Brushing your dog's teeth?

I%26#039;ve had dogs my entire life, but never brushed any of their teeth. They were always healthy and clean.





I now have a JRT mix who%26#039;s almost two, I%26#039;ve noticed lately that his teeth are dirty, more so then my other dog who%26#039;s almost three years old.





I%26#039;m wondering what products people have had the best results with. I also would like some advice on how to get him to let me brush. Based on his personality, I%26#039;m thinking this is going to be quite a challenge for both the dog and myself.





I feed him high quality food, and i don%26#039;t necessarily think that brushing a dog%26#039;s teeth is always necessary, but he%26#039;s too young for dirty teeth.





(I%26#039;m not taking him to the vet until he%26#039;s due for a check up. He just has dirty teeth.)





(Yes, I will buy him some dental chews, but I%26#039;m looking for info on brushing his teeth.)

Brushing your dog%26#039;s teeth?
How to brush your Dog%26#039;s Teeth


Step 1 - Select an appropriate time


Find a quiet, convenient time when you and your dog are both relaxed.





Step 2 - Acquaint your dog with the process.


For the first few sessions don%26#039;t even use a toothbrush. Hold your dog the same as when you are cuddling her. Gently stroke the outside of her cheeks with your finger. After she becomes comfortable with that, place a dab of toothpaste on your finger and let her taste it. We usually suggest starting with C.E.T. poultry flavored toothpaste, because pets like the taste..





Step 3 - Introduce the Toothbrush


Place a small amount of toothpaste on the brush. In a slow circular motion, brush one or two teeth and the adjoining gum line. The purpose of this step is to get your dog accustomed to the feel of the brush.





Step 4 - Begin Brushing


Over the next several days, gradually increase the number of teeth brushed. It is important to eventually brush the rear teeth where plaque and tartar have a greater tendency to accumulate. Go slowly and gently.. Stop brushing when you decide to stop, before your dog begins to fuss. If she learns to dislike the procedure and finds out that more fussing makes you stop quicker, then this brushing business is going to get harder, not easier.





Build up to about 30 seconds per side. Dogs don%26#039;t get much tartar on the inside surfaces of their teeth, so you only need to worry about the outside surfaces Be sure to brush the big teeth way in back.





Make tooth brushing a pleasurable experience


Proceed slowly and gently. Stop each session while it is still fun and lavishly praise your dog afterwards. She will soon start looking forward to tooth brushing and it will become a pleasant activity for both of you.
Reply:i don%26#039;t brush my dog%26#039;s teeth, good luck with that
Reply:You don%26#039;t say how old your dogs are, but you should try to teach them brushing their teeth early in puppy hood. To get their teeth clean- have your vet clean them- then you can maintain them from there, good luck.
Reply:Try here. It looked helpful. And good luck! Maybe they sell liver flavored toothpaste!





http://placervillevet.com/dog%20toothbru...
Reply:go to your local pet store they usually have flavord tooth paste for your dog.





hold your dog and put a small amount of paste onto your finger and rub it onto his teeth.then get the toothbruch and hold your dog strong enought that he wont escape or be too smooshed then start of in porportions.take it slowly one part a day untill he gets used to it.
Reply:I would reccomended having a vet do it if its really needed as they will do the most thorough job and give him some tranqs to make it do well and easily.
Reply:I brush all 3 of my dogs teeth on a regular basis (once a week). It was difficult at first but now they are used to it. I just buy the dog toothpaste you can get at the pet store. First just let him lick the toothpast off the toothbrush. This will get him used to the idea. Gradually start brushing his teeth . . start with just the front, then next time add one side, and so on. Good luck!
Reply:Some dogs just have crappy teeth, just like some people.





They make toothpaste for dogs, could be a battle though!





Freeze large broccoli heads and let him gnaw on those. It does a pretty handy job of getting the teeth clean. The dogs I have that like frozen broccoli have shiny white teeth.
Reply:How are the teeth dirty? Does his breath reek? Your best bet is to get your dog%26#039;s teeth cleaned by your vet, then have her/him show you how to clean the teeth. If you want to wait, I%26#039;ve had good luck in the past with a ribbed finger cover which I can rub in the mouth. Others have had good luck with brushes.





Oddly enough I don%26#039;t currently brush my dachshund%26#039;s teeth, but she is always chewing on rawhide bones (she loves them); and I feed her a high quality hard dog food. My vet says that her teeth are the cleanest that she has seen in a dachshund.
Reply:My dogs like any of the dog toothpastes, but actually prefer the mint. If you think you%26#039;ll have trouble brushing his teeth, try using a finger tooth brush - dogs tend to fight it less. Start off just brushing his front teeth, be really gentle and as he gets used to it, move on to do all his teeth. (Try and get him when he%26#039;s tired out!)


I%26#039;ve never had to brush any dog%26#039;s teeth till I got greyhounds, now I%26#039;m brushing them all regularly.
Reply:they have things for them to chew on to clean there theeth
Reply:I use a finger tooth brush for infants with soft bristles and a toothpaste for dogs. My dog loves the taste of the tooth paste. u can start from the sides and then the front and inside.
Reply:Surprisingly, my dogs seem to prefer the battery operated toothbrush to a regular one. I suspect it%26#039;s because I don%26#039;t swish it around the mouth as much.





Ginger likes the chicken-flavored toothpaste and will follow me around when she sees it, asking for her teeth to be brushed.





If your dog really doesn%26#039;t like the brush, you could try a washcloth over your finger.





Don%26#039;t use people toothpaste, it foams and it%26#039;s not meant to be swallowed.



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