Puppy teething runs from around 12 weeks until 6 or 7 months of age, when all 42 permanent teeth have come in. What most owners don’t realize: the chewing behavior that starts during teething will continue well past the seven-month mark — often until 12 to 18 months — because exploration and play drive don’t stop when the discomfort does.
If you’re bracing for months of misery, here’s the reality. Teething is uncomfortable for puppies, but it’s not excruciating. You’ll see more mouthing, some drooling, and a strong preference for gnawing on anything with the right texture. Most of that is manageable with the right toys and a little redirection. The trouble comes when owners mistake normal teething for a vet emergency, or worse, when they miss actual problems because they assume everything is “just teething.”
The Teething Timeline
Puppies are born without erupted teeth. Baby teeth (28 total) start coming in around 3 to 4 weeks and are fully present by 6 weeks. You won’t have the puppy yet, so you won’t see this phase.
Permanent teeth start replacing baby teeth at 12 to 16 weeks. Incisors come first, then canines, then premolars and molars. By 6 to 7 months, your puppy should have all 42 adult teeth, and the teething discomfort should be done.
Here’s what that looks like in practice:
12 to 16 weeks: Peak mouthing phase. Puppies gnaw on everything — your hands, furniture, their crate bars, your other dog. This is when you’ll see the most drooling and the most toy preferences shift day to day. You’ll also find tiny baby teeth on the floor or in their bedding. (Most puppies swallow them. That’s fine.)
16 to 20 weeks: Canines and premolars are erupting. This is often when owners notice the puppy is less interested in food or drops toys mid-play to chew on something else. The discomfort is real, but it shouldn’t stop them from eating or drinking entirely.
20 weeks to 7 months: The last molars finish coming in. Mouthing usually tapers, but don’t expect it to disappear. By now, chewing is part habit, part teething relief, part play.
What You’ll Actually See
I’ve fostered more than forty dogs, and the puppies in that mix taught me this: teething looks different depending on the individual dog, but some signs are nearly universal.
Increased mouthing and play-biting. This ramps up around 12 weeks and stays high through the worst of teething. It’s not aggression — it’s the puppy applying counter-pressure to sore gums and exploring textures that feel good. If you don’t redirect it early, it can become a habit that outlasts the teething itself. See the crate-training guide for containment strategies during the peak mouthing phase, and training resources on bite redirection.
Drooling. Mild drooling is normal, especially when the puppy is focused on a chew or playing hard. If the drool is excessive, foul-smelling, or accompanied by difficulty swallowing, that’s not teething — call your vet.
Pickiness about toys. A toy the puppy loved yesterday might be ignored today because the texture doesn’t match what their gums need. Rotate toys with different surfaces: soft rubber, ridged designs, rope (supervised only — loose strands are a choking risk). Kong Puppy toys and Nylabone Gentle Chew lines are sized and textured for teething.
Reduced appetite. Some puppies eat less during active eruption because chewing dry kibble hurts. If your puppy is interested in food but reluctant to chew, try softening kibble with warm water or switching temporarily to wet food. If they stop eating entirely, that’s a vet visit.
Chewing on furniture, baseboards, and hands. This is the puppy seeking relief wherever they can find it. It’s your job to provide appropriate outlets and supervise closely enough to redirect before the behavior becomes rehearsed. A puppy who learns that table legs feel good at 14 weeks will still chew table legs at 10 months, even when teething pain is long gone.
Puppy Teething Pain Relief
Most puppies manage teething discomfort without medication. The American Veterinary Medical Association and ASPCA both emphasize non-pharmaceutical strategies as first-line relief, and in my experience, they work.
Chew toys with counter-pressure. Textured rubber toys that the puppy can really gnaw on provide the most relief. The pressure against erupting teeth feels good and gives the puppy something to do with all that mouth discomfort. Look for toys designed for puppies — adult-dog toys are often too hard and can damage developing teeth.
Cold (not frozen) relief. A wet washcloth that’s been in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes, or a rubber toy that’s been refrigerated, can numb sore gums. Do not give ice-hard toys or anything frozen solid — extreme cold can damage gum tissue, and rock-hard toys can crack enamel. If the toy wouldn’t flex a little when you squeeze it, it’s too hard.
Texture rotation. Puppies will shift preferences as different teeth erupt. Soft rubber one day, a firmer rope toy the next. Keep three or four options in rotation and let the puppy choose. Forcing a single “approved” toy rarely works during this phase.
Softened food. If your puppy is eating less, try adding warm water to kibble and letting it sit for five minutes. The food becomes easier to chew, and most puppies will eat normally again.
