Chewing, a real need for dogs
To be he althy in his head and in his hair, a dog needs various daily activities and chewing is one of them.
This need is all the more felt in dogs that are fed with kibble or industrial food. The latter generally ingest the contents of their bowl very quickly without taking the time to chew the contents for very long. In these dogs, the masticatory need is therefore not satisfied at me altime. If he is also not physically spent enough, he can then find other things to do to occupy himself, such as tearing your shoes apart or gnawing on the legs of the chairs in the dining room.What you consider nonsense will then only be ways for your dog to occupy himself and satisfy his unsatisfied chewing needs.
Chewing therefore gives your animal activity, soothes its boredom and gives it real satisfaction.
But in addition, chewing activity promotes good oral he alth for the dog by eliminating a large part of the dental plaque at the origin of the pie. In addition to regular brushing of his teeth, giving him chews will therefore help to space out the scaling sessions at the veterinarian.
But what can we concretely give him to chew? Here is a non-exhaustive list of objects to chew as well as the precautions for use
A bone
We hear just about everything and its opposite about the possibility of giving your dog real bones to gnaw. So, can you give your pet bones to gnaw or is it dangerous for him?
It is of course possible to give your dog bones to gnaw on, but not just any bone to just any dog.
First of all, it's about NOT giving:
- cooked bones to your dog. Cooked bones are too fragile and break too easily into splinters which could cause wounds and/or digestive perforations in your animal. So only feed your dog RAW bones,
- small bones (poultry or rabbit bones for example) if they are not fleshy, i.e. still completely surrounded by meat. In other words, you can feed a whole raw chicken leg or drumstick or rabbit leg to your dog but not those same bones stripped of the flesh around them,
- bones that would not be adapted to the size of your companion's jaw. No beef femur for a Chihuahua! He wouldn't be big enough to gnaw on it and his jaw wouldn't measure up to the hardness of such a bone,
- a very solid bone to a dog trying to chew it. This is the guaranteed dental fracture! Get to know your dog's chewing style. If he tries to crunch a beef femur instead of gnawing it quietly, it means that this type of bone is not made for him!
Also avoid giving real bones to gnaw on to a young dog that has not completed its growth. The bones are rich in calcium and an excess of calcium in a puppy who also receives already well-balanced food rations could be harmful to him!
Synthetic bones: be careful!
Synthetic bones, also known as rawhide, sinew or compressed skin bones, are to be avoided in dogs. Indigestible, these "bones" soften as the dog chews and must be removed before being ingested at the risk of causing digestive occlusions.Plus, they're made with controversial additives that could harm your pet's he alth. These products should therefore be avoided!
A dried pork or beef ear
Consisting of cartilage and skin, dried pork and beef ears are generally very popular with dogs who take great pleasure in chewing them.
This type of chew should however be given to them sparingly because they are rich in collagen, a protein that dogs cannot digest and which can cause diarrhea.
In dogs who swallow large fragments, they can also be the cause of digestive occlusions. So remember to always watch him during his chewing sessions!
An antler
Deer antlers, originating from the natural fall of deer antlers, are generally very popular with our domestic canines. Untreated, they generally contain no additives and provide long-lasting chewing activity for the dog.
Deer antlers are sold in whole sections for adult dogs with good oral he alth and a powerful jaw or sliced for small breed adult dogs or for senior dogs with more fragile teeth. Note, however, that their great resistance can be the cause of dental fractures in dogs. It is therefore necessary to systematically monitor your animal if you provide it with deer antlers!
A buffalo horn
Buffalo horn is an ideal choice for dogs who like to chew for hours. Very fragrant, it can nevertheless bother you unlike your dog who will, on the contrary, be very attracted by this enticing smell. Less hard than deer antler, buffalo horn is however quite resistant and should be avoided in dogs with weak teeth.
Olive wood
Olive wood is a vegetable alternative to other chews that are generally offered to dogs.It is a simply dried and sanded piece of olive wood that produces no splinters or splinters when the dog chews on it. It can be infused in olive oil to increase the dog's appetite for this wood.
Olive wood can be suitable for all dogs if you choose a stick adapted to the size of your animal.
A heather root
Coming from cut tree roots, heather root is another plant alternative to bones, deer antlers or buffalo horns to meet your dog's chewing needs. Stripped of its tannins by treatment with boiling water, the heather root is then dried, ground and sometimes infused in olive oil.
The heather root has the particularity of not splitting and of not producing splinters of wood when the dog chews it. It can be suitable for all dogs.
Precautions to be observed
When you give an object to chew on your dog, it helps to satisfy his need to chew but it can expose him to multiple dangers such as:
- injuries of the oral cavity and tongue,
- tooth fractures,
- ingesting a piece of the object that can cause digestive occlusions,
- various digestive disorders in case of excessive consumption.
Zero risk does not exist, but it is possible to greatly limit the risks incurred by adapting the type, size and texture of the object to chew according to your dog's chewing behavior, its age, oral he alth and height.
Also always keep in mind that when giving an object to chew on your dog, it is necessary to go gradually while monitoring your dog's behavior.Remove the object (by exchanging it for a treat) if your dog tries to chew it, he risks swallowing a large piece of it or when the object has become too small to be swallowed "whole round" by the dog.
If your dog has digestive sensitivity or dental sensitivity, it is best to use a suitable Kong-type toy or a Pipolino®-type kibble dispenser as alternatives to chews.
Obviously, any abnormal symptom that appears after chewing an object must be the subject of a quick consultation with the veterinarian.