Tartar Shield

What Tartar Shield does

Tartar Shield Pet Products Inc. is a Noblesville, Indiana-based manufacturer of clinically proven dental care products for dogs and cats, founded in 2006 by dental scientist Dr. George K. Stookey. The product portfolio includes Soft Rawhide Chews (in Small, Large, and Extra Large dog formats), Dog Biscuits, Cat Treats, Sprinkles food topping, DentaTabs water additive, and PRO CARE Toothpaste (available as a standalone tube or as a kit with toothbrush and finger brush). The underlying technology rests on patented formulations combining sodium tripolyphosphate, cetyl pyridinium chloride, and malic acid, with efficacy validated through clinical trials at Indiana University School of Dentistry. Two products, the Soft Rawhide Chews and the PRO CARE Toothpaste, have earned the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) Seal of Acceptance for tartar control.

The company operates a dual-channel distribution model: direct-to-consumer via its own e-commerce storefront at tartarshield.com, with Autoship subscriptions offering a 20% recurring discount and free shipping on orders over $100, alongside a Verified Partner Network of over 1,000 veterinarians across the US, Canada, and Latin America that resell or recommend products. Pricing is consumer-grade, ranging from $13.99 for Cat Treats to $47.99 for Extra Large Dog Chews, with a $65 average order size cited in its affiliate program. Tartar Shield is privately held by its founder, has disclosed no external funding, and operates with a small team of 1-10 employees from a single headquarters location, characteristics consistent with a self-funded, founder-led specialty CPG business.

Name

Tartar Shield

Legal name

Tartar Shield Pet Products Inc.

Website

https://tartarshield.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Tartar Shield Pet Products Inc. is a Noblesville, Indiana-based manufacturer of clinically proven dental care products for dogs and cats, including VOHC-approved chews, biscuits, treats, water additives, and toothpaste, sold direct-to-consumer and through a 1,000+ veterinary clinic network across the US, Canada, and Latin America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pet Dental Care Products

NAICS

Dog and Cat Food Manufacturing (311111), Pet and Pet Supplies Retailers (45991)

SIC

Dental Equipment & Supplies (3843), Cookies & Crackers (2052)

akta.pro primary industry

Pet Treats & Chews (AFADAFAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Treats & Chews (CRADAFAE), Dental & Oral Health Supplements (HLAMALAG)

Keywords

• Pet dental care
• Dog dental chews
• Cat dental treats
• Pet oral hygiene
• Veterinary dental products

Headquarters

HQ city

Noblesville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Direct E-commerce Sales (B2C): Tartar Shield sells directly to pet parents via its e-commerce storefront (tartarshield.com), offering both one-time purchases and subscription Autoship plans with 20% recurring discount. Products include Soft Rawhide Chews, Dog Biscuits, Cat Treats, Sprinkles, DentaTabs, and PRO CARE toothpaste kits.
2. Veterinary Clinic Distribution (B2B2C): Products are sold through veterinary offices across the US, Canada, and Latin America via a Verified Partner Network of over 1,000 veterinarians. Clinics purchase Tartar Shield products wholesale and resell or recommend them to pet parents during veterinary visits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Tartar Shield manufactures and sells clinically proven pet dental care products for dogs and cats, including Soft Rawhide Chews (Small/Large/Extra Large), Dog Biscuits, Cat Treats, Beef Sprinkles food topping, DentaTabs water additive, and PRO CARE natural toothpaste/kit. The products target plaque, tartar, gingivitis, and bad breath, with several formulations earning the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) Seal of Acceptance. Sales occur via direct-to-consumer e-commerce with subscription Autoship and through a veterinary clinic distribution network.

