Dental care

A Norwich Terrier puppy's milk teeth begin to change, usually at 3.5-4 months. We need to pay attention to this process. Surely the puppy came to you much earlier. You shouldn't wait for your puppy to grow permanent teeth. The puppy must be taught to brush its teeth from an early age.

Of course, we are playing it safe a little. The Norwich Terrier is a true terrier, with well-developed jaws and good, large teeth. Smaller decorative dogs - Yorkshire terriers, Chihuahuas, Spitz dogs - are more susceptible to tartar, but you really need to accustom both your puppy and yourself to this manipulation.

To clean your Norwich Terrier's teeth we will need:

• Dog toothpaste - sold at any pet store. I don't think it's a good idea to use human toothpaste instead of dog toothpaste, because the dog will involuntarily swallow it.
• Dog toothbrush. If desired, you can replace it with cotton pads. It's more convenient for someone.

How to teach a Norwich Terrier puppy to brush its teeth?

First, get your puppy used to the fact that you can look and touch his teeth at any time. Place your finger around the puppy's face and lift his lip. At the same time, get your puppy accustomed to the taste of toothpaste. Dog toothpaste is harmless to dogs and is made with the expectation that your dog will swallow it.

At the second stage, simply combine the two skills - you touch the teeth with a finger with a paste applied to it. Subsequently, you can use a toothbrush or wipe the dog’s teeth with a cotton pad with paste applied to it.

КHow often does a Norwich Terrier need to brush its teeth?

Choose a time for this once a week. It will literally take 5-10 minutes with all the preparations. You can do this more often. The main thing is regularity. Turn it all into training. After brushing his teeth, give your puppy something tasty or play with him.

Why you need to brush your Norwich Terrier's teeth

It's all about tartar. Some dogs develop it, others do not, but both need prevention.

Tartar in dogs, like in humans, is the fossilized plaque that forms on the tooth. Plaque in dogs is food debris that the dog cannot lick off. Bacteria settle in the remains of this food and break it down. It looks like a whitish or yellowish coating. Subsequently, the plaque on the teeth becomes hard.

How does tartar bother the Norwich Terrier?

From an aesthetic point of view, it’s yellow teeth and the smell of a dog’s mouth. From the point of view of the ongoing process, tartar is constantly increasing in size. After all, the dog still eats, the leftover food turns into plaque, and the plaque continues to become hard.

As tartar grows, it injures the gums. The gums become inflamed. A strong odor appears. Ultimately, the root of the tooth is exposed, the tooth becomes loose and falls out. All this, I repeat, is characteristic to a greater extent for decorative breeds of dogs. But it also happens to some Norwich Terriers. In any case, prevention is better. It's worth doing.

Best regards, dog kennel, Pinanoir (30-05-2010).