I have now started to clean my 14 month old dogs teeth.  I have tried on and off for months with little success but now he's a bit older, he lets me clean the big canine teeth at the front.  The problem is that I don't know how I will ever get to clean the teeth at the very back.  Should I just persevere a bit at a time or do most people just do the big ones at the front and side?

I do Norman's right at the back but he's easy because he loves the toothpaste!!!  It's difficult to do with a big tongue lapping in and out but I manage.  He gets sick pretty quick though and it's almost impossible to do inside of the very back teeth without him thinking I'm trying to choke him

I found the teeth at the front stay pretty clean, it's the ones at the back that get the brown plaque build-up on them.  My dog's were like that, and I couldn't chip it off, but after having a big marrow bone that he chewed on for two days (I then chucked it out), the plaque was gone, and since then, about a month, I've been using Logic gel.  Am hoping it will stop the plaque from building up.  He also has Fragaria 6c which someone told me was good - not sure how it works exactly - supposed to soften the plaque or something so that it comes off more easily.
  Hilda

Hi scattergood :) - I have a six month pup who's got her new teeth through now and I want to brush them to keep them nice.  What I have been doing is when we have 10-15 minutes training on an evening I use her treat/reward and a clicker to get her used to me rubbing her teeth.  I do this by holding chicken (in this instance) and letting her take it but as she is doing this I am rubbing my chicken fingers all over her teeth including the back ones and click for her acceptance - she enjoy's this and now doesn't mind my fingers rubbing her teeth (I use my finger as a tooth brush!)  I now need to get one of those small finger brushes to get her used to that with some doggy toothpaste on before moving up to the brush!!  She also has a couple of chewdles a day which are like rawhide with flouride and she absolutely loves 'em
sarah

Hi Rozzer, that's a good tip thanks, but just to clarify, as she is taking the chicken from you - doesn't she bite your fingers or do you do you put your fingers in after she has eaten the chicken? 

After being shocked when the vet pointed out the state of my two year old cockers teeth, I have made every attempt to brush.  I have had more success with my springer who is quite happy for me to poke around in his mouth.  I was able to pick the plaque off with a nailfile as recommended by someone on here, I also use poultry flavour toothpase with an infant brush which is small.  I then use logic gel.  The cocker is more reluctant and it's not as easy with her as her mouth is so much smaller and those back teeth are hard to reach.  I have persevered and am getting somewhere, they are certainly used to cleaning time now.  I have seen a marked improvement since I started doing this.  I did buy a marrow bone but it's just been left to rot in the garden until this week when they both decided they would bring the stinking things indoors - yuk!  The springer will chew rawhide but the cocker won't for some reason, probably it's because he is silently threatening her to leave them alone as she is submissive to him.

I would recommend persevering.

Hi jackyjat, what is logic gel and where do you get it from?

Logic Gel is an oral hygiene gel that helps to stop plaque forming and assists in the breakdown of existing plaque.  Its obviously pleasant tasting if you are a dog, as mine love it.  You just put a 2cm strip into their mouths daily.  I rub it into their gums but I think you can put it on food too.  I also brush with an enzyme toothpaste as mentioned before.

I eventually got my Logic Gel from my vet, although they charged £9 for it and it's for sale from a pet pharmacy for about £5!

My Wish doesn't agree with you on the pleasent tasting it used to take two of us to hold her down  for her logic oral gel LOL consequently give up on it and rely on marrow bones and poultry flavour toothpaste :) Gillian

Having reconsidered my above statement, my dogs eat some pretty disgusting things so it doesn't necessarily have to taste good for them to wolf it down!

My dog loves Logic as well.

Hi - sorry for the late reply :rolleyes:  What I do is put my fingers in her mouth with the chicken and as she tries to pull bits off I rub my free fingers along her teeth!  When she has taken it all my fingers are still in her mouth (and a bit greasy!) so I clean them off by rubbing them against the back teeth.  Lana is very gentle when taking food from me so it is easier on a dog like her.  While my fingers are in her mouth she is still sniffing my hands for a bit more so I have a few seconds of 'brushing'!!! I have also used the liver flavour toothpaste on my finger - just by letting her lick it from my fingers and gradually introducing a finger into her mouth for the brushing action. :)
Sarah

I would never even contemplate brushing my dogs teeth,how strange The most simple and enjoyable way of keeping dogs teeth clean is by giving them raw meaty bones,quite simple. I am not a barfer,bones are the only raw foods they get,for the sole purpose of keeping their teeth clean + they really do enjoy them :)
I have had dogs all my life,all lived to a ripe old age with a full set of gleaming choppers which i attribute to the bones.
They get chicken wings,pork/lamb ribs,marrow bones  pretty much whatever the butcher has at the time,i imagine brushing a dogs teeth everyday would be a big time consuming hassle,i would not have the patience for it and neither would my dogs :embarrass:  I dont mean to have a go at anyone i am just trying to give you a much simpler solution ;)

Christine

I have never given him a bone - frightened of them to tell you the truth.  Scared of them fracturing and him swallowing bits and them getting stuck or tearing his throat. However, I have no doubt that this is the best way for a dog to have good teeth.   He's a bit of a swallower rather than a cruncher with his food.  What sort of bone would you give, would it be cooked or raw?  He is a mini schnauzer by the way.  How big should it be for the size of dog?

Christine my dogs get bones and plenty of things to chew.  I was horrified when the vet pointed out the condition of my cockers back teeth which were covered in tartar.  Her front ones were fine but with quite a little mouth you don't get to see the back ones unless you actually make a point of looking, which neglectfully I hadn't.  Although I do look in her mouth I hadn't inspected her back teeth or gums thoroughly enough.

I couldn't initially understand why I had one dog with very good teeth and another whose were in a poor condition, despite her young age.  He explained that it had lots to do with enzymes and some dogs were predisposed to producing tartar because of their saliva and that no end of chewing or bones would change that.  I suppose it's much the same thing as us humans, out of all of us who clean our teeth regularly and maintain our dental hygiene, there will still be some who end up with a filling.

As mentioned before I have one dog with no problems and another with tartar and plaque.  I hope this highlights that it IS important to check their teeth thoroughly.

I am having quite a bit of success with the logic gel and I do now brush them almost daily.

Scattergood,i have shih-tzu's,NEVER,EVER give COOKED bones as they are the ones that splinter,i give my girls lamb/pork ribs,chicken wing tips,marrow bones,ox tails,lamb offcuts etc.  the benefits far outweigh the negatives.To tell you the truth when i first got my dogs i thought that bones were a dogs god given right,LOL i never even considered anything negative happening,i just thought all owners gave their dogs bones :p Your worries will dissapear when you see your dogs in pure and utter bliss when they are gnawing on a bone,it warms my heart to see them enjoying something so much.

Christine