Long-lasting dog chews are the ticket to happy, fulfilled pooch downtime. Not only are chews useful as a treat for dogs to help train and reinforce positive behaviour, but you might also find them a safeguard for your furniture and other bits and bobs your dog might otherwise get his teeth into. If your dog suffers from anxiety or is easily bored, a chew is usually a good distraction for him to focus on instead. The act of chewing, too, is good for the dog’s teeth in reducing tartar and plaque, so helps to keep them strong and clean – and their breath sweet! Dental chews for dogs are designed specifically for this.
The trouble is, those canine teeth are strong, and often a chew that you thought would last a few hours or even a day is polished off in minutes. All that’s left is the puppy-dog eyes beseeching you for seconds. Furthermore, a flimsy dog chew can have negative side-effects if the dog tries to gobble them down too quickly as he risks swallowing broken chunks that can cause stomach problems.
But not all dog chews are equal. While a regular chew might be decimated in minutes as a quick treat, long-lasting chews are designed to keep a dog busy for hours, and stop your dog from chewing on that antique table leg. That’s got to be worth a bit of investment…
Long-lasting dog chews tend to advertise their durability, so look out for that on the label. Different chews are designed for the full range of canine sizes and their taste preferences – natural dog chews are available, too – and many chew companies also cater specifically for the different needs of puppies.
Always give your dog a chew that’s appropriate for his size – that is, larger than the mouth, so they have to work at it, gnawing it down. This prevents aggressive chewing or gulping. And they should always be supervised with a chew.
Best long-lasting dog chews
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Buddylicious Himalayan Dog Cheese Bar
Sizes: Medium (up to 20kg) or large (up to 30kg)
Handmade on the Indian side of the Himalayas, these bars are 100% natural, vegetarian, low in fat and high in protein. They offer a long lasting snack for your dog with additional benefits to dental health and stress relief.
They are very hard and long lasting, so are suitable for strong chewers. They are made from cow’s milk which is transformed into cheese and then pressed and air-dried for three months, which makes them appropriate for those dogs on a gluten-free or grain-free diet.
Sizes: Stix (under 6.8kg), S (up to 20.4kg), M (up to 34kg) or L (more than 35kg)
Earth Animal No-Hide provides a healthier alternative to rawhide, with 80% digestibility. It has just seven simple ingredients: brown rice flour, organic eggs, olive oil, banana, pineapple, agar-agar and one flavour-bursting sustainably sourced protein.
These no-hide chews are twice-baked to provide extra durability and a satisfying chewing experience, and promote doggy dental hygiene.
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Pets Purest Natural Red Deer Antler
Sizes: Small (pack of two) or large (pack of one)
Collected from naturally shed antlers, these chews are a great natural treat that help to prevent plaque build-up. They’re not sharp and have low risk of splintering. They are low in calories and contain important minerals, such as calcium, chondroitin, phosphorus, manganese and zinc, which help to keep their bones and teeth strong.
The antlers are extremely hard, so would suit a strong chewer who loves to gnaw. As a natural product, they come in various shapes and sizes. They look expensive for their size (they are sold by weight), but they really do last and dogs love them.
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Bamboodles T-Bone Dog Chew
Flavours: Chicken, peanut butter or beef
Sizes: S (up to 15kg), M (up to 30kg) or L (up to 40kg)
Bamboodles T-Bone is tough and “designed to make dogs’ tails wag”. It is made of combined bamboo and nylon fibres to create a long-lasting durable chew toy suitable for all dogs, and is ideal for the more destructive chewers.
The T-Bone shape is ideal for dogs’ front paws and keeps them busy for hours, as well as controlling plaque and tartar with the chewing action. The textured surface mimics wood for an authentic and satisfying experience.
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Buddylicious Olive Wood Dog Stick
Sizes: S–L
Handcrafted in Italy, these olive branches are 100% natural, safe and durable. Chewing on them helps to strengthen jaw muscles, keep teeth clean, and relieve stress through your dog’s natural instinct to chew. Olive wood is very hard, so does not splinter, and makes for a great long-lasting dog chew.
They are treated with extra virgin olive oil, which provides omega-3, and are produced from sustainable wood sources. Sizes are small (for dogs up to 10kg), medium (for dogs up to 20kg) or large (for dogs up to 30kg).
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Apasiri Chew Toy
Flavours: Bacon, mint, peanut butter or beef
Sizes: Small or medium/large
Apasiri’s chew toy is specifically designed for extreme chewers. This toy, which is shaped like a bone with pimples on the straight part, is made of food-grade nylon and natural rubber. This means it should not splinter or break. The pimples are designed to help clean the teeth, reducing plaque and tartar.
This chew bone has passed more than 1,000 bite-resistance tests of professional equipment and is feted as “almost indestructible”.
It’s not only fun for your pet to gnaw on, but is also an ideal interactive toy for games of fetch or retrieve. And – in four tempting flavours – dogs will agree, it tastes great!
What chews do vets recommend?
Vets advise that you select a chew or chew toy that complements your dog’s personality and chewing style. Gentle chewers rarely destroy even a plush or soft toy, while intense or rapid chewers can pull apart, and potentially ingest, even tough rubber. The same goes for edible toys – something that might last a dog who’s more inclined to nibble half the day will be wolfed down by a guzzler in a matter of minutes! This could lead to overfeeding if they look at you with those puppy-dog eyes…
Another thing to bear in mind is how hard the toy is – too hard could strain on your dog’s jaw. Vets recommend you check with the fingernail test. To do this, press your nail into the toy. It should offer some give under you nail and leave an indentation, which tells you the toy is soft enough to use.
If in doubt, you can check the label on edible and non-edible chews for a vet’s stamp of approval, or ask your own vet for advice.
What chews should I not give my dog?
Bones for dogs are often available to buy, but these are usually too hard and can crack teeth. Similarly, it feels totally normal to allow your dog to pick up sticks and small rocks out on a walk, but you should think twice. Sticks can splinter in your dog’s mouth, potentially injuring him and causing an infection. Similar to bones, rocks could cause tooth breakage and are at risk of being swallowed, choking the dog or getting stuck further down the digestive tract. This could risk your dog’s health and produce a costly vet bill.
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Martha is an experienced journalist who is mad-keen on horses and dogs. Her reporting CV includes the Paris Olympics, European championships, Aachen World Equestrian Festival and World Cup finals. After growing up with assorted liver and white springer spaniels, she enjoyed 14 years with two rescue dogs. Now, her constant companion is Fidget, an extremely energetic and habitually muddy black and white springer. Martha has written on topics as diverse as a top horse’s clone to the best GPS trackers for dogs, as well as equestrian and rural matters for Country Life, The Field, The Times, The Spectator and The Telegraph alongside Horse & Hound.
