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Bumping up.
Suggested bones or strong chews?
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Thanks!
Oh and just to add on. I will not feed rawhides or pig ears. I am willing to get raw marrow bones or knuckes if they are good.
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I will give the occasional bully stick (12” braided or straight stick by the time they’re adults). Mine seems to enjoy it immensely. The older my golden gets, the more quickly he can chew through it. i remove it when it is three inches long to prevent choking.
Ok thanks! Do you have a certain brand that you use? I heard that the bow wow buddy or another bully stick holder works good.
I give my dogs some type of chew every day (it helps clean teeth and helps them release some good endorphins). I've tried many different chews for my dog. He loves his bully stick (I get the cadet brand that's sometimes in stock at costco with the bow wow buddy) the best. Also likes the occasional braided collagen/collagen chews and dog wood. I've tried yak cheese previously but my dog just broke it into shards so I stopped giving it. I haven't tried antlers - I'm worried about teeth chipping. I'll also give him some special chews (duck head, non-processed beef hide with hair, etc) to mix it up occasionally.
Bitsy likes to chew (9.5 months) and always chews on the right things and never the wrong things so I like to keep her busy with new chew options. I was just reading about a “Gorilla Chew” in Whole Dog Journal, a publication that I like, and they named it one of their best products of 2022 so I bought it to try. It’s made of real wood - java wood. Soft enough to not hurt teeth but durable enough to last a long time. I searched for the “Gorilla Chew” on this forum and didn’t find much so here are my thoughts on it - but bear in mind I’m a first-time dog owner (not that I’m clueless but there are plenty more experienced on here than me):
It does splinter, but in small, soft portions that are not choking hazards.
The dog is expected to easily digest some of the splinters - see the WDG review photo
People have asked me if it smells. Hanging around, no. When she is actively chewing and gets it all wet, a little bit.
I don’t allow her free access to it, only supervised access for shorter periods of time.
Other recos/what to avoid (my opinion):
I want to love but have grown to hate Yak sticks. They crumble into choking hazards.
I sometimes do an odor-free bully stick but always in a holder so she can’t swallow the nub. And I cut the bully sticks down into 4” pieces because she rips through them like Fred Flintstone with a corn cob (a reference for those of us about 50 years old or older) and I don’t think she needs that much protein that fast, nothing good comes of that.
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It does splinter, but in small, soft portions that are not choking hazards.
The dog is expected to easily digest some of the splinters - see the WDG review photo
People have asked me if it smells. Hanging around, no. When she is actively chewing and gets it all wet, a little bit.
I don’t allow her free access to it, only supervised access for shorter periods of time.
Other recos/what to avoid (my opinion):
I want to love but have grown to hate Yak sticks. They crumble into choking hazards.
I sometimes do an odor-free bully stick but always in a holder so she can’t swallow the nub. And I cut the bully sticks down into 4” pieces because she rips through them like Fred Flintstone with a corn cob (a reference for those of us about 50 years old or older) and I don’t think she needs that much protein that fast, nothing good comes of that.
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I’m a big marrow bone fan. Knuckles are also good. Some people are uptight about weight bearing bones, but as long as the bones are large enough that they’re gnawing on them (not biting straight down), you should be good. I give a weekly marrow bone (frozen) and I’ve never had any issues.
I’m not a fan of antlers or small chews that are hard, as I feel there is more risk with a dog being able to bite straight down and break a canine tooth. Just my opinion.
I’m not a fan of antlers or small chews that are hard, as I feel there is more risk with a dog being able to bite straight down and break a canine tooth. Just my opinion.
Ok thanks! I feed greenies that our vet gives us to her every 2 weeks.
Thanks, i will definitely try some of the chews and maybe the gorilla chew!
Thanks, i can get marrow bones from a local dog store that sells only raw bones and food but also freeze dried treats which i like better anyway. I dont need any teeth broken one of the main reasons im asking!
Ill have to try that! she never gets distracted by anything but things to eat. Which we are working on, but she comes to me every 2 minutes and craves attention which is very hard when im trying to work. And now she is at that stage were everything i taught her she knows but doesnt want to do them so trying to get her to lay down and chew on a bone that she doesnt want is hard. Thanks!
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I encourage you to teach her a "place" command - where she is directed to go and lay on a special bed or mat (a raised kuranda bed is worth every penny for this sort of thing) and use that to help her learn that when you are busy working she must settle. Use your mealtimes and when you're cooking to teach it or when you're watching t.v. and then transfer to when you're working. The key is to put her back every time she gets up. If you're laser consistent for several days, she will get it. This is an invaluable skill for a dog and you need to be able to work without interruption.
p.s. be sure to buy the odor free bully sticks We love frozen raw beef shanks from the butcher section of the grocery and also benebones brand chews at my house. Don't forget about frozen stuffed kongs as well.
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I was just coming back to say this. Place is invaluable! It only takes a week or so to teach, too, typically.
She does know place and does it well for about 1 hour, then i cant get her to hold it longer. I will definitely see if i can get the beef shanks. She hates benebones, she would throw it up in the air and then it would fall to the ground and she wouldnt touch it other than that. And she isnt a fan of rubber toys like kongs unless its her rubber frisbee, im getting her a bigger kong to see if she will play with that. Thanks!
She knows place, but only holds it for 1 hour. I taught it to her at 15 weeks old and it took me 1 day for her to somewhat know it then 4 days for her to do it quickly. She learned quickly. I got her to heel and come super quick today. I did give her a frozen carrot and she loved it!
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If 1 hour is the length of time before she gets bored, set a timer for 45 minutes-- something that she can't hear but will alert you-- and release her from place, reward, play, put back on place. Slowly increase time over a couple of days and ensure the reward is BIG
Ok, thanks i haven't tried that! We give her raw treats and another treat. But she thinks any raw food or human food is a reward, even lettuce.🤣
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