Like humans, dogs develop baby teeth that naturally fall out in puppyhood to make way for their larger, permanent adult teeth over time.
Stages
Most puppies begin teething and shedding sharp baby teeth between 3-6 months old with the process completing by 7 months old.
Age
Pups have 28 baby teeth while adults have 42 permanent teeth – so 14 baby teeth fall out or are chewed out as adult teeth emerge.
Count
Swollen gums, drooling, chewing, bad breath and visible loose baby teeth signal teething puppy discomfort from emerging new teeth.
Signs
Provide frozen chew toys to relieve sore gums and soothe teething pain along with extra patient supervision.
Care
Schedule early vet dental checks to ensure proper permanent bite alignment and no retained baby roots that require extraction.
Prevention
Take away teeth loose enough to present a choking hazard until safely expelled rather than tugging them out prematurely.
Safety