When Do Puppies Lose Baby Teeth? A Simple, Smart Timeline

When do puppies lose their baby teeth? Most start at around 3 to 4 months of age, and most have a full set of 42 adult teeth by about 7 months. The 28 tiny, needle-sharp baby teeth arrive first, from about 3 to 6 weeks old, then fall out (or are swallowed) as the adult teeth push through behind them.

This guide gives you a clear week-by-week and month-by-month teething timeline, a simple at-home check for baby teeth that refuse to fall out, safe ways to ease sore gums, and, because teething and mouthiness go hand in hand, a kind, reward-based plan for handling the chewing and nipping that come with it.

At a glance

• Baby (deciduous) teeth: 28 in total, appearing from roughly 3 to 6 weeks of age.
• Adult (permanent) teeth: 42 in total, erupting from about 3 to 4 months and complete by about 7 months.
• Teething usually peaks between about 4 and 6 months, when chewing and mouthiness are at their strongest.
• A baby tooth still sitting beside its adult replacement is a reason to book a vet check, not to wait and see.
• Redirect chewing to suitable toys and reward calm mouths; never punish a teething puppy for chewing.

Do dogs have baby teeth?

Yes. Like people, dogs have two sets of teeth. Puppies are born without visible teeth, grow a set of 28 deciduous (baby) teeth in their first weeks of life, then replace them with 42 permanent adult teeth. The Merck Veterinary Manual’s owner guidance gives the same counts: 28 deciduous teeth and 42 permanent teeth in most dogs.

The difference in numbers comes from the back of the mouth. Puppies have incisors, canines and premolars, but no molars. The molars only arrive with the adult set, which is why a grown dog has 14 more teeth than a puppy.

Baby teeth are small, thin and very sharp. That sharpness is one reason puppy nips hurt so much, and it is also part of how puppies learn bite inhibition: when they bite a littermate or a person too hard, play stops. You can build on that natural lesson with the steps in the guide on how to stop puppy biting.

Puppy teething age chart

The table below uses the eruption ages published in Colorado State University’s veterinary physiology notes, cross-checked against the Merck Veterinary Manual’s summary that baby teeth begin at about 3 to 5 weeks, adult teeth usually begin at around 4 to 5 months and all adult teeth are present by about 7 months. Every puppy is a little different, and small and large breeds can run slightly ahead of or behind these ranges.

Tooth type	Baby teeth appear	Adult teeth appear	What you might notice
Incisors (small front teeth)	About 4 to 6 weeks	About 3 to 5 months	Tiny teeth on the floor or toys; a gappy front smile
Canines (long “fang” teeth)	About 5 to 6 weeks	About 4 to 6 months	Two canines side by side for a short time; most likely place for a retained baby tooth
Premolars (side teeth)	About 6 weeks	About 4 to 5 months	More chewing on hard surfaces; occasional spots of blood on toys
Molars (back teeth)	None in puppies	About 5 to 7 months	Chewing urge can continue as the last molars settle

The teething timeline, stage by stage

Birth to 3 weeks: no visible teeth

Newborn puppies feed from their mother and have no teeth showing. Nothing to do here except make sure the litter is warm, fed and checked by a vet as advised.

3 to 8 weeks: the baby teeth arrive

The first teeth break through from about 3 weeks, and by around 6 to 8 weeks most puppies have their full set of 28. This is around the time weaning happens, and many puppies go to new homes at about 8 weeks with a mouth full of sharp baby teeth.

8 to 12 weeks: settling in with needle teeth

Your puppy is exploring the world with their mouth. Expect mouthing of hands, clothes and furniture. This is normal puppy behaviour rather than true teething, but it is the best time to start teaching what is good to chew. The puppy first-year guide puts this stage in the wider picture of socialisation, sleep and training.

3 to 4 months: baby teeth start to fall out

Adult incisors begin to push through, and the baby incisors loosen and drop. Many owners never find a single tooth, because puppies often swallow them while eating. That is normal and is not usually a problem.

