Quick Answer
The puppy teething timeline runs from about 3 weeks of age, when the first baby teeth break through, to roughly 7 or 8 months, when all 42 adult teeth are in place. The roughest chewing stretch usually falls between 3 and 6 months, when baby teeth are falling out and adult teeth are pushing in at the same time. If a baby tooth is still sitting next to a fully grown adult tooth after 6 months, that is a signal to call the vet rather than wait it out.
Key Takeaways
- Baby teeth (28 total) usually finish coming in by 6 weeks, according to VCA Animal Hospitals.
- Shedding typically starts around 12 weeks, and incisors and canines are often replaced by 3 to 5 months, per PetMD.
- USDA APHIS references 8 weeks for a complete baby set and 7 to 8 months for all 42 adult teeth.
- A double row of canines after 6 months usually signals a retained baby tooth, not a late bloomer, per VCA Animal Hospitals.
- The American Kennel Club recommends watching for unusual nipping spikes as a teething cue, not just visible tooth loss.
- VCA warns against bones, antlers, hooves, hard nylon, and ice because they can fracture teeth during this stage.
- Small and toy breeds sometimes finish the puppy teething timeline a few weeks later than medium or large breeds.
- Not every puppy follows the exact same schedule, and individual variation inside one litter is normal.
When to call the vet box
Call the vet if a baby tooth is still in place next to its adult replacement after 6 months, if a tooth looks cracked or discolored, if gums bleed more than a few pink specks, or if a puppy suddenly refuses food. These signs sit outside the normal puppy teething timeline and are worth a same-week appointment, not a wait-and-see weekend.
Puppy teething timeline overview
The puppy teething timeline has two main acts: baby teeth coming in, then baby teeth falling out as adult teeth push through underneath them. Most puppies are born without visible teeth. Then 28 baby teeth erupt between about 3 and 6 weeks of age, according to VCA Animal Hospitals. That first set includes incisors, canines, and premolars. There are no baby molars, because baby molars do not exist biologically.
Act two starts around 12 weeks, when baby teeth begin loosening and falling out, usually finishing by 6 months. PetMD narrows the practical window further: incisors and canines around 3 to 5 months, premolars at 4 to 6 months, and molars, which have no baby-tooth predecessor, arriving last at 5 to 7 months. The USDA APHIS reference guide extends the outer edge to 7 to 8 months for all 42 adult teeth to be fully settled.
These sources do not actually disagree with each other. They describe a range, not a fixed deadline. A toy breed and a mastiff puppy will not hit the same week on the calendar, and variation inside a single litter is common too. If a puppy is 5 months old and still has a couple of wobbly baby teeth, that typically fits inside the documented puppy teething timeline rather than outside it.
Related reading: if the chewing phase is also turning into a mouthing habit on hands or furniture, the 5 Essential Commands Every Puppy Should Learn guide covers redirect cues that pair well with teething relief.
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Puppy Teething Week by Week Checker
Enter the puppy's age in weeks. You get which teeth are coming or going, what is normal, and what is not.
When do puppies start teething?
Puppies start teething around 3 weeks of age, when the first baby incisors break through the gums. By roughly 6 weeks, all 28 baby teeth are typically in, covering incisors, canines, and premolars.
This early stage happens while most puppies are still nursing or just starting to wean, so breeders and build homes see it more often than new owners, who usually bring a puppy home around 8 weeks, after the baby set is already complete. If a new puppy’s mouth looks fully stocked with small, sharp teeth on day one at home, that is expected and not a sign of anything unusual.
How long does puppy teething last?
The full puppy teething timeline lasts about 7 to 8 months from birth, counting both the baby tooth eruption phase and the adult tooth replacement phase. The active discomfort phase that owners notice most, when teeth are loosening and new ones are pushing through, runs from around 12 weeks to 6 months.
