When Do Puppies Start Teething? First Teeth and Age Timeline

Quick Answer

Puppies start teething at about three weeks old, when their first baby teeth begin to appear. If you're asking when do puppies start teething, the first teeth usually emerge between three and five weeks. A second teething stage begins around three to four months, when baby teeth loosen and adult teeth start replacing them.

Key Takeaways

Puppy teeth grow in two main stages. Knowing which stage your puppy has reached helps you understand what to expect and when a dental check may be needed.

• Puppies usually get their first visible baby teeth between three and five weeks of age.

• Baby teeth do not all appear at once; incisors, canines, and premolars follow slightly different schedules.

• Puppies normally develop 28 baby teeth, while most adult dogs have 42 permanent teeth.

• Baby teeth often begin falling out around 12 weeks, as the next stage of dental growth starts.

• Permanent teeth emerge over several months, with adult dentition generally complete around six to seven months.

• Chewing and mouthing can increase during tooth changes, but chewing alone cannot confirm a teething stage.

• A baby tooth remaining beside an adult tooth, unusual swelling, or serious mouth pain needs veterinary attention.

The most useful distinction is between growing the first teeth and replacing them. A puppy can already have a mouth full of sharp baby teeth long before the adult teeth begin to emerge.

When Do Puppies Start Teething for the First Time?

Puppies usually begin getting their first visible teeth at around three weeks old. This first stage often starts while they are still with their mother and littermates. It happens well before many families bring a puppy home.

There is also a second stage that owners tend to notice more. Baby teeth start loosening, and permanent teeth begin to replace them. Both processes are often called teething, but they happen at different ages.

What Happens at Three to Five Weeks?

Most puppies are born without visible teeth. During the first few weeks, their mouths change rapidly. Small teeth begin to break through the gums, often starting with the front teeth.

According to the Merck Veterinary Manual's guide to dental development in dogs, deciduous teeth generally begin erupting at three to five weeks. Deciduous simply means baby teeth.

The first teeth are small and sharp. They help puppies move toward eating more solid food as they grow. Their appearance is part of normal development, not a sign that something has gone wrong.

The teeth do not all emerge in a single week. One puppy may have several visible front teeth while another of the same age has fewer. The timing also differs by tooth type.

A puppy's mouth is small, and its teeth can be hard to see. Owners should not force the mouth open to count them. A veterinarian can check dental growth during a routine puppy visit.

Why Some Guides Say Teething Starts at Three Months

The term teething can describe two different events. The first is the arrival of baby teeth. The second is their loss as adult teeth begin to grow.

The VCA Animal Hospitals guide to puppy teeth and chewing explains that baby teeth begin falling out around 12 weeks. This is close to three months of age.

That later stage is often easier for owners to spot. A puppy may chew more, lose a tiny tooth, or have gaps in its smile. Adult teeth then appear where baby teeth once stood.

So a guide that mentions three weeks and one that mentions three months may be describing different events. The first concerns baby-tooth eruption. The second concerns tooth replacement.

For most new owners, this difference clears up the confusion. An eight-week-old puppy has already started teething in the first sense. It has not usually reached the main adult-tooth replacement stage.

Puppy Teething Timeline: What Happens at Each Age?

A puppy's dental timeline has two clocks. The first tracks the growth of baby teeth. The second follows their loss and the arrival of permanent teeth. These clocks do not run at the same speed, and the stages can overlap.

Use the table to identify the broad stage for your puppy's age. It draws on veterinary eruption ranges, not a study that predicts the exact day each tooth will appear. Individual puppies may develop a little sooner or later.

The Two-Clock Puppy Teething Timeline

The table keeps baby teeth and adult teeth in separate columns. That prevents a common mistake: treating the first tooth and the first lost tooth as the same milestone.

Puppy age	Clock A: Baby teeth	Clock B: Permanent teeth	What owners should know
Birth to 2 weeks	Usually no visible teeth.	Not yet erupting.	A toothless mouth is expected.
3–5 weeks	First baby teeth begin appearing.	Not yet erupting.	This is the first teething stage.
6–10 weeks	Many baby teeth are present; some may still emerge.	Replacement has usually not begun.	Sharp baby teeth are normal.
Around 12–16 weeks	Baby teeth begin loosening and falling out.	Replacement starts.	Small gaps and shed teeth may appear.
4–5 months	More baby teeth are shed.	Permanent teeth become more visible.	Both tooth sets may be seen during the change.
6–7 months	Baby teeth are generally replaced.	Adult dentition is usually near completion or complete.	Retained baby teeth deserve a veterinary check.

