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Puppy teething is one of the phases new Frenchie owners feel least prepared for. The combination of developmental biting, urgent chewing of anything within reach, and the occasional distress when gums are actively sore can make the three-to-six month window feel relentless. Understanding what is happening and why makes it considerably more manageable.
The teething timeline
0 to 3 weeks: Puppies are born without teeth. During this period they rely entirely on the mother for feeding.
3 to 8 weeks: Milk teeth begin erupting. The 28 deciduous teeth are typically fully present by eight weeks, when the puppy is generally ready to leave for its new home.
8 to 12 weeks: Milk teeth are all present. The puppy is in the mouthing and exploration phase that is normal at this age. Biting during this period is exploration and play, not teething pain.
12 to 16 weeks: Adult incisors begin erupting. This is the start of the phase most owners find challenging. The puppy’s gums are actively uncomfortable. Biting, chewing and mouthing increase in frequency and sometimes intensity.
4 to 5 months: The most active teething phase for most puppies. Adult premolars and canines are erupting. Gum soreness is at its peak. This is when chewing behaviour tends to be most destructive if not redirected.
5 to 7 months: Adult molars erupt. The final adult teeth come through and the teething process completes. Most Frenchies are teething-complete by seven months.
Recognising active teething
Signs that active tooth eruption is occurring:
- Chewing with more urgency and on unusual surfaces (furniture legs, cables, clothing)
- Pawing at the mouth or rubbing the face on furniture
- Small amounts of blood on toys or in saliva (normal and expected during eruption)
- Finding small white milk teeth around the house (the puppy swallows many, which is harmless)
- Reluctance to eat hard kibble due to gum sensitivity
Managing the biting phase
Redirection, not punishment. When the puppy bites, interrupt calmly and offer a chew toy immediately. The message is: your teeth belong on this, not on me. Consistent redirection over many repetitions teaches the puppy what is appropriate to chew. Punishing biting is counterproductive; it increases arousal and anxiety without teaching the puppy what to do instead.
End the interaction briefly. If biting is persistent during play, a calm, brief withdrawal of attention (standing up, turning away, leaving the room for 30 seconds) communicates that biting stops play. This works better when applied consistently by everyone in the household.
Manage the environment. During the peak teething phase, remove chewable items from accessible areas: cables, shoes, furniture with exposed legs. The puppy is not misbehaving; they are acting on an urgent physical drive to chew. Management prevents the habit from forming on the wrong objects.
Appropriate toys. Provide variety: rubber chew toys, frozen toys, rope toys, and different textures. Rotate toys so they maintain novelty. Avoid toys that are too hard for small-breed puppies, the rule of thumb is that a chew should have some give when you press your thumbnail into it. If it does not, it is too hard for puppy teeth.
Frozen options. Cold provides relief for inflamed gums. Frozen rubber toys, ice cubes, or a clean flannel wrung out and frozen are simple and effective. Some puppies find a frozen Kong with stuffed food particularly compelling during teething.
Retained milk teeth
Because of the French Bulldog’s shortened jaw structure, the breed is more prone than most to retained milk teeth, deciduous teeth that do not fall out when the adult tooth erupts. The adult and milk teeth occupy the same space, causing crowding and increasing the risk of dental disease.
Check your puppy’s mouth periodically during the teething period. If you can see two teeth in the same space, one small (milk) and one emerging (adult), note it for your next vet appointment. Your vet will assess whether extraction is needed. Extraction of a retained milk tooth is a routine procedure and prevents longer-term dental problems.
Caring for the new adult teeth
Once adult teeth are through, establishing a dental hygiene routine early makes lifelong maintenance much easier. A soft toothbrush and dog-safe toothpaste introduced during the teething period, even before all adult teeth are through, habituates the puppy to handling of the mouth. Consistent training from the earliest weeks makes this genuinely manageable.
The biting and mouthing phases that overlap with teething are covered in the French Bulldog training guide, including how to establish bite inhibition alongside the teething management approach. The puppy first week guide covers the broader early weeks in detail, including what handling practice to establish from the start. For context on the puppy developmental stages that precede teething, the French Bulldog puppies guide covers the full early period.
Frequently asked questions
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French Bulldog puppies are born without teeth. Their milk teeth (deciduous teeth) begin erupting at around three weeks of age, and the full set of 28 milk teeth is typically present by six to eight weeks. The teething process that most owners find challenging is the second phase: the replacement of milk teeth by adult teeth, which begins at around three to four months and is usually complete by six to seven months. During this second phase, the puppy experiences significant gum discomfort, which drives the chewing behaviour that owners find most disruptive.
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French Bulldog puppies have 28 milk teeth. Adult French Bulldogs have 42 permanent teeth. The transition between the two occurs between approximately 12 weeks and seven months of age. Because of the breed's shortened jaw structure, some Frenchies experience overcrowding of adult teeth, a condition that may require veterinary intervention if it causes significant discomfort or bite misalignment.
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Puppy biting (mouthing) is normal behaviour during teething. Puppies explore their environment with their mouths, use biting in play, and bite more during teething because it provides relief for sore gums. The intensity of biting tends to peak between three and five months, coinciding with the most active phase of adult tooth eruption. It is not aggression; it is developmental behaviour that responds to consistent redirection and appropriate toys.
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Rubber chew toys that provide firm resistance without being hard enough to fracture teeth are the most useful. Frozen rubber toys or frozen wet flannels provide cold that soothes gum inflammation. Rope toys offer texture variety. Avoid toys that are too hard, no cooked bones, deer antlers, or toys described as 'indestructible' for heavy chewers, as these can crack teeth. Size the toy appropriately for a small breed: a puppy should not be struggling to grip the chew.
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Retained milk teeth occur when a milk tooth fails to fall out after the adult tooth has erupted. This is more common in brachycephalic breeds. Retained teeth cause crowding, increase the risk of dental disease, and can push adult teeth out of alignment. If you can see two teeth occupying the same space, a small milk tooth alongside an erupting adult tooth, mention it to your vet at the next scheduled appointment. If the milk tooth has not fallen out by the time the adult tooth is fully erupted, extraction is typically recommended.
