# Chew Toys



## akc0804 (Jan 13, 2016)

I need some suggestions on chew toys for my almost 8 month old, Scarlett. She is a voracious chewer and can tear toys meant for aggressive chewers down in minutes. We've tried the rubber Kongs and she is not really interested in them unless I fill them with something yummy which isn't always easy because they get messy. Those are usually a crate treat anyway. I'm looking for something we can just leave laying around for her to pick up and gnaw on when she gets bored or just wants a good chew. We've also tried the kinda hard Nyla bone toys and she splinters the ends of them then makes her gums bleed from chewing on them and I have to take them away. She's awesome about not chewing our stuff. She's never chewed a shoe or pillow or remote. She only goes her her toys but destroys them so fast I feel like we're throwing money away. Does anyone have a tried and true "toy" that will survive my baby girls crazy chewing? 
Thanks!!

Below are some pics of one of the Nylabones I had to take away from her because she was splintering it and it made her gums bleed.


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## 1stVizsla (Jun 22, 2016)

I'm exploring the issue of interesting chew toys with my 14 wk old puppy. She didn't care for the Kongs (I didn't try the messy pastes). I have 2 rubber (latex) bones (with knubs and interesting surface textures) that she likes OK and I plan to keep them in the freezer for when she starts losing her puppy teeth soon. Could also soak in bouillon for flavor. She likes chewing ice cubes also, soothes her gums.

On the edible side, she was REALLY enjoying beef trachea (from Amazon, fairly cheap and a stated source of chondrointin) for several weeks and now she likes the curly beef Bullysticks ($$$).

Seems her tastes change as she gets sick of each item after a few weeks. But I've gotten several weeks from each.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Just depends on how determined of a chewer she is. 
The late Lucy could have chewed through a Sherman tank. I never came up with anything she liked, that couldn't be shredded.
I did see some dog toys online the other day. They were made out of fire hose. Might be worth giving them a try.


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## ghentheath (Jul 26, 2014)

Unfortunately we have an absolutely focused chewer who had one of the firehose toys dissected in about 20 minutes, with all seems nearly split and each individual squeaker out! I was very hopeful, but another $15.00 down the drain. We have had good luck with the Himalayan chews.


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## nymeria (Jan 18, 2016)

Mia is a heavy duty chewer. I got her this thick braided rope toy and she was through it in 5 mins. I've given up on stuffed toys although she loves them - except this bear she's had since the day I brought her home. She loves it and won't chew through. She even gets through braided bullies quickly now. 

I've found that antlers last awhile. I recently got her a horn and she absolutely loves it and it also lasts. Better than the antler. The clerk at the store told me to soak it in chicken broth if she didn't go for it, which I haven't had to do but is a good idea. It also takes her awhile to chew through those yak cheese sticks but I limit that a bit as I don't want her eating too much in one sitting. I also got her this massive root from the local pet supply place and she loves that, too, and it lasts.

I also freeze bully sticks to make them last longer but shE still gets through them pretty fast. She likes the benebones from Amazon but they get splintered fast.


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## MCD (May 4, 2013)

I have found that antlers were the best for an aggressive chewer. Dharma used to "Dharminate" toys like that too. She was never into the Kongs as much as I would have liked her to be. Dharma does like her ice cubes and with it being so hot right now- it's an added bonus as it makes her water cooler. Dharma is 3 years old now and the wear and tear on her toys is not as bad now. I used to tear up and braid my husband's old work shirts for toys. That way I was recycling and keeping Dharma busy. Tough toys seem to be good too. However I am not saying that my dog didn't always find the "Achilles Heel" to them!


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## akc0804 (Jan 13, 2016)

I've tried antlers but she wasn't really interested in them. I didn't try soaking them in chicken broth though so I will try that tip. She seems to go for the flavored things as the Nylabone stuff I've given her are beef scented or flavored.
Scarlett has a sensitive tummy and the Himalayan chew gave her diarrhea so I had to throw it away. 
Does anyone know anything about those butcher bones you see at the grocery store? They don't appear to have any meat on them just the bone but I'm cautious about anything like that.


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## Anida (Jun 10, 2016)

MCD said:


> I have found that antlers were the best for an aggressive chewer. Dharma used to "Dharminate" toys like that too. She was never into the Kongs as much as I would have liked her to be. Dharma does like her ice cubes and with it being so hot right now- it's an added bonus as it makes her water cooler. Dharma is 3 years old now and the wear and tear on her toys is not as bad now. I used to tear up and braid my husband's old work shirts for toys. That way I was recycling and keeping Dharma busy. Tough toys seem to be good too. However I am not saying that my dog didn't always find the "Achilles Heel" to them!


Did you have any issues with teeth breaking/cracking? I've read horror stories with antlers so I'm nervous to try them..


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## Canadian Expy (Feb 27, 2013)

A word of caution on the antlers. We still use them for scenting, but I no longer give as a chew at the caution if our dental specialist, who worked on my boys broken canine. The canine was not broken from an antler (he encountered a rock as he fetched his ball on a beach), but she cautioned that the number of broken teeth she sees from aggressive antler chewing has sky rocketed due to the popularity of antlers. 

I find that the fresh deer antlers we find are softer than store bought, so I do allow some chewing of them from time to time, but not often.

The suggestion of our specialist is to select chews that soften with saliva, or wear down as they chew. I now use bully sticks, and the butcher bones mentioned. Our butcher cuts them into 3 pieces for me. And I keep it in the freezer when not in use. The pups love them. 

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk


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## MCD (May 4, 2013)

Dharma had a sensitive stomach. It was much worse than it is today. This is another tough thing you have to deal with when giving them chew toys or treats. So far we have not had teeth issues. It seems the older she gets, the less interested in that kind of stuff she is. Dharma would rather anihilate her tough toys by tossing them, chewing on them or just plain showing them to us when we come in the door.


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## Bob Engelhardt (Feb 14, 2012)

Daisy just had a tooth removed because a big piece of it was broken off. Though we couldn't be sure that their antlers were the cause, we threw them out just in case.

We got the antlers because nothing else lasted any length of time. Beef neck bones are a middle ground: soft enough for teeth & hard enough to take a little while to eat. We give them beef "marrow bones" (short pieces of leg) only for the marrow - they're too hard for chewing.

Bob


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