These ranges are general guides for domestic dogs. The Merck Veterinary Manual's tooth eruption table gives separate ages for different teeth. It also reflects the variation seen during normal growth.

Do not treat the table as a calendar with fixed deadlines. A puppy just entering a new age band may still be in the prior stage. What matters is the pattern of growth and whether the mouth looks healthy.

The distinction becomes especially useful around three months. A puppy may have had baby teeth for weeks, yet only now begin to lose them. That is not a new first eruption. It is the start of tooth replacement.

What the Timeline Means for an Eight-Week-Old Puppy

An eight-week-old puppy will usually have many of its baby teeth. Some specialist schedules allow a few teeth to emerge later. The adult set is generally still waiting beneath the gums.

Imagine bringing home a puppy at eight weeks. It nibbles a toy, grabs a loose sleeve, and leaves tiny marks on soft objects. Its sharp teeth may make the behavior seem more intense than it is.

Those teeth did not suddenly grow when the puppy moved home. They began appearing several weeks earlier.

At this age, daily mouthing often reflects play and exploration. It should not be taken as proof that adult teeth are already coming through.

The puppy may become more interested in chewing during the coming months. As baby teeth loosen, the mouth may feel different. Yet some puppies show few obvious changes.

A calm puppy that eats well and has no clear mouth problem may simply be following its own schedule. Routine veterinary visits provide a better way to check development than repeated tooth counting at home.

Which Puppy Teeth Come in First?

Incisors are among the first baby teeth to appear. Canines and premolars follow during the early weeks. The order is not identical in every puppy, and each type has its own eruption range.

The type of tooth matters because owners may expect all baby teeth to appear together. They do not. A puppy can have visible front teeth while others are still growing.

Incisors, Canines, and Premolars

Incisors are the small teeth at the front of the mouth. Canines are the pointed teeth near the corners. Premolars sit farther back and help with biting and chewing food.

A veterinary dental review published by dvm360 gives the following broad ranges for baby-tooth eruption. These are estimates, not exact deadlines.

Tooth group	Approximate baby-tooth eruption	What makes it different
Incisors	3–5 weeks.	Small teeth near the front of the mouth.
Canines	3–6 weeks.	Long, pointed teeth used for gripping.
Premolars	3–10 weeks.	Teeth farther back in the mouth.
Molars	No baby molars.	These appear only in the adult set.

The wide premolar range helps explain why a single age cannot describe the whole mouth. A puppy with several visible incisors may still be waiting for some back teeth to emerge.

Veterinary dental specialist Ana Nemec's discussion of deciduous tooth eruption also describes differences in timing among tooth groups. Specialist schedules are not always identical, which is another reason to use age ranges.

If you are unsure whether a tooth is late, ask your veterinarian to examine the mouth. Avoid deciding that a tooth is missing based on a quick look at home.

Why Puppies Have 28 Baby Teeth but Adults Have 42

A typical puppy develops 28 baby teeth. Most adult dogs have 42 permanent teeth. The difference is normal and does not mean puppies have lost or failed to grow 14 teeth.

The VCA guide to persistent deciduous teeth confirms these tooth counts. It also explains why problems can arise when baby teeth remain after the matching adult teeth appear.

One reason the counts differ is that puppies do not have baby molars. Molars are part of the permanent tooth set. Adult dogs also have more premolars than puppies have in their baby dentition.

The adult set develops as the puppy grows. Teeth arrive at different times, so the mouth can look uneven during the change. Some baby teeth may be gone while nearby adult teeth are still emerging.

Do not use the total count alone to judge dental health. A puppy may be too young to have its full adult set. Crowding or an abnormal bite can also matter even when the tooth count seems right.

A veterinarian checks more than the number of teeth. Tooth position, gum health, and the way the upper and lower teeth meet all matter.

How to Recognize Your Puppy's Teething Stage

Age is the best starting clue, but visible tooth changes help too. Very young puppies are growing their first set. Older puppies may be losing those teeth as permanent ones emerge.

You do not need to inspect every tooth each day. Notice changes during normal care, feeding, and play. If your puppy seems sore or resists having its mouth touched, stop and seek guidance rather than forcing a closer look.

First Baby Teeth Versus Adult Teeth Coming In

A puppy under ten weeks may have small teeth still appearing. At three or four months, some baby teeth may loosen and fall out. The gums can look different as adult teeth begin to emerge.

Sometimes owners find a tiny tooth on the floor or beside a toy. Others never find one. Puppies may swallow shed baby teeth without any obvious problem.

