Rawhide bones an extremely popular dog chew that can cause a lot of problems for many dogs. The reality is that these "bones" are only 80% digestible and can cause digestive issues. Not only are they not fully digestible, but they are made with low quality ingredients that can negatively impact your dog's health and well being. Intestinal blockages caused by the consumption of rawhide bones can lead to death, and can wreck havoc on a dog's digestive system.

Instead of feeding your dog potentially dangerous and unheathly rawhide bones consider selecting healthy, safe chews for your dog such as antlers, raw meaty bones, grain-free treat bones and other various chews! Learn more with my article on healthy dog chew options here.

Dental care is more important for your dogs than you may realize. Periodontal disease has become the most common disease in our furry family members, which is a hard fact to digest since dental disease is extremely easy to prevent.

As dogs enter their golden years, poor dental health is the ticket to a shorter life riddled with illness and potential disease. Bad dental health can cause liver, heart and kidney disease; Infection from ill-kept teeth can travel through the blood stream and infiltrate the body's organs, which inevitably causes disease or failure. Since dental disease in dogs can be easily prevented, it is important to find a cleaning routine that works best for you and your dog.

You can use safe, natural and effective methods to keep your dog's teeth white and clean without having to spend a lot of money or jeopardize your dog's health.

A RAW FOOD DIET: NATURE'S TOOTHBRUSH
The incredible raw food diet is nature's toothbrush, having been the ancestral diet of all carnivorous and predatory animals for millions of years. A raw food diet does not leave residue or food particles on the teeth, which turn into tartar and plaque, and the natural crushing and chewing of raw bone scrapes the teeth and keeps them clean.

BRUSHING TEETH WITH COCONUT OIL   
The amazing benefits of coconut oil for dogs are no longer a secret! Coconut oil is antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral and is a very effective deodorizer! If your dog has bad breath, give brushing with virgin, unrefined coconut oil a try. You will be impressed with the results!

AN ALL NATURAL GEL FOR DOGS WITH DENTAL DISEASE
If your dog has already developed dental disease, a great option along side a good brushing routine is adding an all natural but effective dental gel. PetzLife Oral Gel works by softening the build up on teeth and beginning to break it down so that you can brush or scrape it away. This is a natural, effective product I often recommend and have used myself on my cats!

CHEWING SCRAPES THE TEETH
By offering your dog a raw bone, an elk antler chew or a toy designed to help clean teeth via chewing can help reduce build up on the teeth, and is also an excellent preventive. Chewing is a natural, instinctual thing for a dog to do and can benefit them in terms of mental stimulation and enjoyment as well! Get a raw beef hock from your local butcher and monitor your dog as they enjoy this healthy, natural "toothbrush"!

Implementing a brushing routine with good recreational chewing is a great way to prevent dental disease in your canine companions, but there are safe and natural options for fighting dental disease too! If you have more questions about keeping your dog's mouth healthy, do not hesitate to contact me!

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Angel
K9 Instinct
www.k9instinct.com

Dehydrated beef trachea chews make an excellent time-consuming snack and are fantastic for promoting dental health! These crunchy, lean pure protein chews are full of Chondroitin Sulfate and Glucosamine and are great for dogs with sensitive stomachs or allergies.

Purchasing raw beef trachea is extremely cheap! Buying in bulk can be even more inexpensive. Making these great chews will be cheaper for you and healthier for your dog!

How to make your own dried beef trachea chews!

1. Preheat your oven to 190 degrees.
2. Place your raw beef trachea on a rack over a cookie tray.
3. Leave the trachea in the oven for 12 hours.
4. Once the trachea are dark and hard, they are ready! Store them in a container or large ziploc bag.
   
5. If they need more time, put them back in the oven and check them every 4 hours.

If you have a dehydrator, the process will be faster.

These are really easy to make, since all you have to do is pop them in the oven and forget about them for the day! They are cheap to make as well, since you can often buy them from a butcher or meat processing business for next to nothing.


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Angel
K9 Instinct
www.k9instinct.com

We love to keep our dogs busy and the old saying is true: A tired dog is a good dog! When we pair good, age-appropriate exercise with mentally stimulating things to chew on in the house, we can create balance and stability in our canine companions. Giving your dog something to chew on is a great way to entertain them on a instinctual level. Dogs were born to chew bones and antlers, that is what wolves and other wild canines entertain themselves with in the wilderness!

The best long lasting chews are ones that are healthy, grain-free, perhaps single ingredient and easy to digest. They should be made within North America to ensure quality, and should be wheat, corn and soy free!

