When Do German Shepherds Stop Teething? The Baby Teeth Stages and Timeline

One sure way to monitor the overall growth and development of a German Shepherd dog would be by tracking the teeth or dentition of the puppy. Just like humans, dog breeds like the German Shepherd are born with no set of teeth. That’s right! During the early stages of the puppy’s growth, they are all gum and no teeth.

After some time, a process called teething begins. This is the point at which a set of baby teeth begins to form in the mouth of the German Shepherd puppy. Again, just like the human child, the puppy German Shepherd would eventually lose their set of baby teeth for a new stronger set of adult teeth.

All through this process, your German Shepherd puppy might go through a whole wave of experiences. In this article, we provide you with all you need to know about German Shepherd dentition. We provide all the necessary information about the various teething stages of the German Shepherd dog.

We also provide some information on the various signs to know if your puppy is teething and provide useful information or tips on how to help your German Shepherd puppy through this entire process.

The teething process results in the development of new puppy teeth in the mouth of the German Shepherd puppy. With proper care and attention, this process of teething for the German Shepherd should stop at 6 months of age.

The Various Stages of Teething For German Shepherds

As we have stated earlier, German Shepherds are somewhat like humans specifically when it involves teething or the formation of new teeth by the German Shepherd. Newly born German Shepherd puppies come with bare gums and no teeth. At this stage, they are mostly encouraged to avoid anything solid.

To feed, the German Shepherd puppy feeds directly from the mother German Shepherd by sucking from the teat of the German Shepherd puppy. This stage in the German Shepherd’s life should last 14 days or 2 weeks would have elapsed during which the German Shepherd would experience one of the two stages of teething for the German Shepherd.

Stage 1: Development of Baby Teeth For The German Shepherd

The first stage of teething for the German Shepherd puppy should start from the first 2 weeks to 3 weeks. Interestingly, this is also around the same time period in which the adult German Shepherd begins to open his or her eyes to a brand new world. They experience a lot of growth at this stage which is why they spend a lot of their first weeks eating and sleeping to reserve the energy their body would need.

In most cases, the people who get to experience this stage in the development of the German Shepherd puppies are the breeders and not the puppy owners. This is because most German Shepherd dogs get to spend their first 8 weeks with their breeders before being sent to their new families.

Since the German Shepherd breeder at this stage gets to monitor the puppy during the first puppy stage of teething, a lot has to be done to ease the discomfort that might be caused by the puppy in this first stage of teething.

During this stage, the baby teeth of the German Shepherd push through the gums of the German Shepherd puppy. There are three teeth types that are formed at this stage in the teething of the German Shepherd;

• The Incisor (which is mostly regarded as the frontal German Shepherd teeth).
• Premolars (This set of teeth usually takes a while to fully form, your puppy might be growing premolars till the end of 6 weeks).
• The Canine (Arguably one of the most important dog teeth types for your German Shepherd). They should start forming during the 3rd and 4th weeks and assist the dog in chewing and tearing up food.

All in all, your German Shepherd puppy should have a total of 28 baby teeth formed during this first stage of German Shepherd teething.

Stage 2: Development of Adult German Shepherd Teething

The 2nd stage of the German Shepherd teething process starts with the end or removal of the baby teeth for the German Shepherd puppy, which usually should start during the 8th week of the German Shepherd’s life.

At this stage, the German Shepherd dog would slowly begin to lose some of its baby teeth through certain activities. Most German Shepherd puppies would lose their baby tooth while eating or playing with their various chew toys. They can also lose their teeth while playing with both their owners and each other.

By the 12th week, after a lot, if not all of their baby teeth would have loosely fallen off, then the formation of a new set of teeth can begin. This new set of teeth is a lot stronger and thus, more permanent than the baby German Shepherd teeth, it is called the adult teeth.

There are a total number of 42 adult teeth for the German Shepherd. These teeth can be divided into 4 types, which are the molar, premolar, Incisor, and canine teeth.

German Shepherd Teething Symptoms

When a German Shepherd puppy begins teething, there are often signs and symptoms that they may display in response to the teething process. Knowing what these various signs and symptoms are can be very crucial to the overall German Shepherd puppy’s health. Here are a couple of these signs and symptoms to look out for;

Regular Chewing On Objects

One of the most common signs a teething German Shepherd puppy might exhibit is excessive chewing. During this stage, it is common to find your German Shepherd puppy chewing on items like furniture, shoes, and even clothing items.

Chewing is the puppy’s method of coping with the pain and discomfort that is caused by the formation of new teeth. It is recommended that you keep all expensive items including clothing items and furniture away from their reach. And to help ease your puppy through this habit, we recommend that you get them a chew toy to play with.

