Are there any tips for making brushing a dog’s teeth easier?

What I tell people is you've got to make it fun. If you take your dog and put them in a headlock, and say, "Here, we're going to brush your teeth," you're not going to brush that dog's teeth, and that's probably going to be the only chance you ever get to brush that dog's teeth. So we have to work up to it, and we have to make it fun. So you take a little bit of this chicken or beef-flavored toothpaste, and you put it on your finger and let the dog lick it. And that's what you've done today, and you're finished. And tomorrow, you put a little bit on your finger, and you wipe it on their front teeth, and let them lick it. And you're done for the day. And the next day, you wipe a little more. And the next day, you wipe a little more. And when they are used to that, now we might add a little children's soft-bristle finger brush on your finger. And then we do the same thing. We work it around and around.

It's going to take weeks to get to this point. But I have many owners who have done that, and their pets truly like having their teeth brushed. They'll come up to the owner and kind of nudge them because they enjoy having their teeth brushed. And eventually, you can graduate up to a children's soft-bristle toothbrush. Or there are even pet brushes made with two sides, for small areas and large areas. Again, it's got to be fun, or it’s not going to happen.

I guess starting as young as possible. So when they're a puppy, getting them used to the action of brushing their teeth. You only have to brush the outside, so you should get them used to even just a finger brush on the outside. If you do it right before dinner, they'll be really excited about it because they know that dinner's coming afterward.

Let's talk about some ways of trying to make it easier. In a perfect scenario, you'll always start when your dog is a puppy, preferably if you have a puppy, but you may not get a dog when it's a puppy. It would be ideal to start when they're young. You don't want to make it traumatic for them. You do want to do it so that you can make it a little more playful or fun. If you can, get some peanut butter or use canned cheese, which we use at our clinics, to give to dogs. If you can find something that you can try to reinforce, make it a positive experience for them, something they look forward to and enjoy, that's key number one. First, you want to make it an experience that they're not going to dread because if they dread it, you're also going to dread it. If you do it in a way where they're getting rewarded for participating, that will make it a better experience for you as well. That's key number one. The other consideration is that I always start with these little finger brushes. They're rubber, and they've got little rubber bristles on them. I'd consider them just for a starter purpose. That's not something you'll use on an ongoing basis because the bristles are too rubbery. You're not going to be able to effectively get the plaque off the teeth or remove it, which is the purpose of brushing in the first place. So consider it to be like little training wheels for a toothbrush.

Next, you also want to make sure you use pet toothpaste and not people toothpaste. People toothpaste has fluoride in it. When we brush our teeth, we brush our teeth, and we spit rinse. So we're getting all that material out of our mouths right after we brushed. With dogs, they're not going to rinse. We're not going to rinse their mouth typically, and they're not going to spit. So we don't want to use fluoride because fluoride, especially in a really small dog, if you did it regularly, could cause problems with fluoride toxicity. So you want to make sure you use dog toothpaste because it doesn't have fluoride in it. Again, find a time of day when you can do it consistently. Those are the key things. First, pick a rubber bristle finger brush, then get doggy toothpaste. They're typically flavored. You can find chicken flavor, and I'm sure you can find bacon, vanilla mint, and things like that. Get something that's palatable for them. Start there.

The biggest tip that I have is to start slow. Don't go on day one and think that you'll be able to fully brush your dog's teeth. Start it as a little bit of a game. Let them play with the toothbrush, bite on the toothbrush, put doggy toothpaste on it, and let them lick that off and get used to it. Then start with just a tooth or two and do a little bit each session until your dog is used to it.

Yes, they make flavored toothpaste. It's easier to start with a puppy and get them used to it, but even older dogs can be taught new tricks. So don't give up if you have an older dog. Start with using just a little bit of the toothpaste on your finger, let them get used to that flavor, and let them enjoy it. Then, as each session continues, you'll do a little bit more and a little bit more. Once they're used to the toothpaste, use the toothbrush, and let them chew around on it. Don't try to brush, but just let them play with it. Put some toothpaste on it and let them lick it off. Let them get used to the idea, and then you'll start brushing. I typically just start with one side, upper and lower, for a session. Once they're done, praise them and tell them they were really good, and then come back a day or two later and try the other side. So start slow and be consistent.

Yes, there are several tips to make brushing your dog's teeth easier. Ideally, start when they are puppies and get them accustomed to the process early on. Use treat rewards to encourage and reinforce positive behavior. Focus on brushing the outside surfaces of the teeth, as there is less tartar buildup on the inside and it prevents any potential injury to the dog or the person brushing. Start slow and don't expect to brush the entire mouth in one session. Gradually increase the number of teeth brushed and always use lots of rewards. If your dog is not comfortable with teeth brushing, explore other options for dental care.