Puppy Teething: A Survival Guide for Chewed Furniture

The Teething Timeline

Puppies are born toothless. By 3-4 weeks, their 28 deciduous (baby) teeth have erupted. Then at around 12-16 weeks, those baby teeth start falling out as 42 permanent adult teeth push through. This process continues until about 6-8 months of age.

During this period, your puppy's gums are sore, itchy, and uncomfortable. Chewing is their natural way of relieving that discomfort — and unfortunately, your furniture, shoes, and hands are all fair game.

Signs Your Puppy Is Teething

• Increased chewing: Suddenly destroying things they previously ignored.
• Drooling: More than usual, sometimes with small spots of blood on chew toys.
• Lost teeth: You'll find tiny teeth on the floor — or more commonly, your puppy swallows them (harmless).
• Reduced appetite: Sore gums can make eating hard kibble uncomfortable.
• Bad breath: Temporary, caused by gum inflammation and bacteria.

What to Provide for Chewing

• Frozen rubber toys: Fill a Kong with wet food or peanut butter (xylitol-free) and freeze it. The cold numbs sore gums.
• Frozen wet towels: Soak a clean towel in water, twist it into a rope, and freeze. The texture massages gums while the cold reduces inflammation.
• Edible chews: Bully sticks, yak cheese chews, or frozen carrot sticks (natural teething soothers).
• Rope toys: The fibres act like floss, cleaning between erupting teeth.

What to Avoid

• Ice cubes: Hard ice can crack developing teeth. Frozen treats should be soft enough to compress.
• Hard nylon bones or antlers: Too rigid for puppy teeth and can cause fractures.
• Old shoes or slippers: If you give old shoes, your puppy can't tell the difference between old and new ones.
• Human pain medication: Never give ibuprofen, paracetamol, or aspirin to a puppy — all are toxic.

Protecting Your Home

During the teething phase (roughly 3-8 months):

• Use bitter apple spray on furniture legs and table edges.
• Keep shoes, remotes, and children's toys in closed storage.
• Provide a chew toy before your puppy finds something inappropriate.
• Supervise closely — don't give your puppy free roam of the house during peak teething.

When Teething Ends

By 7-8 months, most puppies have all 42 adult teeth. Chewing behaviour should decrease significantly — though some dogs remain enthusiastic chewers throughout life. Establishing good chewing habits during teething sets the foundation for a well-behaved adult dog.