Frustrated with trying to find chew toys

[anjsmiles]

I tell you I have spent lots of money on chew toys for Reggie. He is now 8 mos old. We started out with the puppy Nylabone. That worked great until he got in some adult teeth and last week he bit a chunk off it and so I had to toss it. We had also purchased him a Prince wishbone shaped Nylabone for Christmas. This is the extra strong one for aggressive chewers. It was working pretty well so I also got him a bone shaped Nylabone for aggressive chewers so he would have some variety. Well this past week he has chewed little shreds of the ends of both of these products so now I have taken them away because I am afraid he will swallow a shard of plastic big enough to cut or irritate his intestines. Also he chews on them so hard now I am worried that he will chip or break a tooth.

He has already been declared by the vet to have a "sensitive stomach" as things make him throw up easily like eating his food too fast and not chewing it well. Also pain medications he took after being neutered ulcerated his stomach. He is a gulper of sorts so I have to really watch him about swallowing things whole. He also is like a little vaccum in that ANYTHING he finds on the floor or wherever he will swallow if he can get it down.

I also bought him a puppy Kong when we first started crating him during the day and this works well for that. I put treats in it and he loves it. However I have noticed lately that he can really squish it between his jaws so I am thinking I am going to have to move up to the stronger one. Even though he likes this toy, it isn't something he plays with or chews on just for fun. Only when it has a treat inside and I can't give him treats all the time or he will get fat.

I have bought things like Greenies and similar type edible chews and Reggie can down one of those in less than 5 mins. I read about Bully sticks and such here on the board but have decided after reading about how it makes some dogs sick that it isn't worth trying with Reggie since I know he has a sensitive stomach.

Is there ANYTHING I can safely give this dog to chew on?

[katiekid]

I buy soup bones from the grocery store. Once I cook them, I let them cool and they are good to go. They last a long time and are really a treat for them.

[anjsmiles]

I thought real bones were not safe because they would splinter?

I know this sounds dumb but here goes.......so how do you cook a soup bone and what does one look like?

[ARCHIE]

I agree with Katiekid.
The really only safe chew, IMO, is a solid natural bone.
You can buy these in any pet store. Make sure you get one
that fit's his mouth. The little ones are harder to find because most
of them are large but they are out there. Even if you get a stuffed
one, some come with liver, cheese etc in them. Remove that junk
and just give the bone.

Please stay away from Nylabones. They are not safe and your pup
can get very sick from the fragments that don't pass. I know
I've been there. Nylabones, the plastic ones, are not safe at all.

[Gingergirlsmom]

I agree. Natural bones are the best. Mine love them! They also love their kongs (I don't stuff them anymore)...but that was an acquired taste.

Word of warning...Ginger was able to chew through one of the red kongs once. I realized it when I heard her wheezing...the darn thing was stuck in her throat. They still have them, but I inspect them pretty frequently. I'd get away from the puppy one and move to one of the heavier duty ones if I were you.

[anjsmiles]

So a natural bone that I purchase at the pet store is okay. I will have to look for one. I am going to look for the next size up in the Kong too. I assume the red one will be okay and I don't need the black one. He has the blue marbled looking puppy one right now. I think it will be fine to keep with supervision but I want a stronger one for when I have to leave him with it.

[katiekid]

I just go to the grocery store and get a package of them. My DH cuts them to the right size. They love getting the maro out from the insides. Once the bigger dogs are finished with theirs, Katie can use her little mouth to get to the spots the bigger ones couldnt
With the broth, its a good soup stock

[rtsmichele]

When my dogs have emptied all the marrow from the soup bones, I rub a little bit of peanut butter on the inside of the bones. It makes them smell yummy for the dogs and they start chewing them again.

Michele :-)

[PiePiper]

Piper is an aggressive chewer. I've tried nylabones, kills them. Use to give her the pet stages chew toys pay $12 and she kills it in a day. Lately I buy the bully sticks which work out well. One 6 inch stick lasts a couple weeks and she loves them. I take them away when they get to be about 2 inches long because I"m afraid she'll swallow it. She is not a gulper and chews things well but I don't want to take any chances.

[anjsmiles]

Yea, I read up on the bully sticks but since Reggie will swallow things hole and tends to have a sensitive stomach I decided after reading some of the negative experiences here with them that I would pass.

[Gingergirlsmom]

Experiences with bully sticks seem to vary. I decided to try them again a few weeks ago (after reading up on them). Bernie and Ginger are both aggressive chewers (although they don't destroy their regular toys). I was dismayed when 15 minutes after giving them the Merrick bully sticks I had to take them away because they had chewed them down to a few inches!

LOL, I guess I just have to keep relearning the same lessons. I really should just follow my own advice and stick to natural bones.

[roxies_mom]

Originally Posted by katiekid

I buy soup bones from the grocery store. Once I cook them, I let them cool and they are good to go. They last a long time and are really a treat for them.

Roxie has had one of these for a long time. They are nice because there's no way for this type of bone to splinter. They can't even gnaw a piece of it off. Definately make sure to boil it good first since they are surrounded with raw meat. You can get short fat ones or some are little longer in shape which might be easier for them to get their mouths around to carry them. Bully stix are also good. They smell icky but are safe since it's a tendon instead of bone.

[roxies_mom]

lol after I posted I saw the replies on bully stix. I guess you just have to find what works best for your little one. Roxie does fine with bully stix but I was tired of the smell (I have a very sensitive nose) so only give them once in awhile now.

[roxies_mom]

Originally Posted by rtsmichele

When my dogs have emptied all the marrow from the soup bones, I rub a little bit of peanut butter on the inside of the bones. It makes them smell yummy for the dogs and they start chewing them again.

Michele :-)

I think there's also a squeeze cheeze at the pet store that you can buy for the kongs, that would probably work for the soup bones too. It's kind of pricey and I've personally never tried that for us.

[MinMuf1]

I find that my crew loves the baked cow hooves! They last seemingly forever and they never seem to get tired of them. Make sure to get the baked ones because if you don't, they smell even worse then bullysticks...