Pain medication (rarely needed). Veterinarians occasionally prescribe NSAIDs for severe discomfort, but this is uncommon. Never give human pain relievers without explicit vet instruction — the dosing is not the same, and some medications (like ibuprofen) can be toxic to dogs.
When Do Puppies Stop Teething?
Teething discomfort resolves when the last permanent teeth come in, usually by 6 to 7 months. But here’s where owners get confused: the pain stops, but the chewing behavior does not.
Puppies continue to mouth and chew well into adolescence — 12 to 18 months for most dogs — because they’re exploring their world, playing, and working through boredom or arousal. A 9-month-old puppy who’s gnawing on your couch is not teething. They’re either under-exercised, under-stimulated, or haven’t been taught what’s appropriate to chew.
This distinction matters because the management strategy changes. During teething, you’re managing discomfort with cold toys and texture options. After teething, you’re managing behavior with training, exercise, and environmental setup. If you’re still seeing heavy mouthing at 8 or 10 months, revisit puppy socialization and impulse-control training for bite-inhibition work.
What’s Not Normal
Teething causes mild discomfort, some drooling, and a lot of chewing. It does not cause high fever, severe pain, or inability to eat. Here’s when to call your vet:
Fever above 103°F. A low-grade fever (up to 101°F) can accompany teething, but anything higher suggests infection — retained baby teeth trapping bacteria, an abscess, or an unrelated illness. According to the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, high fever during the teething window is not caused by eruption itself and should be evaluated.
Retained baby teeth. If you see a permanent tooth erupting right next to a baby tooth that hasn’t fallen out — especially the canines — the baby tooth won’t shed on its own. It will trap food and bacteria between the two teeth, increasing infection risk and potentially causing misalignment. Your vet will need to extract it. This is common enough that it’s worth checking your puppy’s mouth weekly during the 4-to-6-month window.
Swelling or asymmetry in the jaw or face. Teething does not cause visible swelling. If one side of your puppy’s face looks puffy, or if the jaw looks uneven, suspect an abscess or developmental issue.
Foul odor from the mouth, bleeding, or pus. Normal teething does not produce these. A little blood on a toy after a baby tooth falls out is fine. Ongoing bleeding or a smell that makes you pull back when the puppy yawns is not.
Complete loss of appetite or inability to drink. Reduced interest in food is normal. Refusing all food and water is not.
Unexplained lethargy. Puppies are puppies — even while teething, they should still have energy for play. If your puppy is sleeping far more than usual, not interested in play, and running a fever, teething is not the cause.
A puppy wellness exam around 4 to 5 months gives your vet a chance to monitor eruption progress and catch retained teeth or other issues early.
The Myth About Teething and Fever
One of the most persistent myths I see repeated in puppy Facebook groups: “My puppy has a 104° fever, but the vet said it’s just teething.”
No credible veterinarian says this, because it’s not true. Teething can cause a very mild, short-lived temperature increase — up to about 101°F. A fever of 103°F or higher is a sign of infection or systemic illness, not teething. The American Veterinary Medical Association is clear on this: if your puppy has a high fever during the teething window, don’t assume it’s the teeth. Get them checked.
This myth is dangerous because it leads owners to wait out a treatable infection, assuming it will resolve when the teeth finish coming in. It won’t.
FAQ
How long does the worst of puppy teething last?
The peak discomfort and mouthing happen between 12 and 20 weeks, when incisors, canines, and premolars are all erupting in close succession. By 6 to 7 months, teething pain is done, but chewing behavior continues well into adolescence.
Can I give my puppy ice cubes for teething?
Ice cubes are safe for some puppies, but they’re hard enough to crack developing teeth if the puppy chomps down wrong. A frozen washcloth or a refrigerated rubber toy is a safer option that still provides cold relief.
Should I let my puppy chew on sticks or rawhide?
No to both. Sticks splinter and can lodge in the throat or puncture the mouth. Rawhide is a choking hazard, especially for puppies whose aim and jaw control are still developing. Stick to appropriately sized rubber or nylon toys designed for teething puppies.
My puppy is 10 months old and still chewing everything. Is this still teething?
No. Teething ends by 7 months. What you’re seeing at 10 months is adolescent chewing driven by boredom, play, or lack of training. This is a management and training issue, not a developmental one.
Teething is uncomfortable, but it’s not a crisis. Most puppies move through it without needing medication or a vet visit, as long as you’re providing appropriate relief and watching for the signs that separate normal eruption from a real problem. The mouthing phase is intense, and it overlaps with some of the hardest parts of early puppyhood, but it does end. What doesn’t end on its own is the chewing habit — that’s on you to redirect and manage long after the last tooth comes in.