opinion on chewing items

i have a question on what is best to give my dog for her to chew on. i heard kongs and rawhides from the pet store are bad because they have the potential of getting lodged in the digestive tract. i was thinking neck bones from the butcher, what do u give your dogs to chew on?

 

the only kind of bone I buy (pet store bones) is the pressed ones,,they are different then raw hides,,almost look the same,,I use to give my dogs raw hides all the time until one of them choked on one,,and she was choking pretty good,,poor thing,,I had my whole hand down her throat,,they will say on them pressed bones.

 

Raw bones from the butcher are great (femurs, knuckels, etc.). however, I have found that lamb bones are more easily chewed than the beef or pork.

As far as Kongs go, they are great toys & can be durable, however they are not a toy that you can leave your dog unattended with (in fact, one should never ever leave their dog unattended with a chew toy or even bone). BUT, get the black ones & get the x-large as they are made for stronger chewers than the red ones & just get the original shaped Kong, not the cutsie shaped ones. With the Kongs, you can spread a thin layer of plain peanut butter among the inside, pack it with dog kibble, & then freeze it so your dog can have a yummy but lasting treat (however, you don't have to freeze it).

 

What do y'all think about the mammoth bones

 

I don't like them. They are known for splintering off & those pieces are easily lodged in the dogs digestive tract. Cooked/roasted/etc. bones are a no-no.

 

So basically in all, LISTEd what is the best chewing Items, Bones, and anything else you prefer.

 

Kongs are great (like Mia said, use the X-large black ones). I also use the Galileo by nylabone. What do you guys think about pig ears???

 

i like kongs and galileo i have never had a problem with them.i also like pig ears but you have got to watch your dog closely when he is chewing them,also my dogs seem to like cow hooves that you can buy from the pet store just make sure they are nice and smooth with no rough spots or missing pieces.

 

I stay away from any toys that have material on them such as tennis balls or other toys that have the same texture simply because that kind of material is abrasive to the teeth. Their food can get stuck in the grooves that are scratched in and begin to rot the teeth. I love Kongs. They are the best. I don't like tug toys either, but then again, I don't promote Tug-a-War games with my dog. When my dog has something I want, the second I have it in my hands she releases it. That is just the way she is trained though. She does enough running, jumping and climbing- she don't need to tug. I find that Tug-a-War games promote dominance aggression because what happens the day I lose. Now my dog can and will challenge me in every aspect of her training. Also, with playing tug-a-war, it suggests that every time someone pulls on something the dog has in her jaws, it is all in play. What if someone was try to pull their sleeve, pantleg, or other articles on their person from the dog's grip? What if that someone was a child? Most people do not live in an area where their dog, that plays tug-a-war or not, is not in contact with small children, small animals, or people that fear dogs in general. These are some thoughts we have thought about for a while and we plan to stick to as we have many family members and friends, young and old, that will be around our dog and would really hate to have something go wrong during an innocent game of tug-a-war (and prove many relatives that dislike our dog only for her breed). We're not trying to preach our ideals, only share what we think on the subject.

Sorry for jacking the thread.

MD Reptiles
Marc & Patricia Doiron

 

Galileo bones and natural beef knuckles and femurs is all I deal with anymore. I've had too many of the high dollar toys and chews destroyed in a matter of minutes. Avoid ropes and stuffed animal toys. Rawhide is horrible for animals. Don't feed pork bones whether raw or cooked.

Kind Regards,

B

 

as far as the pigs ears go, they have a high content of fat, so if your pooch gets the runs, or gets gassey,don't be suprised.

As with anything chewable, just monitor your pest chewing, as at anytime, anything can become lodged. It's good to be there, "just in case".

 

I too use kongs and Galileo and never had a problem with any of them!

 

I also use Kongs, pig ears and pig knuckle bones.

I somewhat agree with what was posted about tug-of-war games and have my own version. The rope stays in a special cabinet. It only comes out once or twice a week for play. I initiate the play and I end the play. They let go on my command and they game is then stopped. I am always in control and they love it (me too). One must be very careful w/ the whole dominance issue, especially w/ APBT's! Give an inch and they'll try to take that mile!