Kong
1. Nylabones. Nylabones are dog bones made of durable plastic that is made to smell like bacon or chicken. They come in several different sizes and strengths. Be sure to check the rating on the package to ensure the Nylabone is made for heavy chewing. Nylabones can last for a year or more, although be warned that small pieces can flake off during use. Cost ranges from $5 for puppy bones, up to $16 for heavy-duty Nylabones.
2. Buster Cubes. Buster Cubes are hard plastic cubes that trap dog treats inside. Dogs extract the treats by rolling the cube around the room with their noses and paws, or by picking it up with their teeth and tossing it down. Buster Cubes are often recommended by animal behaviorists because they are ideal for destructive dogs who may be bored in addition to having a strong need to chew. This is also a great toy to break out when company comes over. Fido will be so absorbed with the buster cube, he'll forget to jump on the guests. Cost ranges from $15 up to $20 depending on size purchased.
3. Kong. Kong brand name products are used by police K-9 units and are available in an assortment of indestructible dog toys. From heavy duty rubber bones to hollow cones that can be stuffed with treats, Kong dog toys are built to last. The cones are particularly useful because they not only exercise the jaws, but also provide intellectual stimulation since the dog has to work to get the treats out. For extra fun, stuff the Kong cone with a mixture of dog food and peanut butter. Kong products are rated for specific weight ranges, so know your dog's weight and check the package for the weight range before buying. A large Kong cone costs $9 and will last forever.
4. Everlasting Treat Ball. This product is the winner of the 2007 New York Tails readers' choice award, and is a ball that can be stuffed with treats. The manufacturer sells treats specifically made for the Everlasting Treat Ball, but dog owners can also use their own treats. The bonus with this product is that it can be used not just as a chew toy, but for games of fetch as well. The ball costs $25 and the treat refills are $8.
5. Pig ears and rawhide bones. If all else fails, go with a chew toy that is meant to be destroyed. Pig ears can be purchased in bulk at warehouse stores or pet retailers, and are good for about 15 minutes of entertainment. Rawhide bones will last longer. When purchasing rawhide bones, look for the ones made in the U.S., as imported rawhides are sometimes cured with arsenic which is poisonous for dogs. Supervise the use of rawhide bones, and ensure water is available to prevent choking. Pig ears are sold in packages of 24 or 40 and prices range from $18 up to $30. Rawhide bones can be purchased individually or in bulk and cost from $5 up to $30.
For safety, always supervise dogs while chewing and inspect chew toys regularly for signs of wear and tear.
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My german shepherd a few years ago, bit the top ball off of a kong ball, and had it stuck in her intestines, she threw it in the air and swallowed it. It cost me almost $1,000.00 in vet bills. I gave her vegetable oil, and cat hairball pills, and crushed chicken noodle soup, so it could go thru her intestines. The xrays were so full of gas, the vet couldn't tell where it was, she had to be on IV, because she was dehydrated, and I had to force feed her oily foods to keep her intestines lubricated, or she would have died. After 3 days, she finally passed the ball, but had some colon damaged, which the vet repaired. Don't give kong balls to your big dog.
There's nothing wrong with Kong balls, but it's your job to inspect all your dog's toys to make sure they aren't on the verge of being destroyed and consumed by your dog--so don't try to pass all the blame onto the toy. Kongs aren't "indestructable," not by a long shot, as you point out. My dog has also come close to tearing one apart, one of their "heavy duty" toys, but I took it away from her when I saw what she was doing. Gave her a new one, it's lasted more than a year now. Glad your pup is OK.
Pig ears and rawhide bones can turn glue like, and also clog or perforate the intestine. I never give my dogs any of the above toys. They don't like the kong especially.
PS.........feed raw soup or marrow bones. Dog love them and lick and chew them for a long time!!
Every dog is different. In our doggy daycare, we have hard toy days (nyla bones, galeleo bones etc,) and soft toy days (kongs and the like) depending on what dogs come in that day.
I personally love the kong toys for training dogs, when I am spending time with my dogs (labs). I take a rope, run it through the little hole, tie a washer on it and pull it back through the big hole. I then make a loop on the end coming out of the little hole. I can heave that toy a mile or have a good secure handle to play tug of war.
But for alone time, go to the butcher and ask for the raw knuckle bones. Throw them in the freezer and take one out every once in while. They are the safest chew toy period. They will not shatter, the dogs love them, and they are good for their teeth,
Kong toys are awesome. My chocolate lab loves toys but the Kong toys are the only toys he can't destroy. His favorite is a ball toy with bone shaped cutouts that you can put a Milkbone through and it sticks out both sides. He can get the treat out in 5 minutes or less but it takes my Husky a little longer. Kong also has several Tug-o-war toys that keep my guys busy and playing with each other. Love them and they are well worth the price.
