Question:
My pup is just shy of 5 months old.
We have have her 6 weeks (seems like years, but in a good way)

I've not yet introduced tooth brushing to her, although I probably already should have.

Looking for some crafty advice on how to start it, how to make it a pleasant experience, hot tips, what yo use, how often,etc.
Basically anything that would be important to know... I would be grateful!

Hopefully I haven't waited to long that it will be a problem.

And what about bad breath??
Could it be that pig ear I've been letting her ngaw on?? Her breath was not bad before. What can I do to help her breath?

Thanks in advance!

Jessica

Answer:
Bad breath is usually from bad teeth.

As for brushing, just start with short, positive sessions. Did the vet tell you which toothpaste to use?

Answer:
At five months old, she shouldn't have bad teeth already. Pig ears are full of bacteria and not a good idea to give them IMO.

Make sure you buy the doggy toothpaste and do not use human toothpaste with fluoride. The doggy toothpastes are flavoured as well (chicken or beef and I think there's a mint one). My dogs like the chicken one the best.

Start slowly and at first she'll probably try and chew the toothbrush....my boys still do. Two to three times a week is good enough.

Answer:
But if you have a weird dog like mine who HATES doggie toothpaste -- no matter how much it tastes like chicken or beef -- you can also use child training toothpaste that tastes like berries and stuff. Check the back of the label for the ingredients. The one we have been using is made by Orajel and it does not have fluoride in it.

Answer:
Thanks Rainbow... Ya know, it would make sense that the pig ears are full of bacteria, they are SO gross.
So I should probably take the one she has and toss it.
This could be what is giving her the bad breath... because when you open her mouth and look at her teeth they look beautiful. The vet thinks they look good too.

No recomendation from the vet on tooth paste, just to brush that was all.

Okay... so I am going to pick up meaty tooth paste r (sounds funny)
and just go from there.

Do you guys use soft bristled tooth brushes or special dog tooth brushes?

Answer:
The toothpaste I bought a long time ago came with a brush and a little finger brush thingy.

It could also be the food that is causing the bad breath.

Answer:
We also use a baby toothbrush. Here's a picture of Jesse's toothbrush and toothpaste. We actually keep it in the toothbrush holder with our brushes.

Answer:
Great pic!

Answer:
Yeah, Jesse loves to get her teeth brushed.

Answer:
Originally Posted by jessymoka
Do you guys use soft bristled tooth brushes or special dog tooth brushes?

I use the doggy one but a baby one would be fine.

Answer:
my dogs love having there teeth brushed I started off with the finger brush then the doggie toothbrush, they love the chicken flavoured toothpast and lick it off as fast as they can so it takes a while and a lot of paste to get the job done properly.

Answer:
For small breeds a finger brush is best to use for larger breeds a toothbrush, plaque collects on the outer surface nearest the lips, their tongues typically keep the inner tooth quite clean, so it is the outer part of the tooth that needs to be cleaned which is where food particles will collect, when brushing sweep away from the gums, food stuck on the teeth starts to become plaque within 3 days, so brushing every or every other day is needed, once plaque starts food particles will adhere much quicker

Answer: