It seems that (almost) all the packaged chews say not suitable for puppies. What's are some good edible chews for an 8-9 week old puppy?
Edible Chews for Puppies
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Raw chicken feet, or necks, raw soup bones (makes sure there aren't sharp edges).
Baby Kong stuffed with moistened kibble or canned food.
Lickimat with same options.
Small bully sticks.
You just want to be careful with the edible chews, because if they ingest too much it can cause stomach upset, or replace too much of their meals so they don't get proper nutrition.
Baby Kong stuffed with moistened kibble or canned food.
Lickimat with same options.
Small bully sticks.
You just want to be careful with the edible chews, because if they ingest too much it can cause stomach upset, or replace too much of their meals so they don't get proper nutrition.
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Here's a good list: The Ultimate List of Natural Chews for Raw Fed Dogs | Keep the Tail Wagging, you can find a lot of soft raw bones and other good chews on Raw Food Supplier for Pets – Raw Feeding Miami, and The Honest Kitchen has some good ones that include dehydrated fish/fish skin. Off the top of my head I could list bully sticks (although a friend of mine's dog broke their teeth on bully sticks, so you'd have to be careful with those), braided lamb skin, dried green tripe sticks etc... Good luck finding one that works for you!
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Maybe I'm thinking about this wrong. Do puppies need/want edible chews? Or is that just for older puppies after they loose their puppy teeth? Just nutritious food for now?
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All puppies like to chew.
You might be able to get raw chicken feet at the grocery store. Crunchy.
You might be able to get raw chicken feet at the grocery store. Crunchy.
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Even though puppies don't need edible chews, most want a place to channel that instinct to chew, and sometimes when there's no outlet for that instinct, it can lead to chewing unwanted things like shoes chair/table legs etc... It does depend on the individual puppy though.
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Yeah, good question. I would just start off with a lamb ear, a pig ear, a cow ear, and a bully stick.
You are already more then prepared to get through the first 2-3 weeks.
You are already more then prepared to get through the first 2-3 weeks.
OK. Ears it is!
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Teething puppies love to chew. I give carrots from the fridge, ice cubes. Raw hides, Kong or hard rubber toys.
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I've had to reach down a choking dog's throat one too many times to ever give mine a rawhide ever again.
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When you bring your puppy to the first vet visit, ask your vet.
Mine told me not to every give a dog anything that my nail can't dent - so nothing hard like deer antlers. I was also told no raw bones - the practice has seen quite a few dogs with broken teeth. One of our long time members, Mollymuimu (who sadly passed away) was a vet tech and very careful with her dog - she was feeding her minipoo mix raw chicken wigs and was shocked to discover her dog had several cracked teeth that needed to be pulled. There are so many good choices, don't look for trouble. Confirm with your vet because they may have a different recommendation. There's a lot of "chew" items for sale that never used to be, commercial companies have discovered new markets for items that may or may not be good for dogs. There is little to no oversight so it's buyer beware.
I like bully sticks - and so do my dogs. I fill Kongs with part of their dinner. There's also different types of food dispensers so if your puppy doesn't like Kong, try the other choices. Pig's ears, yak cheese and soft rubbery teething toys. My older poodle likes sliced of carrots, some dogs love fresh green beans.
I often see nylabone recommended - I've never tried those. Most recommendations say to avoid raw hides because there's a higher incidence of choking and need for surgery - depending on how a dog chews raw hide. Some raw hide has chemicals from processing Do watch your dog with any chew toys.
vcahospitals.com
Mine told me not to every give a dog anything that my nail can't dent - so nothing hard like deer antlers. I was also told no raw bones - the practice has seen quite a few dogs with broken teeth. One of our long time members, Mollymuimu (who sadly passed away) was a vet tech and very careful with her dog - she was feeding her minipoo mix raw chicken wigs and was shocked to discover her dog had several cracked teeth that needed to be pulled. There are so many good choices, don't look for trouble. Confirm with your vet because they may have a different recommendation. There's a lot of "chew" items for sale that never used to be, commercial companies have discovered new markets for items that may or may not be good for dogs. There is little to no oversight so it's buyer beware.
