Start slow, focusing on one side and stopping when your dog becomes impatient or uncomfortable. Always end on a positive note with a treat or other reward.

Start slow if you've never brushed your dog's teeth before. Use dog toothbrushes and dog toothpaste, not people toothpaste. You can also use a finger toothbrush or just water and a toothbrush. Aim to brush the outside surfaces of the teeth and gradually get your dog used to the brushing process.

The Veterinary Oral Health Council recommends brushing your dog's teeth every day to every other day.

Yes, as we mentioned, it can definitely prevent a lot of scary illnesses that are really all preventable by spaying or neutering your dog.

With male dogs, it may help if it's a marking or territorial issue. A lot of that you're probably going to see improvement as your pet gets older. A lot of it's a puppy potty training issue, which typically gets better with age and not necessarily with the spay or neuter.

My personal recommendation is no, unless you are using your dog for breeding or your dog is a show dog. I would recommend spaying or neutering before the possibility of them breeding. There are a lot of risks that come with carrying and delivering a litter. That also increases your female dog's chances of getting mammary cancer later in life.

There are a lot of health risks for female dogs, such as ovarian and mammary cancer, and a uterine infection called pyometra. Spaying your dog will remove all of those issues. For male dogs, neutering removes the risk of testicular cancer, decreases the chance of benign prostatic hyperplasia - a painful condition that can cause urinary issues - and reduces the likelihood of prostatic abscesses and hernias in the perineum. Overall, it's very helpful to increase the life expectancy of your dog.

We would recommend it. If you're not showing your dog or breeding your dog, there are a lot of health risks that come with your pet being intact or un-spayed or un-neutered.

There are common misconceptions about spaying and neutering. One is that it changes your pet's personality, which is generally not the case. Behavioral changes may occur earlier in puppyhood, and if necessary, we recommend early neutering to address specific behaviors. However, as pets mature, their behavior and personality remain largely unchanged. Another misconception is that spaying and neutering lead to weight gain. While some pets may experience weight issues as they reach middle age, many castrated or spayed dogs maintain a healthy body condition score and remain active.

Typically, a dog's spay surgery takes about 30 minutes, potentially up to an hour for dogs in heat or larger breeds. Dog neuters are quicker, usually around 15 minutes.