Years ago I didn’t know nearly as much about dental care for dogs as I do now. I knew they had teeth, and sometimes bad breath. Back in the day I had a Papillon named Copper. Copper was a wonderful boy, sweet and sensitive. I took care of him the same way I cared for all my dogs. I brushed, bathed, trimmed, did nails, and had regular vet visits. I didn’t even realize how much I was neglecting dental care until he needed a cleaning. Tartar had built up and that needed to be addressed.
Copper was older by then so needed a full blood work up before going under for the procedure. Of course I was concerned; I’m always concerned about anesthetic and medical procedures, especially for older dogs. However, I expected it would go well and Copper would come back with shiny pearly whites. And of course, I vowed to keep up with dental care from there on out.
While Copper came out of the surgery fine his teeth did not. He came back with 13 fewer teeth! I was shocked, stunned, and incredibly upset. How did this happen? It was only supposed to be a routine cleaning. What I didn’t realize at the time was how challenging it is to maintain dental health, particularly for small dogs. Those tiny teeth can have very shallow roots and can loosen quickly if not kept in good condition. And it’s really hard to get into those teeny little mouths to keep everything clean. Since Copper, I’ve had a number of medium sized herding dogs, and they are definitely easier in terms of getting fingers and tools into their mouths. However, that doesn’t mean they are always cooperative in their dental care.
I’ve experimented with a lot of different dental products over the years (chews, gels, water additives, and so on) in addition to the typical toothbrush and toothpaste combo. I discovered the VOHC (Veterinary Oral Health Council) and their approved products for dental care.
I started developing training approaches to help my dogs tolerate routine dental care at home. When I thought about all the small pieces that go into comfortable care for the mouth and teeth I realized that I, and many others, had been skipping over some very important foundation steps. So I sat down and broke things into the smallest pieces I could imagine. That approach always works for me! I always keep the “split don’t lump” mantra in mind when working on training protocols.
The very first step to easier mouth and dental care is the chin rest. It’s such an amazingly versatile skill, but it really comes in handy when you need to work around the mouth. Having a familiar and comfortable behavior established before you add on with more specific procedures to the mix.
I’ve created a new webinar on training the chin rest (and its variations), along with all the uses I’ve found for it that go well beyond cooperative care work. In addition to cooperative care procedures, I’ve used a chin rest for retrieve training, rally moves, behavior modification, pet therapy work, and fun tricks like taking selfies. I don’t hesitate to say that everyone will find this skill useful. Take a look at the link for more information.
101 Things to do With a Chin Rest Webinar
For the past month I’ve been working on updating my mouth and dental care training procedures for a new 3 week online course. I’ve broken it down into even smaller pieces, and made all new videos with Neo and Wizard (so you have both small and larger dogs represented!) It’s amazing how doing a little work every day has helped the dogs become even more comfortable with the process. I know I preach this all the time (be the turtle, slow & steady, short frequent sessions), but it’s still rewarding to see how well it works first hand. Each session and each day may not feel like much progress, but it adds up quickly.
If you’re interested in learning more about the 3 week intensive course on mouth & dental care take a look at this link for more info.:
Open Wide: Stress Free Mouth Handling & Dental Care course
By the way, Copper continued to do well for a number of years after his dental surgery, but I always felt bad about it. Now that we know more about the importance of dental care we have a responsibility to do what we can to make things easier. In addition, we can avoid bad breath and those expensive dental procedures, so that’s a big win for everyone!
Deborah Jones, Ph.D. is a retired psychology professor who now trains animals full-time. She has been training for 30+ years and focuses on positive reinforcement based methods. Deb has written 13 books on dog training and has helped develop several DVD series way back in the day. She has also trained and shown multiple breeds to high level titles in agility, rally, and obedience. She is currently teaching online training classes, workshops, and webinars at www.fenzidogsportsacademy.com. Her latest project is the Cooperative Care Trainer Certificate course. Visit her website at www.k9infocus.com for her blog and more information.
Deb Jones, PhD literally wrote the book to cooperative care. Cooperative Care: Seven Steps to Stress-Free Husbandry is a practical guide that helps you prepare your dog for all the necessary physical procedures to keep him healthy and happy!
Dante just had dental work and I was told to brush his teeth 3 x a week. I’ve been working on this in baby steps but not making much progress. I bought an electric toothbrush but haven’t got past holding it in my hand so he could get used to the sound but…Now I’m just going to wait for your class!! Thank you for offering it!!!
I think you’ll like the way I break everything down into small easy pieces!
I just made a visit to the local veterinary dentist today with my young Miniature American Shepherd to schedule dental surgery for a slab fracture on a molar that looks really ugly.
Yes, a chin rest would have been nice to have taught her before now. Sigh 😔
I have had a dog with a slab fracture before. No bueno.