Chew Items for Dogs

As some of you may know, Owen is not really a big "chewer" but he does enjoy some items.
However, when he was a puppy, he did a lot of chewing. A family member recently got a new puppy and asked me about what types of chews I recommended because the pup was wanting to chew a lot.
Here's my list of chews and what I recommend vs. don't recommend.

1. My top choice for a chew for dogs is the Himalayan Dog Chew (yak cheese chew). These are tough, irresistible to most dogs, and edible (so they shouldn't cause issues with blockages as easily). The original one is here and is available in many sizes. There are other brands as well but this brand is fantastic!
2. Rawhide. Not all rawhide is created equal. If you're going to give your dog rawhide, don't give him the stuff from bulk bins at stores. Get one of the enzyme-treated rawhides such as the ones from Virbac.
3. Elk/deer antlers. I generally don't recommend these because they are more likely to fracture teeth. If your dog is not a big chewer, it might be safer but you don't really need them in that case.
4. Nylabones/nylon chews. I don't usually recommend these because of concerns about dogs who might chew off larger pieces and due to concerns about chemical contamination in plastics/nylon. If your dog likes them (Owen never has) and you are not concerned about those issues I listed above, they can be OK.
5. Pig ears/hoofs/roasted bones. I don't recommend these. The pig ears are often contaminated with salmonella or other bacteria. The hoofs can be contaminated and also are hard enough to fracture teeth. The roasted bones can potentially splinter or fracture teeth as well.

If you're going to let your dog chew on things, make sure you get the right type of chew to be safe, and always supervise them while chewing.