We all enjoy shopping for the best chew toys for our furry best friends. There’s no question that dog chew toys have evolved over the years, and continue to do so, becoming more durable for those aggressive chewers. Today, dog chew toys are effective in oral care, and are featured with many different chew strengths for all types of chewers.
High-quality dog dental chew toys that are free of toxins are made especially for extended periods of chew time. They keep your furry best friend busy, and also are specifically designed for dental health.
At Chopper & Otis, all our dog toysare free from BPA, PVC, phthalates, vinyl, and hard plastics, and contain no harmful dyes or dangerous chemicals. They’re FDA compliant and safe. That said, it’s important for pet parents to understand that the materials from which your dog chew toys are made from matters.
High-Quality Dog Chew Toys Are Top Priority
With so many dog chew toys out on the market, it only makes sense to know what to look for when choosing the best chew toy for your dog. With some chew toys, you can even smell the toxins if you sniff the toy.
Dog Chew Toy Antlers, Hooves, & Dog Bones May Cause Broken Teeth and Dangerous Blockages
Slab fracture on a healthy adult dog's tooth
Additionally, it’s important to note that antlers, hooves, and dog bones can break up into many pieces, cut your dog’s mouth, break teeth, and also splinter inside his mouth. Dog antlers should not be used as dog chews, since they result in dangerous blockages that could be life threatening.
Although the $20 that you spend on a dog antler chew toy may seem like a good deal, it’s really not worth it in the end since abdominal surgery and dental emergencies may run up into the thousands of dollars.
With dental chew toys being the healthiest way to support oral health in pets, it’s recommended that all chew toys are beneficial tools in canine dental hygiene. They need to be gentle on a dog’s teeth, and the product needs to be geared toward preventing dental damage like cracked or broken teeth.
Combining regular brushing with regular check-ups, and professional cleanings helps to avoid dental decay. That said, by avoiding dangerous dog dental products that could break off a tooth or damage a tooth, resulting with a huge veterinary bill, it’s best to opt for safe and natural dog chews that are non-toxic and eco-friendly.
Today, we’re going to show you what to look out for, and explain the four different types of dog chew toy strengths made specifically for all dog breeds. Also you’ll need to watch out for any ingredients that are not listed on the toy label. In that case, you’ll need to contact the company directly to get more information. That said, here are the no-no’s for dog chew toys. Think about it! Dogs should not consume toxic products.
A dog chew toy should have none of these chemicals:
- BPA, PVC, phthalates, vinyl, and hard plastics
- Chemically-laden or any other harmful dyes
- Other cancer causing chemicals
Chew Toys for a Dog’s Teeth
Chew toys will feature numerous designs and sometimes even flavoring like peppermint to freshen your dog’s breath. A high-quality chew toy may have the following features:
- Natural woven cotton rope that will floss teeth
- Numerous textures and paw grip areas for dogs to hold their chew toys while chewing
- Features such as grooves, bumps and holes that encourage play and mentally stimulate a dog
- Available in different sizes suitable for different dog size
- Durable and pliable that doesn't hurt dogs' teeth
- Safe with a non-toxic sleeve
- Washable, and dishwasher top-rack friendly
- Eco-friendly and recyclable
Natural woven cotton rope that will floss teeth
What Happens When Your Dog Chews a Toy?
The chew toy is exposed to saliva, tooth pressure, and warmth. This will activate any toxins within a toy. That said, it’s important to only purchase BPA-free dog chew toys, so as to make sure that your dog is not ingesting toxic materials during playtime.
When choosing the best chew toy for your dog, it’s important to consider your dog’s breed, age, size and playstyle. That said, there can be huge breeds that are gentle chewers, and little breeds that go through chew toysfast. Clicker training yourdog and rewarding with a chew toy also allows for fun during positive dog training classes. Chew toys can also be used at the dog park, dog beach and on holidays when on a pet vacay to keep your doggo busy.
The material used in any chew toy needs to be long lasting and durable, so that it does not break apart soon after he starts chewing. Dog toys have to be gentle on a dog’s teeth, so as not to chip them. All-natural rubber dog chew toys and hemp ropes make for a good choice.
Chew Toys are separated into 4 Categories.
Chew Toys for Gentle Chewers
Casual or gentle chewers love to play hide and seek with their toys, and also toss them around. Aggressive chewers need to have highly durable chew toys for safety issues. All dogs need to have toys of the appropriate size.
A small dog breed will need a small toy that fits perfectly into his mouth, but that he won’t choke on. Very small toys pose a choking hazard to both large and small dogs. Gentle chew toys have the following features:
- The toys bend easily, and are soft.
- These gentle chew toys are good for snuggling, tugging, and to use as a treat dispenser.
- The toys are interactive and colorful
- They prove mental stimulation and ease boredom
- Chew toys help with canine dental care
- They can be filled with treats and frozen to provide pain relief in teething pups
Chew Toys for Moderate Chewers
Thesetoys are durable, but do not fallinto the tough chewer category. These can be good for chomping, burying, and playing with. Some of these chew toys are squishy soft with vibrant, fun colors, and others that can be filled withtreats like the Hippo, Life Ring Treat Dispenser and Orbee-Tuff Lil Snoop
Some dogs prefer gentle soft toys for occasional chewing.
Chew Toys for Tough Chewer
These face the test of time, and are also mentally stimulating for dogs. They’re not only interactive, but durable too.With these toys you can add peanut butter, meaty treats, salmon, and biscuits which all get licked and gnawed out with a bit of time. Some of these toys will have a rugged surface to massage your dog’s teeth and gums.
Pet parents can also freeze these during the summer or when their pup is teething to help ease teething pain. Tough treat chew toys can also be used to play toss and fetch, and like most chew toys are dish washer friendly.
Chew Toys Power Chewer
These are super tough toys that are made forthe power chewers that can chew endlessly, and end up destroying their chew toys. These toys also withstand force, but that said, they will NEVER LAST INDEFINITELY! No dog chew toy will!
Even the most durable chew toy will eventually break, and will need to be replaced. As with all toys, there needs to be supervision when dogs chew them to make sure that no chewtoy bits are swallowed. If there are any bits that have broken off and injured your dog’s mouth or that have been swallowed, it will be necessary to visit your veterinarian. Pet parents can also use a pet camera to record and watch their dogs playing with their chew toys. This allows for you to see what their favorite toys are, and the amount of time that they play with each toy. That said, you’ll know their favorite toys!
Pet parents need to read all the product instructions, and follow them. That said, we have one large and very popular chew toy for giant breeds up to 90lbs. For more on this super chew toy, visit Magnum Can Toy
All in all, it’s up to every pet parent to understand what type of dog chew their furry best friend needs, and to supervise their dogs with their new chew toys. Think of dog chew toys like toys for children. When little ones play with their toys, you’re bound to watch them to make sure that they’re safe. The same rules apply with your doggo and his new chew toy! Always supervise, and as soon as a toy gets worn out, replace it with a few new vibrant and safe interactive chew toys. After all, what’s more fun than toy shopping for your furry best friend?
Until next time--
