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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

Do you brush your dog's teeth?

26 replies

Yourownpersonaljesus · 10/03/2018 13:51

If you do have you got any tips? I bought some toothpaste and a toothbrush from the pet shop today. On the box it says to do it a step at a time to get the dog used to it, e.g. Start but just touching their teeth, then let them lick the toothpaste off your finger, and so on. How long do you do each step for and do you brush every night?

Thanks.

OP posts:
BiteyShark · 10/03/2018 14:19

No tips unfortunately. I attempt to brush them every night but it's a battle and has been for over a year now. I think if we manage 20 seconds we are doing well Sad

MaidenMotherCrone · 10/03/2018 14:21

No never have but mine get raw beef bones to gnaw on.

Aprilmightmemynewname · 10/03/2018 14:21

Our ddogs have plenty of raw veg recommended for nice teeth and nicer breath!! Would need liability insurance to try and brush our rottweilers!

ScreamingValenta · 10/03/2018 14:22

Joining thread for tips on this.

BiteyShark · 10/03/2018 14:25

I should say the battle is that he turns his head away and then will attemp to chomp on the toothbrush. We only do the outsides as that is hard enough but I hope that getting some of the paste on his gums will help in the long term especially as we feed wet food which tends to 'stick' to his teeth.

DramaAlpaca · 10/03/2018 14:26

I didn't know I was supposed to. Mine would just chew the toothbrush. They have things to chew on & a clean bill of dental health from the vet so I think they are fine.

Original poster
Yourownpersonaljesus · 10/03/2018 14:39

Thanks for the replies. I do raw feed but use the complete food so no bones (I'm veggie so would rather not). She does have raw carrot and apple sometimes.

OP posts:
Rikalaily · 10/03/2018 14:42

Our boy has antlers (stag bars) to chew on, his teeth are sparkling.

Adarajames · 10/03/2018 14:47

I'm veggie and raw feed, sometimes complete foods others from butcher, but I get large raw recreational bones for her and she'll spend hours knowing at then so great for teeth; yes it's not great as a veggie but I got a dog so do what's best of her health. I do occasionally brush her teeth, use a microfibres over the finger type brush alternative, far easier than a brush and she'll let me do a good clean or inside and outside edges of teeth with it where as doesn't with a brush

pigsDOfly · 10/03/2018 15:20

I think you just have to judge it from how your dog is reacting as to how long you stay at one stage OP, but I'd give it several days for the dog to accept each stage. What sort of brush are you using? I use Logic toothpaste and it comes with an over the finger brush, which I find easier to use than one with handle.

I don't do my dog's teeth every night, I know you should, but it is supposed to help if, as pp said, you can get some of the paste in the mouth and hopefully on the gums and teeth.

My dog actually really likes the toothpaste and will jumps into my arms when she sees I have the paste and brush - she's small so I find it easier if I sit her on my lap to do it - but it's still a struggle and tbh pretty hit and miss.

It always makes me smile when you see 'how to brush your dog's teeth' demonstrations on you tube, the dogs always sit there all nice and calm having their teeth cleaned; I think it would be more helpful to show us how to do it while you dog is wriggling it head from side to side, far more realistic.

ladyface69 · 10/03/2018 17:03

I've begun to notice some plaque build up on my dogs canine teeth, and am going to book her in for a scale and polish. However, I want to keep on top of it in future (she does get raw bones, frozen carrots and antler to chew in between) so have begun clicker training her to allow me to brush her teeth.
It's going well, but we are only in the early stages. I'll have a handful of treats and the brush and clicker in the other hand, which is a bit awkward but I need to be able to mark the good behaviour.
Started off with her letting me touch the toothbrush to her nose, click and reward for a couple of days, then moving in increments to allowing me to swish it over her teeth briefly before getting a reward.
don't know if this would be helpful for you to try?

Floralnomad · 10/03/2018 17:08

I brush my dogs teeth every day , he’s very good about it although I know he’s not keen as he has to be collected from wherever he is and won’t come voluntarily . There is some paste where you put it on the teeth and then sort of massage the jaw from the outside IYSWIM which may be easier than getting the dog used to a toothbrush . I use a toothbrush as opposed to a finger brush as we didn’t get on with that .