I like bully sticks - and so do my dogs. I fill Kongs with part of their dinner. There's also different types of food dispensers so if your puppy doesn't like Kong, try the other choices. Pig's ears, yak cheese and soft rubbery teething toys. My older poodle likes sliced of carrots, some dogs love fresh green beans.
I often see nylabone recommended - I've never tried those. Most recommendations say to avoid raw hides because there's a higher incidence of choking and need for surgery - depending on how a dog chews raw hide. Some raw hide has chemicals from processing Do watch your dog with any chew toys.
Fractured Teeth in Dogs
Dogs often break their teeth from chewing on bones, antlers, and hard chew toys. There are five classifications of tooth fractures ranging from enamel fractures to tooth root fractures. Clinical signs can include chewing on one side of the mouth, excessive drooling, dropping food while eating...
vcahospitals.com
My breeder says never give rawhides. She said they are often laden with bad chemicals,so no rawhides for me. I'll get some bully sticks and yak cheese chews too.
I'll ask my vet too!
I'll ask my vet too!
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Nylabone has both scented non-edible and edible ”bones.” My Hugo only just discovered the edible one. It’s taken him a few days to gnaw down one end. He doesn’t seem interested in the non-edible ones. I also use a puppy Kong bone and stuck a carrot through the end for him, which he likes. I also found Nothing to Hide rawhide alternative chicken sticks that I stick in this Kong bone. The advantage is that there is no possibility of choking on the end because it’s left inside the Kong. I got some yak chews but haven’t tried them yet. I am finding that the desire to chew is really ramping up—Hugo is 11 weeks old—so I’m interested in the ideas posted here as well!
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Yes, you have to watch how your dogs chew them.
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Bully sticks have always been the favorite here, starting with the smaller ones when Bobby was a puppy and as he grew graduating to the larger ones. Bully sticks soften nicely when being chewed and my understanding is that they are one of the healthiest and safest chews and they digest well. Some of them do smell bad though but hey...anything for my boy. 😉I always give him a fresh one once it gets to the point he could swallow it so there isn’t a chance of choking.
I’ve always been told you should be able to dent the chew with your nail. We have also been a great fan of Kongs. They make softer ones for the little pups. Bobby loved his little blue bone shaped puppy Kong. I would smear a bit of peanut butter on it for a tasty treat.
I’ve always been told you should be able to dent the chew with your nail. We have also been a great fan of Kongs. They make softer ones for the little pups. Bobby loved his little blue bone shaped puppy Kong. I would smear a bit of peanut butter on it for a tasty treat.
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I give my pups a small bully stick but they all seem to prefer a leather shoe, specifically a Sperry Topsider. At some point, they all seem to find one to chew.
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I wouldn’t recommend Nylabones because I have heard that the rubber tears off and causes internal blockage, and often means a very sick dog, or surgery. In terms of raw bones, you have to know your dog to decide, what works for one dog can be dangerous for another. For puppies, I’ve seen that trachea, chicken feet, and necks are best since they are softer than others which is what can cause fractures. I definitely agree on rawhide though. The only rawhide I would consider, is by Raw Feeding a Miami. I think bully sticks and yak cheese should be fine for a puppy. I’m sure you’re very excited for your puppy since there are only about 2 weeks left!
Peggy loved stinky bully sticks. We held them for her and let her chew in our laps, to create a positive association between high-value chews and human hands—better leverage for gnawing! So gross and slimy, but so worth it.
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I would not feed trachea or neck - they contain thyroid hormone and will cause hyperthyroidism in your pet.
Raw Diets and Hyperthyroidism in Dogs | PetMD
Hyperthyroidism is extremely rare in dogs. It is typically associated with aggressive thyroid tumors that produce large amounts of thyroid hormone. The only other known cause is the ingestion of thyroid hormone from other sources. In each of the last three years, a research study has documented...
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