Dental care for puppy

[amer]

Hello! We're finally getting our puppy (long story short : we almost got a puppy last Sept, then at the last minute realized the breeder was sketchy and so had to search for new breeder and wait for available puppy). Our pup will be coming home on Jan 31 at 8 weeks old.

I'm trying to learn about dental care for pups. I'm happy to teach her to have her teeth brushed, and to brush them on a daily basis. But I still have tons of questions, and googling seems to lead to more questions instead of answers!

Should I get a finger brush or a toothbrush?
I know not to use human toothpaste, but is dog tooth paste safe for puppies? (I have seen "puppy" toothpaste -- is it different from the dog one?)
I've seen so many other types of products: wipes, water additives, gels, drops (Leba?)... Are these supposed to replace brushing or to compliment it?
I'm planning to feed her raw food, could I use dental treats if she's on a raw diet?
Are dental treats healthy?
I've read that bones are good for teeth, are there bones that are good for puppies?

Any tips, advice, opinions, anecdotes, etc would be much appreciated! Thank you!

[Barkingdog]

http://www.animalplanet.com/pets/hea...tal-care-tips/



I tried to bush my Standard poodle teeth , I got him when he was 2 yo .
I used a doggie toothbrush and toothpaste with chicken flavor and my dog was only interested in trying to eat the toothpaste . It a good idea to get your puppy use to having this mouth and teeth touch so you'll be able take anything out that does not belong in his mouth . He'll be picking up kind things on his walks and at home. What kind of puppy are your getting ? You could ask your vet what is what best to use for your new puppy

[Lynne&Co.]

Congratulations on the new puppy and glad to hear you will be feeding RAW! Commercial dental treats are probably not that great for your puppy and will not be required when you feed RAW anyway. I would suggest a meaty bone at least once a week for an adult dog and perhaps more frequently for a chewing puppy. Choose a support bone (cow leg bone) as they are far too big to be mistakenly swallowed. Its best to get your food from a RAW supplier as their bones are meatier than the soup bones some butchers sell.

[Barkingdog]

Originally Posted by Lynne&Co.

Congratulations on the new puppy and glad to hear you will be feeding RAW! Commercial dental treats are probably not that great for your puppy and will not be required when you feed RAW anyway. I would suggest a meaty bone at least once a week for an adult dog and perhaps more frequently for a chewing puppy. Choose a support bone (cow leg bone) as they are far too big to be mistakenly swallowed. Its best to get your food from a RAW supplier as their bones are meatier than the soup bones some butchers sell.

I would made sure to keep the puppy in a room that has no rugs on the floor , for some weird reason dogs love to eat messy bones while lying on a rug .

[Lynne&Co.]

Originally Posted by Barkingdog

I would made sure to keep the puppy in a room that ha no rugs on the floor , for some weird reason dogs love to eat messy bones while lying on a rug .

Good thinking BarkingDog! I've experienced that and it's a ton of added work to clean up. There's nothing more gross than a dog running about the house with a meaty bone either!!
I would go a step further and have puppy confined in his crate on an old washable blanket for bone chewing sessions. Easy cleanup

[Reg.]

Hello Amer:

Best of luck with your new pup.

This post brings back memories of long long ago with one my vet visits.
Prior to the time when it was realized that cleaning of animals' teeth was a benefit to their health, so I was surprised when he recommended giving our new dog a raw bone 2 or 3 times a week. He suggested ox tail bones and the reasoning behind it was that they were very sinewy and require a lot of chewing in order to remove the meat and the sinew has a tendency of working like dental floss to remove tartar and plaque.
When it comes to brushes, what I have found is that you'll try out several methods and come up with one that is comfortable for you to use.
One other thing that I have been using for about 10 years on my cats is Oxyfresh and I started them as kittens when they still had their baby or milk teeth and they have been on it ever since. Their teeth and gums are in excellent shape. Even when they have gone to the vet's - and that's not very often - she commented on their mouths and wanted to investigate the product.

Here's the web site. I usually buy a gallon bottle and it does me about 3 years.

http://oxyfresh.com/pet/stop-pet-bad...e-solution.asp

[amer]

@Barkingdog
Thank you for the link! The more I read the more I realize how critical the first few months with our puppy will be.

I'm spending this weekend "puppy proofing" -- including hiding as many rugs as I can!

We're getting a Tibetan Terrier. I attached a photo we took last week, when she was 5.5 weeks.

@Lynne&Co.
Thanks! She's being fed kibble right now, and I plan to transition her using freeze dried food right away and working in raw. I found a supplier near where we live and will visit her this weekend to see their facilities and figure out a meal plan -- the company is called Raw Paw in Montreal. I'll be sure to ask about the meaty bones.

Will remember to keep her in her crate with meaty bones! Thank you for the tip!

@Reg.
Hadn't heard of Oxyfresh, but it looks interesting, thanks! Do you order from their site or do you know if any stores carry it?

[Lynne&Co.]

Oh my goodness! Cuteness overload! Enjoy your new puppy she is absolutely adorable.

[amer]

Thank you Lynne&Co.! We are super smitten!

[hazelrunpack]

I'm smitten, too! What a doll!

[Reg.]

Hi:

What a cute pup. Where did she get the black on her pink nose? Was she helping out someone with a black paint roller? It sure makes for a cute face. By the looks of it, you'll have a very pleasant "fur" buddy.

I order the oxyfresh off the site now. Years ago there was a telephone number. I've enclosed the site again because there is a measured pump that will measure out the exact amount for a gallon of water, which is what I use. I find it quite handy.


http://oxyfresh.com/pet/default.asp

[amer]

@hazelrunpack Thank you!

@Reg. Thanks for the link! Haha yeah she looks quite funny with the spotted nose! Tibetan Terrier's can be born with pink noses, and then the pigment comes in and they all end up with black noses. I found a photo we took when we visited her at 2 weeks old -- you can see the pigment was just starting to come out.