When and how is the best time or way to introduce your put to teeth brushing?
Art

If you feed your pup nice raw meaty bones..you will never have to brush thier teeth.. my old dogs age 11 and 12 have pearly whites just like a puppy..

Jody

I have also never brushed my dogs teeth and am always getting comments on how nice and white they are. Yes, I too feed raw bones.

If that wasn't enough to encourage you to entertain that idea let me share with you my experience with the raw diet.

My Shepherd is 18 months old and has been on raw since May or so. He has pearly whites and I have never brushed his teeth... he does "floss" on the helper a bit <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

More impressive though is the difference I saw within two weeks of changing my senior dog to a raw diet. I had been trying to schedule a time to bring her into the clinic I volunteer at to scale her teeth for over a month, but we were always booked. Her teeth were NASTY, we are talking GREEN plaque. Caked all on her molars. After two weeks of raw meaty bones, she had stained, but CLEAN plaque free teeth. Right up until she passed I would get comments about how good her teeth looked, and I didn't have to go to the bother of having her sedated for a cleaning. Even if you do start brushing your dog's teeth, you will still have to have them cleaned by your vet.

Go Raw! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I am not saying that I am right. But I brush my dogs teeth about 3 times a week. When I first started doing it I did it everyday for him to get used to it.

When I did it I held him tight until he calmed down once he calmed down I let him taste the Dog tooth paste then he tries to chew the tooth brush. This allowed me in the begining to brush his teeth. Now he sets and enjoys it.

All of mine have pearly whites, and all adopted at various ages. People actually usually comment on it when they meet them, so it is not solely a raw feeder bonus. I do not feed 100% raw, and feed occasional bones, but not a regular part of their diet. I do some recreational bones, which I have to watch like a hawk as one splinters fresh raw marrow bones, and she has also had a short-cut one wrapped on her bottom jaw that required a late nite emerg vet visit to cut it off. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

I can't imagine brushing a dog's teeth - what dental problems do they have or what garbage do they eat to need this?? Mind you, one of mine does sit for me every time I brush my teeth and wants his done - he is no bright bulb, and I will do it for a few seconds to make him happy - and it is human toothpaste, barely any left on the brush when I am done. Yes - ewww - my toothbrush. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

LOL... sorry, I will let my dog sleep on my bed, but no eating off my spoon, and no using my toothbrush! Eww... They are flexible animals... you know what they can reach with that tongue?

Laureen
You are one sick puppy <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />
I really need to switch over to raw. I have to scale my three terriers teeth once a year. luckily, I start "messing" with my dogs mouths when they are very young, and they sleep on my lap while I do their teeth. I had a GSD/Dane years ago that would lay on a picnic table while I did his teeth. What would be the best type of recreational bone to give my 15lb dogs for their teeth?

I like the big beef bones you can buy at the grocery store, I think they are shins. It isn't just the bones that clean the teeth though, it is actually the enzymes that are in the meat itself, so even if you fed a meal of raw HB you would see a difference.

Thanks Deanna
Gonna try those. They all eat in the kitchen about 3-4 feet from one another, but I think with bones, it's gonna be in the crates.