The Toothbrush That Never Touched His Teeth

So I bought a dog toothbrush. And I bought enzymatic toothpaste in chicken flavor. I watched the YouTube tutorial. And then Oscar clamped his jaws shut, flattened his ears, and gave me the “you must be kidding me” look. But that brush never touched a single tooth.

If you’ve tried brushing a dachshund’s teeth, you know the struggle. Short snout. Wriggly body. And that stubbornness 300 years of breeding hardwired into their DNA. So I started looking for alternatives. Ended up with a 130-count bulk box of Greenies Teenie.

Why Dachshunds Need Dental Care — More Than You Think

Here’s something most owners don’t realize: dachshunds have densely packed teeth thanks to that short-nose structure. Food gets stuck between those tight gaps faster than in longer-nosed breeds. Plaque builds up quicker. And if that bacteria enters the bloodstream, it adds systemic inflammation — which matters a lot for a breed already predisposed to back problems.

I wrote a complete guide to dachshund dental care that covers the full picture. This is the product-focused companion.

The VOHC Seal on Greenies — What It Actually Means

Greenies carries the Veterinary Oral Health Council seal. That sounds impressive, but what does it actually mean?

VOHC is basically the “Good Housekeeping Seal” for dog dental products — except harder to get. They don’t accept application fees. You can’t buy your way in. The only way to earn that seal is to run a clinical study and prove your product works. Greenies’ study showed a 47% reduction in tartar and 40% reduction in plaque over 28 days. Those aren’t marketing claims — they’re published clinical data.

For a product category filled with marketing fluff and vague promises, that’s genuinely rare.

Week One: Getting Oscar to Actually Eat Them

Day one: Oscar sniffed it, licked it, dropped it on the floor confused. “This smells like chicken but it’s not soft — what is this weird green thing?”

Day three: He figured it out. Held it between his front paws, started crunching. Lasted about two minutes. Greenies are designed for 5-10 minutes of chewing, but dachshunds are fast chewers — something to keep in mind.

By the end of week one, he was waiting by the treat cabinet at the usual time. The acceptance rate was basically 100%. Which is not nothing — I’ve spent good money on dental products Oscar refused to touch.

Greenies Teenie Results: Month 1-3

Three months of one Greenies Teenie after dinner. Here’s the honest before-and-after:

That said — and I want to be clear about this — if your dachshund already has heavy tartar that your vet pointed out, no treat replaces a professional cleaning. But Greenies are for maintenance, not reversal.

But for maintenance? They work. Oscar’s breath went from “offensive” to “neutral.” His gums lost that red edge. And I haven’t wrestled him with a toothbrush in three months.

Cost Check: $0.59 a Day

A 130-count bulk pack runs about $77 on Amazon. That’s roughly 4.3 months of daily chews. At $0.59 per day, it’s cheaper than a cup of coffee.

Compare that to a $500 vet dental cleaning under anesthesia — which carries its own risks for a breed with back problems. Spending $0.59 a day on prevention makes practical sense.

When Greenies Dental Chews Aren’t the Right Fit

Greenies Teenie are great for most dachshunds, but not all. If your dog is a gulper who swallows everything in three seconds without chewing, the chew won’t spend enough time on the teeth to make a difference. In that case, I’d recommend a finger brush toothpaste kit instead (affiliate link).

Bottom Line

Greenies Teenie Dental Chews won’t replace a vet cleaning. If your dachshund has heavy tartar, book that appointment first. But for day-to-day maintenance between cleanings? They earn their spot in my treat cabinet. Oscar’s breath is manageable. His gums look healthier. And I haven’t touched that toothbrush in three months.

At $0.59 a day, that’s a win in my book. If you’re worried about your dachshund’s back health alongside dental care, I’ve got a complete guide to dachshund back health too.