Have you suddenly noticed that your Pomeranian has a stinky breath or that their gums seem inflamed and bleeding? Then it’s high time you start brushing your Pomeranian teeth, or your cute Pom might end up with missing teeth.
So, how do you brush your Pomeranian teeth? To brush your Pom’s teeth, you need toothpaste and a toothbrush suitable for small dogs. Use gentle circular motions to clean the teeth for about a minute on each side.
I know that many owners think that their Pomeranian will never stay still for a brushing session. That’s why I’ve prepared this ultimate 8-step guide on how to brush your Pomeranian teething.
1. Understand Why Brushing Your Pomeranian’s Teeth Matters
Owners often don’t think that their Poms need to have their teeth cleaned and fear that they will get bitten if they try. After all, dogs have lived for centuries without proper dental care, right?
However, Pomeranians are one of the dog breeds prone to gum disease and tooth loss. They have small mouths and often suffer from overcrowding teeth that make it easier for plaque to accumulate and harden into tartar.
In addition to this, many Poms breathe through their mouths. So they don’t have enough saliva to cleanse their mouths from bacteria and leftover food.
Without proper dental care, a lot of Pomeranians develop gingivitis and periodontal disease. Eventually, poor oral health in Pomeranians results in tooth loss, tooth decay, and loss of bone mass.
That’s why you have to brush your Pom’s teeth daily or thrice a week at least to remove plaque and prevent it from hardening into tartar.
2. Get Your Pomeranian Familiar with Your Hands
One of the main reasons Pomeranians fight their owners is because brushing is a new and frightening exercise. So you have to make it less scary before you even try to come near your Pom with a toothbrush.
Specialists recommend that you get your Pomeranian comfortable with your hands around their mouths when they’re still puppies. You can do that by dipping your fingers into something delicious and letting your Pom lick it off.
Keep it up for a few days, and you’ll soon see how excited your Pom gets when your fingers are around their mouth.
3. Learn How to Open Your Pomeranian’s Mouth
Brushing should be something pleasant for your Pomeranian, or daily teething cleaning will turn into a nightmare.
That’s why you should never try to force your Pom’s mouth open. Instead, place your thumb under their jaw to keep the mouth shut and gently lift the lips to expose the teeth and gums.
Then rub the fingers of your other hand over the teeth and gums for a few seconds and then release your Pomeranian. Remember to reward your dog with something tasty for their patience and keep practicing to build your Pom’s tolerance.
4. Pick the Right Time to Brush
The next step in our guide on how to brush your Pomeranian teeth is picking the right time. You want to establish teeth cleaning as part of your Pom’s routine. Pomeranians like predictability, and they’ll make less fuss if they get their teeth brushed at the same time every day.
Brushing your Pom’s teeth should feel like something you have to get off your list as soon as possible. It should be a pleasant experience for both of you. As such, you have to pick a time when you won’t be in a rush, exhausted, or busy.
In addition to this, think about your Pomeranian’s daily schedule. Brushing would be more difficult when your Pom is hungry or excited about their daily walk. Give it some thought, but once you pick a time, try to stick to it.
5. Choose the Right Toothbrush and Toothpaste
While some owners use a child’s size toothbrush to clean their Pom’s teeth, I recommend that you get a dog one for small breeds. You can try Pet Republique’s Finger Toothbrush, Boshel’s Dog Toothbrush Pack, or you can ask your vet for a recommendation.
As for toothpaste, you should never use human ones since they contain fluorides. Ingesting even a small amount might prove deadly to a Pomeranian. Don’t think that natural human toothpaste is safe. Some contain xylitol, which can cause low blood sugar in minutes and could be deadly to your Pomeranians.
So, dog toothpaste is necessary to avoid accidentally poisoning your Pom. And it shouldn’t be too abrasive, or it’s going to damage your dog’s enamel. I can recommend Petsmile Professional Dog Toothpaste, Nylabone Advanced Oral Care Toothpaste, and CooZero Dog Dental Care Toothpaste.
6. Introduce the Toothbrush and Toothpaste
If you’ve followed the previous steps in our guide, your Pom shouldn’t mind it when you touch them around the face. What’s left for you to do is get your Pom used to the feeling of a toothbrush in their mouth. Then you introduce the toothpaste, and you’re one step closer to the finishing line.
Put something tasty on the toothbrush, for example, a piece of sardine or cheese. Then call your Pom and let them explore the toothbrush. Don’t try to brush their teeth just yet. You want your Pomeranian to think about the toothbrush as something that brings delicious treats.
Once your Pomeranian doesn’t mind the toothbrush, you can introduce the toothpaste. Put some on your finger and allow your Pomeranian to snuff it and get familiar with it.
The good thing about dog toothpaste is that it comes in a variety of flavors to make it appealing to your Pom. So most dogs don’t mind the taste as much as children do.
7. Brush Your Pomeranian’s Teeth
Once you’ve accustomed your Pomeranian to the presence of a toothbrush and toothpaste, it’s brushing time. Gather your supplies and get your Pom into a comfortable position for both of you.
For example, place the dog on the bed and kneel on the floor. You can also cuddle your Pomeranian if you think that you’d be able to brush their teeth more easily this way.
Then you have to place your thumb under your Pom’s jaw and lift the upper lips gently. Brush the canine teeth first using circular motions and then move to the back. When you’re done with one side, do the other and then go back to the incisors (the front teeth).
In the beginning, you’re going to spend no more than 10-20 seconds brushing your Pom’s teeth. You’re going to increase the brushing time slowly until you reach two minutes. You can use your phone to keep track.
It’s normal for your Pomeranian to get a big wiggly while you’re cleaning their teeth. But if the dog seems too uncomfortable or anxious, you should cut the brushing session short and work on improving your Pom’s tolerance.
In case your Pomeranian struggles when you use a toothbrush, you can get a finger toothbrush or wrap some gauze around your finger and use it to brush the teeth.
8. Reward Your Pomeranian
Once you’ve successfully brushed your Pomeranian’s teeth, you can release your Pom and praise and reward them. Always end the brushing session on a positive so that it becomes something that your Pomeranian looks forward to.
Besides brushing your Pom’s teeth, you can give them some dental chews to scrape away any plaque that you couldn’t reach. Water additives also might come in handy to dissolve tartar or prevent plaque from accumulating on the teeth.
Closing Thoughts
All owners need to know how to brush their Pomeranian’s teeth. Otherwise, your Pom will have to have their teeth professionally cleaned under anesthesia. And that’s dangerous for such a small dog breed and should be avoided as much as possible.
