Puppies, like humans, are born without teeth, and the teething process may be a little bit unpleasant to humans.
Here is a typical teething timeline according to the American Kennel Club:
By the time they are 2- to 4-weeks old, they start growing their “deciduous teeth,” also known as primary teeth or baby teeth.
During their 6th week, approximately, all of your puppy’s baby teeth should have emerged — 28 teeth in total.
By the start of the 12th week, your puppy’s permanent teeth — he’ll eventually have 42 — start pushing on the deciduous teeth, causing them to begin falling out.
Why Are Puppy Teeth So Sharp?
The original purpose of their razor-sharp deciduous teeth was to allow puppies to consume meat and soft food in the wild— a characteristic that evolved to help puppies survive.
Puppies in the wild start eating small portions of meat when their deciduous teeth have fully come in by the 6th to 7th week of their lives.
These teeth also help puppies to develop their jaw muscles and strong biting force, which are necessities in the wild — but often an annoyance to a puppy’s humans.
Deciduous teeth are razor sharp, and have been known to cause bloody cuts in human skin with great ease — as the pups are unaware their sharp teeth can be hurtful to their humans.
Do Puppies Eat Their Deciduous Teeth as They Fall Out?
Puppies can accidentally swallow their deciduous teeth as they fall out — they may swallow them while eating — but is no great worry.
My dog Thurber swallowed every single one of his, from what I could tell. I didn’t see a single tooth that had fallen onto the floor, which is also common as a puppy’s teeth fall out.
Theoretically, when all the 42 permanent teeth have come in, teething is completed in puppies.
This process can take anywhere from 8 months to 12 months, depending upon your puppy’s breed.
When Will My Teething Puppy Stop Biting?
According to thelabradorsite.com, a teething puppy has no intention to harm someone by biting. It is just fulfilling its urge to chew on something to relive its pain and misery from teething. A bite from a puppy with baby teeth can pack a painful punch because the milk teeth are very sharp and pointy.
The only thing you can do during this whole time is to train your puppy not to bite certain things and people by strictly using your voice commands. You can provide dental chews to your puppy. I have also mentioned certain home remedies at the end of the article which can reduce the teething pain hence stopping the puppy from biting all the time.
Be patient with your pet during this whole period because this biting habit will only completely stop until the puppy has a full set of permanent teeth in its mouth.
Regular dental checks are highly from a veterinarian are highly recommended to make sure all the teeth are in proper position and no baby teeth are left behind.
In Which Sequence Do Puppy Teeth Fall Out?
This sequence of teeth falling out is an estimation because the sequence of teeth falling can vary from individual dog to individual dog and breed to breed. There is no exact sequence to determine the falling teeth. The sequence in which puppy teeth fall out looks somewhat like this:
- The first teeth to fall are the incisors at about 12 to 16 weeks.
- Canines fall afterward at about 16 weeks of age.
- Premolars can fall anywhere between 22 to 24 weeks of age.
How Many Permanent Teeth Does A Dog Have?
According to PetMD.com, by the time a dog is 1 year old, all its permanent teeth should have come. These include:
- 12 Incisors, 6 in the upper jaw and 6 in the lower jaw
- 4 Canines, 2 in the upper jaw and 2 in the lower jaw
- 16 Premolar teeth, 8 in the upper jaw and 8 in the lower jaw
- 10 Molars, 4 in the upper jaw and 6 in the lower jaw
What Are The Signs Of Teething In Puppies?
Teething puppies will chew anything they can get their teeth on. It is best to provide them with chew toys during this time and make sure there are no electrical wires in the reach of the puppy. You can also train them during this period by commanding them to stop if you see them chewing something which they shouldn’t chew. Common teething signs in puppies are following;
- Excessive biting and chewing
- Drooling continuously
- Minute blood streaks on your puppy’s toys
- Swollen gums
- Reduce appetite
- Crying sounds due to pain
Is Teething A Painful Process For Puppies?
Yes, teething along with being painful is a very agonizing process for puppies. Puppies like human babies will drool excessively and feel the urge to chew. Puppies are under constant stress and discomfort during this whole process.
As the teeth grow or fall out the nerve endings present in the jaw are stimulated resulting in a lot of pain. Often time you may see blood coming out of the gums or teeth when they fall out, but it is of no worry. The blood will eventually stop on its own
How Can I Reduce the Discomfort of Teething Puppies?
According to Kalmpets.com, many methods are beneficial for alleviating the pain and discomfort of teething puppies:
Slightly Frozen Bagels — These will help relieve the pain and provide a nice chewing surface.
Frozen Carrots — Cold carrots from the freezer will help numb your puppy’s nerves and decrease the discomfort of teething.
Frozen Watermelon — Your puppy will be delighted with this delicious frozen treat as it, too, relieves his teething discomfort.
Frozen Toys — Some of your puppy’s favorite toys can be made more rigid and therefore reduce teething pain when placed in the freezer.
Frozen Dishtowels — Use strong dishtowel materials only that your puppy cannot break apart and digest. Placing an ice cube in such a material is also helpful.
How Long Will the Teething Process Last?
Trial and error is the best way to determine the most comforting solution to your teething puppy. It may seem like an eternity until, between 8 and 12 months, your puppy’s permanent teeth are fully developed.
But remember: the puppy phase passes all too quickly. Enjoy every moment you can as your puppy rapidly changes — sharp teeth and all! — into a healthy adult.
Visit www.ThurbersTail.com for regular column updates, funny dog videos, well-researched articles explaining why our dogs do what they do, and Tom’s new book, “Tips from a New Dog Dad.” The Thurber’s Tail blog is managed by nationally syndicated humor columnist Tom Purcell and his beloved Labrador puppy, Thurber!