How to brush your Yorkie teeth at home. Where to remove a dog's tartar? How to remove tartar from a dog at home

1. If you have No special brush To brush your dog's teeth, you can do this:

wrap the finger with gauze or a bandage in 4-5 layers, apply paste to the fabric (you can use a plastic fingertip). We perform circular movements - we wipe the teeth from the gums to the tips. We do this carefully: we try not to scratch the oral cavity and not erase the enamel.

2. If the dog resists the procedure, it is worth starting with a simple examination of the teeth, gradually moving on to the cleaning itself (after 1-2 weeks).

3. If it doesn't work at all train a dog to this procedure, then it can be replaced with the use of cleaning agents for the oral cavity and teeth - bones, chewing toys and ropes (but it is better to seek the advice of veterinarian, it is better to brush the teeth of a Yorkie).

chewing bones from cornmeal good for teeth and safe for digestive system animal. When choosing bones, the owner should consider the size of the dog and the condition of its teeth, as large and hard bones can damage the oral cavity.

4. Brushing special teeth two or three sided brush for dogs. Don't get too big a brush. Choose the right brush for your dog. You will need to pick up a tooth care product for the brush: paste, gel, spray, liquid, etc.

Brush your teeth for no more than 5 minutes, once a week. Try it without pasta first. Introduce your Yorkshire Terrier to a new one. Then move on.

5. If tartar still appeared, then it will be helped to remove special nutritional supplements to remove tartar.

Very important keep your dog's teeth clean. Tartar prevents the access of oxygen to the tooth, which provokes the development of caries and tooth loss.

Tell me, please, what additives and means are there to remove tartar? And then our Yorkie still formed stones, a little bit completely, on fangs, we don’t know how to remove it, tell me please =(((

1. Add just a little tomato juice for dog food.

2. With something similar to scissors, carefully scrape off the formed stone from the tooth. The dog will not like it, but this one will take unpleasant procedure you have about 3 seconds.

3. There are huge bones (cam) - raw.

4. If a Yorkie often has a stone, you will have to change the diet, or just buy a toothbrush and brush your teeth.

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How to brush your Yorkie teeth at home?

Any pet needs to take care of their health. Yorkshire terriers are no exception. In addition to grooming, cutting and balanced diet, these miniature dogs also need regular cleaning of their mouths.

because of anatomical features, Yorkies are prone to the appearance of various dental diseases. narrow jaws and specific structure oral cavity lead to the formation of plaque, which subsequently transforms into tartar. Therefore, the sooner you start accustoming your dog to hygiene measures, the better. Veterinarians recommend starting to monitor hygiene at the age of 3-4 months.

Failure to comply with the rules of hygiene leads to inflammatory processes in the oral cavity, advanced cases- Loss of teeth. In addition to cleaning the mouth, owners need to remember how to care for Yorkie puppies.

Make hygienic activities light and following several steps will help you quickly:

Determine the right moment. You and your dog must be in calm state and have enough time to spare.
Do not try to immediately climb into the dog's mouth, gradually accustom him to touch.
Introduce your puppy to brushing. At first, you may not even use a special toothbrush. Initially, you can clean your teeth with gauze soaked in warm water, gently massaging them with your finger.
When using the brush for the first time, do not try to act immediately. Let them get used to the new object, sniff it. In no case do not force it into the mouth, the animal will be frightened and will avoid repeated activities.
Stop at cleaning a few teeth so that the dog has time to get used to it.
Movements are made in a circle, starting with outer surface teeth. For the first time, 3-4 seconds will be enough, later the animal will get used to it, and the time can be increased.
When the dog calms down, gradually increase the brushing area. Do this very slowly and carefully so as not to cause pain.
Clean at a 45 degree angle Special attention giving the gaps between the teeth, where the bulk of food debris and bacteria accumulate.
After each cleaning, be sure to praise your pet, reward with treats.

Many owners are concerned about the question: how to brush yorkie teeth so as not to harm the health of the baby? The main thing is to choose the right main "tool" - a toothbrush.