Blood Stains or Spots on Their Chew Toys

If your German Shepherd puppy already has a chew toy before the start of the teething process, one sure sign to look out for would be traces of blood stains on their chew toys. Again, this is in response to the pain caused by the teething process.

The blood stains are caused by excessive and forceful chewing which could cause some soreness or irritation to the delicate gums of the German Shepherd puppy.

Behavioral Change

Sometimes, you might find your German Shepherd puppy acting out for no reason, it might be caused by the pain and general discomfort caused by the process of teething. You might find your puppy being more violent than usual.

If you do notice any sudden change in behavior, the best way to settle it is by exercising a lot more patience with your puppy. Provide them with all the love and attention that they deserve and you can get them a chew toy to help keep them distracted from the pain.

Excess Drooling

Drooling is another sign to look out for during the process of teething in your German Shepherd puppy. Due to the pain caused by teething, it is normal to find your beloved German Shepherd puppy drooling.

Mild Fever

If exposed to pain for so long, it is not uncommon for a German Shepherd puppy to develop a fever. Not to say that all fevers experienced by the German Shepherd puppy are signs of teething, but it is possible for the fever to be caused by the process of teething.

Misaligned Teeth Formation

Teething as we already know is a slow and gradual process. It is possible for the teeth to look misaligned or scattered during the process. This usually happens during the 2nd stage of the process when the baby teeth are being replaced by the adult teeth.

The adult teeth trying to push out any remnant baby teeth lodged above it can cause the entire teeth to look scattered and misaligned.

Swollen Red Gums

Swollen red gums are only expected during this process as it is a result of high stress on the gums of German Shepherd puppies. This can cause incredible discomfort and even behavioral change for the puppy.

When this happens, consider taking your puppy to the required professional or vet to have their gum looked at properly.

Pieces of Lose Baby Teeth Around The House

If during the process of cleaning your home, you find small tiny canine teeth pieces scattered across different areas of the house. Chances are that your German Shepherd puppy is having a loose dentition.

At What Age Do German Shepherds Start The Teething Process

As we already know, there are two different stages that are associated with the teething stage. The first is during the formation of baby teeth from the gums of a German Shepherd puppy. This usually is expected to start during the first 2 to 3 weeks after the German Shepherd would have been born.

The second stage of the German Shepherd teething stage is during the 9th or 10th week after the German Shepherd’s initial baby teeth would have been started. During this stage, the already-formed baby teeth are slowly and gradually replaced by stronger adult German Shepherd teeth.

During this stage of teething for the German Shepherd, the estimated overall age of the German Shepherd puppy should be around 3 months or 12 weeks. At this second stage, the baby teeth weaken and begin to fall out and a new set of 42 German Shepherd teeth is expected to come through during this stage.

When Does a German Shepherd Stop The Teething Process?

The second stage of the teething process begins from the 3rd month of the German Shepherd and it should be rounding up during the 7th or 8th month of the German Shepherd puppy’s age. So the entire process should have a 4-month or month timeframe in total.

Now it is worth stating that not all German Shepherd puppies have the same timeframe for the teething process. It is very possible for a puppy to complete its entire teething process before the 7th or 8th-month mark and it still is very possible for a puppy to continue teething longer than 7 or 8 months.

How Long Should The Entire Teething Process Last For?

With all that has been said so far about the teething process of the German Shepherd puppy, how long does the entire process last? Well, ideally, the process is meant to have a 32 weeks time frame as the puppies are meant to be done by 8 months of age.

However, as we have stated earlier, German Shepherds experience teething in different ways, some dogs might take a longer timeframe to completely develop their adult teeth while some can do it in a very short timeframe, so the exact time period is hard to predict.

Also considering the fact that the first 2 weeks of the German Shepherd puppy’s life is basically spent toothless, we can give an estimate of 30 weeks for the teething period to last for. The Baby teeth or milk teeth of the German Shepherd puppy are pretty easy to predict as they don’t grow past the 3rd month.

However, the main uncertainty is caused by the development of adult teeth. It takes a lot of time for the adult tooth to form and push the baby tooth out of the gum of the German Shepherd puppy. The molars in particular are usually very hard to dislodge as the baby molars are often fixed firmly into the puppy’s gums.

When the adult teeth of the German Shepherd puppy fully develop and the entire process of teething does stop for the German Shepherd, you should be looking at a brand new set of strong, clean, and healthy 42 teeth, with 21 teeth on each side of the German Shepherd puppy’s mouth.

Is Diarrhea A Symptom of Teething In German Shepherds?

Although some dog owners do report the presence of diarrhea in their puppies during the process of teething, there is no actual proof that the two health conditions are linked to each other. Although it is possible for a dog to chew and swallow about anything it sees during the teething process which can lead to possible diarrhea.

