Choosing a toothpaste flavour for a fussy or sensitive dog

The dog that refuses the toothbrush is usually refusing the taste, not the brush. Get the flavour right and most of the battle disappears, because the paste becomes the treat and the brush is just how it arrives. Here is how we help owners choose, including owners of dogs that react to things.

Start with the flavour, not the brush

For the first few days, the toothpaste should be the only thing involved. Put a pea-sized dab on your fingertip and offer it. A dog that licks it off and looks for more has told you the flavour works; a dog that sniffs and turns away has told you to try another. Do this before you buy a brush, and before you try to touch the teeth. The method is in our FAQ day by day.

The three Petsmile flavours

All three use the same formulation, so you are choosing purely on taste. London Broil is a beef flavour and the one most dogs take to immediately; it is the first we suggest for a dog that is simply greedy. Rotisserie Chicken is milder and suits dogs that prefer poultry. Say Cheese is the mildest of the three and the one we recommend first for fussy dogs, cats and multi-pet homes, because almost everything likes cheese. Merlo, who is a connoisseur, chose Say Cheese.

If your dog reacts to things

Some dogs react to particular foods or ingredients, and if yours is one of them, the ingredient list on the tube matters more than the flavour name. Petsmile's manufacturer declares the full ingredients on every tube, and we publish them on each product page. The toothpaste contains no fluoride, no xylitol and no sodium lauryl sulphate. Formulations can change, so read the tube you receive, and if your dog has a known reaction to any listed ingredient, do not use it. If your dog is under veterinary care for a sensitivity, ask your vet before adding anything new, including a toothpaste. Petdentist® products are non-medicinal daily-care products and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any condition.

What to do if your dog refuses the flavour

Give it three days of fingertip offers at the same time each day, ideally when your dog is a little hungry. If it is still a no, change flavour rather than persist; a dog that has decided against a taste rarely changes its mind. Our 30-day taste guarantee exists for exactly this: email info@petdentist.co.uk within 30 days of delivery with your order number and we will swap the flavour or refund the tube, even if it has been opened. One tube per household.

Signs the flavour is right

• Your dog comes to find you when the tube comes out.
• The paste disappears from your finger in one lick.
• Your dog licks the brush before you have done anything with it.
• Sessions get easier day by day rather than harder.

From taste to brushing

Once the flavour is accepted, rub a little paste on the front teeth with your finger for a few days, then move the paste onto a soft brush and let your dog lick it off the bristles. Brush two or three outer surfaces at a 45-degree angle to the gum line and stop. Add a few teeth a day until you are doing the whole outside of the mouth in under a minute. Choose the bamboo brush for a small dog and the large breed brush for a big one.

A note on 'natural' pastes and home-made alternatives

Owners of sensitive dogs are sometimes advised to brush with bicarbonate of soda, coconut oil or a human toothpaste. We would not. Bicarbonate is salty and unpleasant for most dogs, coconut oil carries the paste nowhere, and human toothpaste contains ingredients that are not meant to be swallowed. A pet toothpaste that is made to be swallowed, with a full ingredient list you can read, is the safer choice for a dog that reacts to things.

Questions people ask

Can I mix two flavours to find out which my dog prefers?

Offer them on separate days, one dab each, and watch which one disappears faster. Dogs are rarely subtle about it.

Is a fussy dog's toothpaste different from a normal one?

No. The same Petsmile formulation is used in all three flavours; the only difference is taste. What changes for a fussy dog is the order you do things in: taste first, brush later.

Does the taste guarantee cover a tube I bought for my cat?

Yes. It covers any Petsmile tube, dog or cat, one per household, within 30 days of delivery.

Read next: Pet toothpaste vs human toothpaste, Puppy teeth and how to start brushing, Shop toothpaste.

About the author. Dr Deepak Songra BDS (GDC 68552) is a dental surgeon with more than 35 years in clinical practice and the founder of Petdentist®. He is not a vet. He lives with Merlo, the Cavapoo you will see across this site.

This article is general information about daily care, not veterinary advice. Petdentist® products are non-medicinal daily-care products for dogs and cats and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you are worried about your pet, please see your vet. Petdentist® is the trading name of Pet Dentist L.L.C-FZ, Meydan Grandstand, 6th Floor, Meydan Road, Nad Al Sheba, Dubai, UAE. UK orders are dispatched from Northampton.