By DogLovely Team
Last updated: April 2020
Do you have power chewers in your home? Are you struggling to find long lasting dog chews that would keep your power chewers happy for hours? If destroying any dog dental chew your gave your canine sounds familiar to you, please, continue reading.
What Dog Chews Last the Longest?
Chewing is important for any dog. It’s an activity important for dental health, keeping your dog busy chewing, supplying natural minerals for bone and joint health, and more.
However, if you’ve got a pup who loves to use their mouth, then you’ll probably know how difficult it is to find a chew that doesn’t immediately get destroyed within seconds. A lot of toys or chews that claim to be long-lasting are, in fact, flimsy or easily ripped to shreds.
Fortunately, there are a handful of chews made from sturdy materials that won’t break as soon as your dog touches them. These include antlers, root chews, and rubber chews. While these chews are incredibly durable and resilient, they aren’t as flavorful as some other types of chews. This might cause your dog to lose interest quickly or be less motivated to chew them for an extended period.
Of course, over years of trial and error, I managed to narrow down the list until I found the best long lasting dog chews around. And I am happy to share this list with you as we cover not only three of the most long lasting dog chews but also long lasting chews for powerful dog chewers.
And it isn’t just about the dental chews! We will also look at two excellent treat recipes that will offer a longer lasting tidbit for your dog’¦whether he is a power chewer or not.
What Are the Safest Chews for Dogs?
As you’ve probably gathered, there are some bizarre dog chews available for dogs. Some are better than others, especially in terms of safety. Chews like rawhide, pig ears, and cow hooves might taste delicious to your pooch, but they’re also considered some of the most unsafe.
Don’t choose rawhide or pig ears as these affect your canine’s digestive system!
Both rawhide and pig ear can get stuck in your dog’s digestive system and cause a blockage, especially if they’re eaten in large amounts. Cow hooves, on the other hand, can potentially splinter, fracture teeth, and develop sharp edges that could injure your dog’s mouth.
That’s why it’s important to make sure the chew you use for your dog is safe. Some edible safe long-lasting dog chews include dried sweet potatoes, dental sticks, and homemade jerky. Nylon bones or natural rubber chews for dental health are also both great choices. If you’re not sure how to prepare dried sweet potatoes or dog-friendly jerky, then we’ve got two great recipes for these chews later on!
What are the most long lasting dog chews for power chewers?]
When we are looking for long lasting dog chews, we really want to look at a number of factors including how tough they are, how great they taste and if they have an unusual smell. Obviously, how tough they are will determine how long the chew will last for your dog. Taste will encourage chewing. If the dog dental treat doesn’t taste great, your dog is not about to stay chewing it. And finally, smell works in two ways:
- It interests your dog and encourages him to chew the dental chew.
- It has an unpleasant smell the longer he chews it.
Now that you have the three most important factors, let’s look at three of the most long lasting dog chews you can purchase your dog.
1. Long Last Dog Chew: Raw Bones
There is a lot of debate about bones but, when it comes down to bare facts, raw bones are one of the best options when you are looking for a long lasting chew for your dog. When choosing a raw bone, make sure that you consider the following:
- Proper size for your dog. Make sure that the bone is the right size. You want it large enough for him to chew without injuring his jaw but not too small where he could accidentally swallow it. The general rule of thumb is to choose a bone that is the size of your dog’s head.
- Type of raw bone. Although many bones are great for dogs, for dental chews, I’d avoid chicken and turkey bones’¦and never feed pork. Beef bones are often a favorite bone; however, it is a softer bone, which means it won’t last as long as other raw bones. If you are looking for a longer chew, feed your dog elk or bison bones. As an aside, lamb bones are often perfect for smaller breeds for size and toughness.
- Meat on the bone. While you are focusing more on the actual bone, having meat and tendons on the bone help with the overall dental health of your dog. Make sure the bone has a good amount of meat.
Although raw bones are safe, healthy and stand up to long chewing sessions, it is important to note that they can become quite smelly over time if the extra meat is not chewed off the bone. They can also be quite messy so let your dog chew a raw bone outside or in a room that is easy to clean.
Finally, never boil or cook raw bones as they can end up splintering while your dog is chewing it and that can lead to serious health risks.
