When Do Puppies Stop Teething? A Month-by-Month Guide to Symptoms and Safe Chew Toys
If your puppy suddenly starts chewing chair legs, hands, and slippers after previously playing quietly with toys, teething may be part of the reason.
Most puppies begin losing their baby teeth at around 3 to 4 months. The busiest stage of tooth replacement usually eases around 6 months, and most adult teeth are in place by about 6 to 7 months. Age is only part of the picture. Also watch your puppy's mouth, chewing habits, and any baby teeth that remain beside emerging adult teeth.
- Baby teeth begin erupting at around 3 weeks of age, with most present by approximately 6 weeks.
- The change from baby teeth to adult teeth is generally most noticeable between about 3 and 6 months.
- If an adult tooth is emerging while the corresponding baby tooth remains beside it, contact your veterinarian promptly. Do not wait until a particular birthday or the next routine checkup.
- Choose a chew toy that has some give, is too large to swallow, and can be inspected for damage. Supervise every chewing session and remove damaged toys immediately.
When does puppy teething start and end?
Like people, dogs have two sets of teeth: baby teeth and adult teeth. Puppies normally have 28 baby teeth, which are replaced by a full adult set of 42 teeth as they mature.
Timing can vary between individual puppies and breeds. Look at the overall pattern rather than using one exact date to decide whether development is normal. A baby tooth remaining beside its adult replacement deserves prompt veterinary advice regardless of age.
| Age | What usually changes |
|---|---|
| 3 to 6 weeks | Baby teeth begin breaking through the gums, and most are present by around 6 weeks. |
| Around 3 to 4 months | Baby teeth start falling out as adult teeth emerge. Chewing may become more noticeable. |
| 4 to 6 months | Tooth replacement is particularly active. Your puppy may chew toys and household items more intensely. |
| 6 to 7 months | Most adult teeth are in place. Continue checking for retained baby teeth, but do not wait this long to seek advice if two teeth already occupy the same position. |
What teething symptoms might you notice?
As the gums become sensitive, your puppy may put more objects in their mouth and chew more often. You might find a tiny baby tooth on the floor, although puppies sometimes swallow shed teeth during normal play or eating, so owners may never see them.
- More chewing on toys or furniture than usual.
- More attempts to grab hands or clothing with the mouth.
- Slightly increased drooling.
- An occasional tiny trace of blood on a toy as a tooth falls out.
- A small shed baby tooth on the floor or bedding.
Not all biting is caused by teething. Young puppies also use their mouths to explore and play, and they may become more mouthy when excited or tired.
Rather than assuming every bite signals sore gums, calmly redirect your puppy to an appropriate chew toy and provide a quiet rest opportunity if excitement has built up. Reward appropriate chewing and calm choices; avoid shouting, intimidation, or physical punishment.
How do you choose safer chew toys?
Do not rely only on a label that says "for puppies." Consider your puppy's size, chewing strength, the material's hardness, and whether pieces could break off.
Objects that are excessively hard can damage both baby and adult teeth. Being able to make a slight indentation with a fingernail can be a useful screening check, but it is not a guarantee of safety. Choose some flexibility rather than rock-hard materials, follow the manufacturer's size and age guidance, and ask your veterinarian if you are unsure.
- Size: Choose a toy too large to fit entirely inside your puppy's mouth or be swallowed. Follow the manufacturer's sizing guidance for your puppy's body and mouth size.
- Hardness: Avoid very hard, rigid materials, including hard bones, antlers, and hooves. Look for an appropriate amount of give.
- Damage: Check for cracks, tears, sharp edges, loose pieces, and shrinking size. Remove the toy as soon as it becomes damaged or pieces can be torn off.
- Cleaning: Choose a toy that can be cleaned and dried according to the manufacturer's instructions after contact with saliva or food.
- Supervision: Stay nearby and watch every chewing session, not only the first one. Do not leave a puppy alone with a chew that could be shredded or swallowed.
Does chilling a chew help?
Some puppies seem more comfortable chewing something cool. However, a rock-hard frozen object can put excessive force on developing teeth. Use a chilled, puppy-appropriate product only as directed by its manufacturer rather than making a chew harder by freezing it.
