• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Our website uses cookies. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our use of cookies. To see what cookies we serve and set your own preferences, please review our Cookie Policy. Learn More.

The Dog People by Rover.com

Powered by Rover.com

Tips, stories, and reviews for people who love dogs, powered by Rover.com, the world's largest network of 5-star pet sitters and dog walkers.

  • The Dog People by Rover.com
  • Dog Breeds
    • Golden Retriever
    • Australian Shepherd
    • German Shepherd
    • Pomeranian
    • Shih Tzu
    • Border Collie
    • Labrador Retriever
    • Boxer
    • Beagle
    • Dachshund
    • Chihuahua
    • Poodle
    • Yorkshire Terrier
  • Dog Love
    • Cute
    • Funny
    • Heartwarming
    • Quizzes
    • Trending
    • True Stories
  • Dog Names
    • Best Girl Dog Names
    • Top Boy Dog Names
    • Unique Dog Names
    • Cute Dog Names
    • Best Puppy Names
    • Dog Name Generator
    • Tough Dog Names
    • Food Dog Names
    • Romantic Dog Names
    • Literary Dog Names
    • Country Dog Names
  • Dog Videos
  • Life with Dogs
    • Dog Safety
    • Dog Behavior
    • Dog Psychology
    • Dog Nutrition
    • Dog Training
    • Health and Wellness
    • Recipes
    • Can My Dog Eat…?
  • PuppyHQ
    • Dog Adoption
    • Puppy Essentials
    • Puppy Names
    • Puppy Training
  • Shopping
    • Shop Rover Goods
    • All Dog Product Guides
    • Dog Gift Guides
    • Safety and Training
    • Toys and Chews
  • Cats!
    • Cat Breeds
    • Cat Names
    • Cat Psychology
  • Dog Training
  • Get Rover
    • Boarding
    • House Sitting
    • Dog Walking
    • Doggy Day Care
    • Drop-In Visits
    • Dog Training through Good Pup
    • Search Pet Sitters & Dog Walkers
    • Shop Rover Goods
    • Sitter Resources
  • Languages
    • en-CA
    • en-GB
    • fr-FR
    • es-ES
    • de-DE
    • it-IT
    • nl-NL
    • nb-NO
    • sv-SE
    • fr-CA

Where Does Puppy Breath Come From?

Share3.9kPin It0

Where Does Puppy Breath Come From?

Caring for Your Dog
By Heather McKinnon

Share3.9kTweet0Pin It0

Oh sweet puppy breath! Enjoy it while you can, because that distinctive odor will disappear by the time your roly-poly pet is four to six months old.  Just what is that smell and why can’t it stick around a little longer? Turns out there’s more involved than mother’s milk and clean teeth.

Puppy breath 101

“There’s a lot of things involved in breath, some of it is going to be from the mouth,” says Dr. Mary Buelow, Assistant Professor of Clinical Dentistry and Oral Surgery at the University of Pennsylvania. “Some of it is the GI (gastrointestinal) tract, some of it is just the bacteria that are normal in there.”

This change in breath odor coincides with both teething and weaning. Puppy mouths go through a lot of changes over their first six months, and all of this accounts for puppy breath.

  • Week two or three: Baby teeth start coming in.
  • Week five or six: All 28 baby teeth are in.
  • Week 12-16: Puppies begin to lose those tiny, razor-sharp teeth as adult teeth start growing in.
  • 6 months: They should have a complete set of 42 adult chompers.

During this period, “everything in the GI system and mouth is still developing,” Buelow says. “Especially as teeth start to erupt.”

Buelow doesn’t think the type of puppy food you use makes much of an impact, because she sees a lot of young puppies and they all have basically the same breath.

“That’s another theory…that maybe puppy breath has to do with the (mother dog’s) milk, but I think it continues in some dogs past weaning,” she says.

