Dog Chews and Dog Chew Toys

Dog Chews and Dog Chew Toys

Related to dog treats are dog chews and chew toys. They come in hard and soft styles, and can serve a couple of purposes. Though many are non edible, others can provide some nutritional value. However, their main benefits are to give your dog a tasty way of satisfying his natural urge to chew, and helping to strengthen and/or clean his teeth. The familiar rawhide "bones" are one type of dog chew toy, as are the familiar latex "squeaky" toys. But there are many others, including pig ears, pig hooves, horse hooves, beef achilles tendons, and rawhide strips and chips, as well as a host of natural and imitation bones. They can be found in every supermarket and pet store, as well as in pet boutiques, through some veterinarians, and on the internet. Some brands and types of dog chew toys are:

- Nylabone chews and chew toys are made from extra tough nylon thermoplastic polymers to stand up to the jaws of the largest dogs, and include some that have natural flavoring added. Though not strictly edible, the small pieces that do come off are digestible and will not harm your dog.
- TireBiter makes a dog chew toy of soft rubber and polyester fibers that help to floss gums and clean teeth.
- Greenies makes several varieties of dog chews in addition to their line of treats.
- Booda brand dog chews include an edible one, made of a mint flavored cornmeal base designed to freshen breath and aid in overall good dental hygiene. Their line also includes other natural dog chews, such as beef, bacon and peanut butter flavor bone-shaped chews, as well as rawhide chips or pieces.
- Doggy Hoots dog chew toys are made of soft polyester on the outside, with cellophane on the inside to provide a "crackling" feel and sound that dogs enjoy.
- Triple Crown dog chews are made of completely edible and digestible ingredients, but formulated so they last a long time to provide chewing satisfaction.
- Pet Stages dog chews are made of highly chew resistant synthetic rubber.
- Kong dog chews are made of rubber, but have an opening that lets you hide bits of food or treats inside to entice your dog to chew, and keeps him entertained for hours trying to get it out.
- Elinora's Royal Natural makes a line of dog chews entirely from dried Icelandic fish skin.
- Bone Buddies makes a line of natural rawhide dog chews and dog chew toys.
- Virbac brand of C.E.T. chews have an antibacterial enzyme system that fights plaque-causing germs and helps to eliminate bacteria buildup.
- Hartz is a well-known pet products company that makes dog chews.
- Nature's Variety has several types of dry roasted bones and jerky-style dog chews.
The Bottom Line:

It's apparent that the subject of feeding your dog, as well as providing him with treats, toys, and chews is a vast one. There's enough information to fill encyclopedias, and almost as many opinions about the "right" way to feed your dog as there are people give them. But try not to let all this variety overwhelm you. Just remember to start with your dog. No one knows him better than you. Then take into account your own preferences, your lifestyle, and budget. Try a few different types of foods and other products until you find something that you like and your dog enjoys and appears to thrive on. From time to time reevaluate, based on your dog's current health, taking into account any advice you may receive from your veterinarian, as well as new information and even anecdotal information you may run across. In the end, just remember there is likely no one "right" approach. Do the best you can, trust your instincts, and your dog will likely thrive.

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