Chewing

[Super Heros]

Here is a quick guide to safe chewing tools.

1. Bully sticks Bully Sticks for Dogs, Natural Wholesale, Bulk Bully Sticks

2. Bones
Primal
Primal Raw Frozen Bones & Poultry Necks

or Natures Variety Natures Variety Beef Knuckle Raw Dog Bones

or you can buy marrow bones aka "soup bones" from your butcher for dirt cheep..if you are comfortable allowing them to have the marrow(most raw feeders are) then great. If not, let the bone thaw and scoop out the marrow and you can fill it with peanut butter or yogurt put it in the freezer then serve.

Femur bones(bison femurs) are great chewing tools too, weight barring bones(legs) are the hardest bones on an animal.

NEVER under any circumstance give your dog a cooked bone! Cooking the bones soften thems allowing the break and splinter which can tear the inner stomach or anything else on the way down.

Always monitor your dog with a bone, power chewers as I call them need to have a chew time of 20 minutes or less. Recreational chewing is good 2 times weekly to keep your dogs teeth clean.

Oral hygeine is vital to overall health, bad teeth can cause serious health problems in your dog, but it also releases endorphins to help your dog to feel good. Chewing in the dog world is vital, it is a great energy release for them.

3. Kongs- Kong Puppy Kong Toy - Dog.com
same with kongs don't leave them unattended if they are power chewers as I have one who can destroy a kong. Kongs are not great chewing because majority of dogs lick and don't chew the device so cautious about that.

4. Synthetic chewing tools-this includes pigs ears(all fat essentially), raw hide, greenies, nylabones...Most of you know the dangers of raw hide that the hide can swell in the body causing blockage. Also, think of the synthetic side of how many of these products are contain dangerous perservatives/additives that are known carcinogens. For the greenies and editable nylabones read the ingredients, translate them and I think if you know what is in them you will agree they are not good for dogs. Many people swear by Nylabones(the non-edible kind) however I am not a fan of synthetic chewing tools, I don't trust them...they have had recalls in the past and it isn't something I like to risk.

When shopping for treats or bones try to remember the more natural the product is the better it is for your dog. i.e. bones

Also allocating a time for chewing helps dogs to understand when it is okay to chew and when it isn't and may help eliminate chewing things like shoes etc...(some destructive behavior is associated with sa)

[myheart4k9s]

Andrea great post!

All of our furkids for the most part chew femur bones, as smelly as they are lol
I have had the expereince with rawhides way back when, and tell everyone not to use them also. Stormie had one stuck in her gut and they can not see them on an x-ray. It basically rotted inside her making her very ill. It would not have been found had I not pushed for an exploratory surgery.
I do use kongs though, but I have very aggressive chewers and do not have to "load" the kong to get a chew on. You are dead on about not leaving them unattended with a chew item. I have seen some crazy stuff happen lol

Very informative post thanks for giving everyone the heads up!

[msdiamonddawg]

Thanks for this! I am going to show it to my mother. She brings me back raw bones from the butcher and the last time she said "you do boil them right". I said NO, I give it to him straight out of the freezer. She freaked on me!

[msdiamonddawg]

p.s. What is "wrong" with the marrow that might make someone uncomfortable?

[Super Heros]

Originally Posted by msdiamonddawg

p.s. What is "wrong" with the marrow that might make someone uncomfortable?

Nothing is wrong, it is that marrow can be rich therefor dogs whom are not fed raw may not be use to it. It could possibly upset their tummy. Mine are fed raw and use to the marrow, just a precaution.

[msdiamonddawg]

Thanks! Good to know.

[Damon]

NEVER under any circumstance give your dog a cooked bone! Cooking the bones soften thems allowing the break and splinter which can tear the inner stomach or anything else on the way down.

hooooooly shit. did not know.

we give ours cooked rib bones sometimes. no more!

[Damon]

Originally Posted by Super Heros

Nothing is wrong, it is that marrow can be rich therefor dogs whom are not fed raw may not be use to it. It could possibly upset their tummy. Mine are fed raw and use to the marrow, just a precaution.

yes, we can vouch for that. after we give them rib bones then all their stomachs are usually upset pretty good the next day.