Okay, so I don't think that particular company makes dog toothpaste but there are companies that do. Now I know what you're thinking. Are we seriously going to talk about brushing a dogs teeth? Yes. Yes we are. I remember when I first started owning dogs and someone mentioned to me that I should brush their teeth. I thought that person was crazy. Why would I brush my dogs teeth? Wolves don't exactly go to a dentist. But there was the flaw in my reasoning and after watching the National Geographic special "And Man Made Dog" I began to truly appreciate the differences between dogs and wolves.
Despite any physical resemblance between some breeds of dog and wolves, the fact is that dogs are not wolves. Dogs were domesticated between 14,000 and 30,000 years ago. (Though the exact date is hotly debated, as I witnessed by the debate that took place in an archaeology class) Dogs and wolves are different animals, even if their DNA is nearly identical. Add to that the average life span of a wolf as compared that of a house dog and it becomes clear that most wolves don't live long enough to die from periodontal disease.
Once you've managed to convince yourself to brush your dogs teeth you will be faced with the problem of how to do it. If you're like me you've never had to brush anybody's teeth but your own and most dogs are not real cooperative when it comes to things being shoved into their mouths.
First thing you need to do is get a toothbrush and toothpaste, both of which can be bought at your local pet store, groom shop or online. Luckily dog toothpaste (Never use human toothpaste. Ever.) has special enzymes in it that continue to work after it's been applied to the teeth. This is good news if you're dog hates the toothbrush. If you don't mind getting your hand slimy you can just put in on your finger and rub it onto the dogs teeth. This isn't as effective as brushing but it'll do in a pinch.
The best thing to do is start when your dog is a puppy. Puppies quickly learn to tolerate poking and prodding by their owners. Chances are though, that your dog is far from being a puppy. In this case it's just going to take some patience and persistence.
- Step One: have your dog sit in front of you, facing the same direction as you. This position is helpful if your dog is resistant and tries to get away. They usually do so by backing up and here, he'll just back up into you.
- Step Two: take your toothbrush with toothpaste on it and gently brush each side of your dogs mouth. Try to get the back teeth if possible. Those are always the ones with the most buildup.
- Step Three: reward him, but don't give him a treat. Generally you're not supposed to let your dog eat for 30 minutes after brushing, but you want to reinforce the positive with this exercise so be sure to give him some love.
- Step Four: Repeat at least once a week, preferably 3 times a week if your dogs teeth have a lot of tartar buildup.
Don't worry about getting to all of the teeth at first, especially if your dog is uncooperative. It's better to keep it short and sweet. After a few weeks your dog will likely just grin and bear it and some even enjoy it. Remus does. The toothpaste is beef flavored and he enjoys chewing on the toothbrush.
Now if actually brushing your dogs teeth is just unthinkable to you or your dog is Really uncooperative you can try a tooth spray. We've used PetzLife Oral Care Spray with a surprising amount of success.