There are several options:

Children's "human" brush. It should be small in size with soft bristles. You should not purchase models with a floating head or other modern attributes, as this can harm the animal.
Specialized model. They are worn on the finger and have a small size suitable for a small mouth.
Brushes with adjustable handle. Adjustable length allows you to get even to hard-to-reach places, and soft bristles gently massage the gums without damaging them.

When choosing a toothpaste, it is important to remember that fluoride causes serious food poisoning Yorkies, so "human" means cannot be used. In addition, Yorkshire terriers, like all animals, are very sensitive to smells and flavors. By choosing a flavored toothpaste, you run the risk of instilling an aversion to the cleaning procedure in your pet. Need to use by special means for dogs, free of additives and fluoride.

Good for first cleaning warm water With lemon juice or a weak solution of soda.

The sooner you begin to accustom your pet to the brushing process, the healthier his teeth will be. Most best option start brushing your teeth when there has not yet been a change from dairy to permanent. The procedure must be carried out once a week, in certain time so that the dog remembers the sequence of actions and does not worry.

In addition to plaque, tartar is formed in the mouth. It must be removed depending on the age of the dog: in young individuals - at least once a year, in dogs older than three years - every six months.

The narrow mouth and closely spaced teeth of the Yorkshire Terrier lead to the fact that particles of food often get stuck in the oral cavity, causing appearance flying and not nice smell from mouth. This is due to the lack of hard, "abrasive" food in the dog's diet.

Preventive measures include:

Adding foods to the diet that help get rid of stuck food pieces, such as chewy biscuits or bones. For these purposes, crackers or apples, hard carrots are also suitable.
Eating tomato juice. Veterinarians recommend it as a good "cleaner" of plaque. You can add finely chopped tomatoes to food; Yorkies eat them with pleasure.

How to brush your teeth properly yorkshire terrier

Yorkshire Terrier, like other dogs ornamental breeds(chihuahua, toy, spitz) because of small size have dental problems. A Yorkshire terrier puppy after a change of teeth (after 7 months of age) needs regular brushing, because if you do not take care of the teeth of a Yorkshire terrier, this can lead to the formation of excessive plaque and tartar growth, gum disease and eventually tooth loss. tooth. To prevent plaque, you can use chewing bones for dogs of small breeds.

Do not forget that the loss of teeth can further lead to problems with digestion, an unpleasant smell from the mouth. Try to brush your Yorkie's teeth daily if possible or, if possible. at least, two times a week. Now in pet stores there is a very large selection of toothpastes and brushes for cleaning the teeth of your pets.

Step 1 - Choose the right time

Choose a quiet and comfortable place where you and your dog are in a calm, relaxed state.

Step 2 – Introducing the Dog to Brushing

For a few times it is better not to even use a toothbrush. You can start brushing your teeth by gently massaging your Yorkshire terrier's gums with your finger, and only after your dog has gotten used to it and is comfortable with it, you can try brushing with toothpaste. Apply toothpaste to your finger and let the Yorkie taste. It is better to choose flavored dog toothpaste because your pet needs to taste it. Never use human toothpaste for brushing. Small puppies will swallow the paste and fluoride can be dangerous.

Step 3 - Toothbrush

Apply a small amount of toothpaste on a brush. For the Yorkshire terriers of our kennel, we choose a toothbrush for small children, the brush is very soft and puts on the finger and brushing the teeth with such a brush will bring a minimum of discomfort to the Yorkshire terrier. Slow in a circular motion start brushing a couple of teeth, the main thing is not to scare the pet, he should get used to the new procedure for him.

Step 4 - Start cleaning

When the Yorkie is used to brushing at least two teeth with a toothbrush, then we gradually begin to increase the number of teeth. It is important that the brush eventually reaches the back teeth, where plaque and tartar are more likely to accumulate. You should brush your teeth slowly and carefully, the main thing is not to hurt your pet, so that all your undertakings are not in vain.

Toy teeth also need care

The Toy Terrier, whose teeth are prone to the rapid formation of plaque and caries, needs daily care. First of all, you must understand how to brush your toy terrier's teeth properly, since this procedure is the basis of caring for your pet's mouth.

