Cavapoo puppy dental care: start brushing early

Six months and already thinking about their teeth — you're doing this exactly right. Small breeds like Cavapoos are genuinely prone to dental disease because their teeth are crowded into tiny jaws, which means tartar and gum problems can develop fast once that adult set comes in. Dental disease is also one of the most common causes of chronic pain in dogs that owners simply don't notice until it's advanced. The fact that you want to establish brushing now, while the adult teeth are still arriving, gives you a real head start. To point you in the right direction — is your Cavapoo a boy or a girl, and roughly how big are they? And when you say losing baby teeth, are they actively teething right now — a bit sore, perhaps reluctant to have their mouth touched?

That squirminess is completely normal at this stage — her gums are tender and the whole experience feels new. The good news is that 5kg is a decent size for a Cavapoo, so you're not dealing with the most extreme crowding. What I'd focus on right now is building the habit and the positive association with mouth handling, not perfecting technique. You want her to reach adulthood thinking that brushing is just a normal part of life. Before I make a specific recommendation — have you tried anything so far? Finger brush, gauze, a specific toothpaste? And does she have any food sensitivities you know of, since toothpaste flavour matters a lot with dogs this age.

Perfect — starting fresh means no bad habits to undo. For exactly your situation, I'd recommend the Beaphar Toothbrush and Toothpaste Kit. It comes with a small-headed toothbrush and an enzymatic toothpaste in a liver flavour that most small dogs genuinely enjoy, which is half the battle at this age. The enzymatic formula means it's doing useful work even on days when she doesn't sit perfectly still for a full brush — the enzymes keep breaking down plaque after you've finished. The brush head is narrow enough for a small mouth, and crucially the kit gives you everything to start in one go without committing to a full dental regime before you know what she'll tolerate. Use the toothpaste alone on your finger for the first few days, let her lick it, make it a treat. Once she's relaxed about that, introduce the brush. You should have a cooperative dog within a week or two.

Just focus on the habituation right now. Don't stress about covering every tooth perfectly — if she tolerates the front teeth and a few molars you're ahead of most owners. Avoid hard chews like antlers while she's actively teething, as they can crack or dislodge the loose baby teeth uncomfortably. Once her full adult set is in — usually by around 7 to 8 months for a dog her size — that's when you shift into a proper daily brushing routine. At her first or second adult vet check, ask them to confirm all 42 adult teeth have come through and that none of the baby teeth have been retained, which does happen in small breeds and needs sorting early. But right now: Beaphar kit, finger first, keep it short and positive.

Good — she's lucky to have an owner thinking about this now rather than after a vet bill. The Beaphar kit is widely available on Amazon UK, usually arrives fast, and a single tube will last you well into her adult dental routine. If she turns out to hate the liver flavour (rare, but it happens), they also do a mint version. Come back if you hit any snags — some puppies need a slightly different approach and it's easy to troubleshoot once you've had a few attempts.