Dogs' Teeth

According to the American Kennel Club, "A puppy has 28 deciduous teeth, also known as milk teeth, which begin to appear two weeks after birth and are usually completely grown in 8–10 weeks later." They fall out between the ages of 4 and 8 months, and are replaced by 42 adult teeth: 12 incisors, 4 canines, 16 premolars and 10 molars (4 on the top and 6 on the bottom).

As anyone who has ever owned a puppy will probably know, the deciduous teeth are much sharper than the adult ones. This helps to compensate for the fact that a puppy's jaws are not as strong as those of an adult dog.

© Haydn Thompson 2021