You can start cleaning as early as seven to eight months, when it happens. It is better not to delay and start accustoming the puppy to this hygiene procedure no later than the indicated age, because thanks to some, in particular, a small mouth and small interdental spaces, she stronger than dogs other breeds are susceptible rapid emergence stone. Regular cleaning teeth helps prevent calculus formation or at least slow down the process. However, you will still need to see the dentist at least once a year to keep the situation under control. If you do not brush your toy terrier's teeth, then you will have to remove the stone every six months or a year.

What is tartar? This is a plaque that gradually mineralized and turned into a brownish hard crust that covers the teeth and grows stronger over time. All this leads to the appearance bad smell and bleeding gums. Ends this disease periodontitis, after which healthy, in principle, teeth begin to stagger and fall out.

At the veterinary clinic, you will be asked to this operation under anesthesia. You can agree or turn out. Cons and pros general anesthesia painted in detail. If the dog is calm and not aggressive, then it is better to do without general anesthesia and ask the doctor to use some kind of lighter drug.

Please note that twelve hours before the operation, the dog is not allowed.

Direct removal is performed, most often, using a special ultrasonic apparatus or mechanically. Some experienced breeders prefer not to go to the clinic, but to perform an operation to remove hard plaque independently, using an ultrasound machine purchased at any medical store.

How should a toy terrier brush his teeth?

If milk teeth, due to their fragility, can serve their purpose without any care, then the situation is different with the indigenous ones. If you let everything take its course, then after a while a stone may begin to form on them, contributing to rapid destruction. To avoid such a nuisance, the dog needs to brush his teeth every two days, and also buy special dental ossicles. They may be edible or inedible. They are intended for effective prevention many problems.

First of all, you need to make sure that your toy terrier has his own brush and paste, and not human, but intended only for dogs. You can buy both toothpaste and a brush at any pet store. It is best to choose a double-sided brush with soft bristles. You can also purchase comfortable fingertips, with which it is easy to clean all hard-to-reach places in the mouth.

Keep in mind that quality pasta for the toy it should not foam, and if you buy a paste with some kind of meat flavor, the toy will be very happy to allow you to clean your teeth.

What should I do if my dog has periodontitis?

Periodontitis is a disease of the gums, which is expressed in their bleeding, suppuration and inflammation. Periodontitis often leads to tooth loss, so every effort should be made to avoid this disease. In addition to the above recommendations, give your pet good vitamins, for example, "Vitaftor" or others like it.

Gums affected by this disease, you can still try to restore. To do this, apply the Solcoseryl gel, which can be purchased at any pharmacy for people, to the gums for twelve to sixteen days. May also help antibacterial drug"Stomadeks" (tablets). The course of admission, as a rule, is ten days.

Teeth are the weak point of that terrier, this breed, unfortunately, is prone to the formation of tartar and caries. To prevent development serious illnesses oral cavity in a pet, the owner must:

Regularly brush the teeth of that terrier;

Carefully monitor the process of changing milk teeth to molars;

Purchase various chewing toys that help clean your teeth;

In the event of any pathologies of the teeth and for prevention, visit a veterinarian.

Having decided to get a toy terrier, the future owner of the pet must understand that the animal needs proper care. The dog needs not only daily balanced food, but also regular eye hygiene, nail clipping, ear cleaning. Indispensable for the animal are the procedures for brushing teeth, and care during the change of dairy to indigenous.

How Often Should I Brush My Terrier's Teeth?

It is necessary to start brushing the teeth of that terrier no later than the age of eight months, during this period, milk teeth are completely replaced by molars. If milk fangs, due to a short service life, do not have time to deteriorate badly, molars without regular hygiene can quickly become covered with tartar. After all, because of that terrier physical features- small interdental space and small oral cavity, are subject to a particularly intensive spread of caries and stone.

Tartar is mineralized plaque that takes the form of a hard dark crust on the tooth and increases in size over time. As a result of the formation of tartar in dogs, bleeding of the gums occurs, and the mouth begins to smell unpleasant. The result of the impact of tartar on healthy tooth is its loosening and loss.

To prevent damage and loss of teeth in that terrier, it is necessary to clean them regularly. This procedure should be carried out once or twice a week. It is better to clean the teeth of that terrier in a veterinary clinic. However, like cutting the claws, this manipulation can be done at home, how to cut the claws of that terrier can be found in this article (How to cut the claws).

