I have an aggressive chewer on my hands. Ever since she was little she has loved to chew, chew, chew. I was giving her bully sticks but even the larger ones she would chew through very fast. I was told at the local dog store to give her beef marrow bones as they are cheaper and last just as long. They carried the Primal brand so I've been buying those. I've been giving her 1 every other day for the last 6 months. Lots of bones! Being a newbie I just now heard that marrow bones can crack teeth very easily especially in an aggressive chewer. She normally licks out all the marrow and then chews the bone. I do hear lots of crunching and cracking. Now I'm concerned about her teeth. Would I know if she had a cracked tooth? Should I stop giving her the bones? What's a good alternative? I've been staying away from rawhide since the beginning but would compressed rawhide be an option? Back to expensive bully sticks? I feel like anything that a dog enjoys chewing that actually lasts has the chance of causing harm. Any opinions?
Chewies for an Aggressive Chewer
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I did get her an antler, but it wasn't split. She chewed it for a bit but seems to have no interest in it. When she was chewing it, it also sounded like it could break a tooth. I'll have to try a split one.
I think I'm now just paranoid about her teeth and having a whole new set of expensive problems.
My young BC mix is very big on chewing.
She likes things that she can tear and chew through, so she doesn't like kongs and things like that. She's good with marrow bones, as she doesn't chew the bone itself...she doesn't even really like the marrow, she likes to tear the remaining meat off and then she's done with them. I freeze them to slow her down some. I get them at the butcher, rather than the pet store.
I give her bully sticks, which she loves, but she does go through them quickly and they aren't cheap.
Recently, I've been giving her ox tails, raw. Not the packaged ones in the supermarket, already cut up into little pieces, but big sections from my local butcher. I call before I stop by and he takes a tail and cuts it into two or three sections for me (depending on how long it is). BC mix looooooves these (I also give them to her frozen). She eats the whole thing, it's cartilege rather than bone, so she can chew and digest it, has lots of meat on it too. It takes her quite a while to put away an ox tail section.
I alternate bully sticks, frozen marrow bones with lots of "stuff" on them and the oxtail sections. I haven't found anything else she enjoys as much and that is safe for her. Chew toys and antlers don't interest her, she likes something tasty and something that tears. Needless to say, her teeth are lovely, no tartar to be seen
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She likes things that she can tear and chew through, so she doesn't like kongs and things like that. She's good with marrow bones, as she doesn't chew the bone itself...she doesn't even really like the marrow, she likes to tear the remaining meat off and then she's done with them. I freeze them to slow her down some. I get them at the butcher, rather than the pet store.
I give her bully sticks, which she loves, but she does go through them quickly and they aren't cheap.
Recently, I've been giving her ox tails, raw. Not the packaged ones in the supermarket, already cut up into little pieces, but big sections from my local butcher. I call before I stop by and he takes a tail and cuts it into two or three sections for me (depending on how long it is). BC mix looooooves these (I also give them to her frozen). She eats the whole thing, it's cartilege rather than bone, so she can chew and digest it, has lots of meat on it too. It takes her quite a while to put away an ox tail section.
I alternate bully sticks, frozen marrow bones with lots of "stuff" on them and the oxtail sections. I haven't found anything else she enjoys as much and that is safe for her. Chew toys and antlers don't interest her, she likes something tasty and something that tears. Needless to say, her teeth are lovely, no tartar to be seen
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Himalayan chews last a decent time around my house. Also Wholesome Hides brand sells a massive rawhide retriever you can buy off Amazon.com. It gives even powerful chewers a workout.
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I wonder how many dogs actually broke a tooth on a marrow bone and how it happened. I can certainly see the theory, it's a hard bone so a dog that try to chew the bone can break their tooth. Even sites like rawmeatybones.com have warnings against marrow bone.
But the dog isn't trying to eat the bone......they're trying to get the meat off, which is more gnawing against the bone rather than biting down on the bone. Then for the marrow, every dog I've seen just licks it out unless they have to chew through some soft spongy bone to get to it. Granted my dog isn't an aggressive chewer so I don't really have to worry about him
I have seen dogs break off pieces from marrow bones after they chewed off the meat and spongy bone because the bone wall is thinner around there. It's a pretty loud crack and while it doesn't splinter, it could present a chocking hazard so supervision and removal of the bone in those cases are warranted.
I don't really feel like marrow bones "last". They really only last an hour maybe to get all the meat and marrow off. Then all that's left is a bone. I guess a dog could try to eat the bone at this point and possibly hurt themselves. Have you thought about looking into cheaper marrow bones and just replacing them more often? I get my marrow bones from an asian market, pretty much comparable to a butcher, it has more meat on it and is much cheaper than whole foods which is still cheaper than the "enhanced" raw ones for dogs at the pet store.
But the dog isn't trying to eat the bone......they're trying to get the meat off, which is more gnawing against the bone rather than biting down on the bone. Then for the marrow, every dog I've seen just licks it out unless they have to chew through some soft spongy bone to get to it. Granted my dog isn't an aggressive chewer so I don't really have to worry about him
I have seen dogs break off pieces from marrow bones after they chewed off the meat and spongy bone because the bone wall is thinner around there. It's a pretty loud crack and while it doesn't splinter, it could present a chocking hazard so supervision and removal of the bone in those cases are warranted.
