Choosing the best chew treat for your dog needn’t be a stressful experience, but these days with more and more brands, textures, flavours, ingredients and shapes to choose from, choosing a treat to suit your dog can be a puzzling, or should I say “pizzle-ing” experience. But here at Winston James Woof we’re on hand to help take the confusion out of your shopping experience, by offering tried and tested suggestions based on what you and your dog are looking for.
One of the most asked questions we hear in the shop is “what chew will last my dog longest?” - Of course this totally depends on your dog, it’s age, teeth, health, it’s favourite flavours, it’s attention span etc. But to help you make the best decision, we’ve put together a handy scale of “chew-ability”, starting with what we think are the toughest/longest-lasting, to those treats that are slightly softer but still give great crunch!
Please remember that chews are a supplementary treat, and should be given alongside access to fresh, clean water and enjoyed whilst supervised. All our treats are made from 100% natural ingredients and contain no rawhide, colourings or additives.
The Scale of “Chew-ability”:
Extra tough:
These chews are for super-dooper chewers who are in it for the long game. These won’t give instant satisfaction in terms of a filling, eat on the spot chew, but will entertain and keep your dog occupied with gnawing sessions for months.
ANTLERS
Our antler chews are a natural, healthy and sustainable (naturally shed) chew that keep heavy chompers busy for hours. They are hypoallergenic and hypoglycaemic, plus have little to no odour and create no mess. Split antlers give your dog easier access to the slightly softer inside. When buying, make sure the Antler piece is the right size for your dog, and once chewed down remove it before it becomes small enough to risk becoming a choking hazard.
If instant satisfaction is what your dog prefers (i.e. your dog wants to be able to eat/swallow their chew or has a very low attention span) we recommend something a little less long lasting - antlers can last some chewers years!
Our antlers range from £7.50 to £25.00 per piece, depending on the size.
BUFFALO HORN
Similar in strength to antler, buffalo horn is a highly durable chew that is low in odour, gluten free, natural, and low in fat. Some dogs may find this a slightly tastier alternative to antler. You can also use the hollow of the horn to add tasty treats such as doggy peanut butter to enhance the chew experience.
Our buffalo horn chews are £8 per horn.
WOOD CHEWS
We sell two chews made from natural and sustainably harvested wood - perfect for dogs that prefer something a tiny bit softer than the above, but still tough and long lasting.
Our Olive Wood chews are infused with olive oil for a tasty, healthy and satisfying treat. They are low fat, leave no mess and have no odour. The wood will break down with chewing, but is less likely to produce sharp splinters like the sticks your dog may pick up and make a meal of on walks.
Alternatively, our Chew Roots are pure plant roots with absolutely nothing added. They’re eco friendly, with only the tuber of the root harvested, which then resprouts, ensuring no damage to the plant. They’re rich in minerals and great for keeping teeth clean. Chew Roots are a little more nobbly than the Olive Wood (which are smooth stick shaped) meaning your dog faces a little more of a challenge with these ones.
Olive Wood chews range from £10.00 to £15.00, depending on the size.
Chew Roots range from £10.00 to £20.00, depending on the size.
YAKERS
Yakers dog chews are made from 99.9% cow and yak milk. These are incredibly popular chews that can take your dog days to get through. The chews are rich in protein and calcium, and are vegetarian and gluten free. They make great dental chews and are low in mess and odour. When your dog has almost finished their chew, you can pop the stub in the microwave for 30-60 seconds to create a softer puffed cheese bite for them to easily enjoy, without the worry of choking.
Fun fact - Yakers chews were originally made for human consumption and are still widely eaten by the Himalayan people and their dogs today!
Yakers chews are £6.50 for a small, and £12.95 for a large.
Tasty and Long Lasting:
These treats are tasty, filling and give your dog a more instant level of satisfaction from their chew. Depending on your dog, the lifespan of these chews could keep your pup busy for up to an hour or beyond.
CAMEL SKIN
Our camel skin chews are 100% camel skin, there’s nothing more to it. These tough long lasting treats make great dental chews, they are hypoallergenic and low in fat but high in protein. They’re great for dogs with sensitive stomachs too, being easy to digest and an alternative to common proteins. The chews have a meaty odour that your dog will not be able to resist, but don’t make much mess when being consumed.
Camel skin chews are £8.95 for 250g (that’s around 10-12 strips).
GOLDEN MOON BONE
A golden moon bone is a great boredom breaker treat. Perfect for big dogs, these large chews made from 100% dried beef cartilage are low in odour, low in fat and high in protein. They are kind on sensitive stomachs, and are rich in glucosamine and chrondroitin which promotes healthy bones and joints.
Moon bones sell for £5.95, per piece.
BEEF COLLAGEN
Made from 100% beef collagen, these chews are brilliant for keeping your dog’s joints and bones, skin, fur (and everything else!) healthy. Collagen chews are particularly great for older dogs, who can loose the collagen within their own tissues as they age. Adding collagen to their diet can help with problems such as arthritis, hip stiffness and other age-related pain.
The chews are tough, tasty and high in protein.
Beef Collagen (15cm) is £9.95 for 250g (that’s around 10 strips).
NO HIDE CHEW
These treats from Earth Animal are a fantastic alternative to rawhide whilst providing the same long lasting enjoyment you’d expect from a rawhide chew.
No Hide chews are made from seven natural ingredients (including pineapple for that hide-ey texture) and come in three flavours. They are sustainable, healthy and highly digestible. These chews are very long lasting, have little to no odour and come in different sizes to suit your dog.
No Hide chews are £6.00 for a small, and £9.95 for a large.
PIZZLE
Loved by dogs, pizzle sticks (also known as bully sticks) are extremely popular as longer lasting chews - We love that our Pizzles are totally odourless too! Made from 100% bull pizzle (yes, it really is made from a bull’s private parts), these are low in fat, high in protein and are totally irresistible to dogs. Available in 4 shapes - Straight, Braided, Twirl and Ring!
Pizzles sell from £9.00 to £10.00 per piece dependent on design.
These are just a few of our tougher, longer lasting chews that are available to buy in the shop or online. For some ideas on our more gentle treats for sensitive chewers or those that prefer an instant win, keep your eyes peeled for our next blog post…coming soon!