# Brushing your dogs teeth?



## GSDTrain (Apr 21, 2008)

Do you brush your dogs teeth? I know and have seen that there are doggy tooth brushes and special doggy toothpaste out there and was wondering if anyone brushes their dogs teeth. Not to many people I know do brush their dogs teeth but some people do.

So, do you brush you dogs teeth?


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

Yes I brush them and no I don't use toothpaste - Morgan won't tolerate it. 

Why? When Morgan was 5 1/2 years old I was told she needed a full scaling but it was dangerous to put her under becuase she was 87 lbs when she'd been 58lbs at age 3 (thanks to Purina One and my twins giving her their leftover dinners.) We worked on getting her weight down and I started brushing her teeth every night. Morgan is 7 now and at her last check up the same vet told me her teeth look great - no dental needed. (today she was 68lbs) 

Thank you, please don't put my dog under, I'll just get a $2 tooth brush.


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

Oh and I use a soft child size toothbrush.


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## MayzieGSD (Aug 28, 2006)

Yes, Mayzie's starting to get some buildup on her back teeth so I've started brushing them. She tolerates a toothbrush but according to my vet using a gauze pad or anything to get it on the tooth works just as well as long as you use an enzymatic toothpaste.


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## BJDimock (Sep 14, 2008)

Ilan happens to like an electric toothbrush, but I guess she's an oddity. I started brushing hers when I noticed her watching me when I brushed mine. I rinsed out my toothbrush and tried it on her. She liked it so much that it is now hers, and I went out and bought a new one!


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## Dano (Sep 20, 2004)

I use a regular human toothbrush on my dogs. No toothpaste at all. I am slowly getting them used to my Sonicare electric toothbrush. Inga does not like the sound of it. Chaco thinks it's some kind of treat.


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## GSDTrain (Apr 21, 2008)

I too brush Ivy's teeth and some people think I am crazy. I sometimes use toothpaste sometimes not. She is not a fan of getting her teeth brushed but she tolerates it.


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## ChancetheGSD (Dec 19, 2007)

I've brushed Chance's teeth pretty much since I got him at 6 months old. I use toothpaste when I brush them, Chance acts sad if I don't use it. xD He LOVES his toothpaste, even ate a bottle of it once. >_<

On top of brushing his teeth I also use this stuff called Dental Fresh. It's a liquid that goes in the dogs water to help clean teeth and freshen breath. Along with daily chews, it's helped remove build up (And smell) from my small dogs teeth. My little 3 year old Chihuahua mix had such bad build up on her teeth there was barely any tooth showing on her teeth. Now she barely has any at all!









My family thinks I'm nuts but their dogs have gum disease and tooth loss at young ages. *shrugs* I only wish I'd have started earlier with my small dogs because lack of dental care has given them a lot of mouth problems.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I give my dogs RMB's, they have sparkly whites!


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## Sherush (Jan 12, 2008)

Nope I have never brushed any of my dogs teeth in the last 43 years and none of my present and passed dogs have had teeth issues.


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## frenchie27 (Jan 12, 2008)

I started brushing Charlie's teeth when he was about 4 months old. He hated it then, he hates it even more now.

Luckily I feed him one of the best foods in the market (Orijen) and also give him rawhide bones to chew on after each meal which helps a bunch. He's young, only a yr. old but everyone raves about his pretty white teeth. 

But having said that, I need to get into the habit of brushing him again. Maybe now that he's older, he'll put up with it better, or at least I hope he does....


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## Daisy1986 (Jul 9, 2008)

I have never done this. I bought all the supplies to do it. I just have not found the time to do it.









I know I need to though.









Just waiting for a good time.


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## VectorSketcher (Jul 20, 2008)

I do brush my dogs teeth, I started brushing them when Riddick was 8 weeks old, and same with Rogue, for different reasons ofcourse, Riddick always has food stuck in them, and Rogue well she is a poo muncher and I prefer her to have fresh breath not poo breath, ha ha! But I had my vet show me how to do it, and what was the best stuff to use, and both dogs sit there willingly while I do it. I brush my cats too. Hygene is king here! lol


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## nysirk (Apr 15, 2008)

I use this Petrodex enzymatic toothpaste its beef flavored my dogs think its a treat and love it. I also give them a dental chew once a week, I never did anything with my senoir Libby's teeth until my vet pointed out the decay so i started brushing both hers and the pups trying to prevent any possible problem in the future.