2. Long Last Dog Chew: Yak Cheese
It may not sound very appetizing, but yak cheese is a big hit with dogs and dog owners alike. The main reason it is so popular among owners are the following reasons:
- Natural product. Yak cheese is a hard cheese that has a very tangy taste. It is produced from yak milk and is all natural with no fillers or other preservatives.
- Low in fat. This means that your dog can eat a few of these long lasting dental treats without having to worry too much about the overall fat. However, yak cheese is high in calories so be sure to count them into his daily calories.
- Easily digestible. This makes them great for dogs with sensitive stomachs.
- Great for dogs of all sizes. Yak cheese can be excellent for small dogs as well and you simply need to microwave it for about a minute so it is soft enough for them to chew.
- Stain and odor free. This means you won’t have to deal with a bad smell and you won’t have to worry about where your dog chews it.
With all those bonuses in mind, the end result is a long-lasting dental chew that dogs usually love the taste of.
3.Long Last Dog Chew: Rubber Chews
The final chew that I want to look are rubber chews. There are many different rubber chews on the market and while they are not consumable, they help with keeping dogs entertained while maintaining good dental health.
Rubber chews should have a couple of considerations when purchasing:
- Natural rubber. Look for rubbers made from rice husk or other natural materials. These are healthier for both your dog and the environment.
- One that is stuffable. Dogs often become bored with rubber chews easily so always choose a rubber chew that you can put treats, such as peanut butter, into the chew will keep your dog interested in it.
- High quality. Never go with the cheaper option with any type of chew, especially rubber. You want one, such as a Kong, that is tough and won’t break apart as your dog is chewing it.
Rubber chews are great if you don’t want to add those extra calories. However, because they don’t have great flavor so your dog may lose interest quickly.
And those are our top three long lasting dog chews but don’t stop there as there are many other dog chews for those power chewers out there.
Top long lasting chews for a powerful dog chewer
Now that you know our top three dog chews, let’s look at a quick list of the top, long lasting chews for your power chewer. As with any chew, you want to consider toughness, taste and lasting odor. With power chewers, you want to choose a dental chew that is on the high end of toughness. These chews include:
- Antlers. Great with toughness, but they lack flavor and a lot of dogs get bored of them quickly. You can get antlers from many different animals including elk, moose, and deer.
- Braided Bully Sticks. Natural chews that are made from real beef. One bully stick often stands up well to a power chewer, however, the braided bully sticks are even better as there are 8 bully sticks braided together to make a very strong chew.
- Root Chews. If you are looking for a chew that isn’t an animal product, root chews are excellent. Made from Araack trees, the wood doesn’t splinter and dogs love the taste.
- Smartbones. These are processed bones that are excellent for power chewers. They tend to be harder than other dog bones and they don’t have the risk of splintering like animal bones. Smart bones are made with high quality ingredients and are great for dog’s with sensitive stomachs.
- Kong Extreme.. This takes us back to rubber chews but Kong Extreme is a chew for power chewers.When you are choosing a chew, I always recommend that you mix it up with multiple chews, so your dog doesn’t get bored.
Braided Bully Sticks as Long Lasting Chews – Reviews
Pawstruck 12′ Braided Bully Sticks For Dogs
Our Rating: 🾠🾠🾠🾠ðŸ¾
Braided bully sticks as long-lasting chews are delicious and fun for your dog to gnaw on, and these Pawtruck ones are a great option. They’re made by intertwining 3 sticks and contain zero artificial ingredients, hormones, and chemicals.
The sticks are made from free-range, grass-fed cattle to make them completely natural. The chews help remove plaque and tartar from your dog’s teeth to improve overall dental health, while also being relatively low in odor. This means they shouldn’t smell too strong when your dog is chewing them, which can be a problem for some braided bully sticks.
Bear in mind that you should include chews in your dog’s daily calorie intake. Even natural or healthy edible chews should not be given in excessive amounts.
The main issue with these braided bully sticks is that they are not always a consistent size. In addition to this, some dogs might experience digestive issues when first introduced to the chews, especially if they have a sensitive stomach.
- Made from free-range and grass-fed cattle
- Great for dental health
- Not as odorous as some other bully sticks
- Not consistent in size
- Might cause digestive issues for dogs with a sensitive stomach
GigaBite Odor-Free Braided Bully Sticks
Our Rating: 🾠🾠🾠ðŸ¾
GigaBite’s braided bully sticks are made from free-range, grass-fed cattle to make them a 100% natural chew for your pup. They contain zero hormones, additives, preservatives, or artificial ingredients.
