When Do Pitbulls Stop Teething – Pitbull Teething Timeline Explained

Like human newborn babies, Pit Bull puppies will go through a teething period as they grow up. However, there’s only one difference, which is that this teething period occurs at a much faster rate for dogs.

You need to know when your Pit Bull will stop teething so you can take care of it properly and ensure that its teeth are healthy. So, when do Pitbulls stop teething? 

Pitbulls stop teething when they’re 5 to 8 months old, and their teething period usually begins when they’re 5 to 6 weeks old. They will grow 28 baby teeth first, which will fall out when they’re about 3 months old. Then, they will grow their molar and the rest of their – 42 in total – adult teeth. 

Keep reading to learn more about the timeline of the Pit Bull’s teething period, how to tell that your Pit Bull is teething, and how to help it and reduce its suffering during the teething period.

How Long Does the Pit Bull’s Teething Period Last?

The teething period for Pit BullS starts when they’re at eight weeks of age and last for about 5 to 6 months.

The exact rate and duration of the teething process might vary slightly from one dog to another, depending on their genetics and overall health. However, teething generally goes faster for dogs than it does for humans.

There are various stages involved in the dog’s teething process, so let’s break down the timeline of that period in more detail.

The Timeline of the Pit Bull’s Teething Period

Here’s a Quick infographic that explains the Pit Bull’s Teething timeline:

Now, let’s explain what happens at every stage:

Growing the First Tooth – at 5 to 6 weeks of age

The teething period for Pit Bulls begins when they grow their first baby tooth. This typically occurs when the puppies are at 5 to 6 weeks of age which is when they first stop drinking milk from their mother.

Growing the Rest of the Baby Teeth – at eight weeks of age

By the time Pit Bulls reach eight weeks of age, they will start growing the rest of their baby teeth.

Pit Bulls have 28 baby teeth in total, and they are similar to milk teeth in humans, meaning these teeth will fall out to make room for their adult teeth.

Losing the Baby Teeth – at three months of age

After they grow all 28 of their baby teeth, Pit Bulls will start losing them to allow their adult teeth to grow in their place.

This typically occurs when Pit Bulls are three months of age. Pit Bulls tend to lose their baby teeth faster than they grow them, and the process usually starts with the incisors falling out, followed by the canines.

Growing the Molars – at four months of age

When Pit Bulls reach four months of age, most of their baby teeth would have fallen out and have been replaced. At the same time, they would start growing their molars.

It’s recommended to take your dog to a vet at this stage to see how many baby teeth it has left and whether any dental problems need correction.

Growing the Rest of Their Adult Teeth – at 5 to 8 months of age

Around 5 to 8 months of age, your Pit Bull would’ve finished growing the rest of its adult teeth.

If there are any problems with the dog’s teeth at this point, it’s best to get them immediately corrected to prevent any further damage in the future.

How Many Adult Teeth Do Pit Bulls Have?

Pit Bulls finish growing all of their adult teeth by the time they reach eight months of age.

They have a total number of 42 adult teeth divided across their upper and lower jaws. So, let’s take a closer look at how these teeth are classified:

Upper Jaw	Lower Jaw
6 incisors	6 incisors
2 canines	2 canines
8 premolars	8 premolars
4 molars	6 molars

Do Pit Bulls Have Sharp Teeth?

Pit Bulls do not have sharp teeth; however, their bite force is still strong enough to break the skin and cause some serious damage.

They are responsible for a large percentage of fatalities caused by biting. So, it’s very important to avoid provoking Pit Bulls enough to attack or bite. Check out my guide on the signs that a Pit Bull will attack to learn how to avoid it.

How to Take Care of Your Pit Bull’s Teeth?

To take care of your Pit Bull’s teeth, you need to brush them daily. Make sure you’re using a soft toothbrush and toothpaste that’s suitable for dogs to prevent the dog’s gum from becoming irritated. You also need to provide the dog with a healthy diet and minimize its sugar intake.

How to Tell That Your Pit Bull Is Teething?

It’s very easy to tell that your Pit Bull is teething, as it’s a painful and uncomfortable process for the dog to go through.

Teething will cause the dog to exhibit certain signs and symptoms. As a responsible owner, you need to know when your Pit Bull starts teething in order to provide it with the care it needs and reduce its suffering during that period.

So, let’s take a close look at the most common signs and symptoms of teething in dogs:

Excessive Chewing

The most obvious sign of teething in dogs is frequent chewing. You’ll notice that your dog is chewing on any object within its reach in an attempt to relieve some of the pressure in its mouth that’s caused by teething.

I have another post in which I discuss the Pit Bull’s excessive chewing in more detail, so be sure to check it out.

Swollen Gums and Bleeding

Teething can cause the dog’s gums to become irritated and swollen. This is usually accompanied by slight bleeding.

You can tell that the dog is bleeding as you’ll notice red spots on its chew toys. You’ll also notice that the dog’s drool has turned into a light pink color instead of its normal clear color.

Loss of Appetite

Some Pit Bulls will lose their appetites when they’re teething. This happens because they’re in too much pain to move their jaws or chew on their food properly.

Excessive Drooling

Drooling is natural for Pit Bulls. However, if it gets too excessive, it’s usually a sign that the dog is teething.

Since Pitbulls tend to be in a lot of pain when they’re teething, they usually can’t close their mouth properly, causing saliva to build up and dribble down their chin.

Slight Fever

The average body temperature for Pit Bulls ranges from 101 to 102.5°F (38.3 to 39.2°C).

