12 Steps For Dog Teeth Cleaning

If there is one area of canine grooming that is often overlooked, it is the dog's teeth. Most dog owners remember to brush the coat until it shines and to clip the nails so they don't click on the floor, but not everyone cares for their dog's teeth. Brushing is important because it cleans away the plaque that leads to bad breath and more serious problems such as decayed teeth or gum disease.

Here are 12 easy steps for getting your dog to tolerate tooth brushing:

1. Choose a calm time to brush your dog's teeth. It should be you and the dog without a living room for of active children or other pets.
2. Buy a canine toothbrush. These are available at pet stores or online pet supply outlets. They have a longer, curved handle that makes it easy to reach the back teeth. Only use toothpaste that is specifically for dogs. While it works well for us, human toothpaste can irritate your dog's stomach.
3. Choose the location for brushing your dog's teeth. Make sure you have good lighting.
4. Touch the teeth and gums without the brush. Can you do this initial step? Ideally, your pup has been in AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy and Canine Good Citizen classes and is used to have his mouth handled.  Lift the top lip up and hold it while you touch the teeth; then pull the bottom lip down and touch the bottom teeth.
5. Touch the toothbrush to the teeth. Touch the front, side, and back teeth on the top and bottom. Praise and reward your dog for tolerating this step.
6. Introduce the toothpaste to the dog. Start by showing the dog the toothpaste and letting him lick it from your finger.
7. Add the toothpaste to the toothbrush.
8. Start brushing the top teeth. Hold the upper lip up. Brush the front teeth. Praise your dog. 
9. Move from the front teeth further back to the side and back teeth on the top.
10. Start brushing the bottom teeth. Hold down the bottom lip and brush the bottom teeth. Start with the front teeth, then move to the side and back.
11. On the bottom teeth, now brush the sides and back. If your dog is tolerating toothbrushing, you can brush both the outside and inside of the teeth when you are brushing. The inside of the teeth will be a little harder to brush, so if necessary, work on adding this step after your dog is calm with the outsides of the upper and lower teeth being brushed.
12. Praise and treats. Getting their teeth brushed is unnatural for dogs. To make this a positive experience, frequently praise your dog. You can also give the dog a treat at each step. This seems counterintuitive because you are cleaning the teeth and then giving some food. However, the initial goal is teaching the skill and you can fade the food later.

Use our app to find a puppy training class near you or check out our training resources on AKC Training.