My dog does not like her teeth brushed (black, bones, drool)

[foxywench]

im another on the RAW MEATY BONES wagon...never ever ever had to brush my dogs teeth ad even the vet cant determin age by teeth like they usually do..my 6yr olds teeth are just as pearly white as my 8 month olds!

[no kudzu]

but for an inside dog---doesn't chewing on a raw meaty bone make a big mess on the floor as well as their mouth?

[Sam I Am]

Well, the mastiff's femur bone - yeah - but everything he does is messy. I just corral mine in the linoleum kitchen and let 'em slurp away. Mopping is only one of my many talents. Actually, my dogs get raw chicken with raw bones for every meal because I'm a raw fan (can ya tell, LOL?), and they chew 'em and swallow 'em right there at their bowl and off they go.

If you have nice grass in the backyard, a bone provides hours of entertainment and chewing. The big femur bones will last the mastiff a while - I just wash the grass off at the hydrant and either refrigerate or freeze for another day. Believe me, the "meaty" part is gone pretty fast and all you're left with is bone. If you have a drool-er like my mastiff...well, you just get used to messy or you go crazy. I've done a little of both.... :-)

[foxywench]

mine get thieres in their crates, i simply pull out the blankets set em in with their bone and close em up, let them go to town untill theyve decided theyve had enough, and then a paper towel and a quick spray of lysol...
the bone gets rinsed off and put in the fridge untill next time...

and ive never had any poblems with leaving a mess of the mouth ect though.

[Driller1]

My house dogs do not like teeth brushing either.

Still...it is part of their daily routine.

[Zoyd]

Someone mentioned it but it is worth repeating — you only need to brush the *outside* of the teeth. Doggie toothpaste is an enzyme (unlike human toothpaste) which means you don't need to really brush the way a person does. Put some on a cloth wrapped around your finger and it only takes a moment.

The slight downside of bones is that they create small abrasions in the enamel which can create a hospitable site for decay.

[WildnFree]

Since mine drool and slime everywhere I either feed them outside or on the tile floor.

[NM posts]

I have to try the raw meaty bones. Do you go to a butcher for them? My dog eats dry food but I feel like she doesn't chew it and I think her teeth are getting tartar.

[foxywench]

even if she did chew it...canines lack the tooth structure designed for grinding hard food (there built to rip tear and crush rather than "chew" so kibble actually is more likely to get stuck in the teeth than clean them.

i get my bones from the local grocery...but you can also put adds on craiglist, exspecially drung hunting season, hunters are often more than happy to give the weight bearing bones to you.

[RayinAK]

Originally Posted by cittic10

It's hard to envision what you mean? Clamping jaws seems like it would be easier to brush them. You just brush the outsides, and frankly it's usually just the teeth in the back that get all plaquey and the gums also.

Have you tried those little rubber things you put on the tips of your fingers? Those are great training tools for brushing teeth and some people just stick with that. Also try some peanut butter flavored toothpaste if you can find it an give your dog a little for taste first so your dog thinks this is all just a fun reward.

Our dog's name is Abbie, a Rottweiler/Lab mix that looks and acts much like a Lab (very friendly, plays with but never bites her toys), and friendly to adults and children as well.

What I meant to say is that she closes her mouth and tightens her lips, which in turn makes it difficult to brush her teeth. My wife sometimes manages to put her fingers in Abbie's mouth to prevent her from tightening her jaws (Abbie is very gentle and won't close her mouth on my wife's fingers), but must times Abbie anticipates my wife's move, and closes her mouth as soon she sees the brush

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Thanks to all of you for the fast responses. My wife and I will try all of your suggestions to see what works. I could try moose bone, but F&G advises to never feed a dog raw wild game meat nor bones.