Brushing teeth

L

LuvMySable

Forums Regular
Hi! Any of you long-time Sheltie parents, please tell me: do you think it really helps to brush the teeth, or am I fooling myself that I am doing any good. I use a 'regular' toothbrush and peanutbutter flavor toothpaste that my sable Jack goes nuts for. But he's so busy licking the bristles that it's hard for me to brush thoroughly. Then, I got some of the dental cleansing pads to try. Again, he likes the taste, but that soft little disc doesn't seem to have any real cleaning power. I got a scaler, but he doesn't like that and won't let me try. His teeth are good (he's almost 2) but I really want to keep them that way. And my groomer told me that if I have the vet do it, they will put him under. Sounds drastic.

Can any of you give me some direction? Thank you!!

~ Shelties are love ~
 
I have brushed my shelties teeth for years, and all I had to show for it was dogs with tarter build up! 2 of my dogs were scheduled to have their teeth cleaned which would have cost me over $300 :eek2: on the advise of others I give them raw bones to chew on. they no longer need their teeth cleaned!! they have nice pearly whites all because I spent $12 in raw bones. I still brush their teeth I am hoping that will help slow any tarter growth, but they now get raw bones twice a month.
 
I would keep up on it. I must admit that I am bad about it but that is because all 3 girls hate it. Had I started when they were all pups it would have been easy for them to adjust to but since I adopted them when they were older, they don't care for it. I'm lucky with Marlie because she is a chewer and chews on the rope tugs which helps her teeth. Zoe and Rasha are not chewers and both need their teeth cleaned by the vet. If you keep up on it and prevent the tartar build up it will greatly help them with their health as they get older. You may not think your doing a good job but it is better than nothing.

Maybe I will try bones like Jessica said, maybe the 2 girls will chew on those!! :biggrin2:
 
JessicaR, look here (bones)

Hi JessicaR, when you say 'raw bones,' do you mean just literally bones from the supermarket meat display (soup bones?) Or do you mean those natural chewy bones from PetSmart that have a smoked smell to them?
 
I mean raw bones! I did get mine from pet supplies plus. they have a freezer where they keep raw food. I get them the lamb bone and somtimes split bison knuckles. the lamb is their favorite though. I dont get the smoked bones usualy them are cooked which means they can splinter. I have also herd bully sticks are good for cleaning teeth, but I just cant bring myself to give my dogs a bull's ***** :dead:
 
My dogs love the raw bones, and yes the bully ***** too! They get raw bones once a week and the ones that they have 'chewed on' I keep in their chew box, so they gnaw at them whenever they please.
 
Would a lamb shank work? Do they have to be big chunky bones or would smaller ones like say from a chicken (I'm thinking whole chicken wings?) work too?

I take it bully sticks are a bull's dingaling? This forum is so clean! The word is censored! haha! I don't think I can give that to Romeo too. hahah!
 
I feed my dogs raw to begin with, so they get all kinds of raw bones including chicken necks, wings, drumsticks and backs! They love them all. The good thing with the smaller bones is that they eat them completely. With the bigger bones, they eat the marrow and chew on the bones - that is where they scrape their teeth a little more (I think) and clean them that way. GeeRome would probably know more.
 
interesting read,,

I thought i read somwhere about bones splintering a bit, and parts getting caught up in their tummy,, but im guessing this is false... well i guess i will get some raw bones from somewhere....

There was some guide on here or sheltienation.com about how to brush a dogs teeth,, and one thing they said that i do now, is puttting the toothpaste on the brush then smear it down into the bristles, So it cant be licked off right away,, sort of apply it twice once to be pushed down thru, and a nice licking shot ontop of the brush,, hehe .. i have mint flavored pet toothpaste for my pups,, i dont think they like it to much..
 
cooked bones can splinter thats why mine get raw.
I guess we cant say the p-word on this sight :confused2:
the bones my dogs get are I think part of the leg? I am not sure they are about 12 inches long 1 inch diameter. they only eat the ends off though not the whole thing.
 
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