Sticks may seem like the ideal chew toy for puppies, but they can actually be quite hazardous. Splintered sticks can puncture wounds to the mouth or throat or esophagus and swallowed sticks can lodge themselves in the throat and blockage or infection may occur causing blockage and infection; sticks from certain trees such as black walnut, yew and red maple can even be toxic to canines!
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1. Promotes Healthy Teeth
Puppies experience oral discomfort while teething, so a safe stick can provide much-needed relief and stimulate saliva production to neutralize any bacteria in their mouths. Make sure they’re monitored while chewing so they don’t swallow small pieces!
Natural dental chews are an ideal addition to your dog’s diet as they help decrease tartar and plaque buildup that leads to gum disease, improving gum health and helping avoid future issues like tooth decay, swollen gums and even gastrointestinal distress. Chewing on dental sticks also improves gum health further and may help avoid future dental decay as well as future issues like tooth decay or even digestive distress.
Select chew sticks made from one natural ingredient, such as yak pizzle, to avoid harmful additives and ensure your puppy can chew thoroughly while also discouraging them from swallowing larger pieces that could block his throat or lead to an intestinal obstruction.
2. Helps Clean Teeth
Puppy chew sticks can help your pup maintain healthy gums and teeth by reducing plaque and tartar build-up, and may provide relief during teething discomfort.
A great dental chew for puppies should contain various textures and materials to gently but effectively clean teeth as your pup chews. Natural Cravings’ chews feature ridged nubs which scrub against your pup’s enamel surface as they chew. Furthermore, this American-sourced and processed treat makes an important statement to pet parents concerned about chemical additives in pet products.
Other chews from Veggiedent, for instance, provide long-term dental hygiene by scraping teeth against each other – providing an alternative to rawhide chews that can leave sharp edges on their gums or cause splintering of their own.
3. Freshens Breath
Puppies have an insatiable urge to chew and swallow everything they come across, including toilet paper rolls and leather shoes. This behavior can lead to choking, blockages and tear damage or infection in the mouth or throat; sticks may even break off and form splinters which lodge in gums or tongues, perforating digestive tracts or perforating into other body cavities.
Dental sticks made with all-natural ingredients will help your pup freshen his breath and reduce tartar buildup without resorting to chemicals. Opt for chews with one nutritious ingredient like beef pizzle; those that contain numerous, hard-to-pronounce additives should be avoided.
Verify your puppy has the strength and maturity needed to use a dental chew before giving it to them. Klein suggests restricting these treats for puppies who have transitioned from baby teeth to adult teeth (typically by six months of age).
4. Safer Than Rawhide
Puppies typically enter their chewing stage to explore their world, exercise their jaws and hone natural defense instincts. But their chewing process can also be hazardous as puppies can easily choke on rawhide chew sticks if they chew too hard or swallow large chunks.
Therefore, it’s essential that you choose a chew stick which is safe, digestible and not too hard for puppy teeth. Collagen chew sticks made from 100% beef are much safer and healthier alternatives to rawhide for this purpose.
Long-lasting chew options such as knuckle bones, rib bones and stuffed femur bones should also be monitored carefully; any pieces swallowed could lead to choking, obstruction and even GI blockage in your dog.
5. Safer Than Antlers
Puppies tend to chew on objects such as sticks and furniture during teething, as this natural behavior helps them relieve teething pain, eliminate boredom and delay the emergence of adult teeth.
Antlers may seem like the ideal chew toy choice, but they’re actually not that safe for your pup to play with. Antlers tend to break apart easily and may irritate a puppy’s throat or mouth; additionally, they may cause internal damage as well as punctures in its body.
Bully sticks, on the other hand, are made with only one safe ingredient – beef pizzles – making them safer and more durable choices for puppies.
