Dental care for a Rottweiler and Springer Spaniel

Two dogs, two very different mouths — a Rottweiler's jaw and a Springer's are almost incomparable in terms of size and bite strength, so a one-size approach to dental care genuinely won't work here. Dental disease is one of the most common and underestimated health problems in dogs — it's not just about bad breath, it's a source of real, chronic pain, and it often goes unnoticed until it's advanced. The most effective home care combines the right toothbrush and toothpaste with dental chews for dogs who resist brushing. To point you in the right direction: what breeds and ages are we working with exactly, has a vet flagged any dental concerns for either dog, and will either of them tolerate tooth brushing at all?

That's a really useful picture, thank you. The Springer is the more urgent concern — early tartar at six means you need to be doing something consistently now, before it progresses to the point where he needs a dental under anaesthetic. Given he won't accept a brush, dental chews are going to be your main tool for him. For the Rottweiler, since he tolerates brushing, that's worth continuing — brushing is still the gold standard if the dog will allow it. Can I ask: are you currently using any toothpaste with the Rottweiler, and what size chews have you tried with the Springer before, if any?

Right, so there's room to make both routines a lot more effective with small changes. For the Springer — and honestly as a solid daily chew for the Rottweiler too on days brushing doesn't happen — I'd go with Virbac CET Enzymatic Chews. They're one of the few dental chews with genuine clinical backing; the enzymatic action keeps working between chews, not just while the dog is chewing. They come in different sizes, so you can get the right one for each dog. For the Rottweiler's brushing sessions, swap to Virbac CET Enzymatic Toothpaste — it's the same enzyme system, safe to swallow, and it meaningfully boosts what brushing achieves compared to just water. Between the chews for the Springer and the paste for the Rottweiler, you're tackling both dogs' needs with products that are actually designed to work rather than just feel like you're doing something.

Definitely get different sizes. Virbac CET chews come in small, medium, and large — a Rottweiler needs a large, and a Springer would be on a medium. Using a small chew for a big dog is a choking risk and they'll get through it too fast for it to do any real mechanical work on the teeth. The right size means enough chewing time and the right surface contact across the tooth. It also means the Springer can't steal the Rottweiler's chew, which is worth thinking about if they eat near each other.

Yes, all of those are on Amazon UK — search Virbac CET Enzymatic Chews and you'll find the size options clearly listed, and the CET Enzymatic Toothpaste is there too, usually in a poultry flavour which most dogs accept well. Given the Springer's vet-flagged tartar, I'd start the chews straight away and be consistent — once daily is the target. And mention to your vet at the next visit that you've started the CET chews; they'll likely want to check whether the tartar that's already there needs a professional clean first before home care can fully take over.