If you use a clean damp cloth, supervise closely and remove it immediately if your puppy pulls off threads or pieces. Skip cloth-based chews for puppies that shred or swallow fabric. Consider both the product instructions and your puppy's chewing habits.
Harder is not automatically safer
It can be tempting to buy an extremely hard chew because it lasts longer. But a powerful chewer can damage a tooth instead of the product. Do not offer hard bones, antlers, or hooves as puppy teething chews; they can cause tooth fractures.
Do not let your puppy repeatedly bite very hard objects. A cracked or broken tooth can be painful and may become infected. Arrange a veterinary assessment rather than waiting for the puppy to grow out of it.
Remove and replace a toy immediately if pieces come off, it becomes small enough to swallow, or it develops cracks, tears, or sharp edges. No toy is completely risk-free.
Rawhide and other animal-derived chews are not automatically safe because they are "natural." Swallowed pieces may cause choking or a gastrointestinal blockage. Ask your veterinarian about suitable options and supervise all chewing. If you think your puppy has swallowed a toy, fabric, rawhide, or bone fragment, contact a veterinarian or emergency clinic promptly, even if the puppy currently looks comfortable. Do not induce vomiting unless a veterinarian specifically instructs you to do so. Trouble breathing, choking, collapse, repeated vomiting, a painful or swollen abdomen, or heavy or ongoing bleeding requires urgent veterinary care.
What if a baby tooth remains beside an adult tooth?
You may see an adult tooth emerging while a baby tooth remains in the same position. Owners often notice this near the canine teeth, where the mouth can appear to have a double row of fangs.
A retained baby tooth can crowd the adult tooth, affect its position, and create spaces where food and plaque accumulate. Contact your veterinarian promptly as soon as you notice the adult tooth and its baby predecessor together. Do not wait until 6 or 7 months or the next vaccination visit. Your veterinarian can assess the tooth and decide whether treatment is needed. Never pull a tooth at home or try to dislodge it with a hard chew.
- An adult tooth and a baby tooth appear side by side in the same position: contact your veterinarian promptly.
- A tooth looks cracked or broken, or the gums are very swollen.
- Bleeding is heavy, continues, or recurs: seek urgent veterinary advice rather than assuming it is normal teething.
- Your puppy suddenly avoids food or treats they normally eat, or seems unwell.
- Your puppy shows pain around the mouth or chews only on one side. Do not force an examination if it causes distress.
Three hypothetical situations
A 4-month-old puppy chews all the furniture
At this age, tooth replacement may be getting underway and chewing can increase. Simply blocking access to one sofa or chair may lead the puppy to find another object.
Try rotating a few appropriately sized chew toys with some flexibility. Introduce them while you can watch closely, and supervise continued use. Remove any toy that is damaged or can be torn into pieces.
If your puppy chews furniture, calmly redirect to an appropriate toy instead of scolding. Offer gentle praise or an appropriate reward when the puppy chooses the toy. This example illustrates a possible approach, not a guaranteed result.
A 6-month-old puppy has a double row of canine teeth
If a slender baby canine remains beside an emerging adult canine, contact your veterinarian promptly rather than simply waiting for it to fall out. The same advice applies if you notice this earlier than 6 months.
The veterinarian can assess the position of the teeth, gums, and bite, then recommend any necessary treatment. Do not postpone advice until the adult tooth is fully grown or the next routine appointment.
Never pull even a loose tooth at home, and do not try to force it out with a chew toy. Tooth extraction and decisions about treatment belong with a veterinarian.
A strong chewer destroys toys quickly
Switching automatically to the hardest product is not necessarily the answer. An extremely hard object may damage the tooth instead of the toy.
Check whether your puppy tears off large pieces, the material cracks, or the toy has become small enough to fit entirely inside the mouth. Remove damaged toys immediately, and contact your veterinarian promptly if a fragment may have been swallowed.
Ask your veterinarian about chew options appropriate for your puppy's size, chewing strength, and dental health. Keep supervising, even with a more durable toy.
Puppy teething FAQ
The busiest part of tooth replacement usually eases around 6 months. Most adult teeth are in place by around 6 to 7 months, although individual timing varies.