4 to 6 months: peak teething

Adult canines and premolars come through. Gums may look red and puffy, you may see small spots of blood on toys, and chewing tends to be at its most intense. Some puppies are briefly fussier with hard food or more irritable when their mouth is handled.

6 to 7 months: the adult set is complete

The molars finish erupting and, for most puppies, all 42 adult teeth are in by about 7 months. Teething discomfort fades, although many young dogs keep a strong urge to chew well into adolescence, which is covered in the guide to dog adolescence.

When do puppies stop teething?

Most puppies stop teething at around 6 to 7 months, once the last adult molars have come through. If your dog is still chewing heavily after that, it is usually about exploration, boredom or the adolescent urge to chew rather than sore gums. Meeting that need with exercise, enrichment and suitable chews works far better than trying to stop chewing altogether.

Signs your puppy is teething

• Increased chewing on toys, furniture, shoes or hands
• Drooling more than usual
• Red or slightly swollen gums
• Small spots of blood on toys or chews
• Finding a tiny tooth (often hollow-looking, because the root has been absorbed)
• Brief reluctance to eat hard food or to have the mouth touched

Teething should not make a puppy seriously unwell. Ongoing vomiting, diarrhoea, fever, refusal to eat for more than a day, a bad smell from the mouth, or a swollen face are not normal teething signs. Contact your vet, and see the guide on when to call the vet if you are unsure how urgent something is.

The retained baby tooth check

Sometimes a baby tooth does not fall out when the adult tooth comes in. Vets call this a persistent or retained deciduous tooth. The Merck Veterinary Manual notes the most common situation is a baby canine and an adult canine sitting in the mouth at the same time, and it states the principle simply: no two teeth trying to occupy the same space should be in the mouth at the same time.

Why it matters: a crowded baby tooth can push the adult tooth out of position, which can affect the bite and damage the gum or palate, and the tight space between the two traps food and plaque, making gum disease more likely. The Merck Veterinary Manual describes removing the baby tooth once its adult replacement has started to erupt so the adult tooth can come in properly. Only your vet can decide whether that is needed.

How to check at home (from about 4 months)

1. Choose a calm moment, such as after a walk, and have a few small treats ready.
2. Gently lift your puppy’s lip on one side for a second or two, then reward. Repeat on the other side.
3. Look at the long canine teeth. You should see one canine in each corner, not two side by side.
4. Look along the front incisors for a “double row”, where a small baby tooth sits in front of or behind a larger adult one.
5. Stop at the first sign of discomfort. Short, positive sessions make future checks and tooth-brushing easier.
6. If you see two teeth in one spot, take a clear photo and book a vet appointment rather than waiting for the next routine visit.

Never try to pull a loose tooth yourself. Baby teeth have long roots until they are fully absorbed, and pulling can break the root and hurt your puppy. Handling the mouth gently now also sets you up for a lifelong habit of dog dental care.

Safe ways to help a teething puppy

The aim is to give your puppy safe things to chew that suit a young, still-developing mouth. Puppy teeth and young adult teeth can crack on very hard items, so softer, flexible choices are usually best at this age.

Option	Why it helps	Watch out for
Soft rubber puppy toys	Flexible, gentle on gums, can be stuffed with part of a meal	Choose a size too big to swallow; replace when worn or torn
Rubber toys chilled in the fridge	Cool surface many puppies seem to find soothing	Chill rather than freeze solid if the toy becomes very hard
Rope or fabric tug toys	Satisfying to chew and great for supervised play	Supervise and remove loose threads, which can be swallowed
Food-based puzzle toys	Turns chewing and licking into calm, rewarding work	Count the food towards the daily ration
Very hard chews, bones, antlers, hooves	Not recommended for teething puppies	Can fracture teeth and some can splinter or cause blockages

For more detail on picking chew sizes and hardness, read how to choose safe dog chews, and for play styles see choosing the right dog toy. Ask your vet before giving any gels, sprays or medicines marketed for teething.