A missing baby tooth does not always leave a clear gap for long. The adult tooth may already be on its way. During this stage, the mouth can contain both baby and permanent teeth.

Look for the overall pattern rather than one isolated tooth. Normal tooth replacement happens in stages, and a puppy may have several changes at once.

A more concerning sight is an adult tooth emerging while the matching baby tooth remains firmly in place. That can lead to crowding and poor alignment. A veterinarian should assess it rather than waiting without advice.

Why Chewing Alone Cannot Tell You the Stage

Puppies chew for many reasons. They explore their surroundings, play with objects, and learn about textures through their mouths. Chewing can also help them cope with changing teeth.

An eight-week-old puppy may chew often before adult replacement begins. A five-month-old may show little change in chewing even while several teeth are being replaced.

The amount of chewing therefore cannot tell you exactly which teeth are growing. It also cannot prove the puppy has a dental problem.

For help separating common mouthy behavior from training concerns, the site's puppy biting and training FAQs offer related guidance.

Puppies also need to learn what they may chew and how to interact with people. The site's Positive Puppy Commands page covers a related part of early learning.

Dental growth and learned behavior overlap, but they are not the same thing. A puppy with new adult teeth can still have playful mouthing habits. Changing teeth alone will not teach the puppy how to behave around hands, clothes, or furniture.

When Puppy Teeth Need a Veterinary Check

Ask a veterinarian about teeth that appear stuck, damaged, crowded, or out of place. More serious mouth pain, marked swelling, or trouble eating also needs prompt attention. A puppy's age should never be used to dismiss a clear health concern.

Most tooth changes are routine. Yet a normal eruption schedule does not rule out a dental problem. A puppy can be the right age for teething and still need treatment for an unrelated mouth condition.

Retained Baby Teeth and Unusual Alignment

A retained baby tooth is one that stays in place while its permanent replacement emerges. You may notice two teeth standing close together in the same area.

This often becomes clear around the canine teeth. The adult canine begins to appear, but the baby canine has not fallen out. The two teeth may sit side by side.

Persistent baby teeth can affect how adult teeth line up. They may create tight spaces where food and plaque collect. An adult tooth can also grow into an abnormal position when a baby tooth blocks its path.

Some small and short-muzzled breeds have a greater risk of retained baby teeth. Yet the problem can occur in other dogs too.

Do not pull the tooth yourself, even if it looks loose. A veterinarian can check whether treatment is needed and when it should take place.

The American Animal Hospital Association's canine life-stage checklist includes checks for tooth development, retained teeth, and the way teeth meet. These checks are part of good puppy care, not just cosmetic concerns.

If a tooth looks broken or the bite seems uneven, mention it at the next suitable veterinary appointment. Seek earlier advice when there is pain or trouble eating.

Signs That Should Not Be Dismissed as Teething

Mild mouth sensitivity may occur while teeth change. That does not make every illness or painful symptom normal.

A puppy with a small spot of blood near a loose tooth may be going through ordinary tooth loss. Heavy or ongoing bleeding is different. It requires a veterinary assessment.

Significant swelling, a clearly injured tooth, or strong pain when eating also deserves attention. A puppy that cannot eat or drink should be assessed promptly.

Vomiting, severe diarrhea, marked weakness, and other signs of systemic illness should not be explained away as teething. These symptoms may have causes unrelated to dental growth.

If your puppy suddenly refuses food or seems unwell, contact your veterinarian. Do not wait for the expected teething window to pass.

You can help the vet by sharing when the change began. Describe what you saw and whether eating, drinking, or normal activity has changed. A clear account is more helpful than trying to make a diagnosis at home.

Caring for a Puppy While Teeth Develop

Keep mouth care calm and gentle while your puppy's teeth grow. Early handling can help your dog become used to having its lips and teeth checked. Yet comfort matters more than completing a brushing session when the gums are sore.

Start with short, positive moments. Touch the side of the muzzle gently when the puppy is relaxed. Reward calm behavior and stop before the puppy becomes upset. Do not hold the mouth open by force.

The AAHA dental-care guidance on preventing periodontal disease notes that active loss of baby teeth can make home oral care uncomfortable. A painful first experience may make later care harder.

Ask your veterinarian when and how to introduce brushing. Use dog-safe dental products and methods suited to the puppy's age and mouth. If brushing causes pain or bleeding, stop and seek advice.

Chew items also need care. Choose items suited to your puppy's size and chewing style. Avoid objects that are so hard they could damage teeth. Supervise chewing and remove items that break into unsafe pieces.