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## kelso (Jan 22, 2007)

I used to brush them alot more often than I do now.
A nice RAW recreational bone and RMB in general keep their teeth very nice, so I just brush intermittantly.


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## GSD07 (Feb 23, 2007)

I'm with onyx'girl and kelso. I give my dogs raw bones and their teeth and gums are very nice. I also bought a doggy toothpaste and a brush and brush the teeth once in a while just to accustom them to have their mouth and teeth touched.


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## Lin (Jul 3, 2007)

Nope, never. I'll brush fosters teeth though with C.E.T. toothpastes. RMBs keep them squeaky clean. I've had fosters that when they arrived the dentist said they needed a dental, but by the time they left the dentist said it was no longer needed. 

I HAVE been really curious about using an electric toothbrush lol... I have a sonicare, and I keep wondering how my dogs would react to it lmao.


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## Nikkoli110 (Sep 9, 2008)

I brush Katie's maybe once a week? I have started getting Titan used to the toothbrush, but he just tries to chew it as of now


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## Dano (Sep 20, 2004)

Just to warn everyone, there is a pink spray that is touted as "cleaning your dogs teeth and giving them healthy breath". I forget the name of it but I read the label and it contains xzylitol. The same ingredient in some chewing gums that has caused sever reactions and even death in many dogs. I noticed it at a Petsmart and pointed it out to a manager. She was surprised that it was on the shelves. Last time I checked, it was still available, so read the labels before you put anything in your dogs mouth.


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## Daisy1986 (Jul 9, 2008)

OK, what is RMB's??


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## Lin (Jul 3, 2007)

Raw meaty bones. Check out the raw section of the forum







Those of us that feed raw never have to brush, crunching up bones is the best teeth cleaner. RMBs are soft fully consumable bones like chicken backs, pork ribs, etc.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

Nope, I don't brush teeth on any of my animals. My oldest cat (4) needed a dental when he was less than 2 but after that his teeth have been fine. Maybe it was a fluke or the vet didn't know what she was doing. Kenya is 5 next week and I don't think she's ever had a dental or had her teeth brushed.


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## Catu (Sep 6, 2007)

For those who brush... How often you do it?


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## MayzieGSD (Aug 28, 2006)

I'm doing it daily right now, recommended by my vet. Once her teeth get better (back ones are starting to get some buildup), I might cut back to twice a week.


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## Skye'sMom (Jul 11, 2004)

My dogs get their teeth brushed a couple of times a week. I use a dog tooth paste (don't use human paste) and a child's battery powered toothbrush. (I can buy them 2 for $6.00.)

My dogs enjoy it since they like the taste of the tooth paste.


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## Syaoransbear (Sep 25, 2008)

I don't, but I should. I'll be getting him a tooth brush and some tooth paste really soon.


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## billthedogguy (Dec 3, 2008)

No. Since I started feeding a raw diet her teeth are beautiful.


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## GSDgirlAL (Jan 4, 2008)

yep, about 2-3 times a week.


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

I brush Morgan's every other night. I never used to then when she was 5, the vet wanted to knock her out for a dental - I said no and starting brushing. Now the vet says they look great - she never had the dental.

Otto, I brush his teeth whenever he has dookie mouth. I use the kids' sicky sweet training toothpaste to discourage him from eating his own shat. He's a nasty one.


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## weber1b (Nov 30, 2008)

We give Clover and Max large bones to work on and give greenies once a week. So far seems to do the job.


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## graciesmom (Jun 10, 2006)

Gracie is RAW fed, but I also brush her teeth daily. Her teeth are pearly white, but she does get a bit of bulid up on her back canines, despite the RMBs. I started with one of the ends from my oral B electric toothbrush since she was fascinated with it. Found out her fascination with the electric toothbrush was limited to watching me use it on my teeth. Nevertheless, that was my opening to getting her used to the toothbrush. I now use a regular dog toothbrush and enzyme toothpaste on her daily. It's part of our morning routine. She thrives on routine.


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## lcht2 (Jan 8, 2008)

no i do not brush my dogs teeth. i leave it up to toys to keep his teeth clean, which yes he does have pearly whites


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## lcht2 (Jan 8, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: SunCzarinaOtto, I brush his teeth whenever he has dookie mouth.


dookie mouth


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## reynosa-k9s (Sep 1, 2008)

Thank goodness I don't have to brush my dogs teeth. With 5 lg dogs that would be a time consuming chore. Their raw diet keeps the teeth sparkling clean. No 'doggie breath' either!









Jihad
and the pound puppy crew.


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