When Do French Bulldogs Stop Teething? No more chewing

So, you’ve gotten your new Frenchie pup home and everything has been all dog treats, playing, and rainbows… but something has happened! Your adorable new friend is now chewing things and doesn’t seem so happy anymore. Welcome to a phase of your puppy’s life that you might now have expected… your bulldog is teething! So When Do French Bulldogs Stop Teething?

Don’t worry, as we’ve got you covered, because today we’re going to tell you all about it. We’ll talk about the signs and symptoms, the actual stages of teething, and we’ll tell you what you can do to help (and to get your Frenchie to at least consider sparing your shoes!).

Let’s talk about what you need to know when it comes to Bulldogs and teething!

Loose teeth and blood! Is this normal?!

If you’ve found a few little bulldog teeth and a spot of blood or two, then take a moment to relax. This is completely normal. Starting at around 3 months of age, your bulldog has 28 milk teeth in his or her mouth and these are now being replaced.

Once the process is over, your Frenchie is going to have 42 shiny new chompers in place of those milk teeth and then your trials will be over.

As far as how long that is going to take, it can vary a little bit from dog to dog, but after we take a look at the signs to know when your bulldog is teething then we’ll give you a general timeline of what you can expect. Don’t forget to keep a few of those discarded milk teeth… your little puppy is growing up!

How do I know that this is teething?

Just in case you are still panicked, we’re going to give you the ‘official’ signs that your bulldog is teething so that you can breathe a little easier. Don’t worry, your furry friend is fine, and to prove it we’re going to tell you one or more of the things that you are seeing right now:

Everything has become a chew-toy
Drooling like crazy
Grumpy and easily distracted
Little teeth are all over the place
Your puppy might have a fever
Weird, floppy ears
Swollen red gums

Let’s take a closer look at each of these symptoms, just to ease your mind a little.

Everything has become a chew-toy

Hide your shoes, the remote, and anything that your little bullpup can get a hold of because the world is not full of chew toys and it’s chewing season! While teething, chewing is one of the only pain relief options that your bulldog puppy has, and so they are going to chew anything they can just to find a little peace. We found that using this KONG TEETHING CHEW Helped take are pups attention away from the items we didn’t want chewd to bits.

Drooling like crazy

Frenchies drool anyway, but many bulldog pups will really turn on the taps during teething, so if you are seeing a lot of drool then you can relax a little (and invest in some hankies), as this is completely normal.

Grumpy and easily distracted

Teething hurts and your bulldog pup might just be a little grouchy. This is to be expected, as is a short attention span. Don’t worry, as it’s going to pass, but just don’t be surprised if your little guy or gal suddenly has the attention span of a goldfish.

Little teeth are all over the place

This part is alarming at first and then actually kind of cute later. The first time that you find a toy with a little tooth stuck into it then you’ll probably curse at yourself a little, convinced that you got your baby a toy that was too hard for their little mouth.

It’s just the teething, so throw that one little tooth in a keepsake box and start counting… only 27 to go!

Your puppy might have a fever

A fever is always scary but when your bullpup is teething, a mild fever is to be expected. If you are worried, you can certainly bring them into the vet, but a wet washcloth on the back of the neck can help to cool them down a little and the fever should pass very quickly.

Weird, floppy ears

Known as ‘teething ears’, this one is practically an initiation rite for bulldog owners. All of a sudden your dog’s ears get droopy, floppy, or just plain weird. This is because your pup needs a lot of calcium right now, and not just for the teeth.

Some calcium supplements can help a little but as for the ears, they should spring back to normal when the ‘teething storm’ has passed.

Swollen red gums

Your puppy’s gums are going to look very painful, being both swollen and very, very red. Once all the milk teeth are gone, then you’ll start getting bloods spots as well when the new teeth start pushing their way through.

Check the gums every now and again and be on the lookout for any baby teeth that don’t seem to be coming out. If you see any, then this could be a sign of misalignment, and a quick vet trip is a good idea. If one or more of the teeth are misaligned during teething then your pup could end up with an abscess.

Now we’re going to give you that timeline so that you’ll have a good idea when all of those milk teeth should be vacated in preparation for the 42 shiny new adult teeth.

What are the stages of teething for Frenchies?

The easiest way to break down the stages is going to be by age. Keep in mind that sometimes your pup might go through these stages a little faster or a little slower what we have listed, but this is normal. Each little bullpup is different, but this should give you an idea of what to expect:

First stage – 2 – 3 weeks old – Milk teeth emerge
Second stage – 12 weeks old – Teething begins
Third stage – 7 – 8 months – Teething is completed

First stage – 2 – 3 weeks old – Milk teeth emerge

As soon as your puppy open’s it’s eyes, those ‘baby’ teeth are growing in, and it generally starts with the front teeth, followed by the canines, and then the molars make their appearance. It’s not always in this order, but this is the most common.

Unless you’ve raised the pup you won’t see this, but if you’ve been there since the beginning then it’s a treat to see the milk teeth making their brief appearance.

Second stage – 12 weeks old – Teething begins

Generally starting around 12 weeks old, teething begins, and this one or more of those symptoms which we’ve listed are going to start. Hide your shoes and do your best to keep your little one distracted, because it generally takes 20 to 24 weeks for teething to be completed.

Third stage – 7 – 8 months – Teething is completed

By the time that your puppy is 7 to 8 months of age, all of the milk teeth should be gone, replaced by a shiny, new set of 42 teeth. Around this point your French Bulldog should be feeling much better and feeling like their old (young) self again.

Now that you know what to expect, let’s cover some things that you can do to help when your puppy turns into a fuzzy little chewing machine!

How can I help my puppy during teething?

During this time there are definitely a few things that you can do in order to help your pup to get through this and also to help minimize damage around the house. The best approach is going to be to ‘contain and manage’, so we’ll start off with the first move that you’ll want to make.

Invest in a baby gates

You’ll want to puppy proof the home, and you can use things like plastic, extendable ‘baby gates’ to help cordon off areas so that your little one can’t sneak off and get into trouble.

Provide a little cold comfort

Some puppies will chew on ice cubes, as this helps to numb the pain a little, and these are easy enough to provide. You can make and freeze some beef bouillon in the ice tray if your puppy doesn’t like the regular cubes.

Get some teething toys

You can obtain some teething toys commercially, just stay away from rawhide, as this is a choking hazard for growing bullpups. Get a big toy which they can chew, but cannot possibly swallow, and your little one will be very happy with you.

Tire the ‘little whirlwind’ out

Finally, a bulldog with less energy will work less mischief – extra play and exercise is the order of the day. Tire your Frenchie out whenever you can spare the time and with a little luck, they’ll stay still for a while and chew their new toys.

Some final words on Frenchies and teething

Today we’ve taken a look at that chaotic time in a French Bulldog’s life when they shed their milk teeth and grow in an adult set. Now you know that teething should last between 20 and 24 weeks and you should be well prepared to help your little one along.

Just forgive them if they are a little grumpy and be sure to give them some yummy beef ice to help – before you know it the teething will be over and they’ll start chewing your shoes with their efficient, new adult teeth.

We’ll just have to work on that little problem next time!