What are the methods for determining a dog's age from its teeth

Age determination in dogs

The age of a dog is mainly determined by a comprehensive assessment of the growth of the dog's teeth, the tooth cusps and the degree of tooth wear, shape, color, and so on. For ease of reference, the dog's dental stages are introduced as follows:

Adult dogs have a total of 42 teeth

Puppies have a total of 28 teeth

Around 20 days - teeth begin to erupt

4-6 weeks of age - the deciduous incisors are fully grown. At nearly two months of age, all deciduous teeth are fully grown, white, thin and pointed.

2-4 months of age - replacement of the first deciduous incisor

5-6 months of age - replacement of the second and third deciduous incisors and the deciduous canine teeth

After 8 months of age - all replaced with permanent teeth

1 year - permanent teeth fully grown, white and glossy, with pointed protrusions on the upper part of the incisors

1.5 years - the large cusp of the lower second incisor is worn down until the small cusp is level, a phenomenon known as cusp wear

2.5 years - the cusp of the lower second incisor is worn away

3.5 years - the cusp of the upper first incisor is worn away

4.5 years - the cusp of the upper second incisor is worn away

5 years - the cusp of the lower third incisor is slightly worn, and the worn surface of the lower first and second incisors is rectangular

6 years - the cusp of the lower third incisor is worn away, and the canine teeth are blunt and rounded

7 years - the lower first incisor is worn down to the root, and the worn surface is longitudinally oval

8 years - the worn surface of the lower first incisor tilts forward

10 years - the worn surfaces of the lower second and upper first incisors are longitudinally oval

10-16 years - incisors fall out and canine teeth become irregular