When Do Puppies Lose Their Baby Teeth

Because puppies grow at superhuman rates during their first year, we often miss some of their milestones. After all, aging seven years for every one of ours means that most developmental hurdles are crossed within their first nine months. Some milestones are quite obvious and difficult to miss, such as sexual maturity, the loss of that sweet puppy fuzz (which is replaced by the dog hair that will clog your vacuum for the rest of his life), and that beautiful day when your puppy figures out where the potty is. These moments make a dog’s human proud, reminding us that our time and energy are well spent. We can see these milestones as a reflection of our loving care. However, not all milestones are so obvious. For example, when do puppies lose their baby teeth?

Those little razor-sharp baby teeth might make Fido look as cute as a button with his wide “cheese” grin, but they can also leave deep cuts in human flesh during accidental nips. God forbid you find yourself on the receiving end of an intentional bite—it feels like those tiny razors are slicing through vital arteries, even if it’s just a finger. Most people are grateful when these little dagger blades are finally replaced by their grown-up counterparts. Since dogs don’t have their own personal tooth fairy, humans often miss the subtle changes as the teeth shift. Occasionally, you might find one of those little lost teeth underfoot, like a surprise gift on the way to the shower—definitely not the most pleasant discovery, especially considering how much worse it felt when your puppy nipped you during a game of ball.

It seems that nature has given dogs some protection against the discomfort of losing baby teeth. While human children may become cautious about what they chew on when losing baby teeth, dogs don’t have that luxury. They can’t opt for the softer, more manageable applesauce over their hard, crunchy kibble. Nature seems to spare them from any noticeable discomfort—or at least, that’s what we, as their humans, like to believe.

It’s rare to find a puppy’s baby tooth lying around on the floor. More likely, any lost teeth will be found clinging to a chew toy, stuck where the pressure pushed them in, but left behind as the toy becomes their new “mouth.” Most of the time, however, humans never find any baby teeth at all, because dogs typically swallow them when they fall out. The first time you’ll likely notice this change in your puppy is when there’s a sudden gap in their front teeth, like they’ve been socked right in the kisser.

Puppies begin to lose their baby teeth at 4 months of age

Since puppies are so slick about dropping their baby teeth and growing in their more formidable permanent fangs, it can be tough to pinpoint when exactly they lose their baby teeth. The average age is about 4 months, that sweet yet troublesome stage when puppies begin acting like petulant adolescents, convinced they know everything while living with the world’s most clueless humans. The range varies, depending on the dog’s size and breed. Most puppies lose their baby teeth between 3 and 6 months, though some stubborn breeds might hold onto theirs into the seventh or eighth month.

Long ago, right around the dawn of life on Earth, mammals were born with just one set of teeth. As teeth broke, wore down, or were lost during fights or other survival stunts, new teeth grew in to replace them. Around 250 million years ago, mammals evolved a two-set teeth system, which has served both puppies and humans well. The sharper baby teeth compensate for a lack of jaw strength, while the stronger permanent teeth provide better durability and positioning. It’s a pretty solid system—until your dog starts losing those adult teeth to decay.

Fortunately, oral hygiene for dogs is finally gaining recognition as an important quality-of-life issue. Dogs should have an annual cleaning (sometimes more frequently, depending on needs) and have oral care as part of their routine vet visits. Teeth can rot quickly, leaving your dog with finicky eating habits and unexplained pain. Dogs can’t exactly come to their humans complaining about a headache caused by a bad tooth, nor can they explain the sharp, burning sensation that blinds them whenever they try to crunch down on something. They can’t say how much they’d appreciate that chewy treat if it didn’t feel like they were chewing on glass with every bite.

So, when do puppies lose their baby teeth? Besides the obvious answer—that it happens when their permanent teeth are pushing through—the general rule is that larger dogs tend to start losing their baby teeth around 3 months, while smaller breeds might hang on to them until closer to 6 months. Of course, these are just guidelines, and like any other milestone, your puppy will reach this one when he’s ready.