So, I've heard that rawhide sucks for dogs. What are some of your experiences with rawhide alternatives, like venison ear and bully sticks?
I have $50 bucks on Amazon, and I'd like to spend them on treats for my dog. He's a pretty aggressive chewer and got through a deer antler in two nights. I already have a really durable Kong.
>>2072969
My dog likes bully sticks, and they last a few days for him, but he's not an aggressive chewer, so maybe more like a day for your dog?
They're literally just dried bull penis, so they are safe to swallow and digestible.
My dog eats rawhide and bully sticks like they're treats.
Nylabones last pretty long but they're messy and she gets bored of them pretty quick.
Elk antlers last several days and she goes crazy for them.
I also have had a Hurley for the past year. It's not really a chew toy but it's the only thing she's never been able to even dent because it's so soft and slippery.
>>2073006
>bull penis
>safe to swallow
My sides have left the known universe
My dog loves bully sticks, but he'll go through one in a day pretty easy. He's only a year old, so he hasn't grown out of the chewing phase yet. They can get expensive, but are great.
He also has a nylabone. He likes it, but really only sorta pokes at it when he wants to. It's not like a bully stick where he'll go at it for hours, but if he wants something to chew, he'll go for it.
He really loves soft toys, but he seems to destroy them too quickly.
Never tried antlers or ears though.
My dogs can go through a bully stick in about ten minutes flat, but they're large and heavy chewers. I personally like antlers and hooves.
Tibetan chews are also quite decent.
>>2072969
You probably wont be able to get it on Amazon, but try going to your local butcher and asking for a soup bone.
For like 25 bucks they'll basically cut up and sell a whole fucking cow femur to you. Still with meat and fat on it. My two dogs go nuts for them (I have a Rottweiler and a Mastiff that chew like theres no tomorrow, so it should be fine for your dog.)
>>2073007
Elk and deer antler damage dogs teeth.
>>2072969
Buy a cow bone. Rawhide is shit. I've pulled that crap from a few dogs throats.
>>2072969
Dentley's has a femur bone stuffed with peanut butter or cheese or whatever you want. Doesn't splinter and it's all sanded down and smooth and pretty thick. I've got a younger mastiff that's a heavy chewer and it's lasted her a month so far.
>>2073229
Depends on the dog. I wouldn't give one to a small dog, because they have very little teeth, but they're all right for large dogs with big strong teeth like GSDs and Rotts.
Additionally, older dogs have stronger teeth than younger dogs so they aren't something you'd give a puppy that has just teethed, but a 3-year-old, sure.
>>2073060
My dog gets bored of the plastic nylabones, but I gave him a flavored one, and it was gone in an hour.
>>2073146
This is what a vet I used to work for would recommend. I've been meaning to grab one but the market that would have sold it shut down. Not sure if Albertsons would have any.
Antlers
Hooves
Pig, cow, sheep, etc. ears
Cow femurs for aggressive chewers
Chicken feet
Pig snouts
Bull pizzle
Go to a feed store. Look at the animal bits they have there. Often places like tractor supply allow you to buy singles. Buy a few, see what your dog likes. These are edible and dont turn to slimey, gummy choke hazards like rawhide.
We give my dog roo chews instead of rawhide. I'm sure there's some foreign equivalent.
They're made of kangaroo which is low in fat.
Just get your dog some cattle bones. Just be careful not to give him short slices of large hollow bones (like a femur ring you'd put in the stew for marrow), my dog once stuck his lower jaw into it and it was a pain to saw trhough it.
I usually get mine whole femurs. I once got him a sheep hip bone and he kept it for a week.
Bully sticks and ears are meant as treats, so 'my dog goes through it in X minutes' is the way it's meant to be (for the best. I mean, do you really want slobbery penis jerky around your house for a few days?).
If you're not looking for toys instead of natural stuff like femurs and antlers Goughnuts is one of the most durable brands on the market, and TireBiters are also quite good. They, as well as Kong, make a great deal more toys than their flag ships which are well worth checking out.
I wish I could find the brand of this one red squeaky toy my mom found for her dogs. After months of abuse from several aggressive chewers, including a pit mix that's one of the most voracious I've ever seen, it not only still squeaks but looks almost brand new. If I can ever figure it out, I'll share it.
My dog loves rawhide. It keeps her busy for a while so I can do chores. I didn't know it was bad. :/
She also likes chicken feet, pig ears, and beef trachea + scapula but nothing lasts as long as a rawhide bone. Antlers scare me because I've heard of dogs breaking teeth on them. She doesn't like stuff that's not flavored anyway so she'd probably ignore it.
>Dog pic incoming
>>2075973
There's three main problems with rawhide. From least to most common:
1. Some companies, particularly those in places like China, use toxic chemicals to strip the rawhide of hair to make the bones.
2. Rawhide expands in the stomach and can cause blockages within the digestive tract.
3. Dogs tend to try to swallow large pieces, which can and do get lodged in the throat. Since they're super slimy when they do, it can be very difficult to pull them out (if you can even reach them).
Even with diligence and careful sourcing, they aren't worth the risk when there's plenty of less problematic chews on the market.
