How Long Puppy Breath Smells Last
Sweet puppy breath smells will typically only last for the first few months of a new puppy’s life. However, your dog’s breath doesn’t have to go from smelling incredible to smelling terrible. With the right preventative measures, you can ensure that your dog has good-smelling breath as long as possible.
How? The first step is to brush your dog’s teeth a minimum of three times per week, but ideally every day, with a soft toothbrush and dog toothpaste. You could also put additives in your pup’s water that will clean his teeth and gums. By staying on top of his oral hygiene, you are going to keep his gums and teeth healthy well into his adult years.
You should take your dog to the veterinarian for a check-up a few times per year. Ask your veterinarian how often they believe your dog should get a deep cleaning of his teeth.
It is estimated that over 2/3 of dogs older than three years of age have periodontal disease, an infection or inflammation of the tissues surrounding dogs’ teeth. But if you keep up with a teeth-cleaning routine, you can hopefully avoid periodontal disease and other diseases that affect older dogs.
Pet owners need to invest in puppy chew toys to keep their puppy’s teeth healthy and strong. Your young puppy will love dental chew toys like the Orka Mini Dental Chews. They come in a three-pack and are designed for puppies and small dogs. These toys feature a rubber ridge design, which helps massage gums and clean your dog’s teeth, while the cotton rope helps remove soft tartar buildup as your dog chews on them.
As your dog gets older, he may enjoy Orka Dental Links, which are for tough chewers that clean your dog’s teeth and gums while ensuring they stay active.
Let’s say you want to get started with brushing your dog’s teeth, but you aren’t sure how to go about it. After all, you want to ensure that your dog is comfortable and that he isn’t going to bite you when you attempt to brush his chompers.
When you’re attempting to clean your dog’s teeth, first pick a quiet place where he isn’t going to become anxious. If there is another dog around or your kids are running about, he could be harder to handle. So take him to the bathroom or somewhere else where he feels relaxed. Perhaps a cozy room or on his fluffy calming dog bed.
If your dog fits in your lap, hold him securely and put his face away from yours. If you have a larger dog, then sit on a chair and make him sit next to you.
Take a small cloth and rub it on the outer surfaces of his teeth in a gentle back-and-forth motion. Stay on the outer surfaces so that your dog doesn’t accidentally bite you. Then, let him taste a little bit of the doggy toothpaste so he gets used to it. Never use human toothpaste, as it can be detrimental to your pup’s health.
Apply a small amount of the dog toothpaste to the cloth and rub it over your dog’s teeth. Once he gets accustomed to that, take out the brush. The doggy toothbrush should be angled and have multiple heads so you can brush the outside, inside, and top surfaces of his teeth.
You can use a regular toothbrush you hold in your hand or get a finger toothbrush that will fit over the top of your finger. Whichever brush you use, you might also want to put on gloves since dog’s mouths contain a lot of bacteria or stuck puppy food.
Why I’m Not a Big Fan of Puppy Breath
Whether or not normal puppy breath is pleasant is controversial. Humans have a genetic predisposition to how their noses interpret the specific smells like puppy breath.
I, for one, don’t particularly care for it. My nose smells a heavy, sweet-sour, skunk odor that is not at all pleasant when adorable little pups try to lick my face.
Many other people experience a sweet, pleasant odor and are sad when the puppy grows out of the puppy breath stage.
In fact, if you do a search for “puppy breath” online, you’ll find lots of unscientific opinions that say puppy breath exists to make people fall in love with puppies and not abuse them. If only that were true.
The scientific explanation is also a bit unscientific.
While we don’t completely understand puppy breath, most veterinary dentists and experts conclude that a number of factors are responsible for puppy breath:
Do puppies make your house smell?
Yes, dogs impregnate their space with their smell. They sweat through their paws and their fur, and this leaves behind a lingering scent.
Since they are always leaving their scent behind, their living space is likely to have a slight odor of puppy no matter how clean they are.
