Puppy Teething Timeline: What to Expect Month by Month

If your puppy has suddenly decided your hands, chair legs, shoelaces, and dignity are all chew toys, teething is usually the reason.

By Dr Duncan Houston

Quick Answer

Puppy teething usually starts in earnest around 3 to 4 months of age, peaks between 4 and 6 months, and is mostly complete by 6 to 7 months when the adult teeth are in. During this time, chewing, mouthing, gum irritation, and restlessness are all common.

As a veterinarian, this is one of the most common reasons owners think their puppy is becoming badly behaved, when in reality their mouth is just sore and they need better support.

What Is Puppy Teething?

Teething is the process of baby teeth falling out and being replaced by adult teeth.

Puppies start with 28 baby teeth. As they grow, these are replaced by 42 adult teeth. That is a lot happening in a small mouth over a short period of time.

This process can cause:

• Gum discomfort

• Increased chewing

• More mouthing and biting

• Mild irritability

• Preference for chewing certain textures

Teething is normal, but how you manage it can make a big difference to your puppy's comfort and your furniture's survival rate.

Puppy Teething Timeline: Month by Month

3 to 4 Weeks

Baby teeth begin to erupt.

Most puppies are still with the breeder at this stage, so owners usually do not notice much yet unless hand-raising a litter.

6 to 8 Weeks

All 28 baby teeth are usually present.

At this age, puppies often:

• Nibble during play

• Mouth littermates

• Explore the world with their mouth

12 to 16 Weeks

Adult teeth begin replacing baby teeth.

This is when many owners first notice:

• More chewing

• Increased biting during play

• Mild bleeding on toys

• More interest in chewing furniture, leads, or hands

4 to 6 Months

This is the main teething phase.

Canines and premolars are coming through, and this is usually when chewing gets heavy. Puppies may seem:

• Restless

• Mouthier than usual

• More frustrated

• More driven to chew constantly

This is the stage where most people say, "Why has my puppy suddenly turned into a tiny crocodile?"

6 to 7 Months

Most puppies now have their full set of adult teeth.

Chewing behaviour often starts to settle, although some dogs still chew from boredom, habit, or adolescence rather than teething itself.

Why Puppies Chew So Much During Teething

Chewing helps puppies:

• Relieve gum pressure and soreness

• Loosen baby teeth

• Soothe erupting adult teeth

• Self-regulate frustration and arousal

In clinic, one of the biggest misunderstandings I see is owners assuming all chewing is behavioural. Very often, it is a normal response to oral discomfort combined with normal puppy curiosity.

Severity Framework

Mild

• Extra chewing

• Mild mouthing

• Slight gum sensitivity

• Settles easily with redirection

Moderate

• Frequent chewing on household items

• More intense biting during play

• Restlessness or frustration

• Harder to redirect consistently

Severe

• Refusing food

• Marked pain when chewing

• Persistent bleeding

• Retained baby teeth

• Swelling, bad odour, or obvious oral discomfort

Mild to moderate teething behaviour is common. Severe signs need a closer look.

What Is Normal During Teething?

Normal signs include:

• Increased chewing

• Mild gum redness

• Occasionally finding baby teeth

• Tiny spots of blood on chew toys

• More mouthing than usual

• Temporary fussiness

Many puppies swallow their baby teeth, which is usually not a problem.

What Is Not Normal?

This is where owners accidentally wait too long.

Teething should not cause:

• Ongoing refusal to eat

• Severe mouth pain

• Heavy or persistent bleeding

• Facial swelling

• Foul mouth odour

• Broken teeth

• Adult and baby teeth crowding together for too long

These signs can point to retained teeth, trauma, infection, or another dental issue.

Best Ways to Help a Teething Puppy

1. Offer appropriate chew outlets

Provide safe, puppy-friendly chew items with some variety in texture.

Good options often include:

• Soft rubber chew toys

• Chilled teething toys

• Puppy-safe food toys

• Cold wet washcloths under supervision

2. Use cold to soothe the gums

Cold can help reduce soreness.

You can try:

• A chilled washcloth

• A chilled puppy-safe chew toy

• A small amount of puppy-safe chilled enrichment

Avoid giving anything so hard that it could damage teeth.

3. Redirect early

If your puppy starts chewing hands, clothing, furniture, or leads, calmly redirect them to an appropriate chew.

The earlier you redirect, the easier it is.

4. Manage the environment

Do not rely on training alone when the mouth is sore.

Set your puppy up well:

• Put shoes away

• Limit access to furniture edges

• Supervise more closely during peak teething months

• Use puppy-proofed areas when needed

5. Support rest and routine

Overtired puppies often mouth more intensely.

A better nap routine often reduces teething-related chaos more than people expect.

Common Mistakes

• Punishing a puppy for teething behaviour

• Giving chews that are too hard

• Letting the puppy rehearse chewing furniture all day

• Assuming all biting is a training issue

• Missing retained baby teeth

• Playing rough tug when the mouth is sore

This is one of those stages where management matters just as much as training.

Patterns I See Clinically

• The worst biting often happens between 4 and 6 months

• Overtired puppies usually mouth harder

• Owners often increase frustration by repeatedly saying no without offering an alternative

• Retained canine teeth are one of the most common dental issues picked up during this stage

A lot of teething problems are not really about the teeth alone. They are about teething plus poor redirection plus too much freedom.

Medical Rule-Outs

If the behaviour seems excessive or the mouth looks abnormal, possible issues include:

• Retained deciduous teeth

• Oral trauma

• Fractured teeth

• Gingivitis

• Malocclusion

• Foreign material stuck in the mouth

If a puppy suddenly stops wanting to chew or becomes painful, that deserves a proper oral check.

When to See a Vet

Book a veterinary check if you notice:

• A baby tooth still sitting beside an adult tooth

• Persistent bleeding from the gums

• Strong bad breath

• Refusal to eat or chew

• Visible swelling

• Signs of significant oral pain

Retained teeth are particularly important because they can affect bite alignment and long-term dental health.

When It Is an Emergency

Seek urgent veterinary care if your puppy has:

• Heavy oral bleeding

• Sudden facial swelling

• Trouble eating or swallowing

• Suspected trauma to the jaw or mouth

• Severe pain or distress

Normal teething should be annoying. It should not look dramatic or frightening.

Practical Action Plan

1. Expect chewing to increase from around 3 to 6 months

2. Provide safe, softer chew options

3. Use cold items to soothe the gums

4. Redirect biting early and consistently

5. Reduce access to tempting household items

6. Keep an eye out for retained baby teeth

7. Book a vet check if anything seems excessive or painful

FAQs

When does puppy teething start?
Most owners start noticing it around 3 to 4 months of age.

When does puppy teething stop?
Usually by 6 to 7 months, when the adult teeth have mostly come through.

Is it normal for my puppy to bite more while teething?
Yes. Mouth discomfort often makes puppies chew and mouth more.

Should I be worried if I find blood on a toy?
A tiny amount can be normal during teething. Persistent bleeding is not.

Do all retained baby teeth need treatment?
Not always, but many do. Your vet should assess them promptly.

Final Thoughts

Puppy teething is messy, mouthy, and occasionally chaotic, but it is a normal part of development. The key is knowing what is expected, what is not, and how to give your puppy appropriate relief without letting bad chewing habits take over the house.

Handled well, this stage passes. Handled badly, it becomes a house-wide hostage situation run by a five-kilo land shark.

If your puppy is teething, biting more than expected, or you are unsure whether their mouth looks normal, the ASK A VET™ app can help you track symptoms, monitor development, and get veterinary guidance when something seems off.