I think it depends on the dog.If the intent of the dog is to destroy the chew than IMO nothing is safe. If a dog is just going to chew a little here and there for exercise a good strong Kong would be my choice but i would only allow it being chewed in my immediate presence.

Yes: Always supervise chewies! You need only one accident for an unhappy end : (

Nothing was good for my dog because she would destroy everything, and the small piece that remained in the end could be choked on. So now I give her those sterile hollow bones that are filled with stuff (e.g., chicken flavor, peanut butter flavor, etc.). I don't like the artificial stuff in them, but I let her finish getting it out (which takes a while) and then I fill it will her dry dog food (mashed with a little water) and put it in the freezer....once I take it out it has the same consistency as the artificial stuff, but at least I know what my dog is eating. Those bones are great for removing the plaque from teeth and do not break in pieces.

We recently had a very nasty experience with Greenies and will no longer have those around. We also avoid rawhide or anything else that could cause a blockage. Lady really likes the natural jerky-type treats - Wellness is a good brand - and it's very digestible. I've heard that some dogs like the stuffed Kongs so that might be a good chewing alternative.

I give my rotties greenes, but i watch them the whole time.
They chew very slowly and careful.
No gulping.
My dogs are almost 9 years old and the greenies keep their
teeth white.

Christine

Others don't like them but I use knuckle bones, either raw or the ones at the pet store. I remove excess fat from them and take them away once he loses interest. I've been doing this with my dogs for 20 yrs and never had a problem.
Also never had trouble with bones splintering since my dog (20 lbs)isn't able to break off large pieces.

Some who feed raw to big dogs offer the large leg and knuckle bones.

Bully sticks. A good 20 minute chew and healthy. Never any issues. Also, non-weightbearing raw bones are safe and a regular part of my dogs' diets.

I don't trust rawhide, but will give greenies occasionally.

Thanks everyone for your replys. What do you think of granulated raw hide sticks. Our puppy's breeder used them. Do they have the same dangers as other raw hide chews?

Oooooh, sheltiemom, thanks for sharing your experience. My new little girl sheltie is a "nibbler", not a gulper, so I was just now considering buying Greenies to help with her plaque, thinking that maybe the health problems only happened to dogs who are gulpers. Now I think I'll keep looking for something else, maybe try bully sticks.

My dog loves Greenies, but because of his love for destructing anything he gets in his mouth, we watch him the whole time if he has one, and as soon as the greenie is small enough he could swallow it, we take it away. Greenies makes smaller bite sized treats though. They may not do much for his teeth, but nutritionally, I've heard they are good.

I agree that your dog should always be supervised whenever he is given a chew. I give my boy CET dental chews, which my vet sells. He loves them, but when they get down in size he does try to gulp the last piece whole. I keep a close watch and when he is about halfway finished, I grab hold of a slimy corner and keep holding it as he chews until it's small enough to swallow (or choke) him, then I take it away. And wash my hands.

Our vet said Rawhides made in America are okay as long as they are watched while nawing on them. So I buy the big long ones and watch them while they have them. When they get down to about 4" I take them away and so far they haven't been biting off large pieces.

They use Nylabones whenever they want them. I buy the big ones and only allow them to use them until the ends are gone.
I do have to get something to keep Amos' teeth cleaner. For some reason, his teeth get plaque on them but Andi's don't. Same age, brother and sister but such a difference in their teeth. I was told I will need something that has an enzyme in it to help with the plaque. The vet has them so I guess I will get them and if necessary I will get his teeth cleaned. Then start brushing his teeth. They are just like babies, aren't they!

Bully sticks! Mine love bully sticks--they are by far the most coveted treat we have ever given our pups. As long as we don't give too many, our babies do great on them (they are a bit "rich" and can cause some nasty gas if they get too many). They take a long time to chew, but they actually are fully digestible (unlike Greenies and others) and they don't get rubbery like rawhides do, so there's not a lot to worry about. We are big fans of bully sticks!

I cannot trust mine. The older one seldom if ever chews his food, and would swallow too many things whole. The younger one chews, but would not hesitate to try to swallow a large chunk. He has done it before.

When you say that you are watching them, you really must watch. That idea scares me because if they begin to choke, you may not be able to fix it.

It is important that many of us brush the teeth of our dogs. I guess the decision we make is an individual one, but the word "watch" should not be used casually.

Sammy

In case anyone is wondering where you find rawhide chews made in the USA, I have found them at the Petco salad bar (I call it the salad bar because that's what it looks like but it's really with dog treats and bones) Self service... take what you want and pay by the weight.
I have not found US beef bones or the like anywhere else locally including the vet who sells some rawhide made in china that I wouldn't use even if it was prescribed.

On special occasions like birthdays I will go to the petco salad bar and get the beef bones for them but the problem with those and my dogs is they will chew them up in one sitting even if it takes all day or all night. They don't know when to stop. If they eat too much it can send them to diarheaville.

