Long lasting, safe dog chew ?

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sevenfourate

Devotee of OCD
Our Cairn Terrier loves to chew. And being an intelligent / inquisitive breed also gets bored quickly. So a chew kicking around sound a great idea…..

I’ve just had a Google and Elk Antler (MAY damage anything but the strongest of teeth ?) appears safe and long lasting. As did Himalayan Yak Milk chews ((Which I’ve just bought a couple of):

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/19425371...C0nOHPhReS&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Any other suggestions / good experiences ?
 

Drago

Legendary Member
I've not found anything that couldn't be chewed in two by a Labrador inside half an hour. So called indestructible dog toys have clearly never been tested by actual dogs.
 
OP
OP
sevenfourate

sevenfourate

Devotee of OCD
I've not found anything that couldn't be chewed in two by a Labrador inside half an hour. So called indestructible dog toys have clearly never been tested by actual dogs.

Ours has been pretty much the same with numerous toys / chew type items so far. Flip side is it’s one thing being a fanatical chewer - but I have no idea if her teeth are super strong - as Google indicates Elk Antler might require.

There’s of course also a difference between having something they won’t destroy ‘instantly’ and something ‘Everlasting Gobstopper’ hard so to speak.

Although Oak table legs seemed a fair middle ground for her puppy teeth…. 🙄
 

tom73

Guru
Location
Yorkshire
We are on our 3rd westie so know how terriers can get though stuff. Our 1st was a master at getting though chews inc turning them into flat discs then throwing them round the room.
Kongs are worth a try , keep them happy for a while and are pretty robust and have a good selection of stuff.
https://www.kongcompany.com/
A snuffle mat maybe worth a go. Our dog due to kidney issues now can't have most things he likes any more. So gets bored of most things now. Luckily I found some treats he can have. So we hide them in a scuffle mat and keeps him happy hunting them out.
Treatballs are another idea the harder plastic ones we found are better. Keeps them out of trouble for some time. Unless like our 1st dog who worked out it was less work for same reward. By taking it to bed and pushing it round a confined space.
 

vickster

Legendary Member
My brother has a male Rottweiler-cross 1 year old. He destroyed an "indestructible" Tonka toy in under a day but Antler (and old marrow bone from the old dog) seem to survive! He has a mouth like a T-Rex 😳🦖
 

berty bassett

Legendary Member
Location
I'boro
Another one for kong - they do some proper lasting toys , ever morning I have to fill a kong with treats and leave them to sort it out - keeps them quiet for 1/2 hr sometimes
 

Psamathe

Senior Member
I'd also recommend Komg.

you can get some shapes that you also buy some paste stuff (edible) that you push into the hole and ccupies dog as they try and lick it out.

I've personally not be keen on the eBay product linked to as I have a big mistrust of product on eBay.

Ian
 

vickster

Legendary Member
I'd also recommend Komg.

you can get some shapes that you also buy some paste stuff (edible) that you push into the hole and ccupies dog as they try and lick it out.

I've personally not be keen on the eBay product linked to as I have a big mistrust of product on eBay.

Ian

Very hard to clean properly though (the Rottie cross has one)
 

Psamathe

Senior Member
Very hard to clean properly though (the Rottie cross has one)
Thinking back, I also remember getting some harder chew things (made by Kong) that fitted into the toy. So unlike the paste the edible chew served same purpose (dog spending ages chewing a bit then trying to get more out ...) but only saliva left on toy (same as for any toy that enters dog's mouth.

Ian
 

Psamathe

Senior Member
Another toy (non chew) that was tough and occupied and engaged my dogs was (I can only describe it, don't know what they are called) a rigit plastic ball maybe 6-8 inches diam with some holes. You put some dried food inside (some versions you put in through the holes, otherf had a flap). Give to dog and they have to knock the ball around and occasionally a bit of food would drop which encourages them to knock ball around more ... Can take some time for them to emplt the ball (the dried food moving around inside the ball makes noise so you know when it's empty.

