Siberian Huskies begin the process of teething at about 3 to 4 weeks of age.

At this time, a puppy's baby teeth, also known as their deciduous teeth, make their first appearance, erupting along the gum line. There are 28 of these baby teeth, and they will last several months after which they will fall out and the adult or permanent teeth will make their appearance.

During the first few weeks of life, the puppy is still being weaned and so does not need teeth to chew solid food. In fact a whelping bitch is probably most grateful for the fact that newborn puppies are toothless.

Puppies should undergo a health check at an age of around 6 to 8 weeks in part to check for correct tooth formation and correct bite. A healthy well-bred dog won't show any signs of underbite or overbite and will have correct scissor bite, where top and bottom teeth align properly and intermesh in a zig zag pattern.

If all goes well, a new puppy owner will never witness the initial teething process, as they will acquire their puppy at an age of 6 to 8 weeks. They will most certainly witness the next teething phase which occurs at about 4 to 6 months of age.

As a puppy's deciduous teeth begin to fall out, they may show signs of irritability, appetite fluctuations or drooling, and the process will most certainly be accompanied by an insatiable need to chew. Providing appropriate safe chewables such as Kongs, rope bones, rawhides and Nylabones is the responsibility of all good dog owners.

The incisors are the first teeth to be replaced, these are the tiny teeth along the very front of both the top and bottom jaw. Next to fall out are the canines, followed by the premolars. Puppies don't develop the molars themselves until the very end of the teething process at about 6 months of age. There is generally not much need for puppies to grind food, so the molars are not missed.

When a tooth first erupts through the gum surface, or a decidious tooth falls out as a permanent tooth emerges, the gum tissue may bleed slightly for a few hours. In general the gum will heal completely within 24 hours. If bleeding continues, veterinary advice should be sought.

When all deciduous teeth have been replaced, the dog will have 42 teeth in total.

During the teething process, it is possible for a number of things to go wrong. Most common is the case where deciduous teeth do not fall out completely, and remain side by side with their adult counterpart. This is a problem that can normally easily be fixed with minor corrective dentistry, and a veterinarian should be consulted.

A puppy's baby teeth are considerably smaller and weaker than their adult teeth, and during the course of teething, it may happen that the baby teeth get chipped or broken. While this condition is rare, and should normally receive professional advice, for the most part it is likely that the damaged baby tooth will simply drop out as the adult tooth emerges. Damaged and chipped teeth pose the same issues for canines as humans, and the two most serious consequences are the risk of infection and the possibility of lacerated gums from the remaining sharp fragments. Providing your puppy with appropriate chew toys and teething objects is the best safeguard against damaged teeth during this period.

If your puppy is undergoing teething and you have any suspicion that the process might not be progressing normally, please consult a veterinarian.