Owners who decide to graze their pet for the first time are wondering how to brush the teeth of that terrier? You will need a special toothpaste and brush.

toothpaste for dogs can be found in many pet stores, veterinary pharmacies. Pastas have a variety of flavors - liver, beef, chicken. In this case, the dog, for sure, will not resist the procedure. It is worth noting that high-quality toothpastes for dogs should not foam. Instead of pasta, you can use chalk powder, lemon juice, soda.

An animal toothbrush should have soft to medium hard bristles. It is better to choose double-sided brushes that have different size heads and teeth, they can clean your teeth, massage your gums. Such brushes are produced by many manufacturers - Dental, Dirofen, Grimborn. An excellent option for brushing the teeth of that terrier is a finger brush. If the pet needs to brush its teeth, but there is no brush, you can use a piece of bandage.

If that terrier has already developed tartar, early stages removal can be done at home. For this, an infusion of sage, chamomile, elderberry is used. You should not resort to brushes with hard bristles and metal objects in the fight against stone, thus damaging tooth enamel, which will exacerbate the problem.

If tartar is running or middle stage development, you need to visit the veterinary clinic, in which the plaque will be removed by ultrasound and carried out antibiotic treatment. This procedure performed under general or local anesthesia.

In addition to brushing his teeth, that terrier needs to buy chewing bones, toys, ropes that clean plaque, gums, and special flavors can freshen the pet's breath.

Care during the change of teeth in that terrier

Toy terrier teeth begin to fall out at an average of six months. By the age of one year, the change of teeth in that terrier should be completely over. If the owner purchased a toy terrier to participate in various exhibitions, then by the age of eight months the dog should not have milk teeth left in its mouth. To do this, the owner will have to regularly loosen the pet's teeth - this breed often has difficulty changing them.

If loosening did not help to get rid of milk teeth, it is necessary to visit a specialist with a pet to pull them out. Otherwise, the risk of deformation of the molars increases, due to which the animal will not be allowed to participate in exhibitions.

If the dog was bred “for the soul”, and not for exhibition events, you can postpone a visit to the veterinarian until the pet is one year old. By this age, the vast majority of toy terriers are losing their teeth. naturally. If a one-year-old puppy has milk teeth left in the mouth, removal is inevitable.

visit veterinary clinic it will be necessary if the teeth of that terrier grow in two rows, that is, the milk teeth have not yet fallen out, and the molars have already come out. However, on the forums, the owners of the breed advise to postpone the visit to the clinic until the length of the molars reaches half the length of the milk teeth.

With the growth of molars, the owner needs to carefully monitor this process. Correct bite in an adult representative of the Toy Terrier breed, it has a scissor-like shape - the upper incisors slightly overlap the lower ones. Due to an incorrect bite, the animal will not be able to participate in various competitions and exhibitions. It is worth considering malocclusion can improve with age, in puppies the teeth and jaw continue to develop, so the puppy needs proper feeding.

How many teeth does that terrier have, owners are often interested. According to the breed standards, that terrier should have 42 teeth, you can study other standards of these pets in our other article.

If the pet has fewer teeth, do not panic, this will, of course, be considered a disadvantage at exhibitions, but they will not disqualify the pet for this reason.

Timely oral hygiene is an excellent prevention of dental diseases in toy terriers. However, it is worth remembering that a pet cannot take care of its health on its own, so the owner must responsibly approach the duties of caring for the animal.

Dental health is a mirror of a dog's health. If your baby constantly has a stone on the enamel, his teeth turn yellow or there is bad breath - this is a reason to think about whether everything is correct in feeding and keeping him.

The need for prevention

Ornamental breeds have always been at risk in terms of dental problems, because purely psychologically it is difficult for the owner to imagine that the baby should also chew tendons, gnaw bones and sticks - as a result, we soften the food with water, and give the bones in the form of rubber toys. And in the absence of such loads, tooth enamel is not cleaned mechanically, and we have many veterinary problems.

That's why for a city pet living at " loving hosts"The main means of salvation is prevention. We wrote about how to brush a dog's teeth, but today let's go further and look at cosmetic and medicinal products for brushing teeth and sanitizing the mouth.

