Tooth care for your Alaskan Malamute, is an important part of the grooming process, so make sure you keep up with the routine checks and cleanings.

With dogs now living longer than ever before, great demands are being placed on their teeth that would have been moot for dogs, say, 30 years ago. Back then, dogs only needed their teeth for eight, nine, maybe ten years, as that tended to be the average canine lifespan.

There really was no such thing as canine gum disease, and little thought was given to the fact that dogs could develop cavities (the latter of which are more rare in dogs than is the former). Now all that has changed, and diligent owners are wise to do all they can to help their dogs keep their teeth into their senior years.

The following guidelines can assist you in this mission:

• Have the dog’s teeth professionally cleaned by a veterinarian once or twice a year. Supplement this with brushing at home, ideally every day, but at least two or three times a week.
• Brush your Malamute’s teeth with a toothbrush and toothpaste specially designed for dogs (human toothpastes can cause digestive upset in dogs). These items are available at pet supply stores, as are alternatives such as finger brushes and specially coated gauze pads, which may be used on puppies or adult dogs that don’t care to cooperate with traditional brushing.
• To brush your Malamute’s teeth, proceed just as you would to brush your own teeth. To reach the molars in back, if the dog is amenable, place your finger into the corner of her lips and pull back gently to expose the molars for brushing.