I don't really feel like marrow bones "last". They really only last an hour maybe to get all the meat and marrow off. Then all that's left is a bone. I guess a dog could try to eat the bone at this point and possibly hurt themselves. Have you thought about looking into cheaper marrow bones and just replacing them more often? I get my marrow bones from an asian market, pretty much comparable to a butcher, it has more meat on it and is much cheaper than whole foods which is still cheaper than the "enhanced" raw ones for dogs at the pet store.
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I also give my dog antlers. I think she has two different ones at the moment, and she'll show interest in one or the other for a while, lose interest, then go back to them again. She also gets a raw beef rib once a week, but that's more for teeth cleaning than just for chewing. I do let her keep the rib for a couple days after she gets the meat off.
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The himalayan chew I bought did last longer than a bully stick but not by much with my power chewer. The first deer antler I bought lasted a pretty long time, just bought a pack of 3 deer antlers off amazon recently and 2 of the 3 were thicker but 'softer.' The 'softer' two seemed to shred a lot easier and I have to monitor Jubel and my foster Duncan with them and take them away after a bit. The third antler was denser and a bit smaller than the other two it came with, that one I can leave on the floor. Both dogs prefer the 'softer' antlers but do chew on the harder one as well as the nylabones I have around the house.
Still need to go buy some beef ribs to try that out.
Still need to go buy some beef ribs to try that out.
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My dogs don't go for nylabones much but if you slather it with peanut butter and freeze it that makes them happy for a bit.
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I would instead go for more challenging things. I like to stuff a Kong with whatever (usually peanut butter and bananas) and then shove a bully stick down the middle of it and then freeze it solid.
Try buster cubes or other puzzle toys that dispense treats too. Not much chewing going on with those, but it will keep the dog entertained, busy, and thinking.
http://www.activedogtoys.com/collections/dog-puzzle-games <-- These are expensive, but you get the idea.
Try buster cubes or other puzzle toys that dispense treats too. Not much chewing going on with those, but it will keep the dog entertained, busy, and thinking.
http://www.activedogtoys.com/collections/dog-puzzle-games <-- These are expensive, but you get the idea.
Lots of great ideas! I went to a small dog bakery and they had these big cow ears. They were all natural made in USA. They were not smoked more of a natural dry leathery feeling. They were huge and only $1.25 I bought a few and my dog loves them. They take her about a hour to get through. A hour of her not needing me to entertain her while I cook dinner is great! I can't find anything online that looks similar. I'll take a picture when I have a chance. Few other things this last week that I've tried. I've given her whole carrots. She gnaws on them but leaves little orange carrot shavings. Maybe keeps her occupied for 15 min? I figure it's a cheap healthy 15 mins for her. I don't know if most dogs would go for a carrot. I also bought a rack of beef ribs. I cut each rib individually and have given her one about every 3 days. She loves to eat the meat off and chews the bone for a bit. I like that it doesn't sound like she is going to chip a tooth. One rib gives me about 45 min.
Thanks for all the replies.
Thanks for all the replies.
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My little chihuahua is a very aggressive chewer. I was amazed how fast he could chew things up for his size. I buy him deer and elk antlers and at first he had no interest in them other than to see what they were all about then he left them alone. About once a week though I place the antlers in his bag of dog food overnight. After I started doing that he can't get enough of them. I buy the antlers larger than probably suggested for his size but he has no problem carrying them around. It seems that the smell or oils in the dog food soaks into the antler and he loves them then.
I'm lookig forward to seeing a photo of the cow ear!
I have a lab and English pointer mix born 11/23/11 . She loves to chew too. She can't seem to get enough of anything. She has also chewing on nails problem too. I am trying to find someplace to run her so she can release energy. And that is been a problem cause I can't get her any where near my vehicle she don't want anything to do with it. The Kong is only a interest if there is food in it. Which takes only minutes to get out. HELP. I can't run cause I have asthma.
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My dog has a *minor* slab fracture on one of his top molars and has chipped the one on the other side. Both are deep enough to see the tip of the pulp but although my vets have recommended Xrays his teeth are in great condition otherwise so I am just waiting for an abscess at this point...
But yeah, some dogs really want to dig into those bones. Soro also had pulpitis a few months ago, I suspect from ramming his canine into a marrow bone to get the marrow out. Thankfully that resolved itself or it would have been a $900 root canal.
Interestingly enough, my dog doesn't need to chew so much as he enjoys eating edible chews. So in terms of dental care my primary strategy is to brush his teeth every night. When I do give him chews I use beef rib bones, lamb bones, and occasionally a bully stick since those don't last long. The plastic chews we have as backup are barely ever touched. Kongs don't work either because he would rather eat than chew.
But yeah, some dogs really want to dig into those bones. Soro also had pulpitis a few months ago, I suspect from ramming his canine into a marrow bone to get the marrow out. Thankfully that resolved itself or it would have been a $900 root canal.
Interestingly enough, my dog doesn't need to chew so much as he enjoys eating edible chews. So in terms of dental care my primary strategy is to brush his teeth every night. When I do give him chews I use beef rib bones, lamb bones, and occasionally a bully stick since those don't last long. The plastic chews we have as backup are barely ever touched. Kongs don't work either because he would rather eat than chew.
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