Age alone is not enough. Watch how the adult teeth emerge and whether baby teeth remain beside them. If an adult tooth and its baby predecessor coexist, contact your veterinarian promptly rather than waiting for the teething stage to end.
Yes, that can happen. Baby teeth are tiny and may be swallowed after falling out during play or eating, so you may never find one.
It is more useful to watch for normal adult tooth development and retained baby teeth. A shed baby tooth is different from a swallowed toy or chew fragment; suspected foreign-object ingestion needs prompt veterinary advice.
A tiny, brief trace of blood on a toy can occur when a baby tooth falls out. Slightly increased drooling can also occur while the gums are sensitive.
Heavy, ongoing, or repeated bleeding should not be dismissed as teething. Contact a veterinarian urgently, especially if there is marked swelling, a bad smell, pain, weakness, or difficulty eating. Remove the chew and do not force your puppy's mouth open.
Teething may contribute, but it is not the only explanation. Puppies also mouth during play, exploration, and periods of excitement or fatigue.
Avoid waving your hands like a toy. Offer an appropriate chew or play toy, briefly pause the interaction if teeth keep touching skin or clothing, and allow a calm rest opportunity when your puppy is overstimulated. Reinforce appropriate chewing and relaxed behavior.
Durability and dental safety are different things. Biting very hard objects can crack or break a tooth. Do not offer hard bones, antlers, or hooves to a teething puppy.
Choose an appropriately sized toy with some give and inspect how it wears. Supervise use and remove damaged items rather than trading dental safety for durability.
Avoid a toy that can fit entirely inside your puppy's mouth. Small items and broken-off pieces may be swallowed or lodge in the throat.
Follow the manufacturer's size guidance and account for mouth size and chewing strength, not weight alone. Remove the toy immediately if it becomes too small or damaged. Contact a veterinarian promptly if your puppy may have swallowed a piece.
Some puppies enjoy cool objects, but avoid anything that becomes rock-hard when frozen. Chewing it can put more force on the teeth than you intend.
Check whether the manufacturer permits chilling and follow the instructions. Supervise cloth-based items closely and remove them if threads or pieces come loose; do not use them for puppies that swallow fabric.
Do not wait for a retained tooth to fall out on its own. Contact your veterinarian promptly whenever the adult replacement and baby tooth appear together, even before 7 months. Canine teeth may make this easiest to notice.
Let your veterinarian evaluate the tooth position and gums and decide on treatment. Never attempt home extraction, pull on a tooth, or use a chew to force it out.
Sensitive gums may make some puppies temporarily reluctant to chew hard food, but reduced appetite should not automatically be blamed on teething.
If your puppy tries to eat and stops, chews on one side, drools excessively, or shows pain, contact your veterinarian. Repeated vomiting, severe lethargy, inability to eat or drink, or suspected swallowed fragments needs urgent veterinary advice.
The main concern is not how long you own a toy but its condition. Chewing can create cracks, loose pieces, and a size small enough to swallow.
Rotate suitable toys if helpful, inspect them before and during use, and remove any with cracks, sharp edges, tears, or detached pieces. Always supervise chewing; a familiar toy is not automatically safe.
Not necessarily. Chewing is a natural dog behavior, and habits involving furniture or household items may continue after adult teeth have emerged.
Provide appropriate chewing outlets during teething and reward the choices you want. Calm redirection, supervision, and management remain useful after the teething stage.
1. Gently observe your puppy's developing teeth when they are comfortable. If a baby tooth remains beside its adult replacement, contact your veterinarian promptly at any age; never pull it yourself.
2. Prioritize flexibility, appropriate size, and damage checks over how long a chew lasts. Supervise every session, remove damaged toys, and avoid hard bones, antlers, and hooves.
3. Seek veterinary advice for a broken tooth, mouth pain, or eating difficulty. Suspected swallowed fragments need prompt advice; choking, trouble breathing, repeated vomiting, or heavy or ongoing bleeding requires urgent care.
References and Further Reading
- VCA: persistent baby teeth
- VCA: teething and chewing
- AKC: puppy teething timeline
- Cornell: risks from hard chews
The scenarios are hypothetical examples. This article provides general educational information and does not replace individual veterinary advice. Images are AI-generated illustrations, not evidence that any toy is safe for every puppy.