In some cases, they will run a slight fever when they’re teething. This symptom is not very common, and it’s not very dangerous as it’s easy to cool their temperature down with some cold water.

Keep in mind that Pitbulls do get hot easily, so if you live somewhere that’s hot, their high temperature may also be due to the warm weather.

Do You Need to Take Your Pit Bull to A Vet When It’s Teething?

Although teething is hard for Pit Bulls to go through, you wouldn’t normally need to take your dog to a vet when it’s teething, as most of the pain and discomfort caused can be easily managed at home through proper care.

However, you might need to take your dog to the vet if there are any complications with the teething process.

Some dogs experience a condition known as double teeth, where their baby teeth don’t fall off, which hinders the growth of their adult teeth or causes them to grow over the still remaining baby teeth.

Some dogs might also have an underbite or an overbite which is a condition where the dog’s teeth do not align properly, causing them to have trouble with eating or closing their mouth.

In these cases, it’s best to take your dog to a vet so it can undergo the necessary dental procedures, whether it’s to remove the teeth or correct their position.

How to Help Your Pit Bull When It’s Teething?

As mentioned before, teething is a painful and uncomfortable process that can be very difficult for Pit Bulls to go through.

It’s important to know how to help your Pit Bull when it’s teething to reduce its suffering during that period and ensure that its teeth will turn out healthy.

Luckily, there are some measures you can take to relieve the pain and discomfort caused by the teething process. So, let’s take a quick look at those measures:

Provide the Dog with Chew Toys

You need to provide your dog with chew toys during the teething period, as chewing will help the dog relieve some of the pressure in its mouth, which will help reduce the pain.

Having a chew toy will also prevent your dog from chewing on any object around the house that it shouldn’t be chewing on, such as furniture, shoes, or even your hands.

Chew toys come in different designs, so you need to choose one that’s ideal for your dog’s needs. Here are some things to take into consideration when choosing a chew toy for your dog:

• It should be made of high-quality and durable materials so that it would withstand the dog’s constant chewing without getting damaged. The material should also be non-toxic, as the dog will be keeping the toy in its mouth for extended periods of time.
• It shouldn’t have any small parts that might come loose, as the dog might accidentally swallow them or choke on them.
• It shouldn’t have any sharp parts that might injure the dog.

It’s best to go for rubber or soft plastic chew toys and try to avoid plush chew toys as they won’t really be effective in relieving the pressure in the dog’s mouth or easing its pain.

You can check out my guide on the best chew toys for Pit Bulls for more recommendations.

Switch Your Dog’s Diet to Soft and Easy-to-Chew Food

Your dog will struggle with a loss of appetite during its teething period, so you need to switch its diet to soft foods so that it will be easier and less painful for it to chew.

The best soft food you can give to your dog is canned food. However, make sure that the canned food you choose doesn’t contain high levels of perspectives or artificial additives, as these have no nutritional value and can cause more harm to your dog.

Dry food is not bad for your Pit Bull’s teeth as chewing on it will help prevent plaque and tartar from accumulating over the dog’s teeth, causing some dental issues. However, it’s recommended not to feed your dog dry food when it’s teething, as it will be difficult to chew and will cause the dog more pain.

If your dog is used to eating dry food, you can try adding some warm water for 10 to 15 minutes to soften it. You can also try mixing the dry food with some soft canned food.

I have a complete guide on how to switch your dog from puppy food to adult food here; you should definitely check it out, as it can take you through the process step-by-step.

Give Your Dog Frozen Treats

One of the best remedies for relieving any kind of dental pain is applying ice, so it’s highly recommended to give your dog some frozen treats during its teething period.

You can easily make your dog some frozen treats at home by mixing some yogurt and fruits, pouring the mixture into an ice mold, then put the mold in the freezers for a few hours.

It might also be a good idea to put some of the dog’s chew toys in the freezer for a while before you give them to the dog to make them more effective.

Massage Your Dog’s Gums to Relieve Pain

Another useful remedy to relieve dental pain is to massage your dog’s gums. This can also be a less painful alternative to brushing your dog’s teeth.

All you need to do is wrap a soft clean fabric around your finger, dip it into pain relief medicine or toothpaste, then start massaging the dog’s gums and teeth slowly.

Other Tips to Manage Your Pit Bull’s Behavior When It’s Teething

Now that you know how to relieve your Pit Bull’s pain when it’s teething, here are some other tips that will help you manage its behavior during that period to prevent it from causing any trouble.

Discourage Your Dog from Chewing or Biting When It Shouldn’t

Your dog will constantly be chewing or biting on objects it shouldn’t chew or bite on during its teething period. It’s best to discourage its behavior immediately to prevent it from carrying on even after the teething period is over.

You can discourage your dog from chewing or biting by commanding it to stop in a firm tone. You can also try to redirect its attention to its chew toys so it will have something better to chew or bite instead.

For a complete guide on how to teach your dog to stop the bad habits, check out my guide to disciplining your Pit Bull here; I think it has everything you need to know and some of my practical and pro tips as well.

Keep Personal and Valuable Objects Out of the Dog’s Reach

Chewing is a coping mechanism for dogs during their teething period. Since you can’t really prevent your dog from chewing, it’s best to keep any personal and valuable objects out of its reach so it wouldn’t chew on them or damage them.

Be Patient with Your Dog

Your dog will be going through a lot of pain during their teething which might cause them to misbehave at times, so you’ll need to be very patient with them.

Try not to punish your dog too harshly for any bad behavior it might display, as it can’t really help it. Also, make sure to provide it with all the care they need to feel comfortable and remain healthy.

If you like this article, share it! (it will mean a lot to us ❤️)