day 1: first of all, contact our Leckhampton surgery on 01242 234392 to arrange a FREE dental nurse clinic. These run every weekday afternoon between 2:30 - 3:30pm. This will allow one of our trained veterinary nurses to assess your dog's teeth & personalise the following advice to your pet's individual needs.

day 2: gently stroke the outside of your pet's cheeks with your your finger, carefully pushing the lip up for approximately 30 seconds. Reward your dog with affection & a healthy treat!

day 3: repeat as above, but place a small amount of tasty toothpaste specially formulated for animals & let them have a taste.

day 4: repeat day 3's session, but carefully run your toothpaste-laden finger or finger brush along the outside of your pet's teeth.

day 5: all being well ! repeat day 4's session, increasing the time taken & introduce a special canine toothbrush into the equation.

day 6: use the toothbrush in gentle circular motions that extend below the gum line. Remember, it is not generally necessary to clean the inside of the teeth because constant tongue movement keeps the inner surface clean.

day 7: you should now have reached a toothbrushing understanding with your dog ! Why not pop into a nurse's clinic every 3 months to show off your tooth cleaning skills. A good way to keep your worming routine regular & up-to-date!