Around four months, something changes. Your puppy starts chewing on table legs, your fingers, the corner of the rug, and anything else they can reach, and then one day you spot a tiny tooth on the kitchen floor.
That's puppy teething, and it explains most of what you're dealing with. Sore gums make puppies chew harder and more often, so while this stage passes on its own, there's a lot you can do to make the next few months easier on both of you.
The Puppy Teething Timeline
Every puppy has a unique timeline, even if they generally hit the same milestones along the way.
2 to 4 weeks: Baby teeth start coming in while your puppy is still with their litter.
6 to 8 weeks: All 28 baby teeth are usually through, which is part of why puppies feel so needle-sharp when they come home.
3 to 4 months: Teething begins in earnest. Baby teeth start falling out, and adult teeth push through, starting with the front incisors.
4 to 6 months: The busiest stretch. Canines and premolars come through, and this is usually when the chewing is at its worst.
6 to 7 months: Most puppies finish with a full set of 42 adult teeth, while larger breeds like Labradors and German Shepherds sometimes run a little later.
By around seven months, the teething phase is done, yet chewing often continues into adolescence, so the habits you build now matter well beyond this stage.
Is It Teething or Regular Puppy Biting?
Both happen at once, which is why it gets confusing.
Teething chewing is all about pressure. Your puppy gets comfortable with something firm and keeps at it, almost like they're trying to press the ache out of their gums. Play biting looks completely different, and it's fast, wiggly, and usually goes for your hands or ankles while your puppy is bouncing around.
If the biting is mostly happening during play, our guide on how to stop puppy biting covers that side of things.
6 Ways to Help a Teething Puppy
Cold and firm are the two things sore gums respond to best.
Frozen chew toys. Soak a rope toy in water or low-sodium broth and freeze it, since cold dulls the ache in your puppy's gums.
Frozen lick mats. Spread something soft across a lick mat and freeze it, which gives relief plus a calming activity.
Rubber toys with give. Firm enough to satisfy the urge to chew, soft enough to protect developing teeth.
Damp frozen washcloth. Twist a wet cloth, freeze it, and supervise while your puppy works on it.
A rotation, not a pile. Keep three or four options in play and swap them every few days so they stay interesting.
Puppy-safe chews sized for your pup. These are the chews I like, including holders that grip a bully stick so your puppy can't swallow the last piece, but it's always worth asking your vet what suits your particular puppy, as the right chew depends on size and chewing style.
Skip anything very hard while adult teeth are coming in, meaning antlers, hooves, and real bones, as these can crack teeth that are still settling into place. If your puppy is chewing furniture and baseboards too, redirecting that works alongside everything here.
One Thing to Pay Attention To!
Sometimes a baby tooth doesn't fall out when the adult tooth arrives, which vets call a retained tooth, and it shows up most often with the canines.
You'll see two teeth sitting side by side where there should be one. It's worth mentioning to your vet, as retained teeth can crowd the adult teeth and trap food against the gum. Most puppies never have this issue, though it's easy to spot once you know to look.
Also worth a call if your puppy stops eating, seems to be in real pain, or has bleeding that goes beyond the small amount that's normal when a tooth comes out.
Your Puppy Teething Questions, Answered
Q. How long does puppy teething last?
A. It generally runs from around three months to six or seven months, with the most intense chewing landing somewhere in the four to six month window.
Q. Do puppies swallow their baby teeth?
A. Often, yes, and that's completely normal. Many guardians never find a single tooth, because most get swallowed during meals or chewing.
Q. Should I let my puppy chew on ice cubes?
A. Small ice chips are fine for supervised licking, whereas whole cubes are hard enough to risk damaging teeth that are still coming through, so a frozen washcloth or rope toy soaked in broth is the safer choice.
Q. Is bleeding normal during teething?
A. A faint smear or a drop or two of blood on a chew toy is normal when a tooth comes out, but anything more than that is worth a vet visit.
Getting Through the Teething Stage
The chewing will ease off. In the meantime, the most useful thing you can do is keep something appropriate within reach at all times, so your puppy has an easy answer whenever their gums start bothering them.
If you'd like company through this stage,
The Puppy Kindergarten covers mouthing and chewing alongside socialization, house training, and early skills. Six weeks for puppies under 24 weeks, 50-minute sessions, capped at 5 puppies, with one 50% scholarship available every series.
Our Gresham facility is easy to get to from Portland, Happy Valley, Fairview, Damascus, and Troutdale, with parking right out front and a fenced yard for potty breaks between activities.
