Chews Wisely

Bringing a shark toothed puppy home at the age of 8+ wks old, you will soon find that EVERYTHING gets gnawed on- especially everything you don't want your precious pup eating or chewing to bits! So along with judicious puppy proofing your home and lecturing the family on picking up their shoes, toys, and homework- you will want to buy the pup something that he can chew on safely, knowing that he will likely be ingesting pieces of whatever you give him and the last thing you want is a late night vet visit or call to poison control. If you were to walk through the average big box store, whether a people, pet, or farm, you will see oodles of brightly colored and odd shaped toys, treats, and chews made from either natural or manmade ingredients. Most are complete and utter garbage and I cannot fathom why they are even allowed to be sold. If you look at the vast majority of them, they are made in China- and they have very "different" and lax rules and laws regarding food safety. Even the U.S.A FDA has few regulations regarding what constitutes safe pet products. A poorly made toy or product made with sketchy ingredients is just one step away from a very expensive veterinary bill at best, at worst- a puppy that dies from a intestinal blockage or from some dodgy ingredient. And honestly, how often do you look at the country of origin and ingredient list, or research how your pups treats are made? So how to sort through all of the vast array of doggie items on the shelves? >Start by color. If it isn't natural or self colored with the ingredients, don't buy it! >Next, weed out any products not made in AND sourced in the U.S.A. >Recall research. Make a list of available treats and chews and then google them! You will likely find most have had some type of recall or bad review. Not all bad reviews and recalls are created equal, but it gives you an idea of what to watch out for. >Keep in mind that MOST toys, chews, and treats state on them that they should only be given with supervision. This is due to either not being meant to be ingested, or could be a choking hazard. So what do I recommend? Here is my short list. In fact it is my only list because I am quite picky about what goes into my dogs' bodies, because what goes in, must come out! Chews: For teething, boredom busting, and tooth cleaning: 1. RAW beef, lamb, deer, elk, and pork rib bones. These are either entire ribs or if cut, at least 8inches long. A good amount of meat and fat is desired. Can be served frozen for a summer treat. If fed with meat and fat present, I adjust the amount of kibble given accordingly. 2. Antlers. NOT to be confused with HORNS. Horns can be extremely brittle and splinter in the mouth and ingested shards can cause all sorts of issues. Antlers "can" sometimes cause slab fractures of teeth. However usually rare and generally there was an underlying issue with the tooth. The antlers that I give are rather large, if not "whole". I source mine locally from hunters that harvest spike or small antlered deer that they do not want to keep the rack from. Fun Fact: You can train your new pup to hunt for antler sheds rather easily! Not only is it a natural working skill but also can be lucrative if your pup is rather proficient and the area has a healthy population of deer, moose, or elk. 3. Raw frozen poultry parts. These could be turkey necks, chicken quarters or drums, or backs. You can have your butcher or grocery to order in 20lb boxes of these rather cheaply! 4. Bully sticks. These are bull penises that are cut and dried into various lengths. I generally get the biggest ones that I can find. Caution: No matter what they say, they will stink when wet from being chewed! So while your pup is happily noshing on his treat, you will be thinking that he has peed somewhere due to the hint of urine smell. So this treat is best served in his crate! 5. Giant Beef leg bones. I give these sparingly to adult labradors as they can get them cracked open pretty easily. I want a long slow chew so these are great for teething puppies because they are so large that there is no choking hazard, they cannot pick up and drop in a pile of poop, and big enough for multiple puppies to chew on at once. Raw is best. I detest the smoked ones but those are often the only ones that you can find. I am generally not a fan of all of the "flavorings" and "basting" that can be on them. They are also very messy/smelly on furniture. Treats: Training and as rewards: 1. I give our dogs fruit and veggies as treats, including pumpkins, carrots, blue berries, strawberries, apples, pears, etc...I also have a few that like to help themselves to the garden where they steal my tomatoes! 2. Homemade dog biscuits in various flavors 3. Peanut butter on bread--Caution! Some peanut butter (and ice cream) now contain Xylitol or Birch Sugar which is EXTREMELY TOXIC to animals. 4. Meat trimmings, fat, skin, etc...kibble adjusted accordingly. 5. Kibble or Cheerios for training. Toys: Entertainment and Training: 1. Honestly my dogs do not get toys once they are of an age where they are in the "big dog" kennels. And when in the house, they only get toys while I am playing with them under supervision. I do not encourage tugging at all, wanted a natural soft mouth, hold, and easy release. The toys that they get as puppies are durable, and discourage chewing, they are also hung from sides of outdoor play pen so that they stay clean and encourage the puppies to "look up". 2. Tennis balls. Scented by placing them in ziploc bags with pheasant wings, quail, and/or duck wings. These can be hidden or placed to encourage use of nose and quartering. Unscented tennis balls for simple retrieves starting in the hallway and graduating to the yard and then cover. 3. Paint rollers. Easy, cheap, light weight. Most have a hard core to prevent chomping, with either foam or nape for easy grip. They come in all sorts of sizes too! 4. Old socks. Take one sock and stuff it with other used socks that are not rag worthy. Tie knot on the end. You can scent some of inside material with feathers or by putting them in ziplocs with bird carcasses or wings. 5. Baby toys. I use these over dog toys because they are made specifically for little people to put in their mouths so they should be safe. I generally get the hard plastic balls with another belled ball inside so that it makes noise. I also really like the "giggle" balls, lighted balls, and other interactive toys. Some of the BEST toys really aren't toys at all, but the boxes that they come in! Another favorite of my pups are the dog food bags which make great crunchie noises. Croc footwear in another favorite and puppy teeth are generally the death of at least one pair a year. Water bottles half filled with water are great but use with caution due to the lids being of the perfect size to choke on.