Product overview

Tartar Shield is a pet oral health company offering a comprehensive portfolio of clinically proven dental care products for dogs and cats. The product line centers on VOHC-approved Soft Rawhide Chews (available in Small, Large, and Extra Large Dog variants) as the flagship offering, supplemented by Dog Biscuits, Cat Treats, Sprinkles food topping, DentaTabs water additive, and the PRO CARE toothpaste line (available as standalone toothpaste or brushing kit with toothbrush). All products are made in the USA with American ingredients, developed by dental scientist Dr. George K. Stookey, and clinically proven to reduce tartar, plaque, and gingivitis. The company has been crafting pet dental solutions for nearly 20 years.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tartar Shield Soft Rawhide Chews for Small Dogs Clinically proven dental chews for small dogs (under 35 lbs) that reduce tartar and plaque by more than 50% and are VOHC-accepted for tartar control. Made with 100% American beefhide, natural bacon flavor, sodium tripolyphosphate, and cetyl pyridinium chloride.
• Tartar Shield Soft Rawhide Chews for Large Dogs Clinically proven dental chews for large dogs (over 35 lbs) that reduce tartar and plaque by more than 50% and are VOHC-accepted for tartar control. Patented formula combining 100% American beefhide with sodium tripolyphosphate and cetyl pyridinium chloride.
• Tartar Shield Soft Rawhide Chews for Extra Large Dogs Clinically proven dental chews for extra large dogs (over 70 lbs) that reduce tartar and plaque by more than 50% and are VOHC-accepted for tartar control. Recommended one chew every other day.
• Tartar Shield Dog Biscuits All-natural chicken-flavored dental biscuits for dogs fortified with vitamins and minerals. Uses patented malic acid formulation clinically proven at Indiana University School of Dentistry to reduce tartar by 32%.
• Tartar Shield Cat Treats Crunchy chicken-flavored dental treats for cats clinically proven to reduce tartar by more than 40%. Only one calorie per treat, fortified with vitamins and minerals.
• Tartar Shield Sprinkles (Beef) Human-grade beef-flavored food topping for dogs and cats that helps keep teeth clean and breath fresh. Contains sodium tripolyphosphate and cetyl pyridinium chloride to reduce bacteria and prevent plaque and tartar buildup, with added flaxseed meal.
• Tartar Shield DentaTabs Hypoallergenic, fully dissolving water additive powder for dogs and cats. Patented combination of malic acid and cetyl pyridinium chloride (CPC) clinically proven at Indiana University School of Dentistry to reduce tartar by up to 50%. Tasteless and odorless.
• Tartar Shield PRO CARE Toothpaste for Dogs & Cats Human-grade natural toothpaste with coconut flavor for dogs and cats. VOHC-accepted for tartar control. Contains organic antimicrobials including coconut oil, miswak, malic acid, zinc citrate, and kaolin; free from artificial parabens, dyes, sulfates, sweeteners, and animal by-products.
• Tartar Shield PRO CARE Toothpaste Kit for Dogs & Cats Complete brushing kit including a 3 oz. tube of PRO CARE toothpaste, toothbrush, and finger brush. Premium natural toothpaste with coconut flavor designed for effective daily dental care in dogs and cats.

Quantifiable outcome

• Tartar Shield Soft Rawhide Chews reduce tartar by more than 50%
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Second Shot Adoption PhotoscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 February 2026Tartar Shield partnered with Second Shot Adoption Photos for the 'Second Smile' initiative, providing professional adoption photography for over 120 shelter dogs at the Humane Society of Tampa Bay. Second Shot provides headshots shown to increase online engagement and reduce shelter length of stay, while Tartar Shield provides preventive dental care products integrated at the point of adoption.
• Humane Society of Tampa BaycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 February 2026Tartar Shield partnered with the Humane Society of Tampa Bay for the 'Second Smile' initiative, providing preventive dental care and professional adoption photography for over 120 shelter dogs during National Pet Dental Health Awareness Month. Adopting families receive lifetime post-adoption dental care support. The initiative serves as a scalable model for integrating preventive oral health into the shelter adoption process.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Nylabone: Nylabone (Central Garden & Pet) makes chew toys and dental chew products for dogs. Comparable to Tartar Shield on the chew-based dental category, though with more emphasis on durable toys.
• Virbac C.E.T. Virbac's C.E.T. line (chews, toothpaste, rinses) is sold almost exclusively through veterinary clinics. Closely comparable to Tartar Shield on clinical positioning, vet channel, and the chews-plus-toothpaste portfolio.
• Greenies: Greenies (Mars Petcare) is the leading brand in dental dog and cat chews/treats. Directly comparable to Tartar Shield's Soft Rawhide Chews as a category-leading, vet-recommended daily dental chew sold via retail and veterinary channels.
• OraVet: OraVet (Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health) offers dental chews, plaque prevention gel, and hygiene products sold primarily through veterinary clinics. Directly comparable to Tartar Shield's vet-channel positioning and dental hygiene product set.
• TropiClean: TropiClean sells a wide range of pet oral care products including dental gel, toothpaste, and water additives. Comparable to Tartar Shield's non-chew formats (DentaTabs, Sprinkles, PRO CARE toothpaste) with a similar natural-ingredients positioning.
• Arm & Hammer Dental: Arm & Hammer Dental (Church & Dwight) offers baking-soda-based dental dog treats and toothpaste. Comparable to Tartar Shield on dental product format and mass-retail distribution, though broader in scope.
• Pedigree Dentastix: Pedigree Dentastix (Mars Petcare) is a mass-market daily dental chew for dogs. Comparable to Tartar Shield's Soft Rawhide Chews as a competing dental chew format, though positioned at mass retail rather than the vet channel.

Emerging players

• Pet Honesty: Pet Honesty offers natural dental treats, sticks, and supplements marketed primarily via DTC e-commerce. Comparable to Tartar Shield on DTC positioning and natural ingredients, but without Tartar Shield's vet channel or VOHC certifications.

Broad incumbents

• Blue Buffalo (General Mills): Blue Buffalo (owned by General Mills) is a major pet food and treat brand with an expanding dental care line. Comparable to Tartar Shield as a broad incumbent in pet nutrition with growing presence in the dental subcategory.
• Vet's Best (Vetoquinol): Vetoquinol's Vet's Best line includes dental gel, toothpaste, and breath fresheners for dogs and cats. Comparable to Tartar Shield's PRO CARE toothpaste and breath care products, with broader distribution across vet and pet retail.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TartarShield
• Facebookfacebook.com/TartarShield
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tartar-shield-pet-products
• Instagraminstagram.com/tartarshield
• TikToktiktok.com/@tartarshield

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tartar Shield