Aspen is 7 months and it looks like he already has tartar on his teeth. It is mainly his back teeth. He eats lots of things like carrots, celery, and gets raw chicken legs regularly. He eats grain-free kibble too. We try to brush his teeth but it is really an unpleasant experience for everyone involved. He is so young that his teeth should really be sparkly white. I feel like a really bad dog parent. How do I get him to not hate getting his teeth brushed? I know some people never brush their dogs teeth but from what I have noticed so far, I don't think that will be possible for us.
I should add: I didn't mean to say he gets raw chicken legs regularly. He gets those as treats maybe only once a week. But he gets daily crunchy veggies or apples.
I believe everyone should brush their dogs’ teeth, whatever they are fed. Just like everything else, the trick is to take it slowly and get him used to it step by step, rather than just diving in and trying to brush all the teeth straight away. Using a finger brush is a good way to start getting the dog used to having something in their mouth; I use the rubber one that comes with the Logic Gel toothpaste (which is excellent). Just put a bit of the gel on and let him lick it off. Even without the brush, work on lifting his lips and giving him a treat for letting you do that. Then lift them while he is licking the brush. The next time, touch his front teeth then let him lick it. Like this you can slowly work towards being able to brush all his teeth and then replace the finger brush with a proper toothbrush.
Some dogs seem to keep their teeth clean regardless of what they are fed. Perhaps it is the serious chewers, but we have never brushed the teeth of any of our labs, and the vet always says they look great, which is how they look to us also. No tarter. Tilly's are still pretty white after 12 years. None of my 5 dogs has ever lost a tooth.
Nelson gets his done nearly every morning. Virbac chicken flavoured paste works great. There is an equal amount of licking and brushing. He loves it. But getting to this stage took months of baby steps.
@snowbunny already gave great advice for the how to get Aspen to like having his teeth brushed. Slow and steady wins the game there - and some truly tasty toothpaste doesn't hurt. I wanted to add that my dog (now passed) also had an issue with tartar on his big back teeth, like you describe with Aspen, even though I brushed his teeth. Years ago my vet said, "Oh, just take a small metal spoon and gently scrape the tartar off every month or so". I thought he was nuts but gave it a try. It was awkward with the spoon, but otherwise easy once Brogan got used to the metal. Eventually I got a dental scaling tool (that two-ended wand thing the hygienist uses on you at the dentist). That worked a total charm and kept Brogan's teeth perfect all the way through his life.
Absolutely take it slowly. My rescue boy Charlie has absolutely the most sparkly white teeth and he is 7 years old I started by clicker training him brushing one tooth at a time, C&T. I gradually built it up over many weeks so he only had positive experiences. Now I can brush Hattie & Charlie's whole mouth right to the back without a single problem. Every night I call "TEETH" and like grease lightening they are both sat infront of me with their tails wagging and wide eyed This is because it was a great experience for them from the start. It's all about taking it very slowly building trust. xx
