The best/easiest way to keep a dogs teeth healthy??

Question

I have a Mini-Pinscher, about the size of a Jack Russell for those who haven't heard of them, and his breath is bad due to his teeth needing cleaning and care. My wife and I have tried cleaning them using 'dog toothbrush and toothpaste', but he hates it and gets quite upset when we try..........

Any ideas??

Answer 1

I was overwhelmed with trying to keep up the teeth on my motley crew, but when i began feeding Canidae, the problem is gone..completely...Teeth are sparkling clean with no tartar or gum disease, even on my old dogs..

Or, Get a good quality rope toy.(not the dollar store ones) ..the ones that appear to be twisted string tied in a knot. Soak it in unsalted broth. Dry it in a very slow oven. he will try to chew all the flavor out of that, and it works as dental floss to keep his teeth clean, and his breath fresh.
If he grows tired, (couple of months)as the flavor is gone, just wash by hand, and re-soak.
the remedy wasn't practical for me, as I have so many huge dogs in the house, and the rope chew would cause strife..

Answer 2

As has been suggested earlier, dentistix are a good idea, they can keep the plaque down.

If your dog's teeth are bad it might be a good idea to get the vet to give him a thorough tooth clean to start you off before you begin. It's much easier to keep teeth clean if they aren't already too bad, plus it'll be less uncomfortable for your dog.

Most dogs hate having their teeth cleaned, so you're not alone.

Start by stroking his muzzle. Give him a treat when he lets you. The idea is to slowly get him used to the idea of you touching around his mouth.

When he gets used to this, lift up his lip to expose the teeth before giving him the treat.

The next stage is to get a small amount of the toothpaste and put it on to his teeth and allow him to lick it off.

Then start brushing, but only for a couple of seconds before stopping and praising him.

Then build up the time you brush for.

ABOVE ALL - BE GENTLE!! And remember, don't be too hard on yourself or your dog if it doesn't go too well at first, or he has an off-day, or it takes longer for him to accept the teeth cleaning than you'd hoped. It happens, just remember that every little bit of a contribution towards cleaning his teeth, the healthier his mouth will be.

Good luck.

Answer 3

I started to clean my dogs teeth with canine toothpaste when we got him as a pup because my last dog died of cancer in the mouth - it was a knee jerk reaction because I knew it wouldn't stop something like cancer but it makes me feel so much better knowing that I am doing all I can.

The toothpaste I use for my dog is poultry flavoured and he loves it. He isn't great at letting me use the brush, he is trying too hard to lick the toothpaste but he does let me rub it along his teeth on the end of my finger and since it is enzymic it cleans just by being there. He is also fed dried food which has 'oral care' properties. He loves apple and carrot to chew and also rawhide sticks which all help.

He is 5 and his teeth are white and perfect to look at but the one thing we do not do is throw him stones - a sure way to damage teeth AND gums.

P.S. My cat who is a lot older will not tolerate a tooth brush at all and it not easy to get a cat to let you rub its teeth or gums so I put toothpaste on some of his dried food kibbles and he happily eats them crunching and cleaning at the same time. If you can get a toothpaste your dog likes the taste of then that might work for nim too.

keep trying :-)

Answer 4

Toothbrushes are a waste of time with many dogs because by the time we get around to using them the teeth problems are already set in.
Have you taken his to the vet to make sure there is no serious damage to his teeth and gums?
If the problem is a build up of tarter and related gum infmalation (creates awful breath i know!) then the best way to improve his teeth is to get him chewing. Often, older dogs will chew less and then plaque sets in and then gums flare up and so its uncomfortable to chew and the problem just gets worse.
If you are finding that he isn't interested in chewing things then you'll need to up the stakes. For example, get him a roast beef knuckle from the pet shop - very tempting - or swop a meal a day for a chewy bone/pigs ear etc.
If you can get him using those back teeth you will find his dental health improving enormously and his bad breath will disappear.

