Dogs have a burning need to chew, especially as young puppies. If they don’t have access to chew toys to stimulate their gums and teeth, they’ll usually chew up your shoes, furniture legs, and electrical cables instead.

This ranges from annoying to downright dangerous. Replacing chewed up items can get very expensive, and an electrical shock for your pet is unpleasant at best, and could land him at the vets office. Here are some of the best chew toys for your dog’s enjoyment.

Himalaya chews

Himalaya chews are a type of extremely hard cheese most dogs can’t resist. They’re soft enough to reduce the risk of broken teeth and other harms caused by chewing hard things, but strong enough to give your dog hours of chew time.

These are a great choice for picky dogs who may not be attracted to chews that don’t have a good smell to them.

Braided bully stick

If your pet is slow to get through a chew toy, a braided bully stick is a hard enough chew to keep them entertained, while also soft enough to avoid damaging their teeth. Bully sticks are very stinky in their natural state, so if you’d like to avoid this get the odor free type.

Dental chews

Many dental chews have ingredients in them that help fight plaque, while also being hard enough to help your pet relieve their need to chew. Dental chews are a great option to give your pet something appropriate to chew on, and to keep their teeth sparkling clean.

How to get dogs to use their chews

Dog’s need to chew. If you simply tell your pet “no” when he is chewing the furniture or a shoe, he’ll simply learn to be secretive about the habit. Instead, when you catch your pet chewing something inappropriate, replace the item with an appropriate chew calmly.

This way, the pet will learn that there are appropriate and inappropriate items, without being afraid of chewing itself.

If you need a harder chew than the ones above, talk with your veterinarian to reach the best choice for your dog. There are many harder options out there, but they come at the risk of broken teeth. Your vet may be able to help you find a choice right for your pet’s individual needs.