Begin by introducing your pet to the toothpaste, offering it as a treat on the end of your finger or dabbing some on their paws for them to lick off if they are a bit fussy. Once your pet is happy with this, then gently lift your pet’s lip and carefully rub a small amount of paste over the gums and teeth. This begins the process of getting your pet used to the sensation, while using the paste as positive re-enforcement. Do this for a minimum of two to three weeks.
The next step is to introduce your pet to bristles. Most toothpastes come with a finger brush that goes over the top of the finger. This has very short, soft bristles which do not do very much in terms of cleaning but introduce the slightly more invasive aspect of tooth brushing. This will allow you to get into the nooks and crannies, whilst starting to build up the coarseness of regular brushes. This is done gradually over three to four weeks, starting with very short time periods that gradually increase in duration.
Finally, we move onto the normal toothbrush, again starting with a small amount of paste for a short period, gradually increasing the duration.
Remember with each step to give lots of praise, cuddles and maybe a treat or two
If your pet does not like having their teeth brushed, then there are still other options available to you…