Breaking it into stages:
- 3 to 6 weeks: baby teeth erupt
- 6 to 12 weeks: full baby set is in place, puppy settles into new home around week 8
- 12 weeks to 5 months: incisors and canines shed and are replaced
- 4 to 6 months: premolars replace their baby predecessors
- 5 to 7 months: molars arrive, with no baby tooth before them
- 7 to 8 months: full adult set of 42 teeth is typically complete, per USDA APHIS
Choose “still on track” if a puppy between 5 and 7 months has a mix of loose and firm teeth with no double rows. Choose “needs a check” if any baby tooth is still fully seated after its adult replacement has clearly come in.
Signs my puppy is teething
The clearest signs of teething are increased chewing, drooling, mild gum redness, and the occasional small blood speck on a toy. Puppies going through the puppy teething timeline often chew harder and more often than puppies with a full set of settled teeth.
Common signs by category:
- Behavioral: chewing on furniture, shoes, hands, or bedding more than usual; a sudden interest in gnawing on cold or textured objects
- Physical: visible gaps where teeth fell out, small white teeth on the floor or in bedding (these often go unnoticed because puppies frequently swallow them), swollen or slightly reddened gums
- Oral discharge: light to moderate drooling, more noticeable in breeds already prone to drool like Saint Bernards or Bloodhounds
A common mistake is assuming every chewing spike is pain-driven. Some of it is simple curiosity and boredom, especially after 6 months when teething itself should be winding down. If chewing intensity stays high well past 8 months with no teeth coming in or out, that is more likely a behavior and enrichment issue than a dental one, and training support like The Best Ways To Train Your Puppy is the better next step.
Best teething toys for puppies
The best teething toys are soft rubber chews, frozen washcloths, and textured rope toys that give without cracking a tooth. VCA Animal Hospitals specifically warns against bones, antlers, hooves, hard nylon, and ice because these can fracture both baby and adult teeth.
A simple way to judge hardness: if a fingernail cannot dent the surface of a chew toy, it is probably too hard for a teething mouth. Frozen options work especially well during the 3 to 6 month window because the cold numbs sore gums temporarily, similar to how a cold compress works on human gums during teething.
- Choose soft rubber chews if the puppy is under 6 months and actively losing teeth.
- Choose rope toys if a puppy likes tug play and needs supervised chewing sessions.
- Avoid hard synthetic bones and antlers throughout the entire puppy teething timeline, not just the peak months, since adult teeth can still fracture after eruption.
How to help puppy with teething pain
Cold items, supervised chewing, and gentle gum massage are the main ways to ease teething pain at home. A frozen wet washcloth, twisted into a rope shape and chilled for an hour, gives a puppy something safe to gnaw on while numbing sore gums.
Practical steps:
- Offer a chilled (not frozen solid) rubber teething toy for 10 to 15 minute sessions.
- Rotate two or three toys so one is always cold from the freezer.
- Gently rub a clean finger along the gumline once a day to check for loose teeth and get the puppy used to mouth handling, which also helps later with brushing.
- Redirect chewing toward toys immediately when a puppy mouths hands or furniture, rather than pulling away abruptly, which can turn into a game.
An edge case: puppies with very sensitive mouths may refuse even soft toys during the worst days of molar eruption around 5 to 7 months. In that case, a short break from chew sessions and a soft, slightly warmed (body temperature, never hot) wet cloth can be gentler than anything frozen.
Puppy won’t eat during teething, what should I do
A short dip in appetite during heavy tooth loss is common, but a puppy refusing food for more than 24 hours needs a vet call. Sore gums can make dry kibble uncomfortable to chew, especially during the 3 to 6 month window when multiple teeth are loosening at once.
Try these adjustments first:
- Soften dry kibble with warm water for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
- Switch temporarily to a soft, age-appropriate wet food.
- Offer smaller, more frequent meals instead of two large ones.
- Check the mouth for a visibly cracked tooth, a stuck chew fragment, or unusually swollen gums.
