Keeping your dog's teeth clean is of paramount importance, and failure to do so can result in the build of of plaque, tartar and a myriad of health problems. Here is a link to an article which will tell you what can go wrong, symptoms of dental problems, and some tips on how to keep teeth in tip top condition. In this article we will explain to how to get your dog used to having its mouth handled and make the teeth brushing itself a rewarding event.
Equipment
Speak to your vet and let them advise which toothbrush is the best option for your dog, as well as which toothpaste is most enjoyed by dogs - there are various flavours available. We would suggest taking two different ones, to see which one is preferred.
A word of warning here - if you are teaching your pup, and it has not yet learnt bite inhibition exercises, then rather avoid the finger toothbrush at this stage (this is a rubber type toothbrush that can be placed over the finger}. The reason for this is that puppy teeth are very sharp - the toothpaste tastes good to the pup, and it may bite down harder than intended to get stuck into the great tasting stuff you are offering, and teeth may go into your finger!
Teaching your dog that having its mouth handled is not an unpleasant exercise
Ideally, you want to start when your dog is a puppy, and the majority of good puppy schools will show you how to handle your pup all over, make examining the mouth pleasant, and how to open to mouth to inspect it.
Not only will this help to habituate the pup to having its teeth brushed, additionally, by being able to open the mouth easily, will be a tremendous help in getting out anything that has become stuck in the pups mouth, and as all those who have had pups know, this can happen easily.
Whether a pup or a dog you can use the same procedure, but do bear in mind that it important to 'work with where the dog is at', as we say in TTouch, and this means working at a pace your dog can handle and never push, or rush the process. The older a dog is, the harder it may be to get it used to teeth brushing, and of course it can take longer.
Don't try to do this all in one session, break it down into a few minutes, several times a day, and always finish off when successful - with a dog that is nervous 'less really is more' and will make the whole process easier for the dog. With some dogs you can start the process and in the same session, end up brushing the teeth - it depends on the individual dog as to how fast you will progress.
Have next to you the toothbrush and toothpaste of choice in case needed, and you go faster than you anticipated. Additionally, have some small, high value treats at hand.
Equipment
Speak to your vet and let them advise which toothbrush is the best option for your dog, as well as which toothpaste is most enjoyed by dogs - there are various flavours available. We would suggest taking two different ones, to see which one is preferred.
A word of warning here - if you are teaching your pup, and it has not yet learnt bite inhibition exercises, then rather avoid the finger toothbrush at this stage (this is a rubber type toothbrush that can be placed over the finger}. The reason for this is that puppy teeth are very sharp - the toothpaste tastes good to the pup, and it may bite down harder than intended to get stuck into the great tasting stuff you are offering, and teeth may go into your finger!
Teaching your dog that having its mouth handled is not an unpleasant exercise
Ideally, you want to start when your dog is a puppy, and the majority of good puppy schools will show you how to handle your pup all over, make examining the mouth pleasant, and how to open to mouth to inspect it.
Not only will this help to habituate the pup to having its teeth brushed, additionally, by being able to open the mouth easily, will be a tremendous help in getting out anything that has become stuck in the pups mouth, and as all those who have had pups know, this can happen easily.
Whether a pup or a dog you can use the same procedure, but do bear in mind that it important to 'work with where the dog is at', as we say in TTouch, and this means working at a pace your dog can handle and never push, or rush the process. The older a dog is, the harder it may be to get it used to teeth brushing, and of course it can take longer.
Don't try to do this all in one session, break it down into a few minutes, several times a day, and always finish off when successful - with a dog that is nervous 'less really is more' and will make the whole process easier for the dog. With some dogs you can start the process and in the same session, end up brushing the teeth - it depends on the individual dog as to how fast you will progress.
Have next to you the toothbrush and toothpaste of choice in case needed, and you go faster than you anticipated. Additionally, have some small, high value treats at hand.
- Make sure your can stroke your dog all over its body, even doing a bit of TTouch on it, and only work up to working on the mouth when the dog is totally relaxed - don't just go straight into the mouth - imagine how you would feel!
- When doing the procedure below, it is often helpful to start sitting next to your dog facing to the front of the dog, rather than sitting in front of the dog and facing it, especially if you have a dog that is a bit nervous of its mouth being touched.
- Start by getting your dog used to you stroking along the sides of the mouth. An ideal way to do this is to use the back of the hand and do long strokes. The back of the hand is a lot less invasive than the palm of the hand, and if you stroke first the palm of your hand along your own arm, and then turn it around, and stroke down your arm with the back of your hand, you will see it is a lot less invasive. This is especially important if working with a shelter dog that is not used to having its mouth touched, or a dog that is a bit nervous.
Once the dog is happily accepting the back of the hand stroking, then turn your palm towards the mouth and muzzle area, and stroke along the muzzle, gum area as above. - Have some high value treats with you, and as you stroke, praise quietly telling your dog how clever it is, and give treats often. The important thing here, is that when you stop the stroking, the high value treats stop as well - the message - look what fantastic things happen when my person strokes my mouth - praise, owners undivided attention, and special treats to boot!
If you have learnt how to do TTouch, then some small Raccoon circles all around the mouth area will help. Remember to keep on praising and treating.
Gently supporting the head, place your hand over the muzzle (just above it), with your thumb on the side closest to you. Gently stroke with your thumb along the jaw and jowls.
While stroking, with your thumb, gently lift up the top lip and stroke along the gum area.
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- Once your dog is happy with above, start to open the mouth completely. Again, at this stage a lot of praising and treating. Open slightly, praise and treat, gradually opening the mouth more and more as the dogs gets used to this.
- Check your dogs teeth and get to know what is normal. By doing this, you will easily see if gum is a bit red, any swelling etc, and even if the breath smells different. If you do notice any changes, give your vet a call. My own vet says 'when in doubt check it out', a great motto to have and adhere too!
Here is a You Tube on how to do the actual brushing once you get to this stage.
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