Dog treats for teething puppies
A teething puppy needs softer, more forgiving treats than an adult dog does, because sore gums make hard, dense chews uncomfortable and can put unnecessary pressure on teeth that are already loosening and coming through. Look for treats described as soft, rubbery or freezable, sized for a small mouth, and save the hardest natural chews for once the adult teeth are fully through.
What 'teething treat' actually means on a label
There's no single regulated definition, so it's worth reading past the word itself. In practice, a genuine teething-friendly treat is soft or slightly flexible rather than rock-hard, small enough for a puppy's developing jaw, and often designed to be chilled or frozen, since cold helps numb sore gums the way it does for a teething baby.
Contrast that with hard natural chews — antlers, very dense bones, some of the harder dried chews — which are aimed at adult dogs with a full, settled set of teeth. Giving one of these to a puppy whose baby teeth are loosening or whose adult teeth are just breaking through risks discomfort at best and a chipped or damaged tooth at worst.
What actually helps during teething
Rubber teething toys and treats designed to be frozen are genuinely useful: the cold reduces inflammation and gives a puppy something satisfying to gnaw on that won't fight back the way a hard chew does. Soft training treats, broken into small pieces, also work well for rewarding good behaviour without adding to the discomfort of a sore mouth.
Rotating two or three different textures keeps a puppy interested and spreads the chewing across different surfaces, which matters because a puppy who fixates on one hard object for relief is more likely to overdo it. Supervising chewing time, especially with anything frozen or unfamiliar, is worth doing until you know how your puppy handles it.
Sizing it to your puppy
A treat or chew toy that's the right size for an adult dog of the breed can still be too large or dense for a young puppy's jaw and developing teeth. Smaller, softer options sized specifically for puppies reduce both the discomfort and the risk of a piece being swallowed before it's properly chewed.
Teething generally runs from around three to six months, tapering off once the adult teeth are fully in. Through that window it's worth staying with puppy-specific, softer options and holding off on the genuinely hard adult chews until your puppy's mouth has settled.
What we stock
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Forthglade Grain Free Soft Bites Fresh Breath Treats 8pk
Chicken soft dog treats with parsley and peppermint oil for fresh breath
£2.45
Pedigree Dentastix Light Dog
Pedigree DentaStix Light dental chews across small, medium and large sizes
From£2.35
Dentalife Dental Oral Care Dog Chicken Chews
DENTALIFE chicken dental chews with medium-dog and large-dog variants
£1.65
Forthglade Soft Bite Grain Free Joints & Bones Treats
Grain-free salmon dog treats with salmon oil, glucosamine and chondroitin
£2.45
Forthglade Grain Free Soft Bites Training Rewards Chicken & Liver 8pk
Grain-free chicken and liver soft bites for dog training rewards
£2.45
Forthglade Functional Soft Bite Treats - Plant Based Banana & Honey
Plant-based banana and honey soft dog treats for training rewards
£2.45
Forthglade Dental Calming Sticks
Dental chew sticks for dogs with added calming botanicals for evening routines
£2.99
Pedigree DentaStix Daily Dental Chews Small Dog
Daily Pedigree DentaStix dental chews for small dogs over the label age limit
£2.35
Whimzees Toothbrush Daily Dental Dog Chew
A vegetarian daily dental chew for dogs, shaped like a toothbrush
From£0.69
Forthglade Grain Free Soft Bites Calming Treats 8pk
Grain-free turkey soft bites with a declared botanical blend
£2.45
Forthglade Soft Bite Grain Free Good Gut Health Treats
Grain-free chicken dog treats with ginger, chicory root and MOS
£2.45
Common questions
- At what age do puppies start teething?
- Most puppies begin losing baby teeth and growing adult ones from around three to four months old, with the process usually finishing by around six months. Increased chewing, drooling and mouthing behaviour are common signs during this window.
- Are frozen treats safe for a teething puppy?
- Yes, frozen treats and chew toys designed for the purpose are a popular and generally safe way to soothe sore gums, as the cold has a numbing effect. Choose something soft enough to give slightly under a puppy's bite rather than something that stays rock solid when frozen.
- Can I give my teething puppy an adult dog chew?
- It's better to wait. Hard natural chews made for adult dogs put more pressure on teeth and gums than a young puppy's mouth is ready for, and there's a real risk of discomfort or a damaged tooth. Softer, puppy-specific options are the safer choice until the adult teeth are through.
- My puppy is chewing everything, not just treats — is that normal?
- Yes, increased chewing on anything within reach is one of the most common signs of teething. Giving plenty of appropriate chew toys and treats, and puppy-proofing anything you don't want chewed, is the practical way through this stage rather than trying to stop the behaviour entirely.
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Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.