Bone chewing helps to remove plaque and tartar build-up, soothe boredom, and calm teething dogs. Furthermore, it keeps their teeth healthy by protecting against breaking or fracture.
However, not all bones are beneficial to all dogs. Cooked bones (including table scraps) can become hazardous when digested by dogs; deer and elk antlers may prove too difficult for their jaws to chew on safely resulting in dental fractures for your pup!
Dental Chews
Dental chews for dogs help remove plaque and tartar build-up on their teeth, thus improving breath. Most chews come flavored to make the experience more enjoyable for both pet parents and dogs alike, with some also providing omegas, quercetin or colostrum to support gum health or provide other benefits like colostrum production.
When selecting a dental chew or stick for your dog, keep their life stage and size in mind. Puppies need chews that won’t break easily while senior dogs require softer ones due to weaker jaws. Furthermore, select one which can be given under supervision in order to prevent your pup from choking on it!
Low-fat treats designed with ridges and air pockets to effectively clean a dog’s teeth of plaque and tartar, including grain-free varieties made of sweet flavors dogs love! Not only that but the ingredients support overall oral health as well, such as salmon oil to promote skin and fur health and cultured skim milk with decaffeinated green tea extract for breath freshening purposes.
Raw Bones
Raw bones provide dogs with essential minerals like calcium and phosphorous for growth and health, including essential vitamin K for bone formation. Chewing on bones also stimulates salivation production containing components of an immune system designed to kill pathogens in their mouth.
Different bones vary in terms of toughness; some are considered edible chews while others recreational. Examples of edible bones include chicken feet, necks and wing tips while recreation bones include thicker weight bearing bones such as hip or bison femur bones that contain bone marrow.
Be sure to select a bone that meets the needs of your pet’s chewing habits without becoming a choking hazard, and monitor their chewing so they do not gnaw through and swallow any part of it into their digestive tract and risk blockages. Bones provide mental and physical stimulation while distracting your pup from destructive chewing behaviors like self-licking or furniture chewing.
Synthetic Chews
Dog bones and chews provide mental stimulation and physical exercise to dogs while helping their jaws be exercised and their teeth clean naturally. Giving your pup something safe to chew on also deters them from chewing up shoes or furniture!
No matter which raw or synthetic chews you give your dog, it is crucial that they be monitored while eating it. Bones can splinter and cause serious choking incidents while cooked bones may lead to digestive issues, vomiting and rectal bleeding for some dogs.
Synthetic chews for dogs can be safer alternatives as they’re usually made out of nylon and contain natural flavors, making them easy on your pup’s teeth and comfortable as they chew away at it. Look for one with some pliability that breaks into pieces as your pup chews, to prevent large chunks being swallowed whole by their jaws. This way they won’t end up swallowing something larger than what fits inside their mouth.
