Understanding Dental Development: When Do Dogs Lose Their Baby Teeth?

Congratulations! You’ve welcomed a puppy into your home. Whether this is your first experience raising a young dog or you have been down this path before, you’ll undoubtedly have a lot of questions along the way about when dogs lose their baby teeth.

Puppies bring with them bright energy. Their playful antics are endearing to watch as they explore the world around them. As your puppy grows, you’ll notice numerous changes as it ages. From the adorable plump puppy belly that leads to a growth spurt to the comically oversized ears as your dog grows into its body, there’s a lot to learn throughout each stage of growth.

One important development for your pup will be the growth of its teeth. Likely, when your puppy moved into your home, it came with small needle-sharp teeth. These baby teeth help your puppy explore the world around it. But when will your dog lose its baby teeth? If so, when does a puppy lose its baby teeth?

In this guide, we’ll help you understand the dental development of your growing dog, including the timeline you can expect for losing puppy teeth.

Do Puppies Lose Their Teeth?

If you are wondering if your puppy is going to lose its baby teeth, the answer is yes! Puppies develop their first set of teeth—also called deciduous teeth—between two and four weeks old. By the time your puppy turns six weeks old, most of its baby teeth should have come in.

In total, puppies develop around 28 deciduous teeth.

These teeth allow your puppy to transition from nursing to soft food, and they also act as an exploratory tool. By the time your puppy is old enough to come home with you, it is most likely a toothy terror, chomping on everything in sight.

Why do puppies chew on everything? In part, they do this as a way of understanding the world around them. Just like human infants, puppies are prone to putting anything and everything in their mouths. Puppies likewise also use chewing to help alleviate the pain of losing their baby teeth and growing a new set of adult teeth.

When To Expect Your Dog To Lose Its Baby Teeth

Losing its baby teeth is an important part of your pup’s dental development. But when do puppies lose their baby teeth?

Around the time your puppy is 12 to 16 weeks old, you might start to notice small, rice-sized teeth scattered around your home. During this stage, your puppy is shedding its deciduous teeth to make room for its new adult teeth. If you don’t notice the teeth anywhere around your house, don’t be alarmed! Many puppies actually chew on or swallow their own teeth.

Just like a human baby, the teething process for a puppy can be painful. During this period, you should provide puppy-safe toys for your dog to chew on. This can help alleviate gum pain and assist in the process of losing puppy teeth.

When Do Dogs Lose All Their Baby Teeth?

Around the time your puppy reaches six months of age, all baby teeth should be gone, and its adult teeth should have emerged. Most dogs will have around 42 adult teeth. At this point, if you notice any baby teeth remaining, bring them to the attention of your vet. A good vet can help ensure that your pup’s teeth are developing properly and healthily.

What To Expect As Your Dog Loses Its Baby Teeth

As your dog loses its teeth, expect there to be lots of chewing—on anything and everything. That includes furniture, people, and anything within your little one’s reach.

Not only can you expect your pup to be extra mouthy during this stage, but it is also not unusual for a little bleeding to occur when your puppy’s teeth are falling out.

As your puppy loses its baby teeth, be sure to do a quick inspection of its mouth every few weeks. If you notice anything that seems amiss, schedule a visit with your vet. Additionally, it is helpful to start acclimating your dog to having its teeth brushed while it is young. As new teeth come in, spend a few minutes each day introducing a puppy toothbrush to your canine family member. Keeping new teeth clean is an important part of helping your pup develop healthily.

Start Your Pup on a Path to Dental Health

Your dog’s dental health plays a vital role in its wellbeing. Start your puppy out on the right path by providing puppy-safe dental chews, like Wellness WHIMZEES Puppy Dental Treats. These dental chews are specially crafted just for puppies three months and up and are softer than adult chews, making it the perfect texture for their combination of baby & adult teeth. Each treat is designed to help reduce plaque and tartar buildup as the puppy chews and contains calcium to support growing teeth.