How to Occupy a Power Chewer: Part I

Chewing is an important activity for all dogs; it's what keeps their jaws strong, their mouths healthy, and their minds occupied for a while. The amount of chewing a dog needs to do varies with age, breed, and personality. When faced with a dog that does chew a lot, making sure he or she knows what's off limits can be a challenge, especially if your pet tends to chew right through most toys. Regardless of whether or not you've got a power chewer in your house it is important to keep an adequate amount of chew toys around for the health of your dog.

It's important that your canine companion understands right away what's his and what isn't. Giving him sturdy chew toys and discouraging the chewing of other objects from early on will help teach this. The following products are common chew toys available for dogs, along with the pros and cons of each product.

Rawhides

Generally, a rawhide is the skin of a cow or pig. Pig ears fall into this category. The best thing about a rawhide is probably the fact that it gives your dog a goal--most dogs with their adult teeth can finish a rawhide in a single sitting. While dogs tend to enjoy them and many eat them without a problem, many pet owners refuse to give rawhides to their dogs due to potential health risks. Rawhides may be bleached and/or chemically processed, and the chemicals are absorbed by your pet upon ingestion. Additionally, rawhides get soft and clump back together in the digestive system, making them difficult to digest. If you're going to give your dog rawhide, only do so under supervision and be sure to buy a brand that has not been chemically processed.

Animal Bones

Feeding your dog animal bones can be risky business. It's usually not a great idea to feed bones from leftovers (such as chicken bones) because they can splinter and cause internal damage. Purchasing large, smoked bones that a dog cannot eat (such as beef knuckles or femurs) is safer and likely to provide your dog with something to chew on for weeks or months, depending on size. Again, choosing a brand is important here to ensure that you know the animals the bones came from were healthy. It's best to supervise your dog when given one of these, especially at first, to ensure that no sharp pieces of bone splinter off and to ensure that the bone is not so hard that it chips your pet's teeth.

Part II