Bark Avenue Pet Supply

Every Dog Needs to Chew

Puppies cut their adult teeth starting a 4 months and often do not finish the process until a year of age. Keeping them in a good supply of bones will help bring in healthy teeth, as well as, saving your furniture, shoes, and children’s toys.

Bones:
The most natural chew for a dog is a raw bone. Raw bones do not splinter, they are nature’s remedy for teething pain, and the calcium is perfect for absorption and utilization by the dog. Of the most popular bones, beef and buffalo are the toughest. Lamb and ham are much softer. Pick a bone of appropriate size for your dog’s mouth.

Cooked bones should be avoided. There are some slow cooked bones on the market and many of them are perfectly safe. However, watch you dog as he chews these and make sure to throw the bone out if it starts to break apart. Do not feed cooked bones from your own table. They will generally not last long and will often splinter.

People often worry about e coli and other harmful bacteria. These are generally not a problem to dogs – see our comments on raw feeding under that subject.

Bully Sticks:
Bully sticks are a great hard chew. Although they do not contain the natural enzymes of raw bones, they are excellent hard chews and keep dogs busy for hours and often days. Bully sticks come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. There are many different brands on the market and many have a distinctive odor. Our staff can give you the run down on the odor properties of the sticks we carry.

Hard Rubber Toys:
Many dogs love to chew hard rubber toys. It is important to remember that nothing is indestructible for a determined chewer. Stuffable toys such as Kong are always popular. Some of the most popular stuffings are plain yogurt and peanut butter which can be frozen inside the toy to both preserve the length of time that the toy is enticing. This is also a good method to ease the pain of cutting teeth.

Some Chews to Avoid:
We do not recommend the use of rawhide and cow hooves. Both have a danger of lodging in the intestines and can result in painful obstruction and possibly surgery. As a further danger, most of these products are produced with chemicals we would not like to see our pets ingest.

Treats should be reserved for training or rewarding special behaviors. They should never substitute for a meal. Use of treats in this way has turned many a dog into a picky eater.
The best treats are ones that complement the dog’s diet. If you follow the guidelines for reading a label to find a healthy dog food, you should follow those same guidelines in selecting a treat.

There are many types of healthy treats available. Some of the most popular are:

• Frozen liver, or other meat.
• Dehydrated or dried meat or fish.
• Jerky treats – look for those made in the US, not China.
• Soft treats – look for those that are primarily meat and avoid sweeteners.
• Biscuits – look for the same healthy ingredients that are in your dog’s diet. Grain free biscuits are available,for those that avoid wheat, if that is an allergy or sensitivity with your dog.
• Fresh fruits and vegetables make wholesome, non-fattening treats.

A Note of Caution -
There are some "people foods" that pets should avoid and a number of plants and household items that can be toxic.
For a complete list, consult the ASPCA Poison Control Center.

Your pets safety is important to our us at Bark Ave Pet Supply but our articles are not substitutes for professional medical care. Please consult your veterinarian when treating medical conditions.