I've never brushed my Labs' teeth. They get bones. I've only had one of my Labs' teeth cleaned that that was only because he was already being put under for a minor surgery and the vet did it for $25.
Jen
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I started brushing Rocky's teeth because he is a poop eater and just, eww. he was never much of a chewer of anything other than food
Penny hasn't had her teeth brushed much but she is much more of a chewer.
I think a lot of it is genetics. I have seen young dogs get tartar pretty early and older dogs wtih none irregardless of brushing/chewing. But I am sure brushing (and chewing bones) can help!
Ivy
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My dogs are all raw and eat plenty of edible bones, but I do still use Petzlife gel a couple times a week. They don't mind it so I figure it can't hurt anything. They are all six years old and have never had to have teeth cleaned, the vet always remarks how great they look.
Any chewing helps. I like nylabones the most for this purpose though. If your dog is a chewer, eventualy the nylabone begins to get "sharp" with little fibers and bits from the dog chewing. This gets into their teeth and helps to clean them out. You have to monitor them, as with everything.
I do give Mulder Greenies and yes, he eats them like a biscuit, LOL, so they don't last long. His teeth are in great shape for being 15.5, and I've never brushed them regularly - he used to get bones when he was younger but they are a bit too much for him these days.
The reason for the Greenies is that he has ALWAYS had nasty breath, and it's gotten worse since he's been older, even though his teeth have been fine (I suspect it's more a digestive issue). The Greenies have dramatically improved his breath, even though I doubt they do much for his teeth and they are expensive.
Annette
Cookie (HIT HC Jamrah's Legally Blonde, UDX, OM2, BN) 6/4/2015
Sassy (HIT Jamrah's Blonde Ambition, UDX, OM2, BN) 6/4/2015
Chloe (HIT HC OTCH Windsong's Femme Fatale, UDX4, OM6, RE) 6/7/2009
And remembering:
Scully (HC Coventry's Truth Is Out There, UD, TD, RN) 4/14/1996 - 6/30/2011
Mulder (Coventry's I Want To Believe, UD, RN, WC) 5/26/1999 - 4/22/2015
And our foster Jolie (Windsong's Genuine Risk, CDX) 5/26/1999 - 3/16/2014
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Annette
Cookie (HIT HC Jamrah's Legally Blonde, UDX, OM2, BN) 6/4/2015
Sassy (HIT Jamrah's Blonde Ambition, UDX, OM2, BN) 6/4/2015
Chloe (HIT HC OTCH Windsong's Femme Fatale, UDX4, OM6, RE) 6/7/2009
And remembering:
Scully (HC Coventry's Truth Is Out There, UD, TD, RN) 4/14/1996 - 6/30/2011
Mulder (Coventry's I Want To Believe, UD, RN, WC) 5/26/1999 - 4/22/2015
And our foster Jolie (Windsong's Genuine Risk, CDX) 5/26/1999 - 3/16/2014
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While all kinds of bones do help with tartar, they don't help with doggy breath.
Bad breath is OP's problem - while it may indicate a dental issue, it's not always the case. It mainly depends on what the dog eats, and no dog's breath smells like flowers anyway.
That's why I recommended brushing - with a toothbrush and toothpaste made specifically for dogs of course - our toothpaste is not digestible and may lead to tummy issues when ingested.
Cookie Black Snowflake
July 12th, 2006. - May 25th, 2023.
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