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Dog Dental Care


chocolate lab puppy Dog dental care may not be the first thing you think about when you bring your new puppy home.....

but it won't be long before you (and a LOT of your possessions) will be very familiar with those tiny, but extremely sharp puppy teeth!

Chewing - and lots of it!

You'll find chewing is one of Fido's favorite hobbies, unfortunately he won't care what he's chewing on!

In his little puppy brain your favorite running shoes will be just as tasty as that special chew toy you bought him.

Actually, he'll probably think they taste BETTER - and if your shoes are leather then you'd better lock them up and throw away the key (at least until he reaches his 2nd birthday).

The good news is that chewing is an important part of good dog dental care. It helps to keep Fido's teeth clean, massages his gums, exercises his jaws AND is a great canine stress reducer.

Wow, when you look at all that it's lucky for you that he actually likes to chew!



Chew toys, bones and more

There are a ton of different chew toys on the market today and most of them are very good. There's something for everyone; whether your puppy is a 30lb 'power-chewer' or a 2lb 'dainty' chewer you'll have lots of choices.


dog rope bone Some chew toys are mostly for fun, they'll exercise Fido's jaws and help him to 'wind down' after an exciting play session. Others play an important part in your dog dental care regimen.

These chews will actively help to prevent and reduce tartar build up on Fido's teeth. Tough rubber bones and toys with ridged surfaces, and rope or sheepskin toys all have a gentle abrasive action.

Although dogs love them, natural bones, pigs hooves and other such toys should generally be avoided as they can break and damage little puppy teeth (and adult dog teeth too).

Greenies Dental Chews are textured, edible and easily digestible chews that not only help reduce plaque and tartar but also give Fido's breath a hint of 'minty freshness'!

Of course, puppy breath is so adorable that it doesn't need to be disguised but Fido won't always be a puppy!

Just about any hard, crunchy food/treat/bone will help to reduce the tartar build up on your pups' teeth, and some dog foods have a tartar-control formula which helps even more.

Raw, or natural, bones are also great for cleaning teeth, but do be careful that you don't allow your pup/dog to chew on these too often or too aggressively as he can actually damage his teeth this way due to breakage etc.

Brush those puppy teeth

Dog dental care requires more than just giving little Fido the right dog chews. If you want him to grow up with strong, healthy teeth and gums you'll need to begin while he still has his puppy teeth.

Adult dogs have 42 teeth, but until it's about 3 months old a puppy only has 28 baby teeth. You don't actually need to start brushing your puppy's teeth until he's around 6 to 8 months old and his permanent teeth are growing in - but it's a good idea to get him used to having you clean his teeth as soon as you can. So add this to the other puppy training that you start when you bring him home.

If you make dental care a regular part of his grooming routine and he'll soon come to accept it, even if he never learns to LOVE it!

schnauzer with bone You can buy special dog toothbrushes and toothpaste (for puppy teeth as well as adult dog teeth) at any major pet store, don't use human products, it's not the same thing . Brush his teeth every day and always give him a treat afterwards.

This will go a long way towards preventing Fido suffering through painful and expensive dental or periodontal work later on.

Take a look at this video clip as it answers some of the dog dental care questions I often hear from visitors... and some of the answers may surprise you.



The extra-crunchy dog biscuits mentioned in this video clip are a new product, called Hartz Crunch 'n Clean Dog Biscuit. I'm currently using them as an 'after dinner treat' for each of my dogs and they're definitely crunchier than a normal dog biscuit and all the dogs love them.

They must be very tasty as my cats usually turn their noses up at anything the dogs eat, but they seem very attracted to these particular biscuits. It would probably take them a month to actually EAT one, but that doesn't stop them from trying :o)

Three signs that your dog needs the dentist!

You don't really need to worry about this while Fido is still a puppy, but for good dog dental care it's useful to know the signs of possible problems just in case. If you notice any of the following symptoms take Fido to your veterinarian for a check-up.

  • Bad breath! If your dog's breath smells really bad (and it's not just because he's been in the garbage again!)

  • Drooling. This can be a problem if you own a mastiff or one of the 'drooly' breeds, but you know your own dog. If he seems to be drooling more than usual check it out.

  • Lack of appetite or if you notice he has trouble eating. Often dogs with dental health problems will try to chew, but will keep dropping the food as if it were too hot.

If you follow these guidelines for dog dental care you're giving your precious puppy a great start.




Here are some highly recommended dog dental care products that you can use to keep Fido's teeth and gums healthy, and his breath smelling 'puppy-breath' sweet.

Greenies Regular 12 oz
Greenies Regular 12 oz

New Greenies dental chews are 100% edible and highly soluble- they break down easy during the digestion process, which means that there isn't anything in them that your dog can't eat and enjoy!

If you want to take the natural approach, check out these products for puppy teeth care. They're gentle, safe and made from all-natural ingredients....


Canine Mouth Drops for Dog Bad Breath

These all natural drops won't just make your dogs' breath smell sweeter, they'll help to prevent gingivitis and other oral/dental problems such as tooth decay and bacterial infections too.

Made from natural herbal ingredients that have anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, astringent and anti-viral properties.

An important part of your dog dental care daily routine.





Canine Z-Ridge Edible Dental Chew Bones - Medium

These dental bones have an exclusive ridged surface and the polishing action of calcium carbonate.

Made from a a healthy blend of nutmeg, clove, parsley, fennel seed, chlorophyll and streaks of alfalfa concentrate.

Helps fight "doggy breath" and prevent periodontal disease naturally.



Use the searchbox below to find exactly what you're looking for quickly and easily!





Puppy Health

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I just brought home my second chihuahua (sent you pictures of both for the puppy photo contest).

Your site is glorious! Helpful, fun,well-organized. Just perfect.

Thank you for the service you provide.

- Rebecca


Awesome website and information, Sue.

Thank you so much!

- Larry


I will definitely be referring my friends and family to this site, whether they are new to puppies or lifers like me.

Thank you again for a wonderfully informative website!!

- Jennifer



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