I looked up some older post on this but it did not have the question answered.
People say that feeding raw bones gives white teeth. Would it still have the same affect if you don't do all raw? I don't have the option of feeding raw right now but I would like my pup to have clean teeth without having to brush them. She don't like it anyway. Another question is... I have given bones in the past but she always gets diarrhea the next day. I have given cooked beef bones and knuckle bones from Walmart. I haven't done raw bones yet cause I had a meat stealing problem with our last dog that I have not wanted to start. But I may marker train around that if giving raw bones would help. I can always get bones in Mex and Guate and cheep so just would like to know.

 Quote: elizabeth anderson

I looked up some older post on this but it did not have the question answered.
People say that feeding raw bones gives white teeth. Would it still have the same affect if you don't do all raw? I don't have the option of feeding raw right now but I would like my pup to have clean teeth without having to brush them. She don't like it anyway. Another question is... I have given bones in the past but she always gets diarrhea the next day. I have given cooked beef bones and knuckle bones from Walmart. I haven't done raw bones yet cause I had a meat stealing problem with our last dog that I have not wanted to start. But I may marker train around that if giving raw bones would help. I can always get bones in Mex and Guate and cheep so just would like to know.

There are two topics here, actually. RBMs and recreational bones are very different. Both have certain benefits for the teeth.

But recreational bones can also have some deleterious side effects. Diarrhea from marrow is just one of them.

http://leerburg.com/feedingarawdiet.htm#RMB

The dog can be desensitized to tooth-brushing, BTW, and it helps a lot if you use dog toothpaste (and, in fact, because dogs don't spit and because many of the ingredients in toothpaste are toxic when swallowed and others are toxic especially for dogs when swallowed, I would recommend either dog toothpaste or no toothpaste at all) and a special brush. I like the little fingertip "brush."

I think that dogs on kibble (and also many on raw) benefit from dental care, and I think that some is better than none. If I were you (because you obviously have concerns about it ), I would get one of the kinds of brushes (look them over) and a tube of shrimp or chicken paste and start with one or two teeth. In a month you could be doing all (or most) of them.

There are little kits with the fingertip brush and a small tube of paste that are well under $5. Turned out my dogs liked shrimp toothpaste (who knew?), so I was glad I started with the tiny size before investing in a big tube of chicken.

question on dog toothpaste. I heard it has enzymes in it that even if you can't get the brush into lets say a puppy's mouth the fact that you get the toothpaste in there will atleast help break tartar down. is that true?

Mary, I've heard that as well and some kind of special rawhide chew as well as the kibble with 'tartar control' things baked into or coated on the food. Not really sure if it works....sor.

I've beeen meaning to ask, does anyone floss their dog's teeth?

 Quote: aimee pochron

I've beeen meaning to ask, does anyone floss their dog's teeth?

Can you? i would think like a water pick would work better if you wanted to go that route. i think dental floss itself would cut the gums to bad because they dont sit that still (for our untrained antsy pantsy pups )

Well, as you might imagine, I've read that it depends on the dog.

I'm pretty sure I could desensitize my dogs (with varying degrees of slowness!) to it, using that "Easy Glide Sensitive" floss, but I haven't. I buy that enzyme squirty stuff for along the gumline.

It says the manufacturer is C.E.T. and it's called Oral Hygiene Rinse.

From the reactions, I gather that it tickles.

Have you noticed any difference with the enzyme stuff? The reason I am asking is my older one is going to have his teeth done soon so this might be a good time to start it if it works.

I brush my Pek mix and GSD's teeth every night, with a kid's size toothbrush (extra soft bristles) and doggy toothpaste. It took me a couple of weeks to get them comfortable with it (I only brush the outside surfaces), but they don't seem to mind it at all.

When I first got started, they would get a treat when they are done, now they just get few pats on the head.

I tried different types of brushes, kid's size toothbrush seem to work the best.

I brush and scale my rotts teeth. I never thought about flossing though. I don't remember ever seeing anything between his teeth.

I took a look around the mouths and their teeth aren't exactly set up the same. A little more space between teeth overall, so nothing really to floss out. No one had a melt down about it, but I don't think flossing would benefit. I do kind of like the water pic idea. A project for next week unless I can teach them to use it and post as a trick.