How to Get Your Dog Used to Teeth Brushing

By Dr Duncan Houston

If your dog disappears when the toothbrush comes out, you are not alone. Having someone reach towards your face and start scrubbing your teeth is hardly an instinctive favourite activity.

The good news is that many dogs can learn to accept, and sometimes enjoy, a gentle dental routine. The key is to introduce each part gradually and make it predict good things.

Before starting, consider whether resistance could be caused by pain. A sore mouth needs treatment before it needs more training.

Quick Answer

Help your dog become comfortable with teeth brushing through short, reward-based sessions, starting with easy mouth handling and introducing the toothbrush gradually. Use a soft brush, dog-safe toothpaste and rewards your dog enjoys, and stop if they pull away or become tense. Work towards daily brushing once they are comfortable, without forcing their mouth open or holding them down. If they have bad breath, bleeding gums, a broken tooth or a sudden change in tolerance, arrange a veterinary dental check first.

First, Make Sure Their Mouth Is Comfortable

A dog who resists brushing is not necessarily being difficult. Possible explanations include unfamiliar handling, a previous frightening experience, an unpleasant toothpaste flavour or a brush that feels too large.

Dental pain is another important possibility.

Arrange a vet check before brushing if you notice:

• Persistent unpleasant breath.

• Red, swollen or bleeding gums.

• A loose, broken or discoloured tooth.

• Dropping food or chewing mainly on one side.

• Increased drooling, face rubbing or facial swelling.

• Sudden reluctance to have their mouth touched.

Dogs can continue eating despite painful dental disease, so a normal appetite does not rule it out.

Do not try to brush through painful, inflamed gums. AAHA warns that this can cause pain and make an animal more resistant to future brushing. If your dog needs dental treatment, follow your vet’s advice about when to begin or restart home care.

What You Need

Keep the setup simple:

• A small, soft-bristled toothbrush suitable for your dog’s mouth.

• Toothpaste formulated for dogs, in a flavour they accept.

• Small rewards that suit their diet.

• A quiet, comfortable area with good lighting and non-slip footing.

Use the amount of toothpaste recommended on the label. If your dog has food allergies or follows a prescription diet, check the ingredients in both toothpaste and rewards.

Never use human toothpaste or baking soda. Human dental products are not designed for dogs to swallow.

Keep your fingers away from the biting surfaces of the teeth. A finger brush is not essential, particularly if your dog is mouthy or worried about handling.

Teach the Routine in Small Steps

These are stages, not a seven-day challenge. Practise each one until your dog remains comfortable across repeated sessions.

An early session might be only two or three easy repetitions. Finish while your dog is still relaxed and interested.

Step 1: Create a comfortable starting position

Let your dog stand, sit or lie in a position they find comfortable. You do not need to insist on a sit if that is awkward for them.

An optional chin rest can make handling more predictable. Offer your open palm beneath their chin. Reward a brief voluntary chin touch, then gradually build a little duration.

Keep your hand supportive rather than gripping their muzzle. If they lift their head or move away, pause.

Dogs Trust includes a chin-rest exercise in its tooth-brushing training guidance. The useful skill is calm participation, not physically holding the head still.

Step 2: Make a brief cheek touch rewarding

Reach towards the side of your dog’s face at a level they already tolerate. Briefly touch the cheek, remove your hand and immediately give a small reward.

If even reaching towards them causes concern, start farther away and reward calm responses there.

Build towards touching the outside of the lips. Keep the sequence predictable: brief touch, hand away, reward.

Wait until they have finished chewing and swallowing before repeating.

Step 3: Practise a tiny lip lift

Gently lift a small section of the lip, then let go and reward.

At first, a momentary glimpse of a tooth is enough. Practise on both sides over separate repetitions, without pulling the lips back forcefully.

You do not need to open the jaws wide. The aim is to access the surfaces facing the lips and cheeks.

Veterinary dental guidance recommends introducing lip handling gradually and avoiding force when a dog finds a particular area uncomfortable.

Step 4: Let them try the toothpaste

Offer a tiny sample of dog toothpaste from a spoon or another safe surface while you supervise.

If they enjoy it, the flavour can become part of the reward. If they turn away, try a different dog-safe flavour rather than pushing it into their mouth.

Toothpaste tasting is a useful introduction, but licking toothpaste alone does not clean the teeth effectively.

Step 5: Introduce the brush without brushing

Show the brush at a comfortable distance, then reward. Let your dog investigate without moving it into their mouth.

Once they are relaxed, offer a little toothpaste on the bristles and allow them to lick it.

Keep hold of the brush and put it away if they start biting or trying to swallow it. It is dental equipment, not the evening’s chew toy.

UC Davis recommends separating the introduction of toothpaste and the brush from the later task of brushing.

Step 6: Touch one tooth, then make one gentle stroke

When your dog accepts the earlier stages, lift the lip and briefly touch the brush to an accessible outer tooth surface.

Remove it and reward.

Next, try one gentle stroke. Build towards brushing a small group of teeth, rather than attempting the whole mouth immediately.

Use light pressure and small circular movements. Angle the bristles towards the gumline, approximately 45 degrees, without pushing or scraping into the gums. Focus first on the outer surfaces of the upper and lower teeth.

Ask your vet or veterinary nurse to demonstrate the technique if you are unsure. UC Davis advises beginning with just a few teeth and gradually developing the routine.

Step 7: Gradually increase coverage

Add a few more teeth or a little more brushing time as your dog becomes comfortable. Avoid increasing duration, pressure and handling difficulty together.

