Puppy Teeth (Common Issues)

When do Puppies Start Getting Teeth?

Most puppies start getting their teeth around 3 weeks old. They should have all their puppy teeth in by 8 weeks old. Then their permanent teeth start coming in around 3 months old and they should have all 42 teeth (20 on the top and 22 on the bottom) by the time they are 6 ~ 8 months old.  Now this information is what is most common.  Some breeds will take longer to get their teeth in, some take shorter. Also, some breeds have less then 42 permanent teeth.

Why Does My Puppy Chew on Everything?

Puppies chew on pretty much anything they can to relieve the pain & pressure on their gums while they are teething. Puppy teeth are fragile and can break easy. Puppy teeth are also very sharp, so make sure you have adequate and appropriate chewing toys to help your puppy through the teething process. Puppies DON’T know what’s “acceptable” and “not acceptable” to chew on. All they know is that their mouth hurts. So it’s up to YOU as the pet owner to give them acceptable puppy chew toys and puppy teething toys. If you see them chewing on something you don’t want them to, then take that item away from them AND REPLACE IT with the appropriate chew toy. Then while they play and chew the correct item, praise them. This way they learn the rules. Puppies are babies, so DON’T expect them to learn it on the first correction. Proper training takes TIME, PATIENCE, EFFORT ON YOUR PART and lots of positive reinforcement.

What is Tooth Retention?

Unfortunately, teeth don’t always come in perfect. Alot of times the baby teeth will be real stubborn and won’t want to come out when the new permanent adult tooth is trying to come in. So the permanent adult teeth have to grow around the puppy teeth. This causes abnormal positioning of the teeth which can lead to other issues. When this happens it’s called retention or retained teeth. Veterinarians can remove retained teeth to prevent problems and save you money later on from possible issues it can cause if you leave it.

What is an Overbite?

Close your pets mouth and lift up the gums. If the upper teeth stick out further than the bottom teeth, then your puppy most likely has an overbite. (also called a parrot mouth) Alot of overbites will correct by the time they are 10 months old. If it doesn’t, ask your vet about correction options.

What is an Underbite?

An underbite is just the reverse of a overbite. Close your puppies mouth and lift up the gums. If the bottom jaw & teeth stick out further than the top, it’s most likely an underbite.

Disclaimer: We Are NOT Licensed Vets.  DO NOT try to diagnose or treat animals based off this or any other information you find on the Internet.  This page is just BASIC INFORMATION  to help bring awareness to the different health issues that are common in puppies.  If your puppy is having any kind of medical issue, please seek PROPER professional treatment from a licensed vet who is trained and set up to handle such matters.