How do I get my dog used to having its teeth brushed?

For the first 2 to 3 days, simply let your dog lick toothpaste off your finger with no brushing involved at all, so the flavor becomes something to look forward to rather than a warning sign of what comes next.

Once the paste itself is welcomed, gently lift the lip and rub a finger along the gumline for just a few seconds, rewarding immediately afterward. Doing this once a day for about a week gets your dog used to the sensation of something touching the teeth and gums before a brush ever appears.

Introduce a finger brush or soft bristled dog toothbrush the same way, starting with just the front teeth for 10 to 15 seconds and working up to a full 60 to 90 second session covering the back teeth over another 1 to 2 weeks. Keeping each session short and ending on a good note matters more than covering every tooth on the first attempt.

If your dog seems to plateau at tolerating only the front teeth despite several weeks of practice, going back one step, shortening sessions again and adding extra treats for just a few days, often unsticks the process better than pushing further into the back teeth before your dog is ready.

Some dogs respond especially well if the whole introduction happens at the same time each day, right before an evening walk for example, since the predictability of the routine itself, beyond just the treats involved, seems to help many dogs settle into the process faster.