We recommend that you take your puppy to the required licensed professional or vet if you do notice signs or symptoms of diarrhea during this process of teething in your puppy.

German Shepherd Teething And Ears

There is also another belief that the process of teething in German Shepherds can affect the ears of the puppy making it appear floppy during the teething process. Well, floppy ears are not uncommon for German Shepherd puppies during the teething process.

But do not be worried, your German Shepherd should have their cute and erect puppy ears during the 16th week and 20th week during the process. This is because, by the 20th week, the cartilage present in the dog’s ear should have gained enough strength and hardness to be able to stand permanently erect.

At What Age Do German Shepherds Stop Biting?

As we have stated earlier, excessive or unusual biting and chewing are some of the major symptoms associated with the process of teething. So it is only normal for German Shepherd puppies to stop biting and nipping once the entire process is over which should be after 7 or 8 months.

German Shepherd Teething Tips

To help make the process of teething easier for both you and your German Shepherd puppy, you can try out any of the following tips;

Try to Puppy-Proof Your Home

As we already know by now, all puppies (not just German Shepherd puppies) do have a high propensity for accidents. Still, during the teething process, the propensity for accidents is exponentially higher. This is because they chew and bite everything in sight from furniture to wires and even glass bottles.

Not only can this habit destroy your expensive household items, but it can also put your beloved German Shepherd puppy through very harmful situations. This is why puppy-proofing your home is highly recommended during the teething stage or process. To do this;

• Ensure you take all possible children’s toys or sharp objects out of the reach of the German Shepherd puppy.
• Every wiring used in the house should be concealed using strong adhesive tapes or should be raised out of the reach of the puppy.
• Ensure your puppy receives their proper crate training so they can learn to stay safe in their various crates.
• All furniture (especially the expensive types) should be kept out of reach from the puppy to prevent them from using it as chew toys.
• Leash your puppy regularly especially to your side to keep them from wandering off during this stage.

Provide The Right Toys

Getting the right toys could really help your German Shepherd during this otherwise painful and uncomfortable process. You want to make sure the toys you get for your beloved German Shepherd puppy are both durable and chewable.

Always prioritize quality when shopping for items for your German Shepherd. You should speak to a properly licensed vet for possible recommendations and even after that, it helps to monitor the toys closely to be sure they don’t break apart during the process of playing or chewing.

You can also consider getting them some treats in the form of chewies to help ease them through this process. The flavored taste of the chewy should serve as a delightful distraction for your puppy during this teething phase.

Introduce Them To Bite Inhibition Training Program

It is normal for your German Shepherd puppy to bite you or attempt to bite you during the teething process. After all, they do want something chewable to help ease them off the pain and discomfort and your skin might come off as chewable.

However, for us, this might not all be delightful especially if your puppy doesn’t know when to play and when it’s getting a bit too serious or out of hand (no pun intended). This is why bite inhibition training programs are crucial during this stage of the process.

Now it might be difficult for your puppy to pay attention to training sessions during this period or process. This is often due to the pain and discomfort the process would be causing them. This is why a proper training method must be employed.

Use a gentle but equally stern approach that doesn’t necessarily come off as violent or scary to the puppy. When playing with your puppy and it bites you, try expressing the pain verbally without showing fear. This should send a message to your puppy that it is a bit too rough. Once done, stop the play immediately.

Next time your puppy plays with you, it would learn to be gentle with you to avoid ending the game.

German Shepherd Teething Toys

We know the importance of getting the right toys for your German Shepherd puppy during this stage of teething, but what exactly are those toys you can get for them? Some good toys you can get for your puppies are;

• Rubber Kong

The rubber kong toy is a highly reliable and popular dog toy to invest in. Not only are they durable and highly chewy, but they also come in a variety of sizes to match your German Shepherd puppy’s taste

As a bonus, the rubber kong allows you to stuff some treats inside which could help keep your puppy positively distracted during the teething process.

• Nylabones Chew Toys

Nylabones are also created in the United States. They are also highly recommended by vets from all over because of their multi-textured technology. The Nylabones power chew toy can keep your German Shepherd puppy properly satisfied for hours.

Looking After Your Dog’s Teeth

The teething process is quite daunting for most dog owners and even though your puppy might be going through some level of pain, proper dental care is still highly needed during this stage. Always brush your German Shepherds with quality canine toothpaste at least 3 times each week.

Try adding dental powders to their meals to help protect their teeth and always endeavor to take your puppy to regular vet appointments.

Conclusion

There you have it, all you need to know about the teething process for your German Shepherd puppy. Remember to always prioritize quality over price when it comes to your puppy’s dental health.

Vet appointments are very important during this stage and always be patient with your dog during this stage in their life.