Want your dog to have Instagram ready smiles!? And Improve their dental health and well being? Have a read!
Along with regular veterinary dental check-ups and following your veterinarian’s advice, brushing your dog’s teeth is very important to keep your dog’s dental health in tip top shape and helps fight off dental disease.
Brushing your dog’s teeth can be done by following these steps:
- Ensure you have the right products-
Buy a dog toothbrush (silicone finger tooth brushes are the easiest to use) and dog tooth paste from your veterinary clinic or pet supply store. Dog tooth paste is available in yummy flavours such as beef and chicken!
- Train your dog and ensure you choose a calm time to brush teeth-
In a quiet and calm environment, help your dog get used to the feeling of touching their mouth, gums and teeth. We recommend beginning by gently touching the muzzle first.
You can begin with a little bit of peanut butter on your finger, then yummy toothpaste on the toothbrush, touch the inside and outside of their mouth.
Practice this for a few days prior to brushing, so your dog becomes more comfortable with the activity.
Only proceed with brushing once your dog is comfortable with it.
- Time to brush their teeth!
When your dog is calm, sit with your dog and gently touch their muzzle and begin tooth brushing. Until your dog becomes more confident with brushing, only brush the teeth which are easy to reach. Gently brush in small circles and reassure your dog of their great work. Brush across the gum line, the inside surfaces and outside surfaces of the teeth to ensure you get the daily plaque build-up.
Brush for 2 minutes daily if you can.
- Reward you dog after brushing.
Greenies original dental treats can be purchased at your veterinarian or pet supply store and are a high value reward! Dogs love them and they are good for your dog’s dental health. This can help your dog have a positive association with tooth brushing in the future.
That’s it! Brushing your dog’s teeth as part of their regular grooming routine will improve your dog’s dental health. Also, don’t forget to book in regular dental checks with your veterinarian as it is important your dog sees the “dentist” just like humans do alongside at home dental care.
Happy brushing!!
