"How To Accustom Your Puppy To Having His Teeth Brushed"
Puppy teeth need a good dental care routine in order to keep them healthy. If you can establish this while your Cocker Spaniel puppy is still very young, it will be much easier for you both.
Don't worry though, if you didn't manage to establish a routine for brushing his teeth when your puppy was young, or you've adopted an adult dog who's never had his teeth brushed, you can still acclimatise your pet to the feel of a toothbrush in his mouth and on his teeth, although it may take a little longer.
When brushing puppy teeth for the first time it's advisable not to begin with a toothbrush, but to use your fingers.
However, don't put your fingers into his mouth just yet, instead, massage your puppy's cheeks gently and slowly, in a circular motion, at teeth and gum level. Praise him for being good.
When you feel your puppy is no longer concerned by this massaging motion, try putting some dog toothpaste onto your fingertip and let him lick it off. Then, try putting your finger into his mouth, gently massaging the gums and delicate puppy teeth for 10 seconds, working up to 30 seconds. Again, praise him and then offer him a treat.
The objective is to have your puppy associate positive experiences when your fingers are near or inside his mouth.
If you find that your puppy is too intent on licking the toothpaste from your fingers, to the extent that it prevents you from massaging his gums, you could try the following: holding his muzzle closed with one hand, gently lift his top lip with the other and begin massaging his top teeth and gums.
Don't worry about his front teeth at this stage as they pretty much look after themselves.
Praise him, and give him a treat if he doesn't object.
When you believe your puppy is ready, introduce him to his new puppy toothbrush.
Place a small amount of dog toothpaste onto the brush and work it down into the bristles. This will help prevent your puppy from licking the toothpaste off the brush, and increase the chances of the toothpaste actually reaching your dog's teeth!
Allow your puppy to lick and nibble the toothbrush before putting it into his mouth, so that he can feel the bristles with his teeth and his tongue. Don't forget to praise him.
At your next session, gently brush two or three puppy teeth for 10 or 20 seconds, then stop to praise your puppy. Don't overdo it or he may become agitated. It's best to stop the brushing process before he gets to that stage, otherwise he may learn that if he objects, you will stop. Keep it positive!
Over the next few sessions, gradually increase the number of puppy teeth brushed, until your brushing routine follows the steps outlined in brushing dog teeth.
