Brushing teeth?

Minty stuff isn't going to clean her teeth.  I don't brush my dogs teeth, but do give them raw meaty bones to keep the teeth sparkling clean.  Either try the bones, or train her to LIKE toothbrushing.

My dogs love to have thier teeth brushed.  After I feel that I have cleaned them sufficiantly I let them chew on the bristles while I hold the toothbrush.  I figure it probably helps.  I just move the brush around so that it gets into the different spots in their mouth.  Also with Crusher I have to watch that he just chews on the bristles as he could easily crack the brush itself if he got a hold of it!  Its hard to tell yet if it really helps as Crusher is not quite a year old and really shouldn't have any buildup on his teeth yet anyway.  

I brush my dogs teeth once a week at grooming time, I use a "toothpaste" that is flavored like beef and they love it, so it's no problem to brush their teeth.

I have brushed my dogs' teeth, but it wasn't nearly as effective (or easy) as feeding bones. Emma really hates it, so I quit doing it.

I never brushed my chihuahua's (Gidget) teeth. I just gave her a tooth cleaner that I got from petsmart about once a week. She LOVED the thing. I threw it on the floor the first time I had it and she sniffed it a little then took off with it to her hiding spot behind the couch. It kept her teeth clean and didn't interfere with her eating habits. It's a Buda brand from petsmart. I just don't recall the actual product name.
 

I brush Sierra's teeth occasionally. Her teeth aren't really dirty (due to bones and other safe edible chewies) but I found a cheap vanilla flavored toothpaste from walmart and she LOVES it. I only do it because it makes her breath smell yummy.
At nights, she sleeps with me with her head on my pillow, so its a bit better if her breath smells good.

I didn't really do anything to make her like it either - I'm not sure if she would like the beefy or chicken flavored ones, but she goes crazy with excitement when she sees the toothpaste tube now.

I brush Kahaus' teeth occasionally and I've been scaling them, but RMBs tend to work best for most dogs.

For whatever it's worth, I do both brushing and raw bones. But I give raw marrow bones, not 'meat' bones (this is Florida and flatly I don't trust ANY butcher that much) - I freeze the marrow bones and give one a week.  They ALL love them, and it has improved the teeth incredibly.
 
However, for brushing I do a couple of unusual things. 
 
We do pet therapy every week with ours and that is the HIGH point of everbuddys' week.  To say they WANT to go is an understatement.
 
So toothbrushing is 'linked' to that -- they know they get their teeth brushed before we go to do pet therapy.  If you're gonna go be near folks, you gotta smell good.  Including your mouth!
 
Doggie toothpaste (I use mint simply because it DOES linger on their breath and it smells better and THEY like it). 
 
But my 'secret' is an electric toothbrush -- one of the human 'disposable' ones - I like the OralB one because you turn it 'on' and it stays on without me having to hold the button.  Yes, it's one of my old ones that I'd used, which is part of it's 'charm' and let the dog have.  Everbuddy has their own (sue me - I like a new toothbrush every few months). 
 
I desensitize it just like I do the dremel for their nails.  It was 'mine' and each one knows you gotta have your teeth done before we 'go' to pet therapy (and it's not always the same dog necessarily) -- but by linking it to an activity they are SO nuts about, and they know they GOTTA have teeth brushed before they can leave ... nobuddy gives me a hard time really.  I let them lick some toothpaste off the brush first -- then turn it on and let them lick it off -- you don't have to do much cos the brush does most of the work.  It's faster so it's less stressful. 
 
My biggest point is link an unpleasant task with something AWESOME -- don't labor over it MAKE IT FAST, and it works.  Just introduce it before you go do something awesome (like a trip to PetSmart, a trip to Grandma's or whatever is INCREDIBLE and **superb** to your dog's mind. 
 
Even if you only give it a short pass the first time, you will train into it.  But it can turn something that's a horrid chore into an awaited event if you're smart about it.

I used to do 12 sets of teeth almost every day. The dogs had no problem with it. However, since they've been eating RMB the difference is amazing. I used to use an electric toothbrush too. I used to do the best job I could. They still needed dental cleanings at the vet. Now they don't. And...I'm a big fan of bone poop.

Bunni, what may I ask is "bone poop"?  That struck me as something new.  I've been looking at the choppers around here and they need to be cleaned, but like I said in another post these two are about as cooperative when I try to brush their teeth as cats are when you try to herd them.  So, RMB's is an alternative that will clean their teeth, not break their teeth but give them "bone poop"?
 
Also, does anyones dogs tend to get more possessive of RMB's when they have them?

nigguysmom,
I've had Sierra since she was about 6 weeks old, and she'd  never had a possessive bone in her body. Didn't matter what it was - kibble, wet food, home-made food, pigs ears (I know - not anymore), or anything else, I could easily walk up to her and take it away. Usually I gave her something in return so she wouldn't feel like I just stole it.

A couple months ago I was at my parents house, and my mom gave Sierra a raw bone to chew on outside.  I went to check on her after a minute or so, and as I came near, she actually grabbed the bone in her mouth and turned her head in the other direction. She clearly did not want me to take it away.
I still took it easily out of her mouth, looked at it a bit, then gave it back.

But yes, a RMB is the one and only thing that Sierra will get (slightly) possessive over.

Sierra, maybe I should just start another thread so you and I can talk about RMB's...hahahahahaaaaa   We are both hitting the same threads and talking about the same things! hahahahaa
 
I'm not concerned about Nigel giving me the RMB, I just have to ask him who it belongs to and he'll sulk but give it to me.  I was more concerned with his reaction to Sydney, now I know you can't tell me that without know my dogs, but I'm just trying to get a feel for it, ya know? 
 
So, maybe they are a good thing, but just be careful with them?

I seperate my dogs for RMBs b/c they can be possessive of high value objects.