AAHA's guidance on home dental products supports thoughtful product choice as part of oral care. A chew item should not replace veterinary dental checks.

A puppy's first months also involve learning household routines. The site's Puppy Head-Start program provides information about early training support in New Jersey. Training can help with daily behavior, but it cannot treat sore gums or retained teeth.

Families with children have another task: keeping interactions calm. Young children may react quickly when a puppy mouths their hands or clothes. Adults should guide play and give both the child and puppy space when needed.

The site's Raising Puppies with Kids resource offers related family guidance. It is useful alongside veterinary advice, not in place of it.

There is no need to check the puppy's teeth every hour. Pay attention during normal routines, keep veterinary appointments, and act when something looks wrong. That approach supports healthy development without turning each small change into a worry.

Frequently Asked Questions

These questions focus on the first teeth and the stages that follow. Most answers depend on broad age ranges rather than a single birthday. If your puppy's teeth look unusual or cause pain, a veterinary examination is more reliable than an age chart.

Can an Eight-Week-Old Puppy Already Be Teething?

Yes. An eight-week-old puppy will usually have many baby teeth. The first eruption stage began weeks earlier. Adult-tooth replacement generally starts later, around three to four months.

Sharp teeth and frequent mouthing at eight weeks do not prove that permanent teeth are emerging. Puppies also use their mouths during normal play and exploration.

Do Puppies Have Teeth When They Are Born?

Puppies are generally born without visible teeth. Their first baby teeth begin to appear during the early weeks of life, often around three weeks.

A toothless newborn puppy is normal. Dental growth becomes easier to see as the puppy develops and begins moving toward solid food.

Which Teeth Come in First?

Incisors are among the first teeth to emerge. These are the small teeth near the front of the mouth. Canines and premolars follow on their own schedules.

The exact order can vary. A veterinarian can check whether an unusual pattern needs attention.

When Do Puppies Start Losing Baby Teeth?

Baby teeth often begin falling out around 12 weeks. That is close to three months. Adult teeth gradually replace them during the following months.

You may find a small tooth, notice a gap, or see a new tooth coming through. Not finding a shed tooth is common and does not prove that something is wrong.

Do Puppies Have Baby Molars?

No. Puppies have baby incisors, canines, and premolars, but no deciduous molars. Molars form part of the permanent set.

That difference helps explain why puppies usually have 28 baby teeth and adult dogs have 42 permanent teeth.

Does Chewing Always Mean a Puppy Is Teething?

No. Chewing is common during puppyhood for several reasons. Puppies explore objects with their mouths, play, and learn through chewing.

Teething can add to the urge to chew, but behavior alone cannot identify which teeth are growing. Look at the puppy's age and other dental changes.

Is It Normal to See Two Canine Teeth Together?

A baby canine may sometimes remain while the adult canine begins to emerge. This can indicate a persistent deciduous tooth.

Arrange a veterinary dental check rather than trying to remove either tooth. Retained teeth can affect alignment and may need professional treatment.

Do Small-Breed Puppies Follow the Same Teething Timeline?

Small breeds follow the same broad stages of baby-tooth eruption and adult replacement. Yet exact timing varies among puppies, and some small breeds have a greater risk of retained baby teeth.

Use the timeline as a guide, not a breed-specific deadline. Ask your veterinarian to check teeth that appear crowded, damaged, or out of place.

These answers cover the main age questions. They cannot replace an examination when a puppy has pain, abnormal tooth position, or trouble eating. Dental changes should be judged alongside the puppy's comfort and general health.

Understanding Your Puppy's First Teeth

Puppy teething begins earlier than many owners expect. The first baby teeth usually start appearing between three and five weeks. By the time a puppy joins a new family, many of those tiny teeth may already be in place.

The next stage comes months later. Baby teeth begin to loosen and fall out, and adult teeth take their place. That is why some advice describes teething at three weeks, while other guidance starts around three months. Both refer to real stages of dental growth.

The two-clock timeline makes it easier to follow the changes. First, look at when baby teeth emerge. Then, as the puppy gets older, watch for their replacement. There is no need to expect every tooth on an exact date.

Normal variation is common, but dental problems still need attention. A retained baby tooth, a damaged tooth, or unusual pain is a reason to contact your veterinarian. Severe symptoms should never be dismissed as part of growing up.

For owners in New Jersey, early puppy training can help build calm household habits while these changes take place. Veterinary care remains the right choice for tooth and gum concerns. Training and dental care serve different needs, and both can support a healthy start.