how to brush teeth? - YorkieTalk.com Forums

hunniebunnie · 12-09-2005, 03:17 AM

how do i brush his teeth when he's fighting me every which way he can?
i tried putting in on my lap, first use a finger brush, then a mini pet brush. he keeps fighting me and squirms, trying to get off my lap. I finally wrapped him up in a towel with only his head sticking out. at first he squirmed and fought me, then he stop fighting as hard, but started just keeping his head turned away from me and his mouth closed. he wouldn't even let me rub his teeth with just my fingers.

any other ideas on how to get my puppy used to teeth brushing? should i continue to fight him until he relents?

oh why can't he open his mouth when i want him to...like for teeth brushing, and close his mouth when i want him to...like when he uses my fingers as his chew toy?

YorkieRini · 12-09-2005, 06:47 AM

Yorkies have such small mouths I think the brushes they make are not small enough. I am sure it hurts when we try to brush with a toothbrush. I take a babywash cloth (you cna buy them at WalMart in the baby section), a regular washcloth is too thick; put some toothpaste (doggie paste) on it and then rub the teeth while I have my Yorkie sitting in the sink with conditioner on him/her. They really don't fuss.

Good luck!

Zeus' Mom · 12-09-2005, 06:53 AM

We use the little brush that you put on your finger and it seems to work pretty well. Zeus doesn't like it, but he eventually gives up and lets us brush his little chompers!

Erin · 12-09-2005, 08:59 AM

Loki brushes his own teeth. I'm not kidding. I give him the toothbrush and he chews it like a bone. That's the only way he will let me do it. Sometimes i have to help him get the front teeth because wants to chew with his back teeth, and sometimes I have to hold the brush to make sure he is chewing on the BRUSH end and not the handle. I just use the cheap ones that come bundled when you buy toothpaste or the freebies from the dentist. Sometimes I skip the doggie toothpaste because then all he wants to do is lick it.

joey301 · 12-09-2005, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Erin

Loki brushes his own teeth. I'm not kidding. I give him the toothbrush and he chews it like a bone. That's the only way he will let me do it. Sometimes i have to help him get the front teeth because wants to chew with his back teeth, and sometimes I have to hold the brush to make sure he is chewing on the BRUSH end and not the handle. I just use the cheap ones that come bundled when you buy toothpaste or the freebies from the dentist. Sometimes I skip the doggie toothpaste because then all he wants to do is lick it.

This works for me too, especially for the very front teeth. It takes patience to get them used to teeth brushing, but I really think it helps with their breath. It is best to start young too, since it is a better preventative than cure.
Joey

hunniebunnie · 12-09-2005, 07:05 PM

erin, joey, i tried that just now. let him brush his own teeth by chewing on the brush. and guess what! it works! i still have to figure out how to brush his front teeth, but at least it's a step in the right direction! thanks for the tip!

chachi · 12-10-2005, 08:41 AM

I use a fingertip brush. Both my dogs fight me on brushing their teeth.

omare · 12-10-2005, 10:09 AM

Mothercare do the best brushes for cleaning yorkies teeth, just the right size. Be careful though as my yorkie was allergic to dog toothpaste and it made him have swollen and very itchy anal glands. My vet had not seen a case of this before but he sure looks out for it now. I use warm water with a pinch of salt as an antiseptic. My dog is eleven next March and has never had or needed a dental and still has every tooth he was born with.

omare · 12-10-2005, 10:17 AM

Sit on a sofa or bed and if you sit your dog half on your lap, with his front paws on your thigh sitting at your side. Hold his mouth either side and open his mouth, brush as if you were brushing your teeth in exactly the same way and the do the front ones. They get use to it real quick, I have no trouble with mine, he gets them brushed every night before he goes to bed.

joey301 · 12-12-2005, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hunniebunnie

erin, joey, i tried that just now. let him brush his own teeth by chewing on the brush. and guess what! it works! i still have to figure out how to brush his front teeth, but at least it's a step in the right direction! thanks for the tip!

With Ruggles, it got him used to the taste of the toothpaste and he realized he liked it. Brushing their back teeth is difficult but if you wiggle the brush while they are chewing on, and make sure that they chew on the bristles, they do a pretty good job of brushing their own teeth. I have been told that the toothpaste has an enzyme that is helpful even if it just gets onto the teeth. I can finally brush my boys pretty good though, they got so they tolerated it.
Joey

vcabbyw · 12-12-2005, 11:47 PM

My Yorkie didnt like it either, in the begining. But Im glad I kept with it, as she is 5 years old now and the Vet compliments us every time on how perfect her teeth are, thanx to regular teeth brushing and a raw diet. At this rate, we wont ever have to have a professional teeth cleaning. Just want to let you know that it will get easier with time

I started out with her licking the tooth paste off of my fingers. From the day I got her, I got her used to me inspecting every part of her.. her ears, her behind, her toes, and her mouth. Once she got used to me opening her mouth and looking/touching her teeth, she barely noticed when I put a lil toothpaste on a finger and scrubbed her teeth. Later on I introduced a finger brush. Just have to go slow and not force it on them

My Vet was even amazed when she was able to open my Yorkies mouth without much protest.

