What Types of Chew Bones Do You Give?

[Kate]

Well, I'm on a search for something for Mila to chew on that she likes. Forget nyla bones, she just turns her nose up. After her choking incident I am very leary about giving her anything she might possibly choke on. I'm afraid of rawhide and all of those other types of things you see at the pet store. I have given her pig ears before but she really doesn't like them anymore. I have given her hooves because I don't think she can break them off to choke. Well today I bought a knuckle bone at PetSmart and she loved it, however, I had to take it away from her as it was breaking in pieces that she could choke on. I just want to give her something but I have no idea what. Those bully sticks seem pretty expensive for my budget, any other ideas?

[Guest rottndobie]

I am a firm believer in rawhides. I have given rawhides to all my guys for the past 30 odd years without any problems. The last couple years I have been buying the pressed kind. You can get a great deal at PetSmart - 3 lb bag for $12. Normally pressed rawhides are very expensive if bought one at a time.

Hooves are dangerious because they can splinter and cause intestinal problems - same for some of those knuckle bone and their assorted type. I also bought a few a few years ago and when I saw how quickly they splintered I threw them away. The problem with Pigs ears is the salmonella bacteria if they are not process properly - there was a big outbreak in pigs ears coming from Canada a while back.

The best thing about giving rawhides is the clean teeth. I have NEVER once had the vets do any teeth cleaning on my guys and their teeth are pearly white - all due to rawhides.

[Kate]

What type of rawhides do you give your dogs, big ones or little ones? I have read on this board that they get soft and mushy and they get stuck in the dog's throats. Maybe I'll rethink that if you haven't had any problems, I am just a little "gun" shy after Mila about choked to death on a denta bone!

[kayharley]

My vet recommended rawhide bones....the large ones. I get Harpers brand at Walmart . They're free from arsenic and preservatives and quite inexpensive.

Check around for prices on bully sticks. I can't remember what site I bought mine from but they were an excellent size and not overy expensive. I've seen some that cost more than my monthly mortgage!! Must be from very high-class bulls.

[Eliz222]

After Finch choked on a rawhide bones and DH had to pull it out of her throat, we haven't had any at our house. I heard Greenies are not good for dogs, so we have never tried them here.

I give my two Bully Sticks. If you buy them on Ebay they are less than a dollar a piece for the 6 inch ones. I don't give them very often, maybe once or twice a month, but they LOVE them!

[Brody'sMom]

We give bully sticks, my cairns love them.

[toomanypaws]

I know bully sticks and compressed rawhide (American made) seem to be safe. I was giving my three greenies before my dh stopped me. There have been too many injuries and surgeries to a dog's esophagus due to the greenies getting stuck. I also will never give mine the pig ear strips after my youngest almost choked to death because a piece was lodged in her throat. I'm just glad my dh was home and able to dislodge it. Years ago I had one of those rawhide flat strips get stuck to the roof of my lab's mouth and it was extremely hard to pry it loose. I'm finding the white hard bones work the best. I put a dab of organic peanut butter in the hole and my three love them.

[Guest rottndobie]

The pressed kind do NOT get mushy like the other types of rawhide - one reason they are safer. The label on the packaging will say "pressed rawhide". They are a brownish color and very compact. Even my Dobe has to work at chewing them. The pack that PetSmart sells has various different sizes, 5 in retreiver rolls, 5 in bones, what I call lamb chops and 3-4 very large bones (Ashley size - tho I do give her the smaller ones too). BTW, Shadow did take one of the large bone as his own so IMO no size is off limits.

Carol Minkus

What type of rawhides do you give your dogs, big ones or little ones?  I have read on this board that they get soft and mushy and they get stuck in the dog's throats.  Maybe I'll rethink that if you haven't had any problems, I am just a little "gun" shy after Mila about choked to death on a denta bone!

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[Mama Kim]

Rawhides here too. I especially like the pressed rawhide for Piper also. They last long and they can't get such big bits off of them. Piper loves them!

[kayharley]

You know I've never tried the pressed rawhide with my crew. Do they stain carpeting like the regular white rawhide will?

The only thing I don't like about the white rawhide bones is that my Cairns end up with white noses and nasty, stiff little beards.

[Milopup]

Try C.E.T. chews - dogs like to chew on them, and they are good for the teeth as well.

[Kate]

What in the world is a C.E.T. chew?

[Guest rottndobie]

You know I've never tried the pressed rawhide with my crew. Do they stain carpeting like the regular white rawhide will?

The only thing I don't like about the white rawhide bones is that my Cairns end up with white noses and nasty, stiff little beards.

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No they don't appear to stain the carpet at all - they just don't get that gooey/messy. Somtimes a little with get in the beard on Shadow but not too badly.

[Milopup]

C.E.T. Chews:

http://www.1800petmeds.com/pdetail.asp?SK=...SP=&WT=&MG=&PT=

I have never bought them from 1800petmeds - actually first bought them from my pet in San Diego. Be careful, though. There are two types - the regular and the Hextra kind. The Hextra kind are stinky and dogs don't like them as much. The regular ones though are much appreciated by my pup.

[Cairnmania]

I don't find pressed rawhide to be any safer than regular rawhide chews. My aggressive chewer is easily able to pull strips of the rawhide off the bone. Guess it depends on the dog.

One of mine would never chew anything except for Greenies, but after the third time my aggressive chewer threw up chunks of Greenie I gave up on them too.

Stacey

[magadog]

Raw bones get the five stars. But, right now-- inspired by the chews being made from dried yams-- to the texture of rawhide-- I am drying some thickly cut yam slices on my dying food dryer b/c I am too cheap to pay $10 for a bag of them.

Can't do bully sticks: the idea of my dogs chewing on bovine penises is something around which I cannot wrap my mind. Greenies have been associated with some problems-- never had problems with them, but they are expensive and I am skeptical about their dental benefits.

Dentabones give my dogs the runs.

Nylabones-- "well," my dogs seemed to try to communicate--"why ever would we choose to masticate bone shaped petroleum bi-products? They do not appeal to us!"

Every so often, Geordie goes to the Kleenex box and helps himself.

Jill

up late-- why go to bed when you have to take your kid to the airport at 3 am?