors are usually the first deciduous teeth to break through the gums, starting around two to three weeks of age. This initial eruption is why very young puppies begin mouthing at their littermates and their mother's food — their teeth are coming in and they are instinctively exploring what those new tools can do.
Weeks 3–6: Canines and premolars follow. The deciduous canine teeth typically erupt between three and five weeks, followed by the premolars at four to six weeks. By the time a puppy is six to eight weeks old, the full set of 28 baby teeth is usually in place. This is the age at which most puppies go to their new homes, and new owners often notice the razor-sharp quality of those tiny teeth immediately.
Weeks 12–16: Baby teeth begin falling out. This is when true teething discomfort begins. The incisors are usually the first deciduous teeth to loosen and fall out, replaced by their adult counterparts. Many owners never find the baby teeth — puppies frequently swallow them while eating, which is entirely harmless.
Months 4–5: Canines and premolars transition. The deciduous canines and premolars are replaced during this window. The adult molars, which have no deciduous predecessors, also begin erupting at the back of the jaw. This period tends to be the peak of teething discomfort, because multiple teeth are loosening, erupting, and settling simultaneously.
Months 6–7: The final teeth settle in. By six to seven months of age, most puppies have their complete set of 42 adult teeth. Some larger breeds may finish slightly earlier, while smaller and toy breeds sometimes take a bit longer. Once all the permanent teeth are in and fully erupted, the chewing intensity typically subsides noticeably — though dogs of all ages continue to enjoy chewing as a normal behavior.
Signs Your Puppy Is Teething
Teething is not subtle. Most puppies display several of the following signs, and knowing what to expect can prevent unnecessary worry.
Increased chewing and mouthing. This is the hallmark of teething. Puppies chew to relieve the pressure and discomfort of new teeth pushing through the gums. During peak teething, they may target furniture, shoes, baseboards, electrical cords, and human hands with renewed intensity. The chewing is not misbehavior — it is a physiological need.
Excessive drooling. Teething stimulates saliva production. You may notice wet spots where your puppy has been resting, a perpetually damp chin, or more drool than usual on toys and bedding.
Swollen or red gums. Gently lifting your puppy's lip may reveal gums that look puffy, red, or inflamed around the areas where new teeth are coming through. This is normal and temporary.
Small spots of blood. Finding tiny specks of blood on chew toys, kibble, or bedding is common and usually not a cause for alarm. It happens when a baby tooth finally detaches from the gum. If bleeding is heavy or persistent, however, a veterinary check is warranted.
Decreased appetite or slow eating. Sore gums can make eating uncomfortable. A teething puppy may eat more slowly than usual, seem hesitant about hard kibble, or skip a meal. As long as the decreased appetite is mild and temporary, it falls within normal teething behavior. A puppy that refuses food for more than 24 hours should see a veterinarian.
Irritability or whining. Just as human babies become fussy during teething, puppies may be more vocal, less tolerant of handling around the mouth, or generally crankier than usual during peak discomfort periods.
How to Help a Teething Puppy
You cannot speed up the teething process, but you can make it significantly more comfortable and protect your belongings in the process.
Provide appropriate chew toys. The single most important thing you can do is give your puppy plenty of safe things to chew. Look for toys specifically designed for teething puppies — they should have some give to them. A good rule of thumb from veterinary dentists is the "fingernail test": if you cannot indent the surface of the toy with your fingernail, it is too hard for a puppy's developing teeth. Rubber toys like KONG Puppy products, textured teething rings, and braided rope toys are popular choices. Avoid extremely hard items like antlers, bones, and hard nylon chews, which can fracture the new permanent teeth as they come in.
Use cold for relief. Cold helps reduce gum inflammation and provides a numbing effect, much like a cold teething ring for a human baby. You can freeze a damp washcloth (twisted into a rope shape), freeze a rubber KONG stuffed with peanut butter or plain yogurt, or offer ice cubes as a crunchy, soothing treat. Frozen carrots — large enough that the puppy cannot swallow them whole — are another veterinarian-approved option that many puppies enjoy.