Original poster
Yourownpersonaljesus · 10/03/2018 17:36

Thanks for the really helpful replies. I asked in the pet shop whether I should get a toothbrush or a finger one and she recommended the brush. I haven't tried clicker training at all but that could be an option if she won't let me do it voluntarily (from the replies here it sounds like she probably won't). Today she has let me lift up her gums and run my finger over her teeth - so far so good! I reckon she'll try to chew the toothbrush when I try that though. Think I'll leave her to sleep now.
Thanks again everyone.

OP posts:
Original poster
Yourownpersonaljesus · 10/03/2018 17:38

Hadn't thought to look on YouTube. Though perhaps I won't bother if they only show well behaved dogs having their teeth brushed!

OP posts:
BiteyShark · 10/03/2018 17:59

pigsDOfly our vets show a video on how to brush dogs teeth on their TV in the waiting room. I'm always Hmm and Angry as the dog sits there whilst they expose all his teeth and clean them like you would your own. And in the real world..... Grin

tabulahrasa · 10/03/2018 19:04

“Would need liability insurance to try and brush our rottweilers! “

I do mine, weirdly I’ve never felt the need for insurance...

“I asked in the pet shop whether I should get a toothbrush or a finger one and she recommended the brush“

Finger ones are easier to manoeuvre... but, if they do shut their mouth, it’s on your finger, lol

“I haven't tried clicker training at all but that could be an option if she won't let me do it voluntarily (from the replies here it sounds like she probably won't).”

She might let you, mine has never had any reward other than the toothpaste - he really really likes the toothpaste, rofl.

Aprilmightmemynewname · 10/03/2018 19:09

She is so well trained but won't 'drop' anything. Once got my little finger locked in her mouth and won't ever forget the pain!!

SleightOfMind · 10/03/2018 19:13

I’ve got greyhounds who are notorious for teeth issues but mine are quite young and we feed raw. Vet says their teeth are lovely Grin

I don’t brush nearly as often as I should. Probably about twice a week Blush

Going off to do it now and will try and improve in the future.

ThisIsTheFirstStep · 12/03/2018 10:30

We use a fingertip toothbrush and meaty toothpaste. He's not into it, but we do it. We do it weekly, vet said every day, but he hates it so much that it's not worth it.

Elphame · 12/03/2018 11:10

Never tried! Elfpup gets a knuckle bone to chew on and you can hear him scraping his teeth on it. Plaque doesn’t stand a chance!

vjg13 · 12/03/2018 12:55

My older ex racing greyhound is so good she has a battery type electric toothbrush! She has stains on her teeth from her previous life but hasn't needed a scale and polish yet. Probably brush 4 times a week. Younger dog is still at the manual toothbrush stage.

mrsjoyfulprizeforraffiawork · 12/03/2018 13:56

I do mine 3 or 4 times a week. Last dog was fairly good and let me do it, so I just started with the current dog when I got her and, being a staffie cross, she longs to please me so she got over her qualms very quickly. I think it helped that I did not fear being bitten (as had got into tooth brushing habit with previous dog with no trouble) so I just did it with confidence and convinced the dog by my demeanour that she was expected to put up with it (that was lucky). The vet told me those dental chew sticks (which my dog does in fact have because she loves them, though I brush her teeth afterwards!) are full of calories and work on the dodgy premise that they are quite hard and the dog should, hopefully, scrape them on their teeth and brush off plaque coincidentally while chewing them. The vet thought they were, overall, not likely to be effective in cleaning teeth.

joystir59 · 12/03/2018 20:31

Ours has raw meaty bones on a regular basis. Nothing wrong with his (sharp) pearly white teggies

AvocadosBeforeMortgages · 12/03/2018 21:53

No, because I value having all ten fingers in full working order.

Thankfully his teeth are pearly white, presumably due to a combination of chewing on rope toys, dry food and the odd raw bone.

crazymumofthree · 12/03/2018 21:56

Our dogs a bit strange and loves having her teeth brushed! We've just always done it since she was a pup so I guess she got used to it!