How Long Does It Take Before a Puppy's Teeth Push Out?

Puppies chew on anything available when teething.

Born without teeth, puppies go through a process much like human babies while their teeth grow in. The emerging teeth cause puppies pain, and they will chew and bite to alleviate the discomfort until they have all of their teeth.

Time Frame

Your puppy's baby teeth, called deciduous, begin to erupt between 3 to 4 weeks of age. Permanent teeth emerge around the 3rd to 4th month of life. By 6 to 7 months old, your puppy should show all of its permanent teeth.

Identification

The puppy's deciduous incisors come in at 4 to 6 weeks of age; permanent incisors show at 3 to 5 months. Baby canines emerge at 4 to 5 weeks old; permanent canines at 4 to 6 months. Deciduous premolars appear at 6 weeks of age, and adult premolars come in at 4 to 5 months. Your puppy's molars, all permanent, don't surface until 5 to 7 months of age.

Warning

Some puppies retain their deciduous teeth when the mature teeth grow in, causing displacement of the permanent teeth. Your vet needs to remove the retained baby teeth to avoid overlapping and what veterinarians call a malocclusion, a condition where canine teeth are not in their normal positions.

References

• PetEducation: Oral and Dental Anatomy of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets
• Colorado State University: Dental Anatomy of Dogs
• Long Beach Animal Hospital: Dental Disease

Resources

• All Pets Dental Clinic: Normal Canine Dental Anatomy
• The Dog Health Guide: Info on Puppy Teeth