Stop Guessing in the Chew Aisle: The Smart Way to Choose Dog Chews

Introduction

Hi everyone and thanks for joining me on this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. Have you ever gone into your pet specialty store to get something for your dog to chew and found yourself staring at a section that was so complicated you just ended up grabbing the first thing? In this episode “Stop Guessing in the Chew Aisle: The Smart Way to Choose Dog Chews” and let’s turn an overwhelming aisle into easy, informed choices.

Why Pet Parents Buy Chews

Pet parents buy their dogs chews for a bunch of reasons. First of all, most dogs do love to chew things. Some pet parents are giving their dog chews to prevent the dog from chewing things they shouldn’t. “Here is a bone. Now stop chewing the table legs.” Dogs are given chews to keep them occupied especially when you are doing something that requires your full attention or you have company or a dinner party. At this time of year when holiday get-togethers are happening or that ever busy Christmas dinner, giving the dog something to chew to keep them occupied and out from under people’s feet can be very helpful. Some parents give their dog chews to help with their teeth and keep up oral hygiene. So, there are lots of reasons dogs get things to chew on. But, what do you choose?

Age Considerations

Age does have a factor when deciding on what to get. Puppies for example, under 5 months or basically when they still have their baby teeth, should not be given hard bones or pizzles for example. The possibility of breaking a baby tooth has to be factored into the decision. Senior dogs that may be having dental issues or perhaps a loose tooth also can be a factor.

Let’s start with the choices and I’ll let you know when we hit something friendly for a puppy or senior dog.

Main Categories of Dog Chews

Basically, chews fall into a few categories:

• Bones
• Edibles
• Non-animal/Synthetic
• Raw
• Natural Ingredient Chews

Bones

Bones for dogs are usually smoked or cured.

Smoked Bones

A smoked bone is preserved with wood smoke, often at low temperatures making them durable and flavourful for dogs. They are considered cooked as a manner of speaking.

Cured Bones

Cured bones use salt and other agents, and they are dried for preservation.

Because smoked bones go through a cooking process, the question of whether they are safe can come up. According to k9connoisseur.com, smoked bones are safe for dogs “but only when prepared correctly.”

This is when you have to be confident in the vendor. If the vendor has not smoked the bones properly at a low and slow temperature, there could be risk of splintering. The bones should be specifically for dogs and high quality. These vendors have special equipment to ensure the process is proper.

The marrow bones from a good vendor can keep a dog occupied as they work at getting out the nutritious marrow inside the bone. Marrow bones often come in a small and large size.

Cured bones in particular the marrow bones will have the marrow as well, and the tasty bits on the outside of the bone, but the smoky flavour will not be present. I find that cured bones are often individually wrapped.

Either way, it’s important that the bones are coming from a reputable vendor.

(I had a man show up one day with a box full of smoked bones…hard no!)

Other Types of Bones

Bones in the smoked or cured section are not just marrow bones. You can get:

• Knuckle bones
• “Dino” bones
• Mostly beef due to hardness

Pros & Cons

Smoked or cured bones can be great distractors and good for teeth.
Cons: messy, rich, can upset stomachs.

Edibles

Edibles are body parts that are processed, air-dried, oven-dried or cured.

Pizzles

The most common. Pizzles can be:

• Beef
• Water buffalo
• Pig
• Even camel

Yes, pizzles are penis.

Shapes include:

• Straight sticks
• Braids
• Rings
• Other shapes

Scent-free versions indicate added processing.

Esophagus

Comes as sticks, strips or braids.
Good for puppies and seniors — softer texture.

Cheek Strips

Made into sticks or rolls.
Strips: hard
Rolls: softer, can get gummy
Rolls suitable for puppies or seniors

Hooves & Horns

Hard chews, some stuffed with organ meat.
Includes steer horns, sheep horns, water buffalo horns.
Best for aggressive chewers.

Pig Ears

Popular but can be rich for some dogs.
Available whole or in pieces.

Other Edibles

Rabbit ears, lamb tails, kangaroo tails, etc.

Purpose

Natural, protein-rich, and tap into a dog’s instinct to chew.

Synthetic Chews

These chews are man-made but sometimes infused with flavour (no real meat).

Common brands:

• Nylabone
• Benebone
• Barkbone

Some are very hard, some (like puppy Nylabone) are soft.

Notably, many do not list ingredients.

Nylabone packaging states:
“PRODUCT IS NOT INTENDED TO BE EATEN … contact your veterinarian immediately.

Raw Chews

Raw bones and body parts that are frozen, not cooked.

Includes:

• Marrow bones
• Rib bones
• Chicken necks
• Duck necks
• Feet
• Sardines
• Tails

Some give them thawed; some frozen.

Important: Grocery store bones ARE NOT safe raw chews — they are meant for stock and not processed to kill bacteria.

Natural Ingredient Chews

Collagen

A newer, highly beneficial chew.
Comes in sticks, rings, and braids.
Good longevity, low mess, and great health benefits.

Rawhide Alternatives

Example: Earth Animal
Ingredients include brown rice flour, agar-agar, eggs, olive oil, banana powder, pineapple, etc.
Downside: many dogs chew through them quickly.

Potato-Based Chews

Example: Whimzees
First ingredient is potato starch.
Not long-lasting.

Yak Cheese

Ingredients: yak milk, salt, lime juice.
Quality varies by company.
Some dogs devour quickly; others take their time.
Leftover small pieces can be microwaved to puff up.

Antlers

All-natural, very hard chews.
Controversial but many concerns appear anecdotal.
Must be:

• Naturally shed
• Washed in vinegar
• Inspected for cracks

Coffee Wood Chews

Very hard, digestible, no chemicals, sustainably sourced.

Final Thoughts

Well I think I touched on as many chews that I can think of. Hopefully when you are standing in front of that section with all these chew choices you have a bit more information to make your choice less daunting.

Asking what the chew contains is legitimate.
But questions like “Will my dog like this?” or “How long will this last?” aren’t ones anyone can answer.

Now that you have info on edibles, natural options, and newer alternatives like collagen, you might give something new a try.

And of course if you are unsure about something just do a bit of research, because as I say, knowing is caring.

Please follow this link to my Food & Nutrition section to learn more.

Tagged as: best dog chews,  safe dog bones,  edible dog chews,  natural dog chews,  collagen dog chews,  chew aisle tips,  pet podcast episode,  dog chews guide.