[Kari P]

Where did you get your Frontline Plus from? I have read about counterfeit products being sold online. I buy Frontline Plus off of Amazon because it is so much cheaper than anywhere else, and we have never had a problem using it on our dog or any of the dogs in the rescue I volunteer with. I am however careful to check each box to make sure it is a genuine product. Sorry to hear about your dog.

[Kari P]

I live in the northeast, where lyme disease is a very real threat. We use Frontline Plus on our 63 lb boxer/rottie mix and the rescue I volunteer for (and that we adopted our dog from) uses Frontline Plus on all of their dogs. I have not heard of anyone having issues. We also have our dog vaccinated for Lyme, as recommended by our vet.

I order my Frontline from Amazon because it is so much cheaper than I can get anywhere else, but I have been careful to check all of the packaging and product codes to make sure they are genuine because I have heard of fake products being delivered through online channels. So far, we have not had any issues, and our dog has remained flea and tick free.

[Kari P]

I had a foster dog nearly choke on a rawhide bone. It partially obstructed his airway for close to half an hour and I had to encourage him to keep drinking water until it softened enough for him to swallow it. I will never give rawhide to another dog.

The best chews are ones that are hard enough to provide resistance and help clean the gum line but not so brittle that they splinter or can break into chunks small enough to swallow. Really hard chews, like hard antlers and bones, can break teeth. It is important to keep in mind that not all antlers and bones are the same. Elk antlers tend to be softer than those from deer, and split antlers are softer than whole antlers. Also, fresh sheds are softer and much safer for dogs than older sheds, which tend to be whiter in color and very brittle. These antlers are harder and can splinter, but being lower quality they are generally much cheaper. I wouldn’t be surprised if many of the broken teeth that vets see are due to people giving their dogs poor quality antlers.

Softer supportive “bones” like tracheas provide enough texture and hardness for dogs to enjoy chewing on but are not so brittle that they will splinter or break a dogs teeth.

Some people have good luck with Himilayan dog chews. Our dog devoured his in less than half an hour but some people say they last weeks. These do have some flavor, but the odor is mild and non-offensive, and they don’t stain.

Whimzees are an all natural dental chew that fall into the “hard enough to satisfy the need to chew but soft enough to be easily digestible and not break teeth” category. They aren’t inexpensive though, and they last maybe 5 minutes with our dog.

Chew toys made of durable but flexible rubber are wonderful as well. Whether or not your dog likes these (or destroys them) very much depends on your individual dog but we have a Kong that has lasted our dog as well as a Bionic Bone that he loves.

Our dog’s preferred chew toy is his Nylabone. It is hard and durable enough to last and satisfy his chewing needs, but doesn’t splinter and is not so brittle that it breaks teeth.

For us, the toys are a good option because our dog will fixate on scented/flavored chews and go at them until they are no more. The toys are better for playing with and redirecting him, as we are showing him what is appropriate to bite/chew on, but not giving a “treat” reward for nipping behavior.

[Kari P]

I think eggs are one of the easiest to source cruelty free animal proteins. I know many many people who have chickens who are probably treated better than many people’s dogs – cuddled, fed organic food, given healthy living spaces and room to roam and forage, and kept and loved well beyond their egg bearing years. Also, naturally shed antlers are a great cruelty free animal product that can help satisfy a dog’s need to chew.

[Kari P]

My friend also makes her dogs frozen peanut butter and banana treats. She just slices bananas, dabs PB on top, and freezes them on a cookie sheet.

This summer I’m going to try to make dog ice cream using dog safe ingredients like peanut butter, banana, cheese, sweet potato, carrots, and blueberries. I’m just planning on putting everything in a blender/food processor then freezing it in a muffin tin. I think it would be easy to do and less expensive than buying dog ice cream for him.

[Kari P]

I LOVE this topic. I’m looking for different recipes to make homemade treats for my dog. I’ve seen dog cakes, biscuits, and ice cream that I would love to replicate.

My boyfriend makes dog treats out of spent grain leftover from brewing homemade beer.

2 cups of spent grain
1 cup flour
1 egg
1/2 cup peanut butter

Spread the mixture thin and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 225 and cook for another 2 hours to dry them out. The treats must be dry otherwise they will mold when you store them.

Our dog and our friends’ dogs happily gobble these treats. Obviously they are not nutritionally balanced, but the ingredients aren’t harmful and its a great way to make home brewing more sustainable.

[Kari P]

We use Whimzees, as they are made of all natural ingredients, don’t stain, and appear to be easily digested by our dog. We haven’t had any issues with them, but they are expensive.

I wouldn’t use Greenies based on reports of foam, blockage issues, and questionable ingredients. Dentastix ingredients list is also really long and concerning. Blue Buffalo Dental Bones and Zuke’s Z-Bones are the only other two dental chews I have found that contain natural ingredients, but both are expensive as well. Both have higher protein content than Whimzees though. I personally don’t see any reason to feed a dog a vegetarian product, but both Whimzees and Zuke’s are vegetarian if that matters to you.

Most brands recommend one stick per day, but keep in mind these are extra calories. I prefer to feed dental sticks less frequently because they are so expensive so I tend to give them to our dog on days when he is more active.

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