Products intended for people are not suitable for two simple reasons:

what for us is the pleasant smell of mint, causes rejection in the dog, both because of a stronger sense of smell, and because the smell of mint for him is not associated with anything pleasant;
the inevitable ingestion of foamy chemicals leads to indigestion in animals.

Quick links to review categories:

What do pet shops offer?

The first cosmetics for dogs appeared in Russia in the mid-90s, and then non-specialists twisted their fingers to their temples: they went crazy, buy conditioner for wool! Mouth care products appeared quite recently - in the early 2000s.

Now even a small pet store sells at least something for cleaning the teeth of a dog, and on the Internet the range of these products is really large. They are ready to sell you special brushes, pastes, gels, lotions, sprays, wipes and tablets for the care of the mouths of animals. You can compose the desired set yourself or choose a ready-made one.

In this review, we will talk about the most successful brands in terms of quality and price, which we are ready to recommend to the readers of Krokhotun.

Ready kits

"8 in 1" D.D.S. Canine Dental Kit / Dental kit for dogs from "8 in 1"

Known for stable quality, the American manufacturer "8 in 1" presents a set for cleaning teeth for dogs. The kit includes:

special toothpaste;
Toothbrush with both working surfaces;
two finger brushes.

The paste contains substances that kill bacteria. This prevents the formation of plaque, keeps gums healthy and ensures fresh breath. Dual brush feature: the larger side is for large breeds and the smaller one is for small dogs and puppies.

Hygiene procedure with the Dental Kit is recommended to be carried out daily.

There is an option of a complete set which includes in addition

Instruction: Apply the paste to the appropriate side of the brush, expose the pet's teeth, brush in a circular motion and in the direction along the tooth. For sensitive and hard-to-reach places, use fingertips.

The price is available: about 500 rubles.

Hartz Brush "n Clean Dental / Teeth Cleaning Kit

The German company offers a set of bacon-flavored toothpaste for dogs and a special brush with an original shape of the working surface and a comfortable handle.

Features of Hartz Paste:

does not contain fluorine;
does not foam;
effectively removes food debris;
removes plaque and calculus;
fights bacteria;
freshens breath.

Instruction: Proper care is ensured by brushing twice a week.

It costs a little cheaper than the previous one - a little more than 300 rubles (the brand is not so popular in Russia).

Toothbrushes

Beafarov's products are attractive not only for their beautiful printing, but also for their decent quality. The advantage of this brush is its non-slip handle. Often we use it before or after washing the dog, and simple plastic slips in our hands, which is even fraught with injuries.

For such comfort, you will have to fork out from 180 rubles.

OralhygieneKit / Hygiene kit from Triol

A set of two Oral hygiene fingertip brushes will help to clean the teeth from plaque and stones and massage the gums. For the first hygiene procedure designed tip with long soft bristles ( Pink colour), and for the second - with a short rubber band (blue). Cleaning with the use of a fingertip will be painless and high quality.

Little One's comment: This is ordinary China, cheap, but usable. Please note that these tools are not suitable for very young children, like toy terriers. For a Belgian griffon or dachshund will fit.

The kit can be bought for 60-70 rubles.

/ Toothbrush for dogs

For adult dogs of decorative breeds, a double-sided toothbrush from. Two cleaning heads different sizes reach the far reaches of the pasture. Soft bristles will allow you to carry out the procedure effectively and pleasantly.

It is also produced in China, it is convenient because it is available everywhere and the price is more than affordable - from 50 rubles in Moscow.

Toothpaste

Beaphar Dog-A-Dent

In addition to antibacterial substances, it contains solvents for enzymatic deposits. Produces a multifaceted effect: quickly removes dark spots, prevents the deposition of tartar, protects the gums and teeth from germs, freshens breath. Doesn't foam at all.

Instruction: The package says to brush your teeth 2-3 times a week. In our opinion, this is simply excessive. Once a month is enough. If the condition of the teeth requires more frequent use- you need to contact the veterinarian.

This paste is good, it lasts for a long time. Regular price - 380-400 rubles.