Include the back teeth as well as those you can easily see at the front. Keep rewarding between short sections if needed.

A comfortable, experienced dog may manage around a minute of brushing across the mouth, but coverage and gentle technique matter more than beating the clock. Do not force access to difficult areas; ask your veterinary team for help adapting the approach.

How Do You Know When to Progress?

Look at the whole dog. Remaining still does not always mean feeling comfortable.

What your dog does	What it suggests	Your next step
Approaches willingly, stays loose and readily returns after a pause	The current stage is manageable	Repeat successfully, then make a small increase
Turns away, leans back or repeatedly avoids your hand	The task may be too difficult	Stop, then make the next session easier
Becomes rigid, freezes, growls or snaps	Significant discomfort, fear or possible pain	End the session and seek professional help
Cries, flinches at one area or develops bleeding	Possible oral pain or injury	Stop brushing and contact your vet

Head turning, tension and other subtle changes can signal discomfort before a dog growls. Interpret them in context, rather than relying on a single sign.

Do not punish a growl. It is a warning that the situation needs to change. If there is a risk of biting, avoid further mouth handling and arrange veterinary assessment and qualified behaviour support.

What If Your Dog Already Hates the Toothbrush?

Begin again below the point where they become worried.

For a dog who leaves the room at the sight of the brush, the first task may simply be seeing it from a distance, receiving a reward and watching it disappear. Mouth contact comes later.

Changing to a smaller, softer brush or a different toothpaste flavour may help if the equipment was part of the problem. But new equipment will not resolve untreated pain.

Keep practice predictable and allow your dog to move away. Avoid using food to lure them into a position where you then restrain them.

If progress repeatedly stalls, ask your vet to reassess comfort and help you arrange a training plan. A demonstration from the veterinary team can also reveal whether the brush angle, pressure or handling is making things harder.

How Often Should You Brush?

Aim for daily brushing once your dog comfortably accepts it.

Brushing disrupts plaque, the soft bacterial film that accumulates on teeth. It does not remove established hard tartar or replace professional dental assessment and treatment. AAHA recommends daily home care and makes this distinction clear.

During training, practise the stage your dog can manage. Avoid forcing a full-mouth session simply to meet a daily target.

There is no universal training deadline. Some dogs progress quickly; others need weeks or longer, especially after painful or frightening experiences.

Keep a brief note of what they comfortably accepted. “Lip lift on both sides” is a more useful measure of progress than “managed to hold them still”.

What Can Help While You Are Training?

Ask your vet about suitable additional home care, particularly if your dog cannot yet tolerate effective brushing.

Options may include a dental diet, an appropriate dental chew or selected wipes, gels or water additives. The Veterinary Oral Health Council maintains a list of products with evidence supporting their specific plaque or tartar claims. These products vary in purpose and are not all interchangeable.

Check suitability for your dog’s age, size, diet and chewing behaviour. Supervise chews and remove pieces that could be swallowed dangerously.

Avoid using bones, antlers or very hard objects as a dental shortcut because they can damage teeth. Cornell also notes that some chewing items carry gastrointestinal injury or obstruction risks.

When Does Your Dog Need Urgent Care?

Contact your vet promptly for mouth pain, facial swelling, a broken tooth or difficulty eating. These should not be managed by practising harder.

Seek urgent veterinary care for significant or ongoing mouth bleeding, severe pain or difficulty breathing or swallowing. Stop attempting to inspect or brush a distressed dog’s mouth.

Common Mistakes That Make Brushing Harder

• Starting with a full-mouth clean. Build from a brief touch to a few teeth.

• Holding the muzzle shut or forcing the jaws open. This removes choice and can increase distress.

• Waiting for a complete session before rewarding. Reward small, comfortable successes throughout training.

• Using excessive pressure. Gentle, consistent brushing is the aim.

• Assuming refusal is stubbornness. Check for pain, fear, equipment problems and handling difficulties.

• Stopping rewards once it works. Keep the routine worthwhile for your dog.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it too late to teach an older dog?

No. Older dogs can learn, but arrange a dental check first if their oral health is uncertain. Adapt the position for any arthritis and progress at their pace.

Can I give a treat after brushing?

Yes. A small, diet-appropriate reward can help maintain cooperation. Keep it within your dog’s daily food allowance. Rewarding the routine is more useful than making brushing something they dread.

What if my dog dislikes every toothpaste?

A soft brush moistened with water can still remove plaque mechanically. Toothpaste is helpful for flavour and some formulations offer additional benefits, but it is not a reason to abandon brushing if your dog otherwise accepts the brush.

Should I keep brushing if the gums bleed?

Stop and seek veterinary advice, particularly if bleeding recurs or the gums look inflamed. Excessive pressure, gum disease or another oral problem may be involved. Do not assume bleeding means you need to scrub harder.

How should I start with a puppy?

Introduce gentle handling and the sight, smell and taste of dog-safe dental equipment early. If teething makes their mouth sore, keep practice to comfortable steps and ask your vet when to progress. Avoid creating an association between brushing and pain.

The most useful goal is a dog who willingly returns for the next session. Keep the mouth comfortable, make each step manageable and reward cooperation. Consistent, gentle practice gives daily dental care a much better chance of becoming an ordinary part of life.

For more practical guidance on your dog’s dental health and everyday care, explore ASK A VET™. If brushing suddenly becomes difficult or your dog appears uncomfortable, speak with your vet before continuing.