# Best way of removing tartar of Lukas's teeth



## GermanShepherdLover

I am not sure why, but Lukas is 14 mos. old, loves to eat carrots, and other veggies and fruit, lots of raw hide, and eats dry dog food, but has alot of tartar built up on his teeth. He would never let me brush them with the dog tooth paste, it is hard enough to clean his ears monthly. Any suggestions?


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## Catu

There is a wide variety of toys designed to remove tartar, check on them. There are some made of rawhide, rubber, pressed paper, etc.


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## GermanShepherdLover

Actually, I bought him a tooth scrubber (it's made of rubber and a tube of Petrodex natural toothpaste that you are supposed to apply it to the scrubber). I wasn't sure if they actually worked or not. But since I got it for him today he seems to really like it. Thanks for the helpfull info. He is so strong, that brushing his teeth was just out of the question.


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## 3K9Mom

Fruit is filled with sugar. Sugar converts to plaque almost immediately, which then converts to tartar. 

Unless the fruit you're giving him has LOTS of nutrients (few actually do, really, in the big scheme of things. Veggies are nutrient-dense), I'd withhold the fruit, and see if that helps. 

With regard to tooth brushing, my GSD HATES his ears being cleaned, but he's ok with tooth brushing. Maybe not his whole mouth at a time, but half his mouth? sure. Start with a delicious snack. Brush a tooth. Give another snack. Stop for the day. 

Use warm water in a coffee mug so it stays warm. (Cold water is really uncomfortable, or so I've been told by all my dogs). Rinse the toothbrush often. Sticky toothpaste is less comfortable than slurpy toothpaste. Slowly work your way up one tooth. Then two. . Give lots of snacks at first. Make the snacks soft ones so that if his gums are a bit sore from brushing, the snacks don't hurt his gums. 

Sure, at first, the snacks are counterproductive to tooth brushing. But you will switch to hard biscuits once he gets used to the routine. And within 3-4 weeks, you should have a dog that will sit in front of you and accept half of his mouth being brushed in exchange for one hard biscuit at the end. If you brush half of his mouth every other day for a couple months, he'll eventually let you brush his whole mouth every day. 

No strength is required. Just patience. Lots of patience. Make it fun. Snacks for clean teeth. Everyone wins! 

You and Luckas can do it! I promise!


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