# Indestructable natural chew toy for St. Bernard



## PRR (Jun 29, 2012)

We just got a St. Bernard from a shelter this weekend. Now that he's become more familiar, he's started chewing plastic stuff around the house. I just got home and got him a cattle horn of some kind, filled with bacon-flavored and -colored stuff. 20 minutes later, not only had he consumed all the bacon filling, but he had demolished the horn itself, and there is nothing but shattered fragments of it. I thought he could work on the horn itself (with bacon scent) for weeks if not months. I am used to the idea of bones/chews shrinking and disintegrating, but not breaking up. I really don't like the idea of slender sharp bits of anything in his gut.

I read in another thread here that antler are good for a long-term, indestructable chew toy. Is that correct? I was looking in Petsmart for bones that had a filling inside. My dogs have had good luck with those in the past, plain rawhide tends to get chewed up quickly and/or ignored. 

I'd prefer something that is natural, as all the plastic toys I've ever bought get played with once a year--my dogs seem to prefer "bones" to plastic toys.

Recommendations? Hopefully I can get something good my next trip to Petsmart, as large chew toys are a bit expensive.


----------



## kcomstoc (Mar 9, 2013)

maybe a kong and fill it with good stuff and freeze it....good to chew on and get good things from it. Antlers are good and so are bully sticks from what I hear


----------



## blenderpie (Oct 5, 2012)

My dogs like antlers. We also have some sterilized bones, but since they have been exposed to heat, they are a supervise only toy. I will say, in years of my family using them (including some being driven over accidentally ) I've never seen one shatter, though other members have.

You can also get raw bones from a butcher as an occasional treat. I don't think they last for more than a few hours, though.


----------



## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

Moose antlers are even better than elk or deer antlers for the big, heavy chewers, if you can find them. I know another giant breed owner who also gives their dogs coconuts in the husk. They are almost impossible to open, but the dogs can chew on them and play with them and then when they get bored with them, he opens them and still uses the coconut and water inside.

Large femurs make good chewies, too, if you can get them. A moose or deer or horse femur will last a good long time. Hooves of all kinds are also good chews that can last a while.

In the non-natural realm, I really like everlasting treat balls.


----------



## Rowdy (Sep 2, 2007)

2+ on the antlers. My boys can go through bully sticks in about 1/2 an hour, but the antlers seem to last forever.


----------



## kcomstoc (Mar 9, 2013)

Since we are talking about chew stuff I wanted to ask about pig/cow ears that you can buy are those safe for dogs?


----------



## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

kcomstoc said:


> Since we are talking about chew stuff I wanted to ask about pig/cow ears that you can buy are those safe for dogs?


I know people who use them and they are fine, but mine would chew through them quicker than would be worth it.


----------



## kcomstoc (Mar 9, 2013)

packetsmom said:


> I know people who use them and they are fine, but mine would chew through them quicker than would be worth it.


 Ok so they are safe (don't splinter) I just was wondering because Josh, my boyfriend, saw some and asked me because I'm always on here learning about dog/puppy things so I can tell him what to do (it's awful  ) and I wasn't sure because I know some stuff in stores aren't really safe for dogs to chew even though they are there. Do you know the stuff that isn't really safe for dogs but are in stores anyway?


----------



## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

kcomstoc said:


> Ok so they are safe (don't splinter) I just was wondering because Josh, my boyfriend, saw some and asked me because I'm always on here learning about dog/puppy things so I can tell him what to do (it's awful  ) and I wasn't sure because I know some stuff in stores aren't really safe for dogs to chew even though they are there. *Do you know the stuff that isn't really safe for dogs but are in stores anyway?*


This is often more a matter of opinion, just like asking people what kinds of dog food they should feed.

I don't feed rawhide, but know many dog owners who do and have never had issues. I also don't give nylabones or greenies, but again, I know others who do. Like a lot of things, everyone has preferences and opinions. I'd recommend, when it comes time for your pup, that you find a breeder you trust and then ask them what they use with their dogs and, unless you have a reason not to, follow that in most cases. Over time, you'll likely come up with your own ideas, but that is usually a reliable place to start since they know your breed and the line well.


----------



## kcomstoc (Mar 9, 2013)

packetsmom said:


> This is often more a matter of opinion, just like asking people what kinds of dog food they should feed.
> 
> I don't feed rawhide, but know many dog owners who do and have never had issues. I also don't give nylabones or greenies, but again, I know others who do. Like a lot of things, everyone has preferences and opinions. I'd recommend, when it comes time for your pup, that you find a breeder you trust and then ask them what they use with their dogs and, unless you have a reason not to, follow that in most cases. Over time, you'll likely come up with your own ideas, but that is usually a reliable place to start since they know your breed and the line well.


 thanks, yea when I see her again (hopefully in october if she has a puppy that has my requirements) then I'll ask her


----------



## hueyeats (Apr 2, 2013)

With Roman (120+lb)... I can understand the needs for indestructible things to chew on.
Big mouth, quick work on many things... Destruction wise.

Toys last Roman literally only minutes.
Includes any hides (pig ears are for snacks he eats them so fast)... Or those bully sticks.
He snapped deer femur in half when he is but 6-7 months old.

What may last a while are those knuckle bones (I get them fresh from family farm)... 
Or to stuff... A hollowed out cow leg bone (biggest part) or just buy a raw soup bone and freeze it... And leave Roman to suckle on it to thaw.
Once Roman suck out the marrow... You can then fill with stuff to freeze. 

I also freeze tons of water in bowls...
Roman loves them during this weather... They don't last long though but definitely numbs his chewing needs.


----------



## PRR (Jun 29, 2012)

OK you sold me on the antlers. Petsmart has them so I'll pick him up one tomorrow to see if its something he'll get into. 

