[iluvduchess]

You know, back in 2009, after my baby girl Yorkie Duchess, and my baby boy Maltese, Frosty cost me around $700 to get their teeth cleaned, I made the commitment to keep their clean. That was in 2009, March for Duchess, and September for Frosty.

Of course, since then I've lost Duchess on July 6th to massive kidney disease. But, I was able to fairly easily, get both Duchess and Frosty to allow me to brush their teeth. I brushed Duchess' teeth until she passed away, ever since the 2009 cleaning, and I still brush Frosty's teeth virtually daily, since that last pro cleaning in Sept 2009.

When I take (or in Duchess's case, took) them for their annual appts at the vet, I'd usually get kudos from the vet or vet and technician about how great their teeth looked.

I started out with a finger toothbrush, back in 2009, with Petrodex Poultry toothpaste. After wearing that out, and having problems finding more finger tooth brushes (and they always much preferred the kind with the regualr bristles, not rubber bristles), I graduated them to using a nice soft human toothbrush, and quite frankly, it has worked great. So, that leads me to my current topic:

As many of you know, who regularly read this board, after missing Duchess soooooo bad for a few weeks, I got lucky and was able to purchase/adopt a 3 year old "show quality" Yorkie from N.. Indiana. He's a fantastic little dog, and in just 3 months as become very devoted to me and we're best buddies.

But......the one thing I've not been able to accomplish is for him to allow me to brush his teeth. And, he has all of his beautiful little white teeth, and I really don't want him to go through what Duchess went through, losing probably 75% of her teeth, before I began to brush them, and Frosty probably has lost a third or so of his teeth, before I began to daily brush his in 2009.

But, both were great with it, since I got them trained to do it, and started in 2009. In fact, they would wait in line for their turn to get their teeth brushed...I think mostly because they really liked the taste of the Petrodex toothpaste.

But, my new little 3 year old...I have tried everything I can think of. And, even though he loves me, and trusts me, he will not let me brush his teeth. He pushes my hand away with his front paws.

He'll allow me to put some Petrodex on my index finger and "finger" brush his teeth, without any type of brush. But, though I was happy to do that at first, just to get him used to having my finger in his mouth, we've never been able to make any more progress than that.

And, I mean, I have tried everything...finger brushes..several sizes, soft baby tooth brushes or kid's tooth brushes. I have one kid's tooth brush that I got which is just the right size and would do a great job - if, he'd just allow me to.

My final try was to buy several boxes of plastic gloves, that have a little "brush area" on the index finger and thumb, and to try those. I thought they might work, since he allows me to put my finger in his mouth, with the toothpaste on it.

But, not luck...he pushes that away too, and we both just generally get stressed out trying.

I really, really want to brush his teeth daily, and give him the opportunity to keep all of his beautiful little teeth, and have no gum disease or dental disease. His teeth are still in pretty doggone good shape, and if we could get started soon, I think we can keep him from losing any at all, and the pain of any decay, etc.

But, I just can't get him to allow anything I've tried. Now, he lets me clean his eyes with a small soft toothbrush, and allows me to flush his ears. But, it is just no go with the tooth brushing.

Can anyone out there help me, and give me any further ideas on how to get Peyton to allow me to brush his teeth?

If he never will allow it, was is the next best way to keep his teeth clean. Do dental stix work?

I really need help. After getting both Duchess and Frosty trained to allow me to brush their teeth (and Frosty is pretty hard headed), and I really did not think I would have any problem training him to allow me to brush his teeth.

Please...help me save the $300 vet bills from having his teeth cleaned, not to mention, I don't want him to go through the inevitable toothaches and pain, from not keeping his teeth totally clean.

I mean, I'm thinking even if we can do it every other day, that still would be great and would keep them very clean.

So, does anyone have any good ideas on how to get this little guy to quit pushing the toothbrush..finger brush or otherwise, or even plastic glove, out of his mouth!!!

Thanks so much. I want him to keep all of his pearly whites, and I'm certainly willing to put in the work to keep them clean!!