I used to get those thin sticks that Nutro made up until the recall. I haven't purchased them since. I would stick them in the holes in the T2 sized kong and break it off and they would like that along with some other usual stuffings.
Wellness WellBars fit in the T2 or King kong sized kongs. A little bread in there to hold it all in. Sometimes some kibble or peanut butter. Sometimes some celery if there is any around. That's not really a dental chew though that is more like the opposite.

We used to be big on rope toys but they have become too good at destroying them instantly
(in under 5 minutes) so we stopped. The ones made by booda are the best made though.

Speaking of destructive puppies.. I got my dog one of those toys that is a tennis ball on one end and a rope on the other end, today. I am not exaggerating at all, but my little 15 pound dog had this thing dissected and destroyed within 5 minutes! I gave it to him, and a few minutes later walked over to see what he was doing, and sure enough, the green fabric coating around the ball was torn off, and he was in the process of ripping a hole into the tennis ball! 5 minutes!! He's little, but my god he can destroy anything in record time!

Mine would rather chew a stick in the yard over a Kong. I give them carrots even though they aren't thrilled.

Kim, so would mine. I think any dog would.
The thing with kongs is that unlike sticks, they will not splinter and break apart and wind up in the belly or getting choked on. Kongs also encourage chewing on appropriate indoor chewies such as themselves during times of anxiety or boredom. They a training device more than a toy in my opinion. Stuffing them with food or treats is the key otherwise it doesn't change shape readily or retain interesting smells so it isn't something the dogs are going to fall in love with instantly. It does become an addiction rather quickly though. The rope toys on the other hand do retain scents and do change shape and up until recently they lasted a long long time. They would fetch for them and tug with them. Life was grand. Then they just got too good at unraveling them.

Raw meaty bones are the best possible teeth cleaning... IMO, raw hide isn't digestable and yes it CAN cause issues, I don't have a dog, and probably wont because of my budget,family limit on pets and that I have two cats.

Turkey sausage that has been sliced into patties and cooked is the best thing for medium sized kongs. It's rubbery and springs into the opening making it very hard to get out.
I wouldn't give my dog something that was unnatural like a greenie anyway. They do get t bones once a month or so, carefully watched, but that's it.

I have a new 1 year old GSP. He can destroy a tennis ball (reinforced Tuff Ball for dogs) in 9 seconds - yes, I timed him.

My latest experiences into the world of chew toys:

I don't give things like bully sticks, pig ears, Greenies, rawhides etc. the foster dogs tend to like them too much and either gulp or guard - both are things I don't encourage.

Nylabones - None of my dogs have ever liked the classic hard nylabones. They are extremly hard plastic and he won't even use them as a throw toy. Softer versions such as gumabones last less than 10 minutes. Nylabone dental chews last 20 minutes.

Kong - Classic Kongs are good. I have both red and black (exteme) versions in Xl and King sizes and have not had a dog destroy them. The dental stick and dental jack are worthless - both broke into large pieces within minutes and they are only available in red. Kong treat balls (stuff-a-ball) were also quickly destroyed. The biscuit ball lasts longer, but still wasn't suitable. Air Kongs are glorified tennis balls and met the same fate as their cheaper brethren. Kong balls are nice and the dogs seem to especially enjoy the bounzer ball. Kongs supposedly have a replacement guarantee, but I wasn't particularly impressed with Kong's customer service after contacting them about the dental stix.

Puptreads are made from recycled tires and have the advantage of being available at Walmart, etc. Vigorous chewing did rough them up, but only small rice-sized pieces are missing.

Chuck-It Ultra balls last much longer than any other ball except Kong balls. The advantage of the Ultra balls is that they bounce better and are great for indoors as they are light. I've heard that raquetballs are similiar, but don't have personal experience.

Rope toys are no longer an option as he untied the knots and shredded the strands within minutes.

I just bought goughnuts to try and after a week, they are still whole. They're a little heavy for indoor play, but the dogs enjoy carrying them and chewing. So far I'm impressed. They do come with a replacement guarantee and, should the need arise, I hope I'll have a better experience with them than i did with Kong.

Here is a link that might be useful: goughnuts

I recommend bully sticks.

They are a bit pricy, but, they are good for the teeth and gums, and they won't upset the dogs stomach even if they devour the whole thing.

I do make it a point to supervise, just in case.

SG

I think that anything a dog can put into his mouth is a risk, whether it's a Greenie, bully stick, a real stick or what have you. It's what dogs do... even eating rocks. Having said that I have been giving my three Shiba Inu's Greenies for the better part of 6 years and have never had an issue. They get the petite size and are not aggressive chewers and gulpers. I think some of the problems... not all rest with the dog owner giving the dog the wrong size Greenie. I would never give mine a large size meant for larger dogs. I also buy knuckle bones when I can find them in the supermarket. My three also love the bully stick... that is their high end treat to chew on.

Bob