Answer 5

Basic Training of the Puppy - Read here https://tr.im/ZN0Vs

The new puppy is certainly one of the most adorable and cuddly creatures that has ever been created. It is the most natural thing in the world to shower it with love and affection. However, at the same time it is important to realize that if you want to have a well trained adult dog, you need to begin the training process right away. The dog, like its related ancestor, the wolf, is a pack animal. One of the features of a pack is that it has a single dominant leader. Your new puppy is going to want that leader to be you, but if you do not assume that role from the very beginning, the puppy’s instincts will push him to become the leader.

The most important thing to remember about training the puppy during its first six months of life is that it must see you as the leader of the family pack. The essential thing is gaining the trust and the respect of the puppy from the beginning. You will not do this by allowing the puppy to do whatever it wants to do whenever it wants to do it. On the other hand, a certain amount of patience is required. Most people err in their early training by going to extremes one way or the other. Although you need to begin the basic training process at once, you can not expect your dog to do too much at first. Basic obedience training is fine and should include simple commands like sit, stay, and come. Remember that trying to teach the dog advanced obedience techniques when it is a puppy is much like trying to teach a five year old child algebra.

It is also important to restrain from cruel or abusive treatment of the puppy. You can not beat obedience into your dog, and it certainly is not going to engender feeling of respect and trust. House breaking is an area where this usually becomes a problem because of the anger that is triggered when the puppy fails and creates a mess inside the home. Although this issue must be addressed without anger, it most be addressed. If you allow the puppy to eliminate inside the house, it will continue to do so as an adult dog. The same thing is true of other destructive or dangerous behavior such as chewing and biting. Do not expect the puppy to grow out of it. You are going to need to train the puppy out of it, but you should do so firmly but with a sense of play and fun using positive reinforcement and lots of love and praise for good behavior.

Answer 6

The best way to keep a dog's teeth clean and healthy is a combination of things -
feed him/her biscuits as opposed to wet food as the crunch will remove bits from their teeth (wet food also causes their breath to smell worse)
Make sure he/she has lots to chew - rawhide or meat bones are always good and they keep them happy too.
Encourage the to play with rope/material toys as they will have a certain amount of rubbing and cleaning capabilities.
Get him/her used to be "checked" lift the lips and check teeth regularly, check inside the ears and feel all along their coat. The more comfortable the dog feels the less of a hassle trying to clean their teeth with a toothbrush will be. Maybe try to get one of those finger brushes which just fit on the end of your finger and tend to be softer and look less scary to a little woofer .................

Answer 7

try hills T-D biscuits. they are a special type of dried food you can get and they are designed to only break when the tooth has pierced the whole kibble meaning that it scrapes the tooth right up to the gum taking away any plaque. You don't need to feed it on it's own, just a small handle every now and then mixed in with the food should be suficient. another tips is to try the tooth paste but scrub using some tights. Wierd i no. Just wrap enough around your finger and use that. It's much less invasive to you pet.

Answer 8

Get your dog onto a BARF diet. Not only will your dog be happier and healthier, but the action of crunching up bones naturally clean the teeth. DON'T give a dog cooked bones, they are liable to splinter. Raw Meaty Bones such as chicken wings would be ideal for your dog.

Take a look at the site http://www.rawlearning.com/rawfaq.html

My German Shepherd is raw fed and has been since she was 10 weeks old, her teeth are perfect and she is a picture of health.

Answer 9

In response to one of the other answers, please do not give your dog chicken bones. They will splinter and could be lodged in the intestine and cause real problems!
Chews designed specifically for dental health can be helpful, though it sounds like your dog may have worse problems.
Periodically throughout a dog's life, it should be taken to a veterinarian for dental work. They will anesthetize your dog and clean his teeth with special tools. Your dog's bad breath could very well be caused by a rotten tooth that should be extracted before real problems occur (abscess, infection, etc.) The dental cleaning will give you a good start and will be easier to keep up with chews, period brushing, etc.

Answer 10

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