A dog’s baby teeth fall out between 12 to 16 weeks old. The incisors (small teeth in front) tend to be the first to fall out. You might find lost teeth, but it’s unlikely. These teeth are tiny, and many puppies swallow them as they loosen up.
Symptoms of a Dog’s Baby Teeth Falling Out
Your puppy’s gums may appear swollen, and her mouth is now tender. You also may notice these signs that your puppy is losing her baby teeth:
- Blood on chew toys
- Chewing, lots of chewing
- Blood on puppy’s mouth
- Hesitation to chew hard treats
- Swollen gums
- The appearance of adult teeth breaking through the gums
Help for Puppy Teething
While her teeth are switching over from her first 28 deciduous, or “baby,” teeth to a full set of 42 adult teeth, your puppy will chew. And chew, and chew. As always, you should watch what she’s choosing as a chew!
Most puppies do enjoy some cold, soft chew items while teething. Soaking a washcloth in cold water and freezing it before giving it to your puppy will help comfort her gums. Soft or semi soft chew items such as Kongs made for puppies are good choices, too. Always supervise chewing, as she may break off pieces of chew items and it’s preferable if she didn’t swallow them.
Resist the urge to introduce tooth brushing until she is through the irritating teething stage. Instead, offer her some enzymatic dog toothpaste (poultry flavor tends to be a big hit) to lick off your fingers.
By the age of 6 to 8 months, your pup should have her full set of adult teeth. Occasionally, a baby tooth will remain in place, with the adult tooth beside or behind it. Your veterinarian may recommend pulling the baby tooth to allow the adult one to grow in normally. Your puppy’s bite (how her front teeth mesh) should be apparent by this time as well.
I just found my a tooth on the couch from my 22 week old Malinois puppy. Right on cue as they get the adult canines from 22-26 weeks old. I rarely find puppy teeth that have fallen out so had to take a picture and share with FB friends. It was a big deal!!