Rotate toys regularly. Puppies lose interest in the same toy quickly. Keep a rotation of four or five chew toys and swap them out every day or two so there is always something novel and appealing available. A puppy with access to interesting chew toys is far less likely to target your shoes or furniture.
Puppy-proof your space. During peak teething, assume that anything at puppy height is a potential chew target. Pick up shoes, secure electrical cords, move houseplants out of reach, and use baby gates to limit access to rooms with vulnerable furniture or rugs. Prevention is far easier than trying to stop a teething puppy mid-chew.
Redirect, do not punish. When your puppy starts chewing on something inappropriate, calmly remove the item (or remove the puppy from the area) and immediately offer an approved chew toy instead. Praise the puppy for chewing the correct item. Punishment for teething-related chewing is counterproductive — the puppy has a genuine physical need to chew, and scolding creates anxiety without addressing the underlying discomfort.
Retained Baby Teeth: When to Call the Vet
In most puppies, each baby tooth falls out naturally as the corresponding adult tooth pushes through. Occasionally, however, a deciduous tooth stays firmly in place even after the permanent tooth has erupted beside it. This is called a retained or persistent deciduous tooth, and it is a common finding in toy and small-breed dogs such as Yorkshire Terriers, Maltese, Pomeranians, and Chihuahuas.
Retained baby teeth are not a cosmetic concern — they are a genuine dental health problem. When two teeth occupy the space meant for one, food and debris become trapped between them, accelerating plaque buildup and leading to periodontal disease that can damage the permanent tooth. Retained deciduous teeth can also cause malocclusion (misalignment of the bite), as the permanent tooth is forced to erupt in an abnormal position. The longer a retained tooth stays in place, the more difficult it becomes for the adult tooth to move into its correct alignment.
The general veterinary guideline is straightforward: no two teeth of the same type should occupy the same socket at the same time. If you notice a baby tooth still sitting next to a fully erupted adult tooth — this is most commonly seen with the upper canine teeth — mention it to your veterinarian. In most cases, the retained tooth should be extracted under general anesthesia. Early extraction usually allows the adult tooth to shift into its proper position naturally, while delayed extraction may require more complex orthodontic intervention.
Your puppy's first veterinary dental check typically coincides with routine spay or neuter appointments at around five to six months of age, which is an ideal time to evaluate whether any baby teeth have been retained.
What Not to Do During Puppy Teething
Well-meaning advice sometimes leads owners down the wrong path. A few common mistakes are worth avoiding.
Do not give real bones or antlers. Cooked bones can splinter and cause gastrointestinal injuries, while raw bones and antlers are hard enough to fracture developing permanent teeth. The American Veterinary Dental College advises against any chew toy that does not flex or give under pressure.
Do not pull loose teeth. It can be tempting to wiggle a dangling baby tooth free, but pulling it risks leaving a root fragment behind or damaging the incoming permanent tooth underneath. Let baby teeth fall out on their own.
Do not use human teething gels or pain relievers. Products containing benzocaine, lidocaine, or acetaminophen are dangerous for dogs. If you believe your puppy is in significant pain during teething, consult your veterinarian — they can recommend safe options if pain management is warranted.
Do not ignore persistent symptoms. While mild appetite changes and occasional blood spots are normal, symptoms like persistent bleeding, refusal to eat for more than a day, facial swelling, or foul-smelling breath are not typical teething signs and warrant veterinary evaluation. These could indicate an infection, a retained tooth root, or another dental problem.
When Teething Ends — What Comes Next
Once all 42 adult teeth are in place, usually by seven months of age, the worst of the teething discomfort is over. Chewing will decrease in intensity but never disappear entirely — dogs are natural chewers throughout their lives, and providing appropriate chew items remains important for dental health and mental enrichment at every age. This is also the right time to establish a home dental care routine. The American Veterinary Medical Association recommends daily tooth brushing with a dog-specific toothpaste as the gold standard for preventing periodontal disease, and starting the habit while your dog is still young makes it dramatically easier to maintain throughout their life.