🦷 Puppy Teething Timeline
Enter your puppy's age to see their current teething stage, what's coming next, and whether it's time to start checking for retained baby teeth.
Under 1 month? Just fill in weeks. Enter your puppy's total age using either or both fields.
Retained Baby Teeth: What to Check For
Once your puppy's adult teeth start coming in — usually starting around 4 months old — it's worth glancing at their mouth periodically. A retained baby tooth is one that doesn't fall out even after the permanent tooth has erupted right next to it, most common in small and toy breeds. Left in place, it can crowd the adult tooth into poor alignment, trap food and tartar in the gap between the two teeth, and lead to gum disease.
This is genuinely useful to know before scheduling a spay or neuter. Many vets check for retained baby teeth at the pre-surgical exam and remove any that are present during the same anesthesia — since spay/neuter timing (commonly 5-7 months old) often overlaps with when retained teeth become obvious, this avoids a second, separate anesthesia event just for tooth extraction. Ask about it when you book the surgery rather than after.
Estimate the surgery cost → Spay/Neuter Cost Calculator
Already scheduled it? → Get a recovery calendar
Wondering about the right age for your breed? → See What the Research Found by Breed & Size
Safe Chew Toys vs. What to Avoid
| Generally safer | Use caution or avoid |
|---|---|
| Soft, flexible rubber chew toys made for teething puppies | Anything that doesn't bend or dent slightly under firm thumbnail pressure |
| A clean, damp washcloth frozen for a cold, soothing chew | Real bones, antlers, or hooves — a common cause of fractured baby teeth |
| Appropriately sized soft chew toys with some give | Ice cubes — popular myth, but hard enough to crack teething teeth |
| Supervised chewing sessions | Unsupervised access to anything not specifically vet-approved for puppies |
A puppy's baby teeth are more brittle than adult teeth, so a fractured tooth is a real risk with anything too hard — a small chip can expose the sensitive inner layers and lead to pain or infection. When in doubt, ask your vet about specific product recommendations for your puppy's size and chewing style rather than guessing.
When Chewing Spikes and Potty Training Regression Overlap
The heaviest chewing phase — roughly 3 to 6 months old, as baby teeth fall out and adult teeth erupt — commonly overlaps with one of the two predictable potty training regression windows. If your previously reliable puppy suddenly seems to be having more accidents around the same time chewing ramps up, it's not necessarily a coincidence. → Read: Puppy Potty Training Regression — Why It Happens
Check what vaccines are due at the same age → Dog Vaccination Schedule Calculator
Still working on housetraining? → Puppy Potty Training Calculator
Curious what a dental cleaning costs down the road? → Dental Cleaning Cost Calculator
Just brought your puppy home? → New Puppy Checklist
Frequently Asked Questions
When do puppies start teething?
Baby (deciduous) teeth begin erupting around 2-3 weeks old, starting with the incisors and canines. By 6-8 weeks old, most puppies have a full set of 28 baby teeth - which is also around the age most puppies go home with a new owner, so many people never see the very first stage happen.
When do puppies lose their baby teeth?
Baby teeth typically start falling out around 12-16 weeks old (3-4 months), beginning with the incisors, as permanent teeth push up underneath them. The permanent canines and premolars follow over the next couple of months, and the adult molars - which have no baby-tooth equivalent - come in last, usually complete by 5-7 months old with a full set of 42 adult teeth.
What are retained baby teeth and why do they matter?
A retained baby tooth is one that doesn't fall out even after the permanent tooth has erupted nearby, most common in small and toy breeds. It can crowd the adult tooth into poor alignment, trap food and tartar between the two teeth, and lead to gum disease if left in place - waiting to see if it falls out on its own isn't the recommended approach.
Are retained baby teeth removed during spay or neuter surgery?
Often, yes. Many vets check for retained baby teeth at a spay/neuter pre-surgical exam and remove any that are present during the same anesthesia, since the timing (typically 5-7 months old) commonly overlaps with when retained teeth become apparent. This avoids putting a puppy under anesthesia twice for two separate, unrelated procedures - worth asking your vet about at the pre-surgery visit.
What's safe for a teething puppy to chew?
Softer, more flexible chew toys designed for teething puppies are generally safer than very hard options - something that doesn't bend or dent slightly under firm thumbnail pressure is often too hard and can fracture a puppy's teeth, which are more brittle than adult teeth. Frozen options (like a wet washcloth frozen and given cold) can also help soothe sore gums. Always supervise chewing and check with your vet about specific product recommendations for your puppy's size and chewing style.