The Best Chew Toys for Shelties

Shelties, or Shetland Sheepdogs, are loyal and intelligent dogs, excelling in obedience and agility and affectionate to their owners. They have a shy side and may be reserved with strangers, and because they are primarily working, herding dogs they may be prone to barking at people and trying to herd them. Shelties, like all the Collie breeds, love to chew and will chew throughout their lives.

  1. Distraction Chew Toys

    • Because Shelties are an intelligent breed, they can get bored quickly. It makes sense to provide them with toys that work their brains as well as their jaws. Distraction-type chew toys include "busy box" toys, which are rubber cubes that have hiding places for treats. The Sheltie has to work for its treat by moving the cube around the floor. Kong-type chew toys are also good because they can be stuffed with peanut butter and the dog has to work hard to get at the treat inside the rubber kong.

    Rawhide Chews

    • Pressed rawhide chews and bones can last a long time and give a needle-toothed Sheltie puppy something tasty and hard to chew on. Beware of rawhide chews that easily unravel or come apart because they can become a choking hazard. The safest thing is to give rawhide chews only as a supervised treat. Rawhide bones are available in different sizes and shapes, and it's possible the Sheltie will prefer one over the others.

    Nylon Bones

    • These bones are virtually indestructible, and many are flavored to keep an intelligent dog interested. They also come in various sizes so finding one suitable for a Sheltie, whether a pup or an adult, should be easy. Although the bones are tough and will withstand enthusiastic chewing, they should be checked frequently and discarded if chunks are missing or the bone is damaged.

    Training Toys

    • Shelties enjoy toys such as dog Frisbees, which are tough enough to chew but double as exercise and training toys. Shelties make good agility dogs, and because they like to herd and chase, most enjoy a game of Frisbee.