Table 4 Questions related to the constructs “BrushAttitude” and “Cleaning”

“Dog owners’ attitudes towards brushing dogs’ teeth” (BrushAttitude) (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.86)

 How often in the last month have you brushed your dog’s teeth with a toothbrush? [14]

 How often in the last month have you used dog tooth paste on your dog? [21]

 Do you consider tooth brushing to be important for good dental health in the dog? [7]

 Do you consider dog toothpaste to be important for good dental health in the dog? [7]

 Would you consider brushing your dog’s teeth daily? [16]

“Veterinary health practitioners’ attitudes and opinions on dental problems and dental cleaning” (Cleaning) (Cronbach’s alpha 0.73)

 Do you recommend that dog owners use tooth brushing to improve the dog’s dental health? [11]

 What dental cleaning frequency do you recommend? [16]

 Do you consider tooth brushing to be important for good dental health in dogs? [8]

 Do you recommend that dog owners use dental cleaning with textiles (e.g. finger cloth, microfiber, cloth or gauze) to improve the dog’s dental health? [11]

 Do you recommend that dog owners use mouthwash or mouth gel with chlorhexidine to improve the dog’s dental health? [11]

 How common or uncommon do you consider gum disease (periodontal disease) to be in the dogs you meet? [10]

 How common or uncommon do you consider dental problems to be in the dogs you meet? [9]