Elk antlers and deer antlers are excellent choices for long lasting chews. I've had one that lasted approximately 8 months, but the length in which they last depends entirely on each individual dog. Elk and deer antlers are easy to digest, contain a spongy marrow in the center, are 100% all natural, taste great, don't leave a mess or stain, and are full of vitamins and minerals! It is also fair to mention that elk and deer antlers look pretty cool on your floor!

Bully sticks are one of my favourite options, as they are single ingredient treats made from 100% pure beef muscle (beef pizzle). They are 100% digestible protein and can be given in place of rawhide. They are long lasting, tasty and help promote clean teeth!

Beef tendons, much like bully sticks, are 100% pure digestible protein. These treats are made from the Achilles tendon of cattle, and last fairly long. They are single-protein treats as well, which it good for dogs with sensitive stomachs or food allergies.

Raw knuckle bones and marrow bones are very long lasting, delicious and nutritious chews. Make sure you get the raw bones from a safe local supplier such as a butcher or raw food business. Get a bone sized appropriate for your dog, you don't want them to be able to swallow it or break it apart and swallow the pieces. Raw bones are safe, but some dogs tend to try to crack bones in half and may damage their teeth. This goes for any hard chew, so keep watch and make sure you dog is chewing and gnawing as opposed to trying to break it and swallow it.

Dental health has a major impact on a dog's over all physical well-being and poor oral condition can lead to many different kinds of medical conditions and diseases. With veterinarians pushing their dental chews, dental kibble and expensive surgical dental cleanings, it is hard for pet owners to decipher the best way to promote oral health in their pets.

Good oral health will help your dog live longer, and will make it more pleasant to receive their loving doggy kisses! There are several steps you can take to maintain good dental health with your dog and there are many all natural options for cleaning!

Diet is a major contributor to dental health in dogs. Feeding your dog a species appropriate raw food diet is the very best option for creating good dental health. Dogs who are fed raw food have visibly whiter, cleaner teeth and fresher breath. The reason is that the dog's teeth are being manually cleaned by the act of chewing and crushing bone. The action of chewing scrapes the teeth and stimulates the gums. On top of that, raw food doesn't leave any 'left-over' food in the mouth the way kibble does. Due to the texture and composition of commercial kibbles, the kibble crumbles and sticks to the teeth and all of the areas in between. Many chemicals and oils in the kibble will help the food particles bind to the teeth and promote the build-up of tartar which inevitably leads to oral disease.

"Dental kibble" formulas provided by your veterinarian will not help clean your dog's teeth. Regardless of the marketing behind these expensive vet formulas, kibble will still crumble and turn to mush in your dog's mouth. That mush becomes the debris that clings to your pet's teeth and turns into tartar and plaque. Think about when you eat crackers and you feel mushy left overs sticking to all your teeth; The same thing is happening with kibble plus the added issue of the oils that make it even more sticky.

Giving your dog things to chew on is the best way to start cleaning the teeth and keep them clean! Consider healthy chews like bully sticks, beef tendons, dried knuckle bones, raw knuckle bones and elk antlers. When a dog chews and gnaws on these items, they scrape the teeth clean and assist in breaking up any residue to be swallowed instead of hanging around in the mouth.

There are many toys that act as great chews to promote oral health by also cleaning the teeth. I really like Nylabone products for the added benefit of the flavour infused in the material, which encourages dogs to chew on them. Nylabone breaks off in tiny shavings making it safe to pass through the digestive system without causing any issues. Flossy chews are rope toys that also help clean the teeth as the dog chews and plays with them.

Brushing your dog's teeth is the next best option. All you need is a soft toothbrush or a finger brush designed for pets and some sort of toothpaste. It is important to never use human toothpaste, as there are ingredients in those products that can make your dog very ill. The Triple Pet EZDOG Toothpaste is the most popular one due to being more of an all natural product. I personally like to use extra virgin, unrefined coconut oil as a toothpaste because of all the amazing benefits of this oil. Learn more about the benefits of coconut oil here!

Treats are important! They make dogs wag their tails in excitement and drool in anticipation. There are very few dog homes that don't have a good selection of doggie cookies, chews and treats in the cupboard. Treats are an essential part of training, especially for young puppies. Treats also make the perfect snack in between meals!

There is a wide variety of dog treats lining pet store shelves across North America and the selection can be quite overwhelming. Many dog owners find themselves wondering what exactly makes a good, high quality dog treat. With tons of great options, and even more poor choices, I hope to help dog owners make the right choices in treats.

Diet and nutrition are important factors in your dog's health and well being. That is why feeding poor quality treats can be detrimental to your pet's health and undo the good you've done by feeding a high quality, balanced diet.

There are some simple guidelines to follow when browsing the treat isle.

