Do you brush your dogs teeth?

[StillMedusa]

And if so HOW?!
I know I should be brushing them! My girl is coming up for 3 and her teeth do have some brown staining. I put plaqueoff in her food now and then but I'd really like to brush them daily (or at least weekly!) but all attempts (with doggy toothpaste) have her clamping her jaws firmly shut!!

There's a good video by Kiko Pup on how to start getting a dog used to having its mouth handled and teeth brushed :

I brush their teeth at least twice a week as I have a dog with quite loose jowls that gets a bit stinky if they aren't cleaned regularly, so I include the teeth brushing in with the general oral hygiene routine.

I use a finger toothbrush (the plastic ones with the actual brush bristles I find work better than the silicone ones) with Vets Best enzymatic toothpaste. If you can get your dog to sit still long enough to safely do it, you'll find you can usually pick off most of the brown pieces of hardened plaque with a tooth scraper tool. Obviously these are quite sharp and not recommended if your dog has a tendency to suddenly move. Then I finish off with some Tropiclean fresh breath foam and they're good to go :)

I started off by just letting my dog sniff and lick the toothpaste off the brush. Then progressed slowly, a little bit longer in the mouth and so on. I have it easy though - she loves the toothpaste, loves attention and lets me do anything to her! In fact when she see's me with the toothbrush she flings herself upside down (her chosen position) in preparation for a tooth clean! Now I hold her lip out of the way on each side and brush away - most days. I prefer one of the doggie toothbrushes rather than the finger brushes.

Twice a day for brushing and flossing and then a final rinse and gargle with some mouthwash.

No, because I prefer my fingers unmangled

Waste of time for ours.
She hates all brushes hair and tooth and just eats the toothpaste then runs away.

She gets a dentastick post walk and We give her "crunchy snacks" raw carrot and cucumber and feed her breed based kibblen alongside high quality protein (roast chicken etc)
No sweet human food at all. Dh also bought seaweed flakes which he ineffectual sprinkles on her food at various intervals

All the plaque she had when we rescued her is gone and 2 x vets and 1 x dog groomer said they thought her teeth were good so we are sticking with the routine we have as it ses to work.

No

Have never brushed any of our dogs teeth and never had any issues. We do however feed dry kibble and use natural cleaning treats.

No.

He gets natural treats that help with teeth cleaning though, and we put plaque-off in his food.

I brush my dogs teeth about 3 times per week. He does get dental sticks and I put the plaque stuff in his food. Even with brushing 3 times, he still has bleeding gums sometimes. I would brush every day but he doesn't like it and I have to hold him to do it.

After failed attempts with regular toothbrushes I bought a great toothbrush which doesn't vibrate. You just hold the brush on the teeth for a few seconds at a time.

Emmipet brush
Crazy price, but cheaper than a professional clean.
These are also great for keeping breath fresh: Plaque off bacon bones I gather they aren't exceptionally tasty but he eats them...

Daily, last thing at night - but I don't use toothpaste. The enzyme toothpaste (most common) is the same enzymes in their saliva, just more of them and the anti-bac stuff seemed a bit 'overkill'.

The dog would always try and eat the toothpaste. Without it, he is happy enough (puts up with) for me to give all teeth surfaces a good brush over. The action removes any food, removes some plaque and increases his own saliva production anyway - thus more enzymes. I use a small, soft human toothbrush.

Start very slowly. Simply, presenting the brush. Working up to a brief touch, to a very quick and gentle stroke along the teeth. Over the coming weeks/months you can increase the pressure and length of time you brush for.

Yep, started latest dog off with wee tastes as a small pup & much easier. Older dogs put up with it, I use a finger tho, as more flexible. We have sight hounds, so really important. Their teeth go manky.

My dog clamps his jaws shut too, but this can make it easier. Hold his muzzle in your left hand (cradling it from underneath) and with your right hand just insert the brush in the loose skin at the right-hand side of his mouth and brush from back to front. Then reverse hands and do the left-hand side. I use a child's toothbrush with enzymatic toothpaste.

I've never needed to brush any of my dogs' teeth. Is it a breed thing?

I've only ever had Australian working breed crosses that are pretty close to proto-dogs in phenotype so are pretty hardy. No special diets, just dog biscuits, raw meat and the occasional bone.

DH gets that job every night. We use a dog toothbrush and paste and attempt to get as much of it in his mouth as possible.

Still didn't stop him needing a scale at the vets but I guess it might have been worse if we didn't do it (his breath is definitely worse when he comes back from boarding as we don't ask them to attempt it whilst he is there).

I brush my dogs teeth everyday. Started as a pup so he’s pretty used to it, but I find it easiest to do when he has a ball in his mouth. Nice easy access to all teeth. I used a long handled brush and Arm & Hammer enzymatic dog toothpaste.

Also use plaque off, dental water additive and Whimzees. Dental health is so important but so overlooked in so many dogs.

@fairylightsandwaxmelts, we also feed only natural chews for brushing their teeth. Can I ask what you find works best for them, I have seen on other pages raw bones work great but these worry me a little? We normally use Coffeewood Chews or Yak Chews and both seem to work great but Id like to find a range of different ones we can change between so they dont get bored

Ideally a toy would be great

No. We have tried it and it didn't go well, but may revisit it at some point. We only feed kibble, meat or fish, and natural chews like beef tails and other animal bits.

Yes - every week. Kid's toothbrush and Logic enzymatic toothpaste.

I also use a dental pick to take off any hard plaque. If your dog won't tolerate this then knuckle bones (from a butcher) are a very effective de-scaler of teeth!

Never done it, dog is 10 now with no brown plaque, no stinky breath, same as the previous dog (died at 12). Fed twice a day, no snacks/treats of any kind other than a carrot a couple of times/month although does eat grass most days.

No but raw feed and vet always comments on his teeth being good even at 8

I leave a few knuckle bones around and the odd frozen marrow bone for them to chew, my older dog’s teeth got a bit manky when she had her puppies as she was busy looking after them and wasn’t chewing.
Puppies are 11 weeks now and her teeth are nearly looking back to shiny white again. Seems overkill to brush them.

We used to use one of those finger brushes but he was not amenable to it in any way. The groomer did it for us for a good few years. Now he's old, cantankerous (still gorgeous), he goes for a clean under sedation at the vet. He eats a fish diet for medical reasons and stinks tbh but if you tried to do it now you'll lose a finger, or more.

There are definitely some breeds / temperaments that deal with it better than mine small feisty terrier.