u/2121chg

Hey all!
Elsa, my 6 month old lab, is doing fantastic so far in all her training. However the thing we constantly and consistently struggle with is brushing her teeth.

What I’ve tried: 4 different types of toothbrushes from finger brushes to puppy toothbrushes to toddler (human) toothbrushes. Two different types of toothpaste (she likes both).

I’ve tried having her lick the toothpaste, lick the brush, open and close her mouth (she can do it no problem until she sees the brush or knows I have it in my hand).

Every time I try to brush her teeth she runs away and if she doesn’t run immediately she’ll mildly tolerate my touching one (1) tooth with the brush before making it clear she is done.

I don’t want to push her beyond what’s comfortable for her so I got her VOHC approved dental liquid to put in her water and will start giving her Greenies once they arrive, but I’d really like to conquer this hurdle with her as she doesn’t do well under anesthesia and so I want to minimize unnecessary dental cleanings.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated 😭. I’ve added a picture of the Tooth Monster as a token of appreciation 😂

Hi all!

My (soon-to-be) 6 months old lab and I have to take a 3hr amtrak this weekend. There is no way for us to take a flight or drive. We'll be leaving Friday in the evening and coming back Sunday in the very early morning.

Round trip, it'll be 6-7 hours of train riding.

Here's the thing though: she is TERRIFIED of trains. I tried bringing her to the Amtrak station and she started shaking and refused treats. She was super miserable and scared. She eventually calmed down a bit in my arms and when we had more distance with the trains (we moved to the waiting area inside), but she still is in no way a fan of trains.

I'm not sure what to do to make the trip more comfortable for her. I'm planning on carrying her in my arms the entire time even if that means sitting on the floor of the train. I'm also going to be bringing high value treats like liver, cheese, and hot dogs. I'm planning on getting her a burger patty too (she's never had one before) and some whipped cream.

I'm worried though that if this stresses her out too much she'll forever be traumatized.

I plan on not doing any train exposure stuff after this trip for at least a week or two and then building it back up SUPER slowly so that come this summer (july/august) she can tolerate being on trains.

any advice on how I can make this weekend trip more manageable for her? I'll take any and all recs!!

Save my sanity (teeth brushing)