A common mistake is assuming teething itself causes diarrhea or vomiting. It does not. Loose stool during this period is more often caused by a swallowed chew fragment, a treat that does not agree with the puppy, or a diet change happening at the same time as the teething phase. If a puppy stops eating entirely, seems lethargic, or has diarrhea alongside the refusal, that combination is outside the normal puppy teething timeline and calls for a same-day vet check.
Puppy biting a lot, is that normal teething?
Increased biting and mouthing are a normal part of the puppy teething timeline, especially between 3 and 6 months, but biting that continues unchanged after teeth are fully in is a behavior issue, not a dental one. Puppies explore the world with their mouths, and sore gums give them extra motivation to chew on anything within reach, including hands and ankles.
The distinction matters for how to respond:
- Teething-driven biting usually eases once a redirect toy is offered and often calms down by 6 to 7 months as the adult teeth finish settling.
- Habit-driven biting continues at the same intensity even with teeth fully grown in, and usually needs structured training rather than chew toys.
The 5 Essential Commands Every Puppy Should Learn guide covers redirect cues that work well alongside the teething phase, and The Best Ways To Train Your Puppy goes further into humane methods for biting that persists past the teething window.
When do puppies lose baby teeth and start getting adult teeth?
Puppies generally start losing baby teeth around 12 weeks, and adult teeth replace them in a predictable order over the following months. Incisors and canines usually go first, finishing by about 5 months, with premolars close behind and molars, which skip the baby stage entirely, arriving last around 5 to 7 months, per PetMD.
A few decision rules help here:
- Choose “still normal” if the puppy is under 6 months and missing a few baby teeth with no adult tooth growing in sideways.
- Choose “get it checked” if a baby canine is still present after an adult canine has clearly erupted next to it.
- Common mistake: assuming all breeds finish on the same week. Small and toy breeds sometimes run slightly later than medium dogs, and individual variation is real even within a litter.
For the nutrition side of what supports this growth phase, the Dog Food By Life Stage guide covers what puppies need while jaws and teeth are developing.
At what age do puppies get all their adult teeth?
Most puppies have all 42 adult teeth by 7 to 8 months of age, according to USDA APHIS and the Merck Veterinary Manual, which both place full permanent dentition around the 7 month mark. The adult set includes 12 incisors, 4 canines, 16 premolars, and 10 molars.
A puppy at 8 months with a complete, firm set of 42 teeth and no loose baby teeth has finished the puppy teething timeline on a typical schedule. A puppy at 9 months still showing a loose or retained tooth has moved outside the typical range and should see a vet, since retained teeth do not usually resolve without intervention, per VCA Animal Hospitals.
Can I give my puppy pain relief for teething?
Human pain medications like acetaminophen or ibuprofen should never be given to a puppy for teething discomfort, since both can be toxic to dogs even in small doses. Cold chew toys, soft food, and gentle gum rubs are the safe, non-medication options for most puppies during this phase.
If a puppy seems genuinely distressed, rather than just mildly uncomfortable, the right move is a vet visit rather than an over-the-counter remedy. A vet can confirm whether the discomfort is ordinary teething or something else, like an injured tooth or an infected gum, and can recommend a dog-safe option if pain relief is truly needed. Purina notes that most teething discomfort is manageable with cold chews and does not require medication at all.
Puppy teething timeline by breed
Breed size influences the pace of the puppy teething timeline, with small and toy breeds often finishing a few weeks later than medium and large breeds. A Chihuahua or Yorkshire Terrier may still be working through premolar replacement at 6 months, while a Labrador or German Shepherd often has a fully settled adult set by then.
Rough patterns worth knowing:
- Toy and small breeds (Chihuahua, Yorkie, Pomeranian): teething can run slightly later and retained baby teeth are reported more often in these breeds, since their jaws are smaller relative to adult tooth size.
- Medium and large breeds (Labrador, German Shepherd, Golden Retriever): generally track closest to the standard 3 week to 7 month timeline.
- Giant breeds (Great Dane, Mastiff): adult teeth sometimes finish slightly earlier relative to body size, though individual variation is still common.
