Can Puppies Eat Chew Sticks?

Puppies are going to chew. If you don't provide puppy chews, they will gnaw on whatever is available, whether it's furniture, paper, sticks, wires or other items that are dangerous for them and annoying to you. Edible chew sticks provide an appropriate outlet for your puppy's need to chew. Read the label and ingredients on any puppy chew sticks before you buy them. Some chews contain chemicals that aren't good for dogs.

  1. Why Puppies Chew

    • Give your puppy a bone that is the right size for him.

      A puppy's need to chew is instinctive. By the age of 8 to 10 weeks when most puppies leave the litter, they have all their puppy teeth. Those teeth quickly begin to loosen and, by the age of 6 months, puppies begin losing baby teeth and their adult teeth start to erupt. Chewing helps this process along and satisfies a puppy's natural need to chew.

      Select chew sticks and bones for your puppy that are appropriate for his size. Don't give a treat that's too small and can pose a choking hazard or one that's too big for him to handle. Give chew sticks only when you're there to watch, in case something gets stuck in the puppy's mouth.

      Don't feed a puppy bones from your food. These can break teeth, cause blockages or intestinal problems and choking hazards.

    Chew Choices

    • Natural ingredients, such as tendon, bully sticks, deer antlers or sweet potato, are all available as chew sticks. Rubber and synthetic dog toys are good for puppies to chew, but they are not edible. Supervise your puppy when he chews these toys to be sure pieces do not break off that he can swallow.

      Rawhide is cured cowhide. it is sometimes cured with chemicals or bleaching agents, depending on the manufacturer. When chewed, your pup's saliva softens the rawhide so he can break it down and eat it. Supervise your dog when he chews rawhide so he doesn't swallow large pieces and choke. Look for natural rawhide when you buy it to avoid products with chemicals.

    Natural Chews

    • Bully sticks, tendons and chew sticks made from other animal parts make wholesome edible chews for puppies. These treats are generally just rinsed and dried, but not cured with chemicals. Bully sticks can be greasy and have a strong odor. Your pup will love them, but you may not want to feed them on your rug.

      Tendon sticks are cleaner, odorless and not greasy. They come in a flat stick that is long-lasting and doesn't splinter. Deer antlers are odor-free, nonstaining and last a long time. Although they are edible, they are very hard, so puppies should not swallow pieces of them.

      Himalayan chews are made from very hard cheese and are safe for puppies to eat. These sticks are also odorless and long-lasting, but supervise your puppy when he chews them to avoid large pieces breaking off.

    Food Chews

    • Always supervise your puppy when he's chewing.

      Chew sticks that are good for your puppy to eat can be made from foods such as sweet potatoes or fried yams. These chews are nutritious, but don't feed too many at once to avoid upsetting a puppy's delicate digestive system. These chews are oven-baked to dry them and won't stain or smell.

      Grain-free chew sticks made from digestible ingredients are also available for puppies. Food chews are usually softer and easier for puppies to chew, but won't last as long as a hard stick. Check the calorie content on chews made from food to avoid overfeeding your puppy.