Puppy Teething: What to Expect and How to Cope
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If your puppy has suddenly turned into a small shredding machine, teething is the likely reason, and it will pass. Puppies are born without teeth, grow a set of small, sharp baby teeth in the first weeks of life, and swap them for adult teeth over the following months. The chewing, drooling and nipping that come with it are normal. The job for an owner is to steer the chewing towards things that are safe, and to know which signs are worth a phone call.
The rough timeline
Exact ages vary by breed and by individual dog, so treat these as ranges, not deadlines.
| Stage | Roughly when | What you might see |
|---|---|---|
| Baby teeth in | The first weeks of life | Needle-sharp teeth, painful nipping |
| Baby teeth loosen and fall out | From about 3 to 4 months | Tiny teeth on the floor or none at all, because puppies often swallow them |
| Adult teeth come through | Typically 3 to 6 months | Heavy chewing, drooling, sore or red gums, a little blood on a toy |
| Adult set complete | Often around 6 to 7 months | Chewing eases, though many young dogs keep testing things well beyond this |
The older stage can overlap with adolescence, so a puppy that is still chewing at eight or nine months is not necessarily still teething; some dogs simply like to chew. Your vet will check the mouth at routine appointments and can tell you whether things look on track.
What helps
The aim is to give the puppy a good choice and take away the bad ones. A few ideas many owners find useful:
- Rotate a small selection of toys, so something is always new. Soft rubber chew toys that flex a little under pressure are generally gentler on teeth than very hard ones.
- Offer something cold. A wet knotted flannel that has been chilled, or a rubber toy from the fridge, can soothe sore gums. Avoid freezing items solid and leaving them with an unsupervised puppy.
- Swap, don't snatch. When the puppy picks up a shoe, offer a toy in exchange and praise it when it takes it.
- Supervise. Puppies often chew through toys more quickly than you would expect, and pieces swallowed can cause a blockage.
- Tidy up. Our room-by-room puppy-proofing checklist covers moving cables, shoes and other targets out of reach.
What to avoid
Very hard chews are a known worry for young teeth. Many vets caution against things like cooked bones, antlers, hooves and hard nylon toys that will not flex at all, because they can crack teeth, and puppy teeth are especially vulnerable. A common rule of thumb is that if you cannot press a thumbnail into a chew without it bending slightly, it may be too hard for a young mouth. Check with your vet for advice on a specific item. Choose a size that cannot be swallowed whole, and take away any chew once it is small enough to become a choking risk. Our piece on dental chew safety explains how to check size and condition.
Where a dental chew fits
Dental chews are not designed as teething aids, so read the label carefully. As an example, the Whimzees Variety Box (small) is sold on Amazon.co.uk as a dental chew for small dogs, with the age range listed as adult. That matters here: the manufacturer's listing does not describe it as a puppy product, so it is something to ask your vet about, not a given. The listing describes hard chewing sticks with a solid structure, which is an argument for caution rather than for choosing it in the middle of teething.
Other details from the listing: the pack is described as 56 pieces in mixed shapes, weighing 840 g, and listed as vegetarian and wheat free. The ingredients include potato starch, glycerin, powdered cellulose, lecithin, yeast, malt extract, lupine, annatto extract colour and alfalfa extract. The guaranteed analysis shows crude fibre at 13.7 per cent and fat at 2.0 per cent. The listing makes claims about reducing plaque and tartar and about chewing time, which are the maker's claims, and we have not verified them. The Amazon.co.uk listing shows 4.6 out of 5 from 19,729 ratings at the time of writing, which says people are generally satisfied, but not that it suits puppies. Real downsides include the adult-only age label and that a 56-piece box is a big commitment if your puppy does not take to the shapes. Lupine is also an ingredient some owners prefer to ask a vet about if a dog has known allergies. Our full review of the variety box goes through the shapes and contents in more detail.
If you want a dental chew, it is sensible to wait until your vet has checked the puppy's mouth and agrees. Many owners hold off until adult teeth are in.
When to call the vet
Teething is not a disease, but occasionally it needs help. Contact your vet if:
- A baby tooth is still in place when the adult tooth beside it has come through, which is often noticed at around six to seven months, because it can lead to crowding
- The puppy is not eating, seems in significant pain, or has a swollen face
- Gums bleed heavily, or smell strongly, or look pale or very red
- A tooth looks cracked or dark
- You think the puppy has swallowed a piece of toy or chew
Please treat anything involving a swallowed object as urgent. This article is general information and does not replace advice from your vet.
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