Chews

What dog doesn't like to chew? Chewing is a natural and occupying activity that most dogs partake in. Problems start though when your dog starts to chew on something he is not supposed to. That is why, if your dog is a chewer, you should get a variety of safe and fun chew toys for your dog to choose from. Here is a guide of many chews that we use, our success some and not others.

Chewing No's

I personally would not give my dogs any bones or treats with any harsh preservatives or that is treated with chemicals, I wouldn't ingest these, and nor should my dog. 

Raw hides can be swallowed whole and choked on, and in my experience cause dogs to have upset stomachs and aren't worth the trouble. But they do work for some dogs, and can be beneficial if carefully supervised. 

Cooked bones, chicken bones, or any thin bones or flat bones likely to shard.

Any object, organic or not, that breaks off in sharp pieces that can be choked on.  

Okay Chews

Chews that I have had great success with are:

Kongs, especially if they are filled with peanut butter or some other treat and frozen, kongs can keep a dog busy for hours. 

Safe plastic chews that can be bought at any pet store.

Bully sticks.

Real, raw bones from butcher. Though some precautions should be made before giving your dog raw bones, like freezing the bone for a certain period of time.

And by far the most popular chew for our dogs are deer antlers, buffalo horns and any other antler/horn we can get our hands on. They can be very expensive, but if you happen across one while hiking, or hunt, they are fantastic chews for dogs. Deer antlers rarely break in sharp pieces, and one good antler can keep all three of our dogs busy for months.