Why it happens
Puppies explore the world mouth-first from the day they’re born, and teething gives that curiosity a physical driver. The first set of baby teeth is in by roughly six weeks. A second wave starts around 12 weeks, when baby teeth begin falling out and permanent teeth come in. By about six months most puppies have their full set of adult teeth, and the worst of the chewing urge is typically behind them (VCA Animal Hospitals).
Mouthiness itself is normal. Some breeds, retrievers especially, are simply built for it, and chewing genuinely appears to ease teething discomfort rather than just burn off energy.
Three redirects worth keeping within reach
- Trade, don’t wrestle. Keep a toy within arm’s reach any time you play with hands near your puppy’s mouth. The moment teeth land on skin, swap in the toy rather than yanking your hand away. Pulling free just turns it into a game (AKC).
- Make the wrong choice taste bad. A bitter-apple or similar no-chew spray on hands, cords and furniture legs gives a puppy an unpleasant reason to pick the toy instead.
- Give sore gums something cold. A stuffed, frozen chew toy is the AKC’s standard recommendation for teething relief. A frozen wet washcloth does the same job for free, but supervise it: a thawing washcloth gets shredded fast, and small torn-off pieces are a swallowing risk.
When to call your vet
Call your vet rather than waiting it out if the biting reads as aggressive instead of playful, or if a baby tooth is still sitting in place well after its permanent replacement has come in.
None of this needs to be a battle. A teething puppy is working through something physical, not testing your authority. What you redirect them toward matters far more than any single correction.