It’s been about 8 months since our Jack Russell Terrier, Lucy, passed away. She was the only dog our family ever had known and her loss touched us very deeply. We had been thinking about getting a new dog not to replace Lucy but to help fill some of the emptiness in our hearts. We spent many hours debating whether to go to the pet store and get another pure breed or to go to a shelter and rescue an abandoned dog. After considerable thought we opted for rescuing a mutt. We went online and searched the animal shelter for our new addition to our family.

When we arrived to view the puppy we had seen online it turned out that she had two sisters. We were told that they were found in a trash bag along the side of the road. You guessed it; our family just rescued not one but three 6 week old puppies. I know we are in for a lot of work. Cleaning up the messes, feeding and caring for their every need and yes keeping their teeth clean. Since what I do for a living is teeth, it falls on me to make sure that the puppies get their teeth cleaned. Patients are always asking me “how do you take care of your dogs’ teeth”. The short answer is, “the same way I take care of my own teeth”; I eat the right foods, brush and floss regularly (no I don’t floss my dogs’ teeth), and see a dentist for professional teeth cleaning and examinations. For a more in depth guide to maintaining your pooches’ dental health you can check out the ASPCA’s ten steps to your dog’s dental health. There are many good tips on their website much of which applies to us two legged types. I also found this video which shows how to clean your dog’s teeth. So the next time you are brushing your teeth think about how easy it is to keep your pet healthy as well. In the mean time do enjoy the pictures of our new family members.