A secret recipe. Gleaming gnashers. Happy dogs.

Sarah Sheldon and John Matthews reached back into the past when they developed a tasty remedy for unsightly teeth.

But their remedy is geared towards dogs, not humans.

And, perhaps surprisingly, they find their canine customers sit quietly and patiently as the process is carried out.

The joint owners of Almondbury Dogfather, on Westgate, were asked by several customers if they could do something about the state of their pets’ teeth.

Sarah Sheldon of The Almondbury Dogfather, Westgate, Almondbury, whitening King Charles Spaniel Emley's teeth.

The solution emerged after a conversation with a relative - a former dog groomer - who suggested a secret formula that strips tartar and reduces yellowing.

“We believe it’s unique,” says Sarah. “Most people buy doggy toothpaste off the shelf at pet shops but nine times out of ten it doesn’t quite do the job properly.

“We’ve found that our old remedy really does work. The results have been fantastic.

“Pets love the taste and will sit quietly whilst we clean their teeth.”

Sarah Sheldon of The Almondbury Dogfather, Westgate, Almondbury, whitening King Charles Spaniel Emley's teeth.

Among the contented customers was an English Bulldog which, says Sarah, was “completely co-operative”. And Emley, a King Charles Cavalier Spaniel, was one of the first to be treated to gleaming gnashers.

“In years gone by people might never have thought about brushing their dog’s teeth. Part of the trick is getting the animal to co-operate. That’s why the taste is so important.

“We have had a fabulous reaction to it. The ingredients are safe and once customers learned that we offered the service they were very happy to do it.”

Clean, shiny teeth is one thing. Stinky dog breath is something else. Sarah says the results are two-fold.

“It does have an effect on the breath. It does smell better. Teeth are healthier.

“We combine it with our grooming service as a repeat procedure.”