Hartz Dentist's Best Toothpaste / Vanilla Mint

In principle, the same as in the set (see the beginning of the article). Thanks to a different smell, it allows you to diversify the life of the owners 🙂

It also works to cleanse the breath - for this, Hartz recommends letting the animal lick a drop from the tube. According to eyewitnesses who tasted - sweet.

The price tag starts from 400 rubles.

Care gels and sprays

Dental Fresh / Liquid toothbrush Dental Fresh

With an old plaque, this miracle drug will not cope, but as an auxiliary the remedy is suitable. The point of the liquid brush is that you add a little solution to your pet's food every day.

From advertising :

has no taste and smell;
removes plaque and stone;
protects gums from bacteria;
whitens teeth;
freshens breath.

We don’t use it because we don’t want to stuff our dogs with unnecessary chemicals, but according to reviews, Dental Fresh does not cause side effects.

The drug is manufactured in the USA and has received the approval of veterinarians there. Considered safe for puppies.

The cause of periodontal disease of the gums and its initial stages - education - are pathogenic bacteria. The microbes also change the acidity in the animal's mouth, resulting in bad breath from the mouth. Liquid Dental Fresh brush prevents the reproduction of pathogens and eliminates all Negative consequences their activities.

Due to the content of sodium bicarbonate, it normalizes the pH balance, which contributes to quick removal deposits on the teeth and eliminate bad smell.
It works best, however, as a breath freshener 🙂

Instruction: Add to drinking water daily at the rate of a third of a teaspoon per 225 ml.

Due to popularity and convenience, it is sold in the region of 700 rubles. for a bottle of 500 ml. However, for the same Pekingese, it lasts for three months.

Beaphar Fresh Breath Spray / Spray "Clean Breath" from Beafar

An alternative to brushing at home is to spray your pet's mouth.

Main purpose:

removes food debris
prevents the formation of plaque and tartar;
freshens breath.

Prevention of the formation of hard deposits is achieved by destroying pathogenic bacteria, the destruction of plaque and the binding of calcium - the basis for the formation of tartar.

Application: The pet's teeth are sprayed from a distance of 5-10 cm. Three clicks on the dispenser are enough. The pleasant taste of the spray makes the dog want to lick his teeth, which leads to mechanical cleaning. Store in a cool place.

Price in pet stores - from 380 rubles.

Espree Dental Gel with crystals / Refreshing gel

The American company Espree positions itself as a manufacturer of natural organic cosmetics for animals. In the line of products for oral care, it offers a gel with crystals. Freshens breath, cleans teeth, soothes gums, prevents the formation of plaque and calculus.

Application: The gel is applied daily to the teeth directly from the vial. No brushing and subsequent wiping with a tissue is required.

Recently, it has not been found on sale in Moscow, but it can be ordered from Europe (in Poland, for example).

Nutri-Vet "Breath Fresh" / Fresh breath and plaque removal

Hygiene without mechanical cleaning is possible with the American antimicrobial agent Breath Fresh from Nutri-Vet. The liquid destroys bacteria, binds ammonia formed during protein decomposition, and deodorizes breath. Can be used in treatment infectious diseases gums

The active ingredients of the formula are: stabilized chlorhexidine, chlorine dioxide, yucca extract and peppermint oil. The product does not contain sweeteners and alcohol.

How to use: One capful of Breath Fresh is poured daily into 230 ml of pure drinking water. The first result is achieved after 48 hours.

Perhaps the most best product this category. Unfortunately, it is not for sale in Russia. The easiest way is to order on Amazon. Shipping will cost about $15.

Eliminate bad breath from your dog

"8 in 1" D.D.S. Dental Breath Tabs

The 8 in 1 Animal Oral Care line also includes Dental Breath Tabs for daily use. They serve to remove bad smells, but can be a treat because they have a pleasant taste for the dog.

The action of the drug is based on its antibacterial properties: the absence of microbes guarantees clean teeth and healthy gums. Dental Breath Tab prevents the formation of tartar and inflammation of the gums. Bad breath from the stomach will also be neutralized and replaced with a slight menthol smell.

Use: Depending on the weight of the animal, give from 1 to 3 tablets three times a day after feeding.

Le Artis - wet wipes

For delicate hygiene oral cavity of animals, you can use special wet wipes Le Artis. Ideal for cats, dogs and ferrets. Wipes are designed to remove plaque, remove bacteria, eliminate bad breath and whiten teeth.