How to handle teething

puppy breath and a chew toy

Kong

Puppies explore their world face-first and use those new teeth to chew on just about anything. They like to chew, Buelow says, not only because they’re teething, but because they’re puppies and have too much energy. She recommends that puppies get a lot of exercise to alleviate some of that chewing behavior.

Teething should not involve a lot of pain, but a frozen washcloth or soft frozen chew toy can be soothing. Be careful when choosing chew toys.

“As a dentist I like to avoid things that are really hard, because I see a lot of dental fractures,” Beulow says. “Avoid things like the really hard bones that have no give, and ice. For teething itself, the Kong toys, rubbery toys that you can put stuff in are really good, and softer chew toys.”

The American Kennel Club suggests avoiding cooked bones that could splinter, rope toys that can be pulled apart, and rawhides with large knots that can cause blockage. Their roundup of best and worst chew toys for puppies can be found here.

When bad puppy breath means a trip to the vet

If your puppy’s normally sweet breath suddenly has you backing away, there’s no need to panic. They do get into everything. A bad smell is probably temporary, due to something they should have politely avoided eating, like poop.  Or it could be the unpleasant, but normal, metallic smell of blood that comes with losing teeth. Pieces of sticks or other scraps could get caught in a young dog’s mouth and cause a problem, so if an atypically bad smell happens and doesn’t resolve quickly, do call your vet.

Dogs past the age of three are more at risk for serious periodontal disease or other serious mouth issues. The American Veterinary Medical Association has a list of symptoms to be taken seriously, including:

  • Abnormally bad breath
  • Pain or swelling
  • Retained puppy teeth
  • Change in appetite

Getting puppies started on good oral hygiene

You’ll save yourself a lot of trouble and expense down the road if you start brushing teeth when puppies are small. Begin by just getting them used to having your fingers or a brush in their mouths, and work up from there to brushing daily, or at least several times a week.

If you don’t know how to brush a dog’s teeth, check out the American Kennel Club video below, where Dr. Andrea Tu demonstrates on a Boston Terrier with the pearly whites of a beauty pageant contestant.

 

“The number one things you can do for a dog’s teeth is brush, just like in a human,” Buelow says. The second thing is chewing and the third things is additives and things like that.”

Buelow recommends products approved by The Veterinary Oral Health Council. Their list of food, treats and water additives to help dogs avoid tarter buildup and plaque can be found here.

The bottom line

We can’t say exactly why puppies have that special breath. You can, however, help keep their mouths and teeth healthy, and breath relatively fresh, by brushing and buying the right snacks and chew toys.

Hero image: wsilver via Flickr

 

Share3.9kTweet0Pin It0

sidebar

By Heather McKinnon

Share This Article

Share3.9kTweet0Pin It0

Popular Posts

  • 3 Frozen Dog Treats You Can Make in Less Than an Hour [Recipe]
  • 5 Reasons Dogs Lick and Chew Their Paws — And How to Help
  • The ‘Catluminati’ Magically Makes Friends With Every Cat He Meets
  • Ice Licks Keep Your Dog Cool and Happy All Summer Long [Recipe]
  • What to Do if Your Dog Is Stung by a Bee
  • What You Need to Know to Prevent Heatstroke in Dogs
  • Two-Ingredient Watermelon Ice Cream Is an Easy Summer Treat for Your Dog [Recipe]
  • 4 Blended Summer Slushies to Share With Your Dog [Recipe]
  • Peggy the Staffordshire Bull Terrier and Molly the Magpie Make the Cutest, Unlikely BFFs
  • What to Do if You See a Dog Trapped in a Car on a Hot Day
Advertisement
Advertisement

Learn More

  • About Rover.com
  • Download the App
  • Rover Store
  • Sitter Resources
  • In The Press
  • Terms of Service
  • Affiliate Disclosure
  • User Terms
  • Privacy Statement
  • Cookie Policy
Your privacy choices
© 2023 Rover.com. All Rights Reserved.
"Mmmm... cookies!"

While slightly less delicious than physical cookies, digital cookies help us enhance and personalize your ads and experience, analyze website traffic, and more.