Current advice on puppy chew toys?

Looks like Ruby the Corgi Pup is just about coming into the teething stage.

It's been a while since I had a teething puppy living here at the Funny Farm. Most recently, we gave my son's dog, Charley the Golden Retriever, those bully sticks you can get in bulk from Costco. However, Son believes they gave Charley the gollywobbles and so he stopped buying them. And I suspect the things are manufactured in China: quality control????

Pup has a couple of sort of squishy flavored Nylabones -- not the hardest version made. She'll carry them around but isn't very interested in chewing on them. Really, I've never had a dog that was enthusiastic about Nylabones.

Back in the day, our vet used to inveigh against pig's ears -- he felt they pose a choking hazard.

People say those deer horn things can fracture a dog's teeth. I can't afford a big vet bill just now, & I surely don't want Pup to go through that kind of pain.

Is there anything new out there that would give her something to chew on without breaking her teeth? What have you used for your pups?

Just now she's fond of dried twigs and mummified oranges discovered under the citrus trees.

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Permalink Reply by susan on August 5, 2014 at 2:20pm

Have you tried Himalayan Milk bones? That is not exactly what they are called, but it's a hard chew made from yaks milk. Completely digestible. They are bit pricey but might last a day or two if you monitor the chewing. A less expensive alternative is cow knee bones. I buy in a pack of two for about $3.50. I buy the bully sticks also and let Jeli chew an inch or so and then take away for a later chew fest. There are some brands available that are better than what you would get at costco. She doesn't like alters or nylabones, and I'm afraid of the broken tooth issue anyway. There are chews made out of sweet potatoes, but they don't last a minute at our house. Jeli is a voracious chewer, even at 18 months, so I'm always looking for things that aren't to expensive, safe, and will last a while.

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Permalink Reply by Vicky Hay on August 5, 2014 at 2:44pm

Thanks. I'll look for those while I"m out.

Yeah...in my experience that urge to chew can last up to two years. Even Cassie, who's aged, still enjoys a good chew now and then. But she no longer wishes to shred anything she can wedge between her jaws.

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Permalink Reply by Yuki & Ellie on August 5, 2014 at 3:23pm

One of Ellie's favorite things to chew, when she was a pup, was also the simplest: an old dish cloth. Just take an old dish cloth, wet it thoroughly, roll it up, and toss it into the freezer. Once it's good and frozen, give it to Ruby to enjoy! :) It doesn't get nearly hard enough to break teeth and the cold cloth helps to soothe those sore puppy gums. It doesn't last forever, of course, but once it has thawed out you just have to roll and refreeze.

As for a longer-lasting chew, I second the Himalayan chews. Yuki and Ellie both enjoy the chews and they soften quite a bit as they get slobbered over. As susan noted, however, they are a bit pricey given the size.

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Permalink Reply by Becky Focht on August 6, 2014 at 9:14am

In response to Jen's suggestion I did that with Foxy but I soaked the washcloth in beef or chicken broth before I froze it. The Himalayan chews are great too.