Moisturizing hypoallergenic composition includes: water, propylene glycol, sorbitol, sodium lactate, organic fluoride, menthol. There are 15 pieces in a pack.

Application: mouth care with napkins at least once a week.

Quite an expensive pleasure: packaging costs from 90 rubles, but it makes sense for exhibitions and, since it is forbidden to take liquids on a plane.

Soft ear cartilage in the Russian Toy Terrier. What to do?

The one who buys a toy terrier for the first time is not always ready for various problems and problems that are encountered with toy terriers. One such problem is soft, weak ear cartilage.

The standard of the Russian Toy Terrier states that the ears should be large, thin, set high and erect. Semi-erect ears are only permissible in the long-haired variety if this is due to being weighed down by the coat. This is acceptable but not desirable. Hanging ears are included in the disqualifying vices. And if the line between semi-erect and hanging in the long-haired variation is very thin and usually experts do not focus on this, then in smooth-haired toy terriers, soft ear cartilage becomes a serious problem.

Why does this problem occur? There can be many reasons: malnutrition of a nursing bitch and a growing puppy, heredity, etc. For example, in recent times cases of matings of long-haired and smooth-haired toy terriers have become more frequent. Unfortunately, not all breeders with such matings pay sufficient attention to the quality and strength of the ear cartilage in both parents, they do not take into account the fact that the long-haired variation's ears are usually thicker, fleshy and often not standing. And not every long-haired toy terrier's ears hang down due to weighting with wool, there are quite a few specimens in which, with semi-erect ears, the fringe is very poor. As a result, puppies mated by such a sire to a smooth-haired partner can be born with both long-haired and smooth-haired, but with a weak ear cartilage, semi-erect ears. It happens that from two smooth-haired dogs without the presence of long-haired ancestors within a known pedigree, a puppy with a weakened ear cartilage can be born. It also happens that the ear is strong, but very large, long, it rises quickly enough and holds firmly, but at the time of the change of teeth it weakens and forms a "crown" on the outside. After the change of teeth, the ear will rise again, but the crease may remain and the impression of weak cartilage

What to do? Is there a way out?

You can, of course, launch into lengthy rants about matching, selection and culling, about unscrupulous breeders who do not supervise their puppies, but the purpose of this article is different - to help those who have acquired a puppy with weak ear cartilage and want to try to correct the situation, especially that in most cases, corrected nutrition and properly placed ears in childhood do not create problems during life.

A non-professional can cope with this procedure, the main thing is to know HOW it is done. So where to start? With the correct and timely gluing of the ears.
You will need:
- Puppy with problem ears
- Plaster 2 cm wide
- Sharp scissors
- Ear splint. Any solid, sufficiently thin, light and long object, for example, a match with a broken head, a piece of an empty rod from a ballpoint pen, etc., can serve as a tire.

First you need to cut out two pieces of patch that are glued on the inside of the ears.

The length of the patch is individual for each animal, the main condition is that the patch covers the entire length of the ear from the tip to the beginning of the curl. The edge of the patch that is glued to the edge of the ear can be given a rounded appearance to the shape of the ear prior to gluing. So the "structure" will look more neat.

Then you need to cut off the next piece, the same as the first one, round off on one side and place the tire in the middle on the adhesive side

Attach the second layer to the first and smooth it out well

It turns out a fairly reliable design to support the auricle

Gluing can be carried out at the age of 2-3 months and do not remove the splint until the end of the change of teeth. In the first 2-3 days, the puppy should be distracted by the game more often, not allowing them to scratch their ears and try to remove the interfering patch. After a while, the puppy will get used to it and stop paying attention to its ears.

But not all dogs tolerate bonding well. There are allergic reactions to the adhesive composition of the patch. Well, then you have to forget about gluing and hope only that proper feeding and good heredity will take their toll and the puppy's ears will stand up. True, for the long-haired variation there is one more chance to put ears - at about the age of 3-4 months, shave auricle With outside. It does not look very aesthetically pleasing, the hair grows very slowly, but in 80% of cases the ear cartilage is strengthened and the ears stand up.