Like us, dogs have baby teeth which will start to become loose in their infancy. Puppies lose their first baby at teeth around twelve weeks of age, readying them for their adult teeth. This, of course, can depend on breed. Sometimes puppies lose teeth as early as two weeks of age.
By six months, all baby teeth should have fallen out and their permanent teeth will begin to sprout through.
How To Tell If Your Puppy is About to Lose Their Baby Teeth
There are other signs that your pup may start to lose their baby teeth. For example, teething causes discomfort and your puppy’s gums may be sore or swollen, indicating the puppy teeth are ready to erupt.
Other signs may include seeing specks of blood in your pup’s drool or on his/her chew toys. This should only be a minimal amount, so if you’re noticing a larger amount, seek professional advice from your vet. If your dog is showing great distress during the teething process, it may indicate a trip to the vet to have them removed is in order.
If Your Puppy is Teething – Here’s What to Do
If you’ve started to notice your puppy is relentlessly biting or nipping everything – including you – don’t worry! It doesn’t necessarily mean your dog is acting up. Chances are, he or she is starting to teeth. And like human babies, biting down on objects helps bring relief to the discomfort of teething.
This is an apt time to invest in some good, sturdy chew toys designed for teething puppies. This will limit the pup nipping you or other items you’d rather they didn’t!
Teething is very uncomfortable and frustrating, so try to support and be patient with your puppy during this time. His/her chew toys can help, but keeping the gums soothed can help too. Ask your vet about ways to do this. But ultimately, the best remedy for teething pain is chewing.
The Best Chew Toys For Puppy Teething
You may have noticed that your puppy isn’t fussy about what he or she chews. Anything from furniture legs, shoes, clothing, your hands, etc., may be in the puppy line of fire, particularly during the teething timeline. While investing in chew toys will help soothe your pup’s discomfort (as well as salvage your favourite pair of slippers), it’s important to take the time to invest in the right type of chew toy for your teething puppy. And it can help to have a variety.
The best chew toys for the teething process include:
- Plush toys
- Rubber toys, such as kongs
- Plastic toys
- Chew sticks/dental sticks
- Rawhide bones
- Braided fabric toys
- Latex chew toys
- Puppy pacifiers/teething rings
Often the best puppy chew toys can depend on your dog’s size. Try to avoid anything too hard, as this can damage their baby teeth.
How To Stop Your Puppy From Constantly Nipping
Although they may not be aggressive, whether it’s aimed at your or other dogs, puppy nips can still be painful! Luckily, there are ways to teach your pup not to nip.
The best way to combat painful puppy nips is to loudly say “OW” or “NO” when puppy nips, and then reward him/her with a treat or verbal praise when they back off; they will soon learn to quite literally not bite the hand that feeds!
If your puppy is a rescue, or quite a rambunctious soul, yelling may exacerbate the situation, in which case walking away or gently putting the puppy in his/her crate for a little time-out may help.
If you’re noticing your puppy nibbling on your hands or fingers a lot, it could be that he/she is teething, in which case keeping a chew toy handy to place in his/her mouth during these moments will help puppy learn the best way of soothing the teething process is on a chew toy – not human limbs!
Dental Care for Puppies
Getting into a good dental care routine while your puppy is still young is a good call. Particularly when it comes to teeth brushing. The younger the puppy is when introducing the teeth cleaning process, the quicker they’ll become tolerant of it.
As a dog owner, teeth problems can be a costly and ongoing problem, so getting into the habit of having dental hygiene and care tactics will help prevent adult teeth problems in your dog’s later life.
It is important to say now – human toothbrushes and toothpaste are not suitable for dogs. The latter of which will make them ill. So, you’ll need to invest in special dental care brushes and paste designed for your dog’s teeth. Ease your pup into the process gently. Don’t force. Ask your vet for advice if you’re struggling to get your dog’s teeth clean.
Puppy Teething: FAQs
What Age is Puppy Teething The Worst?
According to campruffruff.com, around about the four-month mark is usually the worst period in the puppy teething timeline. After the six-month mark, their adult teeth should have fully appeared.
Do Puppies Swallow Their Baby Teeth?
It can be common for your pup to swallow his/her baby teeth while eating or chewing, but because their baby teeth are so small, there is little to no risk of harm. You may notice a baby tooth in their poop occasionally!
Is My Puppy in Pain When Losing Their Baby Teeth?
Teething isn’t pleasant and can cause your dog some discomfort. You may notice your puppy is drooling a bit more than usual. This can indicate that your puppy’s mouth is in pain, so make sure he/she has access to safe chew toys. Conversely, if you’re concerned your dog’s mouth is incredibly tender, book a dental appointment just to make sure nothing underlying is causing any issues.
How Many Baby Teeth Do Puppies Have?
Puppies have twenty-eight milk teeth, otherwise known as deciduous teeth. Adult dogs have up to forty-two adult teeth, including adult canine teeth.
Which Puppy Teeth Fall Out First?
When puppies lose teeth, it will be the incisors and canine teeth that erupt first, the premolars. When the puppy teeth erupt, adult teeth will begin to grow, such as adult molars and needle teeth.
