Jon Farleigh and Dewi Weigh in on Their Favorite (Edible) Chewies

Nearly two months ago I wrote a post about a prize I had received from BestBullySticks.  If you recall, at post time, Jon Farleigh - in only 24 hours - had nearly devoured an entire large-sized deer antler, and that I was waiting for both antlers to be completely chewed before bringing out the bully sticks. 

Our prize loot from BestBullySticks (chewy antlers and bully sticks)

Well, guess what?

The dogs finished the one antler and then promptly lost interest in the other. It's still here - unchewed. *sigh* So after about a month of waiting for one of them to regain interest - with no luck - I held my breath, swallowed real hard and dolled out the bully sticks (2, 6-inch braids).

After some gagging and excessive salivation (me - not the dogs), both bully sticks were completely chewed (and devoured) within one hour. No exaggeration. Probably not the best choice for my power chewers. (I have to admit that I'm a little relieved about the bully stick fail :-).)

So what does one give a couple of Corgis with serious chompers to chew on that will last longer then a day or two?

We've tried USA-made rawhides with mixed results. Jon Farleigh can motor through these in a couple days, too, and Dewi has a tendency to bite off chunks and swallow them (which makes me really nervous).

Pressed Rawhide

I've used pressed rawhide in the past with Molly (my first dog), so a couple weeks ago I purchased two 8-inch bones (from a high-end dog treat retailer). At $1.89 each, they were a steal. It took Jon Farleigh and Dewi about a week to get through them. Not too bad!

The dogs never lost interest and there were no large sheets (of soft rawhide) to worry about anyone swallowing (although when Dewi got down to the last softened bit of his, he swallowed it whole; thankfully it was small and went down easily). I just wish I could find pressed rawhide that's made in the USA.

And then there are raw beef marrow bones.

NomNomNom

I've been giving them to the dogs (about once every 3-4 weeks) for several months. I buy them in two-packs at my local grocery store (fresh from the butcher) for about $1.65 a pack. The dogs get them in the kitchen (on hardwood floors) raw. I've tried to keep them on a towel, but it just wasn't worth the fight. (So, yes, I have to wipe up the mess.)

The dogs clean the meat off the bones first and then go for the marrow. This, alone, can take a few hours. If they get tired, I take the bones, wrap them up, refrigerate and then give them back the next day. Once the marrow is gone, the dogs have the bones to chew for several more days. They love them! And for the price, convenience, nutritional value and longevity, so do I.

So yeah, I'll be skipping the bully sticks and antlers (unless we score some more free ones) and opting for the raw bones and pressed rawhides ('til the boys get tired of them, too). And in case you might be wondering, they also like a good Kong or cotton rope to chew on. :) (Everything else gets shredded.)

Has anyone had luck with something else for a power chewer that I've missed?

*****

Have a great weekend!

Antlers taste good! Bully sticks smell good!

Note: I did not eat an antler and happen to think bully sticks are a far cry from fragrant. The title is, therefore, based solely on my observation of Jon Farleigh and Dewi. People should not eat this stuff, okay?

Have you ever played along with the Wordless Wednesday: Caption Contest at Richmond Pet Lovers Blog? We did and wound up winning the March drawing for a $25 gift certificate to BestBullySticks! (Especially cool since we are bent on never winning anything.)

We received our "free" $25-worth of stuff yesterday.

As you might guess, BestBullySticks sells lots of bully sticks, but they also sell lots of other doggie treats and stuff, like deer antlers for safe chewing.

Size Large, sold for $10 each (on sale)

I was really excited about getting to try the antlers since they're usually expensive (compared to raw bones and rawhide) and I've never been able to justify spending the extra cash. I ordered two in the Large size (about 5" long), and as you can see, one of them is nearly gone after only one day! Jon Farleigh went to town!

So obviously, he loved it, but although there was no mess and I didn't notice him being able to break potentially dangerous chunks off, for the money, I'd expect this chew treat to last a good while longer. (BTW - Dewi enjoyed his antler, too, but he's not nearly the chewer that Jon Farleigh is.)

Antlers contain mineral-packed marrow and are great for teeth and gum health.

Confession: Ever since I discovered what a "bully stick" actually is, I've been less than thrilled about purchasing them for my dogs. [gulp] But, since these were "free," I decided to give them a try. Correction: I decided to let the dogs try them - which they haven't yet. They have to finish the antlers first. [gulp]

I opted for two of the 6" odor-free braids.

Since I've never given them to my dogs before, I can't vouch for this, but I have heard that bully sticks smell really bad, especially when all slimy-like.  That's why I went with the odor-free variety, although they still smell slightly funky to me.

If any indication, JF and Dewi could smell them from across my kitchen and came running to investigate.

They look healthy enough.  [double gulp] 

This was in the box, too. Ahem.

Eyes on me, not the antler.

"Give. me. NOW!"

Practicing resource guarding "leave it" skill.

Dewi putting his foot down (literally) to claim his remnant.

"How exactly am I supposed to chew this now?"

(Don't tell Dewi, but I think the remnant might be trash can bound since it could be a choking hazard.)

Hope everyone has a terrific Wednesday (no bull)!

P.S. If the weather cooperates, we're taking the dogs to Bark in the Park night at The Diamond today. Yes, in the stands at a local Minor League baseball game, complete with a Flying Squirrel mascot. I must be crazy. Photos later.