12-09-2005, 03:17 AM	#1
hunniebunnie Follower of Yorkietology Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Cali-fo-nee-ya Posts: 1,325	how to brush teeth? how do i brush his teeth when he's fighting me every which way he can? i tried putting in on my lap, first use a finger brush, then a mini pet brush. he keeps fighting me and squirms, trying to get off my lap. I finally wrapped him up in a towel with only his head sticking out. at first he squirmed and fought me, then he stop fighting as hard, but started just keeping his head turned away from me and his mouth closed. he wouldn't even let me rub his teeth with just my fingers. any other ideas on how to get my puppy used to teeth brushing? should i continue to fight him until he relents? oh why can't he open his mouth when i want him to...like for teeth brushing, and close his mouth when i want him to...like when he uses my fingers as his chew toy?

12-09-2005, 06:47 AM	#2
YorkieRini Livin' La Yorkie Local Donating Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: NE Ohio Posts: 1,607	Try this! Yorkies have such small mouths I think the brushes they make are not small enough. I am sure it hurts when we try to brush with a toothbrush. I take a babywash cloth (you cna buy them at WalMart in the baby section), a regular washcloth is too thick; put some toothpaste (doggie paste) on it and then rub the teeth while I have my Yorkie sitting in the sink with conditioner on him/her. They really don't fuss. Good luck!

12-09-2005, 06:53 AM	#3
Zeus' Mom Enja's Mom too! Donating Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 2,765	We use the little brush that you put on your finger and it seems to work pretty well. Zeus doesn't like it, but he eventually gives up and lets us brush his little chompers! __________________ Farrah, Zeus, Enja & Riley

12-09-2005, 08:59 AM	#4
Erin Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Chicago Suburbs Posts: 3,306	Loki brushes his own teeth. I'm not kidding. I give him the toothbrush and he chews it like a bone. That's the only way he will let me do it. Sometimes i have to help him get the front teeth because wants to chew with his back teeth, and sometimes I have to hold the brush to make sure he is chewing on the BRUSH end and not the handle. I just use the cheap ones that come bundled when you buy toothpaste or the freebies from the dentist. Sometimes I skip the doggie toothpaste because then all he wants to do is lick it. __________________ Erin, Sammy & Loki Sewing patterns and tutorials @ www.dogundermydesk.com

12-10-2005, 08:41 AM	#7
chachi I Love My Yorkies Donating Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Indianapolis, Indiana Posts: 37,147	I use a fingertip brush. Both my dogs fight me on brushing their teeth. __________________ Chachi's & Jewels Mom Jewels http://www.dogster.com/?132431 Chachi http://www.dogster.com/?132427

12-09-2005, 07:05 PM	#6
hunniebunnie Follower of Yorkietology Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Cali-fo-nee-ya Posts: 1,325	erin, joey, i tried that just now. let him brush his own teeth by chewing on the brush. and guess what! it works! i still have to figure out how to brush his front teeth, but at least it's a step in the right direction! thanks for the tip!

12-10-2005, 10:09 AM	#8
omare Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: london Posts: 19	Mothercare do the best brushes for cleaning yorkies teeth, just the right size. Be careful though as my yorkie was allergic to dog toothpaste and it made him have swollen and very itchy anal glands. My vet had not seen a case of this before but he sure looks out for it now. I use warm water with a pinch of salt as an antiseptic. My dog is eleven next March and has never had or needed a dental and still has every tooth he was born with.

12-10-2005, 10:17 AM	#9
omare Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: london Posts: 19	Sit on a sofa or bed and if you sit your dog half on your lap, with his front paws on your thigh sitting at your side. Hold his mouth either side and open his mouth, brush as if you were brushing your teeth in exactly the same way and the do the front ones. They get use to it real quick, I have no trouble with mine, he gets them brushed every night before he goes to bed.

12-12-2005, 11:47 PM	#11
vcabbyw YT Addict Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Corvallis, OR Posts: 273	My Yorkie didnt like it either, in the begining. But Im glad I kept with it, as she is 5 years old now and the Vet compliments us every time on how perfect her teeth are, thanx to regular teeth brushing and a raw diet. At this rate, we wont ever have to have a professional teeth cleaning. Just want to let you know that it will get easier with time I started out with her licking the tooth paste off of my fingers. From the day I got her, I got her used to me inspecting every part of her.. her ears, her behind, her toes, and her mouth. Once she got used to me opening her mouth and looking/touching her teeth, she barely noticed when I put a lil toothpaste on a finger and scrubbed her teeth. Later on I introduced a finger brush. Just have to go slow and not force it on them My Vet was even amazed when she was able to open my Yorkies mouth without much protest. __________________ *ApriL and Turbie* I wonder if other dogs think poodles are members of a weird religious cult. -Rita Rudner