Teething and mouthy behaviour: a kind, reward-based plan

Most teething guides stop at the timeline. In real life, the bigger challenge is a puppy who wants to chew hands, trouser legs and table legs. Punishment, scolding or holding the mouth shut tends to make puppies more worried and more mouthy. A calm plan built on rewards works better and protects your bond. The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior’s position statement on humane dog training recommends reward-based methods for all training.

1. Have a chew toy within reach in every room. The moment teeth touch skin or clothes, offer the toy instead.
2. Reward the swap. Praise or a small treat when your puppy chooses the toy teaches them what is worth chewing. The basics are in the guide to positive reinforcement dog training.
3. Pause play when teeth land on skin. Go still and quiet for a few seconds, then resume with a toy. Play ending is a clear, kind signal.
4. Manage the environment. Pick up shoes, cables and children’s toys, and use baby gates or a pen so your puppy can only reach safe items.
5. Watch for tiredness. Overtired puppies get bitey. Many need plenty of sleep each day, and a calm rest in a quiet spot often settles a nippy spell better than more play.
6. Offer chewing on purpose. Give a stuffed rubber toy or puzzle feeder at times your puppy usually gets mouthy, such as the early evening.

Common mistakes

• Waiting too long about a double tooth. A baby canine next to an adult canine needs a vet check while the adult tooth is still coming in.
• Pulling loose teeth. This can break roots and cause pain; let them fall out or let your vet assess them.
• Giving very hard chews. Bones, antlers and other very hard items can crack young teeth.
• Using human teething products or medicines. Some contain ingredients that are unsafe for dogs. Ask your vet first.
• Punishing chewing. It does not remove the need to chew and can make a puppy anxious about hands. Redirect and reward instead.
• Assuming illness is “just teething”. Teething does not cause ongoing vomiting, diarrhoea, fever or refusing food. Call your vet.

Quick teething checklist

• Note your puppy’s age and expected stage from the chart above.
• Do a gentle lip-lift check once a week from about 4 months.
• Keep two or three suitable chew toys in rotation and replace damaged ones.
• Puppy-proof rooms and use gates to limit access.
• Reward every good chewing choice.
• Book a vet check for double teeth, swelling, bleeding that does not stop, or a puppy who seems unwell.
• Start short, positive mouth-handling sessions ready for tooth-brushing.

Sources this guide draws on: the Merck Veterinary Manual (dental development of dogs, and developmental abnormalities of the mouth and dentition in small animals), Colorado State University veterinary physiology notes on dog dentition, and the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior position statement on humane dog training.

Frequently asked questions

When do puppy teeth fall out?

Baby teeth usually start to fall out at around 3 to 4 months, beginning with the front incisors. The canines and premolars follow between about 4 and 6 months, and the adult set is normally complete by about 7 months.

Is it normal if I never find any puppy teeth?

Yes. Puppies often swallow baby teeth while eating or chewing, and the teeth are tiny. Swallowing them is normal. What matters more is checking that each adult tooth has replaced its baby tooth rather than growing in beside it.

My puppy’s tooth fell out and there is a little blood. Should I worry?

A small spot of blood on a toy or at the gum line is common when a baby tooth comes out. If the bleeding does not stop, the gum looks very swollen, your puppy seems in pain, or a tooth has broken rather than fallen out, contact your vet.

What are the best teething toys for puppies?

Soft, flexible rubber toys sized so they cannot be swallowed are a good starting point, along with supervised rope toys and food puzzle toys. Avoid very hard items such as bones, antlers and hooves, which can break young teeth.

Do puppies lose their back teeth?

Puppies lose their baby premolars, but they have no baby molars to lose. The adult molars come in fresh at the back of the mouth between about 5 and 7 months.

What if a baby tooth is still there at 7 months?

Book a vet check. A baby tooth that has not fallen out once the adult tooth is in may need to be removed so it does not crowd the adult tooth or trap food, and your vet will advise whether it should come out.

Teething is a short phase, even if it feels long when your shoes are under attack. Keep an eye on the timeline, check for double teeth, offer safe chews and reward good choices, and your puppy will come out the other side with a healthy adult smile and good chewing habits for life.