How To Brush Your Dogs Teeth
 

How to brush your Dog'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'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 flavored toothpaste with enzymes, 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'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.

VERY GOOD POST Pat....it's hard to get them used to it but we can by consistency and not giving up...

Thanks for your info, I have tried it a couple times.. it is NOT pretty. :mad:

Thank you.

For several days, I have been massaging her gums from outside her mouth. She seemed to enjoy that.

Then, I slowly have been raising her "lip" and just sliding one finger in to massage her gums on the inside of her mouth.

I had Missy on my lap last night and I put a little beef flavored toothpaste on my finger and she lapped it right up.

So I put some on the toothbrush and raised her lip and slid the toothbrush inside and brushed just a little on one side.

Tonight we'll try the other side. Maybe in a few days, we'll be able to do both sides in 1 sitting!*! lol

Awww this is a nice and helpful post. I will try this with Kelsey. She is a stinker sometimes. :)

Good Post! I sure wish I had used this procedure when Ahia was small. when she sees the brush she runs.

thanks for the tip, but with lexi, it can never happen,,she is a real tiger,like her mom...

It's been a struggle getting Pixie accustomed to it, but she's slowly starting to fight it less and less... She lets me get her front teeth really well, but it's the back I'm having problems with..... The toothbrush is just too big to get in back of her little mouth! I did have one of those finger brushes, but that didn't work so well, so I got an infant toothbrush from Walmart... THAT'S too big too! Anybody know where to get a toothbrush small enough to fit in a 2.5lb Yorkie's mouth???

I found a toothbrush at a dollarstore that has a big brush on one side and on the other end a very small one, it works great and fits well but she still does not like it. I like the fact that it is very long so she is not nibbling on me so much because of the length of the brush. Hope you can find one from your area, I live in Canada and you can buy these at every dollarstore in my area.
GOOD LUCK!!!!

Great post, Pat!
 

Nice job! Good luck getting the whole mouth done! :p Your pups will have pearly whites in no time!

Great Post! I started Princess when I first got her, So before that door opens in the morning for Play Time, it's Brush teeth, brush hair, and were set for the day :)

Winston thinks that brushing teeth is the biggest treat ever and I am not telling him otherwise. :p I guess he loves the toothpaste (Vanilla flavor). He'd stop whatever he's doing and run to the bathroom when I tell him let's brush teeth.

I took a toothbrush and toothpaste and just started brushing his teeth. ZOe loves it!

Thanks for the post I actually just copied it and sent it to myself so when I get home I can try it. Georgie runs from me when he sees me with the toothbrush even when I am brushing my own teeth....poor baby.

THANK YOU :) for the great post! I've been having a bit of trouble lately brushing my yorkie's teeth.

Good Thread,

I'm just a newbie at all this puppy things but I have a 7month old baby girl her name is Princess :aimeeyork Should I have started to introduce her already to brushing her teeth? :confused: We've had an issue with her we discovered she contracted Mange from somewhere so we've been busy treated her with that and making sure she gets all the attetion she needs, but anyway so ya I don't know should I have started at this point to brush her teeth :confused:

thanks for the helpful post.. There were some very informative things on here, i had no clue what I was doing. Thanks again for your help.

You need to get them used to having their teeth brushed from as early as possible as yorkies are prone to teeth problems because their little mouths are so crowded.

Charley hates having his teeth brushed it is a real struggle with him :rolleyes: and I have been doing it since we got him!
I will be taking him in soon to have a scale and polish at the vet's.

Sharon,Charley & Melody.

Guilty, I feel so guilty, I am so guilty....I TRY,TRY, TRY to brush...the vet even made me buy some stuff the help keep the tartar at bay. I'm supposed to brush, THEN DRY THE TEETH OFF WITH GAUZE, then apply the sealant...I spent $20.00 on the stuff and haven't ever gotten past the drying the teeth off part...that's a laugh! I get about three teeth done before we all get mad...hehe. The other day I was doing Scout's teeth and he managed to squirm away and jump off the couch and run away and he got about ten yards away, whirled around, and with all four paws planted firmly on the ground gave me a "HA-HA" look that dared me to try the toothbrushing again! Anyway, I will keep trying....calm, nice, cuddly toothbrushing...sounds nice.

This is really great post!! Thank you!

I think PetaDent has a kitty toothbrush that is even small than their puppy one. The kitty one is real small and round bristles.

Google it for: PetaDent toothbrushes

PetsMart has the puppy and the adult ones.

Well, we got a little farther tonight with brushing Missy's teeth. I first put some on my finger and just let her lick it off. This one was chicken flavor and she liked it too.

Then I put some on the puppy toothbrush and pushed it down in the bristles so she couldn't just lick it right off.

When I finished or should I say when she wouldn't let me brush anymore, I put a little bit on my finger to let her lick it off so we ended with something pleasing to her.

I got most of them brushed on one side. They say to only worry about getting the outside of the teeth.

Maybe tomorrow night she'll let me brush the teeth on the other side of her mouth.

Muffie wouldn't have anything to do with even tasting it until she saw Missy going "ape" over it. Then here comes Muffie running over to check it out so I put some on my finger and let her lick it off. She liked it. We'll have to wait a few weeks before we try Muffie's as she just had 6 teeth pulled yesterday.

Good luck everybody. Try to keep it positive and happy go lucky! Don't get upset because they'll just get mad!