[DANNY K]

Ok, I have read and read and read, and have yet to find the “safest” chew treat available. Seems like everyone has had issues whether e coli, salmonella, chard, or choking. My pup is a very aggressive chewer/eater. So we gave him Nylabones the breeder provided, I think they were gone in minutes. I am afraid of bullysticks or anything as he will demolish them and probably choke. I want no nylon, plastic or artificial crap. Then I hear the hard stuff can mess up there teeth.

Is there any solution?

[Gloria K]

I’m curious to know what kind of dog you have that could possibly demolish a Nyla bone in minutes LOL. My Mickey, a 13 pound terrier mix, is one of the most aggressive chewers I’ve ever seen with extremely strong teeth and his Nyla bones will last him for months. Have you talk to your vet? He could probably advise you as to what this aggressive chewer could safely gnaw on.

[Pitlove]

ive used deer/elk antlers for my pitbull since he was a few months old. no issues at all, lasts for a long time if you get an oversized one with very little marrow exposed.

• This reply was modified 10 years ago by Pitlove.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Danny K-
We attach vice grips to our dogs’ bully sticks to stop them from trying to swallow them whole before they chew them. We have been doing this for a couple of years with no issues. They are 80lb golden lab brothers. Give it a try!

[aquariangt]

If they are an aggressive chewer, antlers would freak me out. I think a bully stick in a vice grip or stuck in a kong are a good bet. Or instead frozen kongs

[crazy4cats]

Yes, frozen kongs are great too! I would never ever consider antlers unless I could attach it to a vice grip or something similar. I could just see them trying to put whole thing in their mouths!

[Pitlove]

bentley my pit is quite the aggressive chewer and no broken teeth or huge pieces swallow. i do monitor the size of the antler every day and when it gets to the point where he can fit most of it in his mouth it gets thrown out. thats why i buy him ones that are so oversized he looks ridiculous with it in his mouth.

its just my opinion but its the only thing that has worked for me that he can destroy in 5 mins flat. i got him a bully stick one time and i blinked and it was gone. not really worth my money for him but they are great and i recommend them a lot at work to people. they just dont work for bentley with how fast he can eat them.

[C4D]

Unfortunately, there is no “one chew fits all”. One of my dogs is a very aggressive chewer and has broken teeth resulting in some very expensive dental bills. She did it on a thick bully stick. I use a variety of hard rubber type chews along with pig or bison ears, trachea, snouts. They don’t last as long, but they’re safer in preventing any more breakage. The frozen stuffed Kongs Aquariangt suggested are a great choice.

[Jen W]

My dogs all enjoy Nylabones, they’re a bull terrier x basenji cross and two pit bull type dogs. They are between 44 and 79lbs, respectively. They all can chew for hours and get a variety of goodies.

I have nylabones for all of them and they all use them frequently, you can sandpaper them down a little bit to get them smoothed out and not so horrible to step on.

We also use bully sticks, bully slices, pig ears, cow ears, and like – my little one doesn’t always care for them, but the two larger ones love the flavorful real treats. They also all get knuckle bones and such once in a while as well and if a small piece is broken off they’re tossed.

My little one, Kay has an antler and she enjoys that sometimes, but it isn’t her favorite treat. she is very selective, one day she loves it the next she could care less.

If antlers, and something strong is what you are after, I would steer clear of the deer and go for a larger animal. My friend’s lab mix annihilated one of Kay’s antlers within twenty minutes. It was a split shed, you could see the spongy inside and they just tore it to bits.

Acadia Antlers has moose antlers, natural sheds and they come in flavors and have other projects. for the items it really isn’t a too bad deal. I’ve had it on my mind to order from them just haven’t but their reviews seem to be great. Just have to worry about power chewers who will do it at any and all costs and will break a tooth.

[Naturella]

For my Bruno – a 14.5lb Rat Terrier-Jack Russell mix, we gave him antlers since we adopted him at 4-5 months of age. We also gave stuffed Kongs, bully sticks, fish skins, Nylabones, Himalayan dog chews, etc. He is a moderate chewer nowadays so he still gets the same things, plus stuffed and frozen hooves.

For a heavy chewer, stuffed and frozen Kongs would be your best bet, I believe. I never had a problem with hooves or antlers, even when Bruno used to be a heavy chewer in his puppyhood, but just make sure you always monitor your dog when chewing on toys to prevent any disasters. Bruno used to try to swallow 2-3 inches of fish skins whole, so we started putting vice grips on them, and now he chews them up all the way properly.

[Jen W]

I have contemplated the Himalayan myself, do they stand up to heavy chew? I’d like to get my three them, but I worry they will wear them down, and at 11ish a piece they are not cheap singles.

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