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Can my 7-week-old puppy eat hard food with his teeth still growing?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Small (up to 22lb) | Male | unneutered | 1 month and 28 days old | 2 lbs

I was just wondering on why my 7 week puppy has to eat soft food instead of dry hard food? He doesn't have his front incisors and its growing his back teeth but they aren't erupted fully. My boyfriend keeps feeding him the hard puppy food but I think it's best to feed him the soft food for now since he is still teething. Am I right or can he eat hard food?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

Published on February 14th, 2017

Most dogs this age can eat hard puppy food just fine - so if he likes it and doesn't seem to have trouble chewing it, I wouldn't worry :) If he seems to have some difficulty, you can moisten it with some warm water and let it soak for a few minutes to soften before giving it to him, or feed canned food instead.

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    Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

    Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

    Published on January 29th, 2017

    Yes, this is normal - the back molars and canine teeth (the "fangs") are the last puppy teeth to be lost, and this occurs around the age of 5-6 months :) If her mouth is a bit sore right now, it's fine to feed her soft canned food instead of dry kibble.

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