Choose a size-adjusted expectation rather than a single universal date. A toy breed puppy with a loose baby tooth at 6.5 months is not automatically abnormal, but that same puppy should still get an awake oral exam if any tooth looks doubled up.
Should I be concerned about late teething in puppies?
Mild lateness, a few weeks past the typical range, is usually not a concern on its own. Teething that has not progressed at all by 7 months, or a baby tooth that refuses to budge next to a fully grown adult tooth, is a legitimate reason to see a vet.
Context matters:
- Not concerning: a small or toy breed puppy at 6.5 months with one or two remaining loose baby teeth and no visible double rows.
- Concerning: any puppy over 6 months with a baby tooth sitting firmly beside its adult replacement, since this pattern (a retained tooth) does not fix itself.
- Also concerning: total absence of visible tooth change by 4 months in a puppy that was teething normally before, which can sometimes point to a nutritional or developmental issue worth discussing with a vet.
Puppy teething behavioral changes, what to expect
Expect more chewing, some irritability, occasional reluctance to have the mouth touched, and short stretches of reduced appetite during the peak 3 to 6 month window. These behavioral shifts track closely with the physical stages of the puppy teething timeline and usually fade as each batch of adult teeth finishes coming in.
Some puppies also get temporarily clingier or more restless when gums are sore, similar to how a teething human toddler gets fussier at certain stages. This is not a training regression, and consistency with existing commands and routines, as covered in 5 Essential Commands Every Puppy Should Learn, tends to hold up fine through this phase as long as expectations stay realistic.
Do all puppies follow the same teething schedule?
No. While the puppy teething timeline gives a reliable general range, breed size, individual genetics, and even litter position can shift the exact week any single tooth appears or falls out. Two puppies from the same litter can be a week or two apart on the same tooth without either one being abnormal.
What does stay consistent across almost all puppies is the order: incisors and canines before premolars, and molars last since they have no baby-tooth predecessor. If the order looks scrambled, for example a molar appearing before any incisors have been replaced, that pattern is worth mentioning at the next vet visit even if timing alone is not alarming.
Puppy drooling excessively, is this part of teething?
Mild to moderate drooling is a normal part of the teething window, especially from 12 weeks to 6 months as teeth loosen and gums stay slightly inflamed. Excessive, sudden drooling paired with pawing at the mouth, bad breath, or refusal to eat points to something beyond ordinary teething.
Breed also plays a role here. Naturally drooly breeds like Saint Bernards, Bloodhounds, and Mastiffs will drool more during teething than a breed that barely drools as an adult, like a Poodle or Shiba Inu. The baseline matters more than the raw amount. A sudden spike compared to that puppy’s own normal, especially with one-sided drooling (only from one side of the mouth), can indicate a cracked tooth or stuck object and is worth a vet look.
How can you spot a retained baby tooth?
A retained baby tooth is easiest to spot as a double row of canines, usually a thin baby tooth sitting right next to a thicker adult tooth in the same socket. VCA Animal Hospitals notes this is one of the more common retained-tooth patterns and that it does not resolve on its own after the adult tooth is fully in.
Other signs include a baby tooth that wiggles but never falls, food packing between two teeth that should not be touching, or a tooth angled oddly compared to its neighbors. Leaving a retained tooth in place can push the permanent tooth out of position, cause crowding, and set up periodontal disease later.
Edge case: a single loose baby tooth at 5 months with no adult tooth beside it yet is usually just timing, not retention. The concern is specifically a double row.
Tooth timeline and vet check box
This box summarizes the stage-by-stage the timeline alongside what should prompt a call to the vet.
Quick vet-check reference
Normal: light drooling, mild gum redness, a few blood specks on a chew toy, increased chewing urges from 3 to 6 months.
Not normal: a baby tooth beside a fully erupted adult tooth after 6 months, a cracked or discolored tooth, heavy bleeding, or refusal to eat.
