You expect puppies to chew, but what about adult dogs? Chewing helps ease teething pain and keeps adult dogs’ teeth, gums, and jaws healthy. Think of chews as a doggie toothbrush. After all, handing over a dog treat is a whole lot easier than breaking out the toothbrush, and pairing quality chews with a nutritious diet from Tom and Sawyer can further support your dog’s overall health.
While natural dog chews can have health benefits, not all types of chewing are beneficial. Sometimes, a dog’s constant need to chomp down on something can indicate a problem. We’re looking at when chewing may indicate an issue, along with the benefits of treating your pooch with an all-natural dog chew.
Chewing Can Indicate a Problem
Puppies chew to ease teething pain and explore their world. However, some dogs keep chewing well past the puppy stage. If you’re constantly coming home to chewed-up shoes, pillows, and just about anything else in the house, your dog may be trying to tell you everything isn’t great in their furry world.
Adult dogs often chew to relieve boredom, anxiety, or frustration. Overstimulated dogs may also use chewing as a way to calm down. Handing over an all-natural chew may help stop this behavior. If it persists, you may want to sign your pooch up for behavior training or at least talk to your vet.
The Benefits of Giving Dogs Natural Chews
You don’t want to go overboard and hand out chews every time your dog gives you ‘puppy eyes’. Chews are treats and aren’t intended to replace your dog’s regular food. With that being said, chews do come with some great benefits for you and your dog.
- Mental and physical stimulation to calm and stabilize behavior. Ripping, shredding, and tearing at muscle meat as well as crushing bones, working the jaw and neck muscles, and using up excessive energy.. Dogs that chew bones/chews typically settle more easily and are calm after they finish the treat.
- Chewing is a primal and instinctual activity. It releases endorphins which heighten the sense of pleasure and well-being. Dogs that are both mentally and physically stimulated by chewing are less likely to engage in destructive, boredom-driven behaviors.
Chewing helps to improve dental hygiene and reduce bad breath. As the dog chews the bone, its teeth are cleaned and the gums are strengthened. Processed dog foods are soft and so leave plaque behind on the teeth, which ultimately leads to bad breath and possible heart disease. Also, a dog’s saliva does not contain the enzyme amylase needed to break down sugars.
As commercial dog foods often contain high levels of carbohydrate sugars, these stay in the mouth and encourage bacterial growth which often leads to dental issues and bad breath.
Tips For Giving Dogs Natural Chews
Even though natural chews have plenty of benefits, like mental stimulation and improving dental hygiene, there can be issues. In other words, don’t just toss a chew at your pooch and walk away, especially if it’s the first time handing out the treat.
Here are a few tips to help keep your dog safe and able to truly enjoy their time chomping away on their treats:
- Occasionally, fresh bones and natural chews can cause choking and blockages, especially if you’re not supervising your dog while she chews. If the chew is too large, the same problem can occur.
- Don’t give your pooch too many fresh bones, as this can cause constipation.
- Avoid giving your dog large, cooked bones. These can result in broken teeth or punctures to soft tissues like the esophagus or intestines. Big, baked, circular beef leg bones (femurs)can fracture the carnassial teeth or get stuck on the lower jaw. A cooked rib bone can become lodged between the teeth of the upper jaw, causing a dog to paw at their mouth.
A natural chew bone made from rawhide can be a good alternative for a heavy chewer, but please make sure that you are buying a truly natural rawhide product. There are many products on the market, and not all are made from natural ingredients. You don’t want to accidentally give your furry friend something that may harm their health.
Go Ahead and Treat Your Pup with a Natural Dog Chew
A dog should get the chance to chew on a regular basis. The behavior is good for their health and your belongings. You can either offer fresh meaty bones of an appropriate size for your dog or buy a commercially produced 100% natural chew. Both of these options are good for your dog if they are correctly supervised.