Puppy Teething Timeline: When It Starts, Peaks, and Ends

Jake's 10-week-old lab mix used to be mouthy. Then last week the mouthiness turned into a full-blown land-shark phase — gnawing table legs, shredding the corner of the rug, trying to eat the couch cushion at 2am — and Jake Googled "why is my puppy chewing everything" on no sleep and landed on the word teething. Is it starting already? How long does this last? Here's the honest, age-by-age breakdown: when teething starts, when it peaks, when it ends, and what's normal at every stage.

The quick version: baby teeth out, adult teeth in

Puppies are born toothless and grow two full sets of teeth in about six months. Here's the timeline most vets describe:

• 2–8 weeks: baby teeth come in. The first tiny incisors push through around 2–3 weeks, followed by canines and premolars. By about 8 weeks — the age Jake's puppy came home — the full set of 28 needle-sharp baby teeth is in. That land-shark mouth? Those are the baby teeth.
• 12–16 weeks: teething begins. The baby incisors start loosening and falling out as adult teeth push up underneath. This is when chewing often surges — the gums itch and ache, and chewing relieves the pressure. The teeth come out in roughly the same order they came in: incisors first, then canines, then premolars.
• 4–6 months: the peak. The most intense phase. Adult canines, premolars, and the first molars (puppies have no baby molars, so these come in fresh) all arrive in a crowded few weeks. This is the season of bloody spots on chew toys, swallowed teeth, and peak furniture destruction.
• Around 6 months: the finish line. Most puppies have their full set of 42 adult teeth by 6 months, sometimes stretching to 7 months in smaller or slower-developing breeds. When the adult set is complete, active teething is over.

Small and toy breeds can run a couple of weeks behind, which is normal — don't panic if your 6-month-old chihuahua still has a baby canine hanging on. And here's a detail that calms a lot of 2am Googlers: you will probably never find most of the baby teeth. Puppies swallow them, lose them in carpet, or chew them into oblivion. That's fine and harmless.

What's normal at each stage (and what's not)

The totally normal stuff

• A chewing surge. Teething puppies chew more, harder, and more indiscriminately. If your puppy was reasonably good with toys at 10 weeks and became a table-leg terrorist at 16 weeks, that's teething, not regression. This is exactly when the redirect method earns its keep.
• Drooling and pink, puffy gums. Mild drooling, slightly red or swollen gums, and a little whimpering are all standard during active teething.
• Tiny blood spots. Small spots of blood on chew toys or in the water bowl are common as baby teeth loosen and fall out. Looks alarming; usually isn't.
• A slightly off appetite or a low mood. Some puppies eat a little less or seem more tired and irritable during the worst of it. A puppy who skips one meal but is otherwise fine is usually okay.

The "call your vet" lines

• Heavy or ongoing bleeding, a badly swollen mouth, or a broken tooth — not just a lost baby tooth, but a tooth snapped off with a fragment left behind.
• A baby tooth that won't fall out. If you can see the adult tooth coming in next to a baby tooth that should be gone — two teeth sharing one spot — that's a retained baby tooth. It's most common in the canines of small breeds, and vets usually remove it so it doesn't crowd the bite and trap debris.
• Refusing food for more than a day, lethargy, fever, or a puppy who seems genuinely in pain rather than just cranky.
• Teething running very late. If your puppy is past 7 months with a mouthful of baby teeth or obviously missing adult teeth, get the vet to take a look — impacted teeth and bite problems are much easier to handle when caught early.

The rule of thumb Jake can use at 2am: uncomfortable puppy + normal behavior = monitor at home. Painful-looking puppy + not eating, bleeding heavily, or lethargic = call the vet. Most of teething falls in the first category.

How to help sore gums (what actually works)

You can't speed teething up, but you can make it less miserable for everyone in the apartment:

• Safe teething toys, rotated often. Soft rubber toys sized for puppies give those itchy gums something productive to do. Rotate a few so they stay interesting — novelty matters as much as the toy itself.
• Go cold. A wet washcloth, twisted and frozen, is the classic freezable soother. Cold numbs sore gums the way it does for human babies. Frozen dog-safe snacks like carrot sticks or a stuffed-and-frozen KONG work the same way.
• Gentle gum massage. If your puppy tolerates it, a clean finger gently rubbed along the gums can ease soreness — and it doubles as handling practice for future tooth brushing.
• Skip very hard chews for now. Anything that doesn't yield at least slightly when you press your thumbnail into it — real bones, antlers, very hard nylon — can crack or damage incoming adult teeth. Save the power chews for the adult set.

One thing to add during teething season: keep an eye on sleep. Sore-gum crankiness stacks with overtired crankiness, and a teething puppy who misses his naps becomes a biting, chewing gremlin. Our guide to how much sleep puppies actually need has the enforced-nap schedule that saves many owners during these weeks. And if the teething makes him mouthier on your hands specifically, bite inhibition training is the companion skill to start now.

What to expect after teething ends

When the adult set settles in — usually around 6 months — most puppies' frantic chewing visibly drops off. The adult teeth are bigger, stronger, and the gum discomfort is gone. Adult dogs still chew (it's a natural stress reliever and jaw exercise), but it becomes a calmer, more directed habit — his chew toys and bones, on his own schedule, rather than a rampage.

This is also when dental care becomes a real thing. Once the adult teeth are in, they're the teeth he keeps: gentle brushing a few times a week, dental chews, and having the vet check his teeth at each wellness visit will pay off for years. But don't start a full brushing regimen during peak teething — sore gums and a wiggly puppy make it miserable for both of you. Wait until the adult set is settled, then introduce it gradually.

Frequently asked questions

When do puppies stop teething?

Most puppies finish teething around 6 months, when the full set of 42 adult teeth is in. Smaller breeds can take until 7 months. After that, the gum soreness is over — though adolescent chewing habits can linger until training and routine fully replace them.

My puppy swallowed a baby tooth. Is that dangerous?

No — it's completely harmless. Most puppies swallow at least a few of their baby teeth. The teeth are tiny and pass through without any issue.

Should I pull my puppy's loose tooth?

No. Let loose baby teeth come out on their own — pulling can snap the root off below the gumline and cause infection. If a baby tooth looks stuck for weeks after the adult tooth has arrived next to it, have your vet check it rather than pulling it yourself.

Why is my puppy chewing MORE than before?

Chewing typically spikes during active teething (roughly 3–6 months) because the gums itch and ache. It's also worth checking whether he's overtired — teething crankiness plus skipped naps produces the worst chewing. More sleep and better chews usually fix it.