Dental health is as important for German Shepherds as it is for humans. And brushing your Shepherd’s teeth is the most effective way to prevent tartar and plaque build-up. But how often should you really brush a German Shepherd’s teeth?
You should brush a German Shepherd’s teeth at least three times a week or daily if possible. It’ll be a slow process to train your GSD and make him comfortable with the sensation of brushing his teeth. But he needs to go through it to ensure that tartar and plaque built-up won’t affect his health.
Daily brushing of the teeth is recommended if your German Shepherd is already comfortable with it. In this article, we’ll also talk about the steps you can take if you’re only starting to train your GSD. Stick around because we’re also going to provide you with tips on how you can ensure your dog has the best dental health possible.
Why Do You Need To Brush A German Shepherd’s Teeth?
Keeping the teeth clean is vital to a German Shepherd’s overall health. Brushing the teeth is just as important for German Shepherds as it is for humans. Their teeth also accumulate tartar and plaque over time, making it essential for them to have regular grooming sessions.
Brushing isn’t the only way to keep a German Shepherd’s teeth clean — there are other more comfortable ways to do it — but brushing is one of the most effective. Although brushing a German Shepherd’s teeth is usually not enough for better dental health, it helps slow down the accumulation of tartar and plaque, leading to future dental disease or tooth loss.
Should You Brush A German Shepherd’s Teeth Daily?
A common question that owners have is how often they should brush a German Shepherd’s teeth. If their teeth also accumulate tartar and plaque, and keeping them clean is important to prevent oral health issues, does it mean that we should brush a German Shepherd’s teeth daily?
If your German Shepherd is already comfortable with it, you can brush his teeth at least three times a week. This frequency in brushing will already provide major dental health benefits to your GSD. However, if possible, it’s recommended that you brush a German Shepherd’s teeth daily.
How To Brush A German Shepherd’s Teeth Clean
If you haven’t introduced a canine toothbrush and toothpaste to your German Shepherd, you have to train him to be comfortable with it slowly. You also need to start training your GSD at an early age because it’ll be an odd sensation and uncomfortable for him if he’s not used to brushing his teeth.
We don’t want to overcomplicate things for you, so let’s just divide it into 3 phases:
Introduction To Cleaning The Teeth
Start with this step at an early age because the longer you wait, the harder it’ll be for you to train your German Shepherd.
You can start by gently lifting their lips and touching their muzzle to expose the gums and teeth. You’ll have to do it every day for the first few days just to make your GSD comfortable with you, lifting his lips.
After a few days of lifting the lips to expose the gums and teeth, you can start handling the exposed areas and keep doing it until your GSD gets comfortable with it. You can gradually increase the movements you make until you can stroke its teeth with a clean cloth.
If you can stroke its teeth comfortably, you can start introducing your GSD to a toothbrush that you can fit onto your finger. You can keep using it for the next few days before using an actual canine toothbrush and toothpaste.
Introduction To Toothbrush And Toothpaste
Even if your German Shepherd is already comfortable in using a small toothbrush, it doesn’t mean that you can simply add any toothpaste for its dental health. In fact, you should never use your own toothpaste to brush a German Shepherd’s teeth. You should only use a toothpaste formulated for dogs and let your GSD sample it first.
Starting with very small amounts, you can gradually increase the amount of toothpaste you apply while using the same small toothbrush you’ve been using for days.
If you notice that your German Shepherd no longer reacts to the sensation of his toothpaste, you can start using a canine toothbrush to start cleaning one tooth. You can increase the number of teeth you brush every day, but you have to be careful and slow with it.
Introduction To Gradual Brushing
This phase is simple — you only need to increase the number of teeth you’re brushing until you can work your way towards the back teeth. This phase is also where dogs’ teeth differ from humans when brushing because you don’t have to open your German Shepherd’s mouth to brush the back teeth.
For dogs, most plaque develops on the outside of their teeth, so you don’t really have to open their mouths to brush it. Aside from that, they usually eat crunchy food, which also removes or reduces tartar and plaque.
Other Ways To Keep A German Shepherd’s Teeth Clean
Brushing a German Shepherd’s teeth every day is good, but it’s usually not enough to ensure good dental health for a lifetime. There are several ways to do it:
- Dental snacks can be beneficial for your dog in removing or minimizing tartar and plaque build-up. Aside from their usual crunchy food, you can give your GSD dental snacks that can help keep their teeth clean and healthy. However, you should not use dental snacks in place of brushing the teeth.
- Chew toys will not only help keep your GSD entertained; it also helps him grow strong, healthy teeth. Chewing on these toys also helps reduce tartar and plaque.
- Professional dental cleaning at least once or twice a year ensures the best dental health. Even if you’re brushing a German Shepherd’s teeth daily, you still need to provide him with a professional dental cleaning service. It will also provide you with more specific information on how you can take better care of your dog’s dental health.
Final Thoughts
Brushing the teeth of a German Shepherd every day is important to maintain their overall health. Training your dog and making him feel comfortable with brushing his teeth is straightforward, but it might take a few weeks before you can brush his teeth properly.
What’s important is to stay within your goal of brushing a German Shepherd’s teeth daily or at least three times a week. Although it’s not enough, it will still provide major benefits to the overall health of your GSD.