I did try the Nylabones but neither one of them would chew on them. They prefer Rawhide bones instead and I really appreciate the tip about looking at the label for imports. I will be looking when I go home for lunch today.
We have a one year old Austrian Shepherd mixed and she loves to chew on stuffed animals but goes for the eyes, nose, etc. and can literally have the stuffing out in less than 5 minutes. We finally got her a Kong and I fill it with small treats and top if off with peanut butter and she loves it. Sometimes I only put peanut butter in it when I don't have anything else. Works like a charm and she can't destroy it! :)
Another good tip: I fill the kong w/ peanut butter and freeze it over night...the dogs love it and it takes them a little longer.
I have two small dogs that destroyed every stuffed squeaker toy I ever bought them. The squeakers would stop working in less than an hour and in less than a week I would find the white filling all over the place. At one pet store they recommended the TY stuffed squeaker toys and so far these have been undestructable. They have survived rain, snow and my two dogs and are reasonably priced at around six or seven dollars.
I searched the net under TY stuffed squeaker toys and could not find anything...I would definitely try these for my two labsl who chew everything...what site can I find these on...very appreciative ....ty
TY stuft toy is basically called a beanie baby for dogs. I got mine at PetsMart. In fact...some petsMarts are clearing them out...so I just bought about 12 from mine...some were holiday. My pekingnese loves the TY beanie babies. She loves to chew on their ears and lick them like they are her babies.
There is :
Stinky the skunk
Inky the octopus
Nuts the squirrel
Two dogs
a seal
Reindeer
shape of bones...in different patterns and colors.
See the TY website and do a search for where they are sold also!
I have a 1 year old chihuahua who destroys every squeaky toy we get her. Since she likes to make noise, we take an empty 20 ounce plastic water bottle and place her small food tidbits inside. She spins the bottle, making some small pieces fall out which she eats. Another empty bottle is placed inside a sock which she enjoys biting which makes a terrible sound but she loves it.
My vet, who has been a vet for over 50 years now told me that rawhide should never be given to my dogs. He said he has seen more surgeries on dogs to find the rawhide messing up their stomach and/or intestines. What he recommended was getting knuckle bones from the supermarket, boiling them and giving them to my dogs. One market has them in the frozen section. I would then give each of them the bone, and they would chew on it for hours and hours. It also took off all the plaque buildup, especially in the rear teeth. None of the bone ever splintered or broke off since it's so huge. My dogs were medium size (20-30 lbs) and were so happy with them. The only prob is that it is real food so it is oily. I haven't given my new batch of dogs any yet since they have enough regular doggie toys (but no rawhide).
I had a German Shepherd, and a Golden Retriever both. Either one would destroy a tennis ball in 30 seconds. Finally I got them some 12" pieces of PVC plumbing pipe, bought the caps as the Hdwe store, and glued them together on. They made great "fetch" toys and they LOVED diving into the pool after them. Plus they'd gnaw on them for hours. Cost ? About 50 cents each.
Kongs are not indestructible! My pitbull chewed through one in a matter of minutes. I get my dogs the Nylabones for heavy chewing, they last for a long time. There are flakes that come off of the bones, but they have never posed any health issues for my dogs. I also get them marrow bones that are filled with peanut butter or cheese flavoring. These last forever! When they get the original filling out I refill it with organic peanut butter and freeze it. It makes a great treat for them!
Thats a great idea, I have a pit puppy 9 months old and he chew everything he can get his teeth on.. I also have an older pit but he just chews the house apart when I leave him, going throight anxiety, hes 5 .. Any ideas? Cage does not work he ches threw the cage believe it or not...Pits are very strong...
I had a Kong for years for my Rottweiler which worked great he never put a dent in it. However, along came my mom's black lab which is a very destructive chewer and she actually started destroying the Kong within seconds! Naturally, I took it away before she swallowed any pieces. I was in shock! So beware there is an exception to every rule.
I agree that kong's are NOT indestructible. I have a 14 lb shipoo that chewed it apart in hours and started eating the pieces she broke off. Be careful with these.
People should also be aware that there are two different kinds of Kong toys, the regular, and the "heavy duty," made for particularly destructive chewers. They definitely last longer, and have the resilience of a steel-belted radial... but they can be torn apart eventually too.
I've used the Kongs Nylabones and pig ears/rawhide bones. I don't like the rawhide and pig ears. You don't know were they came from most of the time. I have a Westie and he destroys everything. I found hurley, by West Paw design.They are great.Hours of fun and Earth friendly. Look for the toys made of Zogoflex, best of all they are American made. I think that he could destroy these toys but he has so much fun playing with them he doesn't. Best toy i found so far, bar none.