Thanks for the recommendations. Until I searched here, I had no idea that antlers were actually being used as dog chew toys. Makes sense--you might as well do something with those body parts....

Thanks to all who posted here.


----------



## Kevin T (Apr 22, 2013)

Our Sammy LOVES her Elk Antler. We got it the week she came to live with us, a little more than two months ago. It has been worn down about 25% or so. Sammy's teeth are looking better than when she came to live with us, and I credit most of the improvement to the antler, as we have not brushed her teeth.

I'll probably be looking for moose antler next time. (Thanks, Packetsmom!) I've seen moose antler pieces for sale in one pet shop, but they were pretty expensive for fairly small pieces. Hey, we're in Alaska, after all. Shouldn't moose antler be affordable here?

I can just imagine Sammy lugging around a moose antler palm. She's a big girl, but I don't want her dragging something that big around the house.

Regarding pig ears, snouts, bully sticks, etc., these can be great treats, but many dogs will consume them fairly quickly. What I wanted to caution you about with them is the possibility of salmonella contamination. I've seem several recalls for salmonella with these sorts of products over the years. Dogs' digestive systems apparently protect them pretty well from this, but humans should apparently wash their hands after handling this sort of product.

Dogs' chewing habits vary quite a bit. We used to buy bags of large-ish rawhide "bones" from Costco for our former Lab. He would eat one of those things in one sitting, if we let him. Sammy has had the same rawhide bone since the day she moved in, but she has never shown much interest in chewing it. I think is just doesn't offer enough chewing resistance for her.

Good luck finding the perfect chew toy for your dog!


----------



## PRR (Jun 29, 2012)

Got my Saint an antler at Target today. I tried the smallest, thinnest (thus cheapest) one to see if he'd go for them, and he ignored it. I'm taking that one back. I was thinking that perhaps it was because there appeared to be nothing baked or basted onto it, but the ones at Petsmart looked just the same. So evidently this one just doesn't like reindeer antlers. 

I got him a bacon-filled femur bone, but he's leaving that alone, and he's now returned to the last bits of yesterday's cattle horn conquest. 

Perhaps my search for a long-lasting chew toy that he liked was misguided. Perhaps I'll go and see if this guy likes just plain rawhide, and I'll buy a huge bag of cheap rawhide bones. I know folks said the bully bone didn't last, but if its cheaper than the antlers I'll give that a look as well. Having just bought a bag of Hill's Science Diet large breed, and paid for his vet checkup and adoption and license and harness and collar I'm not in the mood to throw huge chunks of money after chew toys he might or might not like. 

He's 4 years old. He's not gnawing on furniture or other things incessantly, perhaps he just wants something to chew on every once in a while.


----------



## LadyB (Mar 7, 2013)

About the antlers: Usually you can get a whole antler (where the marrow is entirely enclosed by the harder antler material except on one or both ends), or a split cut antler, where the piece has been split lengthwise, exposing the marrow all the way along the piece. You might want to try one that has more marrow exposed. To increase the likelihood of your dog becoming interested, you can try soaking it in chicken broth, or storing the antler buried in a bag of kibble for a few days (I know someone on this forum does that and has had success; it didn't work with my dog). You might also want to source the antler from a place where the product might be fresher. The antlers I bought at the pet store were very pale and had no smell (and my dog was able to get the marrow out v. quickly); I got some online from a place called mountain dog and they were generally funkier (though waaaay less smelly than most other natural chews) more immediately interesting to the dog, and the marrow was denser and harder to scrape out/off. Mountain Dog has very big pieces available, too. Some friends of ours with a pittie who had destroyed everything they'd ever tried to give her has safely kept her gigantic antler going for weeks and weeks... They are expensive, but if your dog likes them and is safe with them, they can be cost effective over the long haul...


----------



## PRR (Jun 29, 2012)

I looked up http://mountaindogproducts.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1&Itemid=9 but only saw leashes. Were you thinking of another site?



LadyB said:


> About the antlers: Usually you can get a whole antler (where the marrow is entirely enclosed by the harder antler material except on one or both ends), or a split cut antler, where the piece has been split lengthwise, exposing the marrow all the way along the piece. You might want to try one that has more marrow exposed. To increase the likelihood of your dog becoming interested, you can try soaking it in chicken broth, or storing the antler buried in a bag of kibble for a few days (I know someone on this forum does that and has had success; it didn't work with my dog). You might also want to source the antler from a place where the product might be fresher. The antlers I bought at the pet store were very pale and had no smell (and my dog was able to get the marrow out v. quickly); I got some online from a place called mountain dog and they were generally funkier (though waaaay less smelly than most other natural chews) more immediately interesting to the dog, and the marrow was denser and harder to scrape out/off. Mountain Dog has very big pieces available, too. Some friends of ours with a pittie who had destroyed everything they'd ever tried to give her has safely kept her gigantic antler going for weeks and weeks... They are expensive, but if your dog likes them and is safe with them, they can be cost effective over the long haul...


----------



## LadyB (Mar 7, 2013)

it's: http://www.mountaindogchews.com/


----------



## PRR (Jun 29, 2012)

OK thanks LadyB if I decide to give antlers a try again I'll buy from them.


----------



## LadyB (Mar 7, 2013)

Good luck—I hope you find something safe and long-lasting. It can be a challenge...


----------



## Damon'sMom (Aug 2, 2011)

I would suggest:
Deer Antlers, Elk Antlers, Moose Antlers. I buy mine off Amazon, cheaper than in the pet stores.
Water Buffalo Horn's. My dogs LOVE these I can get them a large one for about $12-$13 at Feeder Supply.
Dura Bones (Nylabones for strong chewers!) 

Pig ears and treats around here because they don't last but like 2-5 minutes depending on the dog and day.


----------