Comparison table: puppy teething timeline by stage
| Stage | Typical age | What’s happening | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baby teeth erupt | 3 to 6 weeks | All 28 deciduous teeth come in | VCA |
| Shedding begins | 12 weeks | Baby incisors and canines start loosening | VCA |
| Adult incisors and canines | 3 to 5 months | Permanent teeth replace baby teeth | PetMD |
| Adult premolars and molars | 4 to 7 months | Molars arrive last, no baby predecessor | PetMD |
| Full adult set (42 teeth) | 7 to 8 months | Permanent dentition complete | USDA APHIS |
Things to Watch Out For
The biggest mistake owners make is treating every loose tooth the same, whether it is week 13 or month 7. Timing changes the meaning entirely.
- Giving bones, antlers, hooves, hard nylon chews, or ice during this window. VCA specifically flags these as fracture risks for both baby and adult teeth.
- Assuming diarrhea is caused by teething itself. Teething does not directly cause loose stool; a more likely culprit is a swallowed chew fragment or a diet change happening at the same time.
- Ignoring a double row of canines because “the vet will catch it at the next visit.” Retained teeth are easier to pull early than after crowding sets in.
- Skipping the thumbnail test: if a fingernail cannot dent a chew toy, it is probably too hard for a teething mouth.
For humane ways to redirect biting without punishment-based methods, see The Best Ways To Train Your Puppy.
Editor’s Take
A puppy chewing through a shoe at 4 months is not being difficult. The jaw is doing exactly what the the timeline predicts: adult teeth pushing through sore gums, and the dog looking for anything that pushes back. A frozen washcloth or a soft rubber teething toy does more for that discomfort than a stern voice ever will.
The timeline matters less for the exact week and more for the pattern. Baby teeth in by 6 weeks, baby teeth out starting around 12 weeks, adult teeth mostly settled by 6 months, full set done by 7 or 8. Anything that breaks that pattern, specifically a tooth that will not leave when it should, deserves a vet’s eyes rather than a wait-and-see approach.
FAQ
Q: When do puppies lose baby teeth and start getting adult teeth? A: Baby teeth typically start loosening around 12 weeks, with adult incisors and canines in by 3 to 5 months and the full adult set finished by about 7 to 8 months.
Q: How do I tell when my puppy is teething? A: Watch for increased chewing, drooling, mild gum redness, and occasional small blood specks on toys, usually peaking between 3 and 6 months.
Q: When do puppies teeth the worst? A: Most owners report the roughest chewing stretch between 3 and 6 months, when multiple adult teeth are erupting at once.
Q: Which teeth do puppies lose first? A: Incisors, the small front teeth, are usually the first to go, followed by canines and then premolars.
Q: Do puppies lose teeth at 5 months? A: Yes, 5 months sits within the normal window for losing incisors, canines, and some premolars according to PetMD.
Q: How can you spot a retained baby tooth? A: Look for a double row of canines, a baby tooth sitting beside a fully grown adult tooth in the same socket; this needs a vet visit rather than waiting.
Q: When do puppies stop teething and biting? A: Teething itself usually wraps up by 7 to 8 months, though biting habits can continue as a learned behavior separate from tooth pain and need training to fade.
Q: Is it normal to find blood on puppy toys? A: A few small specks during the loosening phase (roughly 12 weeks to 6 months) are normal; heavy or repeated bleeding is not and warrants a vet check.
Q: Does the the timeline differ by breed? A: Yes, small and toy breeds sometimes finish a few weeks later than medium or large breeds, though the order of tooth replacement stays the same across breeds.
Q: Can I give my puppy human pain medicine for teething? A: No, acetaminophen and ibuprofen can be toxic to dogs; use cold chew toys and soft food instead, and call a vet if pain seems severe.
Next step
Save this the timeline chart for reference, run a puppy’s current age through the checker above, and if biting has become the bigger daily problem, move on to The Best Ways To Train Your Puppy for humane redirection techniques that work alongside this chewing phase.