[thunt53]

Have a 7 year old Sheltie. He has had bad breath since the day we got him. We brush his teeth daily. We have tried different dry dog food. We have tried different breath bones , etc. He does not lick his rear or eat his feces. He is an inside dog. Desperate for advice.

[labman]

Bad breath is a common problem. Most dog's breath is somewhere between unpleasant and awful. Having a vet clean the tartar off his teeth might help.

The Greenies and other consumable chews, can choke a dog if it gulps them down once small enough. The knobby Flexabones or Nylabones are safer. Some larger dogs can't even be trusted with the Flexabones or Gummie bones, but surely they should be OK for a Sheltie.

What I have seen of the Shelties, they are one of the nicest of the smaller dogs. They are very successful in obedience competition.

[thunt53]

Thanks for the advice. We usually have his teeth cleaned once a year by a vet. His breath is beyond awful. I have had dogs all my life and never found any with breath as bad as his. The other sheltie eats poop from time to time. Her breath is better than my male dog. Would love to improve his breath somehow, but will love him regardless.

[labman]

I fight poop eating with most of my puppies. Mostly I work at keeping it cleaned up. You can add pineapple juice or canned pumpkin to the diet to discourage it. There are also commercial materials, Forbid and Deter. I have no idea how effective they are.

If general, if your vet can't fix a physical problem, none of us on the net can either.