Guest LovingSchuma Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 We just adopted a girl named Schuma. She is great but wont let us brush her teeth. We have been giving her dental bones/treats for now & keep trying to brush her teeth but she still wont let us. We get maybe one tooth everytime we try. Any hints? She's great with everything else just not this... Thanks in advance for your help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fionasmom Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 Is she food motivated? My basenj mix is a holy terror and no one believes she lets me brush her teeth. The secret is that I keep extra special treats here for after tooth brushing. After a few times Sammie got the message that after I brush her teeth, she gets a great treat (right now I am using dehydrated chicken breast). Now when I announce it is time for tooth brushing everyone runs to the bathrooom sink. The first few times you will only get a few teeth brushed but she should become more tolerant in return for the reward that follows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xan Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 If she's really hard to hold still here are some things that have helped me: With happy talk and lots of praise sprinkled through out... 1. leash on, step on the end so she can't get away, leaving your hands free 2. straddle her neck and give her a treat 3. show her the toothbrush with the yummy toothpaste (use the meat flavored!), let her taste it on her own 4. touch her teeth with the brush, give her a treat (a spoon with some yogurt or pumpkin or canned food that you let her take a lick at a time works) 5. repeat this just a few times, then praise hugely, treat, and release Each time you do this, get a little more serious about getting the toothbrush in there. One thing to look out for is inadvertently poking her in the eye or something like that you don't mean to do. You don't have to get her to open her mouth wide to do a good enough job, either; just so you can get to the back lower teeth, on the outsides. You may not even see them, but slip the brush down there anyway. Also, make sure you have a baby-soft brush, not the hard nasty ones that come with the toothpaste! I find it makes it easier to wet the brush a bit, too. Slips around easier, spreads the paste easier, and lets her taste the yumminess. Does she maybe have some tooth issues? Presumably she had a dental right before you got her, though... Quote My Inspirations: Grey Pogo, borzoi Katie, Meep the cat, AND MY BELOVED DH!!!Missing Rowdy, Coco, Brilly, Happy and Wabi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinM Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 My Beau gets does not get his teeth brushed, ears cleaned OR his nails trimmed. It's just not doable. We walk him a lot on concrete so that helps the nails and for teeth, we give him CET chews, add CET aqua dent to his water and give raw bones once in a while. That's got to suffice for Beau whereas the others are no problem at all. He goes in for his dental in a month or 2. Then, EVERYTHING gets done. He goes competely biserk if you try. No one will do it. Quote ROBIN ~ Mom to: Beau Think It Aint, Chloe JC Allthewayhome, Teddy ICU Drunk Sailor, Elsie N Fracine , Ollie RG's Travertine, Ponch A's Jupiter~ Yoshi, Zoobie & Belle, the kitties. Waiting at the bridge Angel Polli Bohemian Ocean , Rocky, Blue,Sasha & Zoobie & Bobbi Greyhound Angels Adoption (GAA) The Lexus Project Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahicks51 Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 We give fish-oil capsules after we do "maintenance," which consists of nails and teeth. Apparently there is something very appealing about fish oil capsules- presumably the smell. Then again, our pups are VERY food-motivated. Quote Coco (Maze Cocodrillo) Minerva (Kid's Snipper) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LovingSchuma Posted November 16, 2007 Share Posted November 16, 2007 (edited) Our girl is so food motivated that she starts jumping around and licking your hand & clothes if she knows that you are going to give her food/treat. We give her fish oil 2x a day to help get rid of her dry skin/make her coat shiny & she LOVES them, Ill try giving them to her as a treat when I brush her teeth. Thanks for the advice! Edited November 16, 2007 by LovingSchuma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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