Brushing the teeth is so hard with poms because the mouth is so small. Ideally you can start when they are babies using a tiny toothbrush for dogs (I finally found one just the other day). You can use the tooth brush to feed them a little soft treat until they get excited when they see the tooth brush and each time you feed them begin to brush a tiny bit until they are used to it.

Now back to reality, my poms are older and I didn't do this training when they were young so it is impossible (and I rarely use that word, as I believe anything is possible) to brush their teeth without physically holding them down and fighting them like a wrestler.

I am now developing a relationship with 2 vets here in Puchong area and am almost confident enough of their skills to allow them to clean my dogs teeth. They must anestizise (I can't spell that word) them to do it and that is risky with any dog but especially so with the small breeds.

I had their teeth cleaned only once before last December when we were in the United States but they were caked with food (tarter) again by January and someone suggested that they must not only be scaled (scraped) but polished as well to prevent the food from sticking again right away. I feed only dry food and give lots of different (teeth cleaning) chewy toys for them.

So look to find a vet who you are comfortable to anestizise them so that he/she can clean the teeth. It is not cheap to do. Poms have problems with their teeth very often and that is one issue I would like to improve through breeding, better, stronger teeth.

Thank you for your supportive words and I hope that I get more interest from people who live nearby so we can meet and discuss the pom issues. Do you ever come to KL area? I know it's hard to travel with dogs and find a hotel or place to stay.

Keep asking questions, it's the only way to learn. Linda