Do dogs even have dental health? Young pups are born with no teeth, and by eight weeks of age have a full set. It is vital that young pups start out eating the proper foods to maintain good dental health. Maintaining proper dental health will also help eliminate that infamous "doggie breath." In order to practice good hygiene, your dog must visit the vet for a check up, have his teeth brushed two times a week, and use proper food and chew toys. The following tips should help.
- Eating dry dog food will help keep plaque build-up down. While you can give canned food as an occasional treat, you will want to select primarily dry blend dog food versions.
- There are a variety of "doggie dental chews", treats, biscuits, and bones available to aid in dental hygiene. However, many are high in calories and sugar. Pick out nutritional treats to use as rewards and watch the plaque and tarter disappear.
- When selecting treats, you should select those that have low calorie content and very little sugar. The back of the package should give detailed specifics on the item you are considering purchasing. Take the time to read and compare so you can be sure to get the healthiest and most beneficial treats. It should also specify on the packaging whether or not the products help fight plaque or reduce tarter. Steer away from the treats that do not.
Whether you reward your dog with doggie biscuits or treat him to chewy treats, all you have to do is select the ones with plaque fighting and/or tarter reducing agents in them. Being aware while shopping for the pup is the same as reading labels on your own food.
