Using Greenies to Avoid Dog Potty Mouth

I will be the first to admit that my dog, Bailey, is a rawhide addict. As he's gotten older, I've slowed down his rawhide consumption. However, his rawhide obsession kept his teeth pearly white. He is 3 1/2 years old and only now starting to show a little bit of staining on his teeth. He constantly chews on toys and balls, and sometimes, he will chew on a rawhide that is not quite up to his picky standards. However, his teeth are not as clean as they were when he was always chewing a rawhide. Not only will clean teeth help his health, but it also prevents stinky breath. Dogs with plaque and bacteria problems have a distinctly potty mouth smell. One of my dogs had this until her teeth were professionally cleaned. I'm hoping to avoid that stage with Bailey! And, that's why I tried Greenies.

Using Greenies can be a controversial topic to some dog owners. Way back when the product first came out, there were some problems. People would buy the wrong size for their dogs, and the Greenies back then were not very digestible. In 2006, the Greenies company realized there was a problem with the product and changed the formula. Now, instead of a really hard treat that was hard to digest, today's Greenies have softer edges and are easy to digest. They still boast the same ridged design, but the contents are a little different.

As with any dog treat, you should monitor your dog while he works on this dog chew. Gulping any item, including a Greenies treat, can be harmful to your dog. However, giving your dog the right treat size will help prevent this. I haven't seen Bailey gulping his Greenies, but he sure does love these dental treats. The treats themselves can be a little stinky, but I am sure makes them more appealing to dogs. The bagged Greenies have a seal-fresh closure, so the treat does not dry out. The box is made of plastic with a lid that locks in freshness, as well.

Following the feeding guidelines is very important. This is not a dog treat that you should give every time your dog comes in from his bathroom duties. Rather, it is something that should be given only once a day.  Also, the feeding guidelines do not recommend any Greenies product for dogs less than 5 lbs or less than 6 months of age.

In addition, choosing the right size Greenies for your dog is a really important factor in both helping to clean your dog's teeth, as well as making sure your dog does not have any problems while chewing on these dental treats. Every box or bag of Greenies contains a sizing chart, and it should look something like this:

Greenies Size	Dog Weight
Jumbo	over 100 lbs
Large	50 lbs - 100 lbs
Regular	25 lbs - 50 lbs
Petite	15 lbs - 25 lbs
Teenie	5 lbs - 15 lbs

Try a Greenies treat for your dog today. Getting the right size and formula (adult, senior, joint mobility) will allow your dog to have a pleasant and tasty teeth cleaning experience!