Safe Choices for Chewing in a Crate

GO BIG!

If the item you give your dog is meant to be chewed, it should be far too large for the dog to swallow, even after a good long session of chewing. Don’t give any dog something that can be completely chewed up to a swallowable size in less than an hour. 

BONES

This bone is too small; the dog can get it between his moles, risking a slab fracture. It’s also small enough that he might try to swallow it – and large enough to choke him if he tries.

We don’t approve of giving dogs dried bones – neither the sterilized, bleached white ones that are devoid of tissues or marrow, nor the decidedly not sterile, dried bones that have tissue still attached to them and marrow present inside them. The former bones are too hard; dogs invariably try to crack them open and are at a high risk of cracking their molars on them. While the latter bones are softer, they contain enough moisture to host pathogenic bacteria such as  Salmonella. 

If you are going to give your dog a bone to keep him happy, it should be fresh (or fresh-frozen). Ideally, these still have tissue still attached to them; the act of chewing, licking, and tearing at these tissues is incredibly helpful for scraping plaque from a dog’s teeth. 

MISCELLANEOUS CHEWS

If you give your dog rawhide, it should be gigantic, thick, and not filled with small pieces. He should have to work hard for long periods to chew any tissue off the roll.

What about dried pigs’ ears and snouts, beef hooves, tendons, and all the other miscellaneous dried animal parts found in the pet store aisles? Nope. We wouldn’t give a dog any of these items in a crate when we are not close by and actively supervising. Too many of these items can be chewed to sizes that can be choked on in a short time. 

FOOD-DISPENSING TOYS

Stuffing food into a toy such as the original Kong is the safest option for most dogs who benefit from having something in their crate to keep them occupied and happy. 

By filling your dogs’ Kongs with canned food or a raw diet and then freezing the toy, it takes longer for the food to melt and for the dog to completely empty the toy. Or you can use kibble mixed with peanut butter, cream cheese, or yogurt – anything healthy and sticky enough to make the dog have to work at licking and manipulating the toy to try to reach and eat all the food. 

However, you still have to make sure that the toy is of an appropriate size (too big to be swallowed) and toughness (chew-resistant), and that your dog will empty the food from the toy in a safe manner, not progressing to chewing the toy after the food is gone. Run a number of trials while supervising him to determine what type of food keeps your dog working at the task the longest.

There are many types of “food puzzles” (which require the dog to manipulate sliding covers or remove pegs to reach food treats) and balls or cubes that will dispense kibble when knocked around by the dog. These are not generally safe for most dogs to use without supervision, and certainly not appropriate for use in the close confines of a crate.