Puppy Teething: What to Expect and How to Cope
Puppies lose 28 baby teeth and grow 42 adult teeth between 3-8 months. Learn which chew toys work, how to stop biting, and when teething is painful.
The Teething Timeline
Puppies are born toothless. By 8 weeks, they have 28 deciduous (baby) teeth. Between 3 and 8 months, these fall out and are replaced by 42 adult teeth. During this transition, puppies chew everything — and I mean everything.
Signs Your Puppy Is Teething
- Increased chewing (shoes, furniture, hands)
- Drooling more than usual
- Small blood spots on chew toys (normal — baby teeth have roots that dissolve)
- Loss of appetite (sore gums make eating uncomfortable)
- Finding tiny teeth on the floor (most puppies swallow them)
What Helps
Frozen Chew Toys
Cold numbs sore gums. Soak a rope toy in water, freeze it overnight, and give it to your puppy. Wet washcloths twisted and frozen also work — supervise to ensure they don't swallow the fabric.
Redirect, Don't Punish
When your puppy bites you, say "ouch!" in a high-pitched voice (mimicking a littermate's yelp), then immediately offer a chew toy. This teaches "toys are for chewing, hands are not" without fear.
Puppy-Proofing
Remove temptations. If your puppy can reach it, they'll chew it. Use baby gates, close doors, and keep valuables out of reach during the 3-8 month teething window.
When to See a Vet
Retained baby teeth (adult tooth growing in while baby tooth remains) are common in small breeds and may need extraction. If your puppy hasn't lost all baby teeth by 8 months, schedule a checkup.
Anouk Beaumont
All our authors care for dogs every day — read more of their work on the authors page.