This smell doesn’t really go away, but most pet owners do get used to it. Still, people who don’t own dogs may notice the smell when they come to visit.
Why Do Dogs Have Puppy Breath? | Wag!
Heres why some people adore the smell of puppy breath and how to maintain it as long as possible.
Most people wouldn’t automatically associate dog breath with a great smell, but there are many puppy owners who know and love the scent of sweet puppy breath. Ever wondered why a puppy’s breath could smell so good while a dog’s is generally horrid? The origin of this pleasant-smelling breath is largely unknown to puppy parents. Take a moment to learn why a puppy’s breath is such a treat for many dog lovers.
Why Does Puppy Breath Smell Good to Some People? A puppy’s sweet breath may be the combination of a couple of different things. “Puppies are still drinking their mother’s milk and are not yet exposed to the sometimes stinky foods that larger dogs eat,” says Dr. Thomas E. Catanzaro, a veterinarian at Veterinary Consulting International. “Their breath has that sweet mother’s milk smell because their mouths are clean and haven’t yet developed any bacteria or plaque, which typically causes odors.”
He adds that some people may not experience this sweet smell because of their puppy’s health or particular habits. “A puppy’s breath can easily be soured by an illness, an impacted tooth or if he has a tendency to eat poop, which some dogs do.”
Pleasant — or at least non-offensive — puppy breath has a lot to do with good oral health. “Before puppies start to teethe, their mouths are clean and healthy. Once they are teething, their gums bleed and the pooled blood can start to cause unpleasant smells,” Dr. Jeff Werber, a veterinarian in California, says. “Once dogs reach the age of three and older, they start to develop plaque and bacteria, possibly creating even more bad odors.”
Dr. Catanzaro also notes that some vets believe sweet-smelling puppy breath is “the result of gas leaking into the puppy’s stomach from his developing esophagus.”
How Long Does It Last? Sweet puppy breath usually disappears after a few months, unfortunately, according to Dr. Catanzaro. “A high percentage of dogs (and cats) develop some type of periodontal disease after the age of three,” says Dr. Werber. “This is the ideal time for pet owners to take their puppies to a vet for a professional examination and teeth cleaning.”
Can Puppy Breath Be Prolonged? Subsequently, with preventative care and routine maintenance, unpleasant-smelling breath doesn’t necessarily have to be the next step. It may not be possible to prolong sweet breath, but to help prevent bad odors you can be proactive with your puppy’s oral care.
Dr. Catanzaro recommends using a soft toothbrush and dog toothpaste at least a couple of times a week on your growing dog. It’s important to take this activity seriously. “As bad breath is often an indicator of periodontal disease, taking the time to do regular cleaning and maintenance of your dog’s teeth may help to prolong his life,” he warns.
Dr. Werber takes the commitment to routine maintenance one step further. “Brush your dog’s teeth daily, or at least three times a week at minimum.” He also advises using supplements such as dental chew toys or putting additives in your dog’s water which help with overall dental hygiene. Lastly, Dr. Werber recommends taking your pet to see the vet at least couple of times a year for checkups. “Going for your monthly grooming appointments is not enough. Dogs need to be examined regularly by a licensed veterinarian to help prevent disease and maintain their health.” Your groomer can also give your dog’s chompers a brush right after the shampoo.
Looking for more tips on how to keep your dog’s teeth clean? Take a look at Dog Teeth Cleaning — How to Thoroughly Clean Your Canine’s Canines.
Tisha Berg is a mom, wife, blogger, cat owner and dog admirer. She writes for Working Mother magazine, Kids in the House and Mom Bloggers for Social Good and you can catch up with her on her travel and family activities blog, Biz Mommy.
*This article is for general informational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be providing medical advice and is not a substitute for such advice. The reader should always consult a health care provider concerning any medical condition or treatment plan. Neither Care.com nor the author assumes any responsibility or liability with respect to use of any information contained herein.
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