Do wolves brush their teeth? Of course not. Well not in the traditional sense anyway. They do keep their teeth clean by their diet. The consumption of eating fresh prey and pulling and tearing of the fur, skin and flesh combined with the gnawing and crushing of the bones helps to keep the teeth clean. Do I suggest we toss a live rabbit to our dogs regularly then? Uh no, not exactly. Although whippets were bred to be fast and perform the function of catching and eating rabbits very well it’s not exactly an acceptable or convenient practice.
There are several ways to keep those teeth clean and healthy. My whippets are about 5 years old now and every time we have an annual check-up with the vet they are always amazed at how great their teeth look. I am always asked if I brush their teeth? Nope. I do not. But I consider myself very lucky. I feel my dogs have a good breeding, a good diet and play with toys to keep their teeth clean. Does this mean you don’t need to brush your dog’s teeth in the traditional toothbrush and canine toothpaste way? No because every dog is different and perhaps yours need a little extra attention.
These are the items that I use to keep my dogs teeth healthy and my dogs happy.
Toys
My dogs love to chew on soft toys and I think these help to scrape off plaque. Reebok and Sophie’s favorites are:
My dogs get a treat every evening around 8 p.m. They go nuts for these and it helps keep their teeth clean.
Once a week we give them a Bully Stick. I always supervise when they chew and take the stick away when it about 2 inches. This prevents them from swallowing the remaining stick and the possibility of it being an obstruction in the bowel.
When I can find them, I will buy chicken necks and toss them in the freezer. I give these to the dogs raw when the weather is nice outside. Never cook chicken bones as they will splinter when chewed and may perforate the bowels.
Links on Dog Dental Health
Dog and Puppy Dental Health
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