brushing dogs’ teeth

What Is ‘Puppy Breath’?

Pam Hogle Ask The Thinking Dog, The Thinking Dog Blog , ,

Golden retriever Orly sits while her teeth are brushed with a pink toothbrush.I took Dotty to see a friend recently. The friend hadn’t seen Dotty in quite a while and after commenting on her pony-like stature, she exclaimed, “I can smell her puppy breath!”

Dotty is 16+months old. How is it that she has “puppy breath,” a sweetish scent usually associated with puppies up to about 6-8 months of age? Is puppy breath simply the absence of typically stinky “dog breath”?

It really might be that simple: Dogs’ puppy teeth aren’t around for long enough to get dirty and cause bad breath. Their adult teeth are usually in by the time they are 5-6 months old. Without brushing, those permanent teeth immediately begin to develop a coating of plaque and tartar, and… dog breath occurs.

If this is the cause, then, the secret to extending “puppy breath” throughout your dog’s lifetime is (you know what I am going to say …) brushing your dog’s teeth.

10-week-old dotty, a white golden retriever pup with dark eyes and a very black nose, smiles as she gets her teeth brushed with a pink toothbrush.Dotty and Orly (and Cali and Jana before them) have excellent oral hygiene. That is, they brush their teeth daily. Well, most days. When I leave them with a sitter, I think the daily brushing goes on hiatus.

Cali never had a professional teeth cleaning in her life, and she had beautiful white teeth and good breath. Orly and Dotty are still young, and so far, both have gorgeous teeth.

Their doggy toothpaste claims to taste like chicken (really!). I haven’t verified that claim personally, but the girls like it. I’ve tried other brands over the years, but return to Petrodex because it’s easy to find in a large-ish tube that lasts several months. I also use small, soft kids’ toothbrushes because a lot of the ones sold as dog toothbrushes are stiff and awkwardly large.

Looking through the comments on a recent Whole Dog Journal blog post about brushing dogs’ teeth, I discovered another ally in the battle against dog breath: Kelp powder. The commenter recommended a specific (pricey) brand, but I started looking at other powdered supplements for dogs’ oral health, fell deep into a rabbit hole, and emerged with the conclusion that powdered seaweed sprinkled on the dogs’ food could help keep their teeth clean and breath fresh, as well as providing other potential benefits.

I’m giving them each a small sprinkle once a day of “Raw Paws organic kelp” — about half the amount that the package recommends. They seem to like it (not that golden retrievers are fussy eaters).

This completely unscientific experiment has brought what I consider to be excellent results: After a few months at a training kennel without her toothbrush (or her devoted tooth-brusher), Dotty returned home with some icky brown tartar on her back teeth. Brushing and kelping has completely eliminated that buildup and put her squarely on the path of permanent* puppy breath  (*for as long as she lives with me…).

 

Do You Brush Your Dog’s Teeth?

Pam Hogle Ask The Thinking Dog, Main Blog, The Thinking Dog Blog , ,

Golden retriever Orly sits as her teeth are brushed with a pink toothbrush

Brushing dog teeth is part of our nightly routine … but I know that that’s not the case for most dogs and their people. (But if your dog gives you dog kisses … you might want to start!)

I’ve known several dogs who lost many teeth as they aged, due to gingivitis or decay. And many more dog families that spent several hundred dollars annually on professional dental cleanings for their dogs.

I’ve brushed my goldens’ teeth, starting when each was a young puppy. When she was little, Cali would walk over to the shelf where her toothbrush was kept and ask to have her teeth brushed. She later decided that she didn’t enjoy it, but she was always cooperative. Orly is still in the asking-for-it stage.

I sweeten the deal with a crunchy treat, and I suspect that that has a lot to do with their cooperation. Whatever works! Jana, Cali, and now Orly all had / have beautiful white teeth!

I use kids’ toothbrushes — soft ones — from the dollar store and dog toothpaste. There are several brands, but I mostly use Petrodex because everyone likes the taste and it’s easy to find.

Orly sits patiently while I brush — top, bottom, inside, outside — then she likes to lick the brush clean. Finally, she gets a cookie and heads off to bed.

Your vet might say that it’s fine to brush a couple times a week, but I found that if I didn’t make it part of a daily routine, I wouldn’t remember to do it at all. So we do it every night.

Golden Orly licks the toothbrush clean after brushing her teethThere are other ways to keep dogs’ teeth clean. Dogs who chew a lot of fresh bones or antlers tend to have little plaque buildup. There are also products you can add to the dog’s water to kill bacteria and reduce buildup, but I have never used them so I don’t know how palatable or effective they are.

Brushing only takes a minute and, once you’re in the habit, it’s not a big deal for most dogs. Imagine life with no more “dog breath”! And … think of all the money you’ll save — not to mention the worry of sedation — by avoiding veterinary cleanings!