One version I has you could adjust the size of the holes to make it easier/harder but basic ball with a few holes was toughest.

Ian
 

Psamathe

Senior Member
All of which reminds me of the internet text thing frequently "passed around". Rules about ownership by puppies.
Puppy Property Law
1. If I like it, it's mine.
2. If it's in my mouth, it's mine.
3. If I can take it from you, it's mine.
4. If I had it a little while ago, it's mine.
5. If it's mine, it must never appear to be yours in any way.
6. If I'm chewing something up, all the pieces are mine.
7. If it just looks like mine, it's mine.
8. If I saw it first, it's mine.
9. If you are playing with something and you put it down, it automatically becomes mine.
10. If it's broken, it's yours.
Not mine, I'm just repeating it uncertain as to where I got it from and even more unkmnown author.

Ian
 
Loads of stuff out there for dogs of all kinds. Kongs are tough if they are the hard rubber ones. Forgetabout the kong branded, indestructible squeaky toys. They are not. Our border terrier destroyed hers in about 20 seconds. The same with another soft and squeaky toy that claimed to be indestructible but the squeak lasted 30 seconds and the rest about another 10 seconds afterwards.

Those rounded Kong cone things are indestructible but dogs can get bored of them. Plus if you get one the right size a clever dog that is food obsessed will clear it out and lose interest in about 10 minutes or less. Then it is just another object lying around for you to step on.

Things our dog got most use out of was elk antler. Be careful if it has a spike on it as our dog nearly poked it into its ey by chewing on the other side. However the ones with the spike on gives more interest to dogs that love to chew as they can attack it in more ways. A straight antler piece allows the dog to chewe the innards out from each end that keeps them interested for longer time. Our dog is a terrier but I am not sure hwo tough her teeth are but she has never had any issues with elk antlers. Avoid other antlers AIUI the other tyopes of antlers can shatter creating sharp pieces. The Elk antler does not do that. A tough toothed terrier with a strong bite will end up cherwing through elk antler.

Deer legs! Stinky, greasy things but it will confuse your dog for a while. Then it will love it to destruction and disappearance!! It should keep a dog occupied for a while.

Avoid things like pigs ears and trotters as they tend to be produced with chemicals banned for human use due them being carcinogenic. Dogs they used any chemical on that soft thing that is preserved for feeding dogs.

Tennis balls for play. Avoid all ones made for dogs as a terrier should destroy it in seconds. I would however recommend head professional tennis balls from amazon. They are fairly cheap but they bounce better than the rather poor dog balls. Our dog can destroy a dog tennis ball in seconds. I am talking skinning it then chewing it to bits in seconds not minutes!! A proper tennis ball, whilst more expensive, lasts weeks with our dog. No idea if other dogs are the same but getting that slightly better meant our dog played with it rather than just killing it, skinning it and eating it (or rather tearing into small bits and leaving them around the house in small but neat piles of pieces in a few spots around the house. Seriously, one cheap dog ball gets the innards left in neat piles but she makes one pile then moves on to create a second, third and so on until it is done.

Avoid foam balls even the tougher feeling ones. Most dogs of a chewing nature will destroy and they end up all over the house in a right mess that vacuum cleaners struggle to pick up. That is ok to annoy relatives you take the dog to but not for your own house!!

I have a green ball out of rubber that has a hex mesh on one side and solid the other. I put in gravy bones or other biscuit and our dog takes a few minutes to get it out. Unfortunately she broke one of the hole sides such that it now makes it too easy to get things out of it. That does allow us to put bigger biscuits in there that make it harder for her to get out. When she is pestering for treats this toy with one in gets here attention then she kind of relaxes and sleeps a bit more after she has finished with it.

Of course all dogs are different and one person's advice might not work with another person's dog. It is fun trying things out with your own dog to get what works for you and your dog.

PS taking your dog to another dogs house and allowing it to find all the lost and missing toys is another pasttime that our dog likes. She is an expert at nicking other dogs food, toys, treats and balls. It is an activity that will keep her busy for some time. Even finding lost toys from a year ago!!
 
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