Brushing your dog's teeth is almost as important as it is for us humans. Unlike humans, a dog's teeth aren’t exposed to a lot of carbohydrates and especially sugar, which makes it somewhat harder for caries-causing bacteria to multiply.
Nevertheless, dogs also get cavities and need their teeth brushed.
Brushing your dog's teeth helps keep your dog healthy. Not only can it prevent toothaches and costly treatments, good oral hygiene has also been shown to have a positive impact on the cardiovascular system.
First steps: Don't put too much pressure on yourselves; it's better to practice consistently than being impatient. Fortunately, most dogs don't develop bad teeth as quickly as humans because they generally don't have access to sweets.
The first step is to teach your dog the chin target. You lure your dog with a treat until their muzzle rests heavily on your palm. Then you click if you're using a clicker, or you say your marker word, e.g., "good," and give your dog a reward. Even though this is about brushing your dog's teeth, it's okay to give them a treat as a reward. Our most important goal for the beginning is for your dog to enjoy participating; After successfully thraning your dog you can brush it’s teeth for many years without any problems. Repeat this exercise several times until your dog understands what it's all about.
Next time, you can hold out your hand without using a treat. Wait a moment to see if your dog decides on its own to put its muzzle in your palm. If so, quickly mark the success and reward it. (If it doesn't work so well yet, simply start again from the first step.)
Repeat this exercise many times until it becomes a routine.
If you like, you can now introduce a verbal cue, but it's not necessary for this purpose.
Next, take a soft toothbrush and simply hold it in your hand during the exercise. Gradually decrease the distance between the toothbrush and your dog until you reach its teeth.
Don't go too fast. If an exercise doesn't go well, start again at the previous step.
It can also be helpful to practice gently touching your dog's muzzle.
Of course, you're welcome to contact me, and we can practice together.
Prepare a treat, say "drop it," and then, regardless of what your dog is doing, throw the treat towards it.
Repeat this exercise as often as you like, ideally daily. Eventually, your dog will literally drop everything when it hears this command to catch the treat you throw.