• Look for treats that are grain free. Grains aren't a natural part of a dog's diet, and they are one of the leading causes of allergies and ear infections in dogs.
• Look for treats that are wheat-free, corn-free and soy-free; Treats with a bit of healthy grains can be good options for dogs that have no sensitivities, allergies or issues with yeast infections. You should seek to avoid treats with grains as mentioned above, but some dogs do fine with higher quality grains.
  
• Read the ingredients: You want to see whole foods (that you would eat yourself!), no preservatives, no chemicals, no ingredients you can't pronounce or recognize, and absolutely NO by-products.
• No artificial colours or flavouring, these are chemicals that are unnecessary and often cause allergic reactions.
• Avoid "animal digest" at all costs... Animal digest is a mystery ingredient that can contain ANY part of an animal, and can even include road kill or euthanized animals.
  
• Made in North America. This one is a given, considering all the recalls lately. There have been way too many complaints and cases of sick dogs eating treats from China.

Here is a list of dog treats that uphold a phenomenal reputation for quality, based on the guidelines listed above and my strict standards for nutrition and quality.

• Orijen Freeze-Dried Dog Treats
• Purebites Freeze-Dried Dog Treats
• Zuke's Mini Naturals Dog Treats
• Northern Biscuit Dog Treats
• Darford Zero G All Natural Treats for Dogs
• Crumps Naturals
• Nature's Variety Instinct Raw Boost Bites
  
• Bully Sticks
• Beef Tendon Chews
• Paragon Veggie Chews
• StickyNose Grain-Free
• Bosco and Roxy

Interested in achieving your pet's optimum level of health? Visit my Diet and Nutrition page or contact me for details! Online dog nutrition and diet consultations are available!

Angel
Dog Nutritionist / Dog Trainer / Dog Blogger
K9 Instinct
www.k9instinct.com

Giving your dog something to chew is an important part of their day, it stimulates their mind by providing an activity that is instinctual and fulfilling to any member of the canine species. Chewing has many benefits for a dog: It provides mental stimulation while exercising the jaw muscles. It also cleans the teeth rather effectively by scraping the tooth and loosening plaque and tartar build up. Chewing is an essential part of dental health and should be something owners make sure their canine companions are able to enjoy. Chewing can relieve stress, boredom and give a dog something to enjoy if exercise and activity must be limited for any reason (surgery, injury, etc).

With chewing being so vital to a dog's well being, one must know what can safely be given. It is important to do your research and choose the right options. There are chews that are safe and chews that are not safe. There are chews that provide a quick burst of fun, and chews that allow for long-lasting enjoyment. Luckily, there are many great options. Unfortunately, one of the most popular chew items isn't as ideal as people are led to believe.

Rawhide is one of the most popular chew items for dogs in North America, you can purchase this product at any store across the country that sells pet supplies. Unfortunately rawhide is only approximately 80% digestible. That means that rawhide will not be fully digested by your dog when consumed, which can pose a serious threat - especially if you don't notice when your beloved four-legged friend swallows a large piece of his rawhide bone whole. Rawhide is typically made of tough hide from either cows or horses and is rendered and heavily processed. Rawhides may also harbor dangerous chemicals and bacteria, which is certainly something you want to keep out of your dog's body. Rawhide is in itself difficult for the body to process, which stresses out a dog's digestive system and can cause issues with diarrhea and vomiting.

The danger of choking is a real threat when feeding rawhide, as is the potential for blockages in the intestines as well as general intestinal upset. Since rawhide chews are not entirely digestible, if a large piece is swallowed by your dog the chances of it becoming lodged somewhere in the body are quite high. Intestinal blockages are life threatening and often fatal when left untreated.

There are a lot of alternatives to rawhide, most of which are completely safe and even have nutritional benefits. Most are inexpensive and there are a few options that will last your dog even longer than a rawhide does! These products are readily available these days and have proven to be a fantastic addition to any dog's arsenal of chews.

If you do not feed raw, consider learning more about it. Raw feeding provides a fantastic opportunity for dog's to chew and crush bone - which is exactly what they are biologically designed to do. Dogs are instinctually drawn to the act of chewing. If you are unable or unwilling to feed raw, offering a raw recreational bone is the next best option. Knuckle bones or marrow bones are great options, are long lasting, and typically safe.

Bully sticks are another great option. They are made of 100% digestible, pure muscle meat. They are usually derived from either beef or veal and provide a decently long lasting chew acceptable for the majority of dogs (as long as there are no beef allergies). How long they last depends entirely on the dog, but some easier chewers can get quite awhile out of them. They are safe, fun and taste great to dogs. Some brands of bully sticks don't come properly sterilized and cleaned, so those may create an odour. Look for the ones that are properly cleaned, as they are odour free!