The sticks are carefully cleaned and dried to make them odor-free so they don’t stain surfaces or cause bad breath. In addition to being advantageous for dental health, these chews are high in protein.
However, the bully sticks are a little thin in size and can cause digestive issues in some dogs, especially if they have a sensitive gut.
- Made from free-range and grass-fed cattle
- Contains no artificial ingredients, additives, hormones, or preservatives
- Odor-free
- Quite thin in size
- Can cause digestive issues in some dogs
Best Edible Chews Vs Toy Chews
Edible chews like bully sticks, dental sticks, and jerky are excellent for dogs as they help prevent tartar and plaque build-up, while also being pretty tasty! However, as these types of chews are meant to be consumed, they’re typically not as long-lasting as toy chews.
Toy chews such as rubber, hard plastic, and nylon bones often lack flavor, but they last a fairly long time compared to edible chews. Rubber natural dog bones as long-lasting chews are a particularly great option as they are firm enough to tolerate even the most aggressive chewer.
A lot of rubber toys have holes or hollowed out areas to place treats inside, which provides your dog with even more hours of enjoyment.
You can also get non-edible flavored toys for dogs which are a good alternative to edible chews. For example, chews toys made of nylon and natural flavors like peanut butter, chicken, and turkey.
Toy chews are a good option for puppies as some edible chews are unsuitable for young pups. Some types of edible dog chews can be a choking hazard to puppies. They can also contain ingredients that are unsafe for young dogs.
Homemade Long Lasting Dog Chews
Before we sign off on the world of long-lasting dog chews, I felt that it was a good idea to leave you with a few excellent recipes on how to make long lasting dog chews. Even better, these healthy long lasting dog chews can be made for pennies. These homemade long lasting dog chews will last for a fair amount of time and are very simple to make. In addition, they are inexpensive and limited in ingredients, which is perfect for any dog that has a sensitive stomach.
Dog Chew Recipe #1: Sweet Potato Chews
Perfect for sensitive stomachs, sweet potato chews are healthy and dogs love the taste. You can make as many or as few as you like and they should be stored in the freezer to last for months.
Ingredients:
- Sweet Potatoes
Directions:
- Wash and dry the sweet potatoes.
- Don’t peel them but simply slice them into thin pieces/rounds about ¼ inch thick.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment and place them on the sheet so they are not overlapping. If you overlap the potato pieces, they won’t cook properly.
- Set the oven to 250°F and place the sweet potatoes into the oven.
- Bake for 3 hours and be sure to turn them halfway through the cooking time.
- Remove from oven and cool completely before giving to your dog.
Dog Chew Recipe #2: Jerky
Of course, Jerky would be in our recipe list but when you make jerky, be sure to really mix it up with different meats and even parts of the animal. You can create jerky from hearts, tongue and trachea, the last one is an excellent chew that is often long lasting. If you are making jerky from meat, you will need to cut it up into thin slices but the other parts can be kept whole if they are small enough. Avoid adding any flavors or salt as it is unnecessary and unhealthy for your dog.
- Ingredients:
- Cut of Meat
- Directions:
- Cutting against the grain, slice your meat into 1/8 inch thick cuts of meat. The thinner the better. Remember that jerky shrinks a lot so make the slices as long as you can if you want a good chew.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment and place them on the sheet so they are not overlapping. You want them to have their own space so they dry out evenly.
- Set the oven to 200°F and place the meat slices into the oven.
- Bake for 3 hours. At the 3-hour mark, take out one piece of jerky and check to see how dehydrated it is. If there is still a lot of uncooked meat, return to the oven for another hour. Chewier dog jerky is usually cooked for less time while crunchy dog jerky is cooked for longer.
- Once you are finished cooking, remove them from the oven and cool completely.
- Store in an airtight container and offer to your dog whenever you want to give him a chew.
Although we’ve only shared two recipes, the skies the limit when you create your own jerky dog chews and sweet potato chews. Your dog will love them and will be more than happy to have seconds.
So, when it comes to long lasting dog chews, you don’t have to spend a lot. All you need to do is use one of several dog chews that we recommended to ensure that you have the right dog chew for your power chewer. When you find the right one, your dog will be happy and entertained while he works his jaws and cleans his teeth.
Join the Doglovely newsletter and get your FREE Ebook “Natural Foods for Dogs with Sensitive Stomach”
