Toys to keep them busy in the crate?

[krunzer]

Oh yeah I have heard about antlers…..I have not tried them yet myself (maybe I will when I am feeling a little more hungry)..but I would like to know if the dogs like them or not. Tucker has softer teeth and I would think that these are maybe too hard for him?

[renaultf1]

Mine love deer antlers and they would get them more often if they weren't so expensive. I also have tried that Tibetan yak cheese and they love that but it doesn't last long enough considering how expensive it is - mine finished it off in a day (and according to everything I read it is supposed to last longer than that). Honestly, bones from the butcher or the dental dinosaurs are what I use most often - they last the longest.

[Kipawa]

@renaultf1:

Mine love deer antlers and they would get them more often if they weren't so expensive.

Can I ask how much the deer antlers cost?

[DebraDownSouth]

I gave up bones for chewing on when my vet showed me cracks in my dog's teeth. She just chewed too aggressively. I wonder if antlers are softer?

[tlish]

i buy antlers on ebay, and they're not expensive. i do worry about their hardness, though. suki just chews them every now and then - they're not her favorite.

[Knipper]

Cricket gets elk antlers. We have a family member that runs an all natural dog food business, so I get my pick of the antler chews. I always get the ones that are cut in half, and throw them out when she is done all of the marrow. She goes crazy for them!

[wizard]

The antlers, here anyway, are pretty cheap - maybe a $1 or 2 for 4-5 inches. But mine won't touch them after they've chewed into the first inch or so.
Marrow bones I get at the grocery store.
Peanutbutter-yogurt bones I make myself using old marrow bones – a bit more yogurt (not flavored or at least only vanilla) than peanut butter and then I mix in some kibble. One cup of yogurt will make about 12-16 bones depending on bone thickness.

[Barklessdog]

Our vet said that bone chew was bad for thier teeth, that it loosenses them from the gums?

[KMac]

@Barklessdog:

Our vet said that bone chew was bad for thier teeth, that it loosenses them from the gums?

Is this true? In the wild wouldn't dog chew on bones anyways? Mine loves all bones. Usually I get my marrow bones from the butcher.

[Barklessdog]

What about them eating the shards of the bones?

[wizard]

Both my breeder and my vet said bones are fine and help clean teeth but the bones are NOT cooked. As a result there are no shards. I have given turkey/chicken necks but never the other bones from birds as they tend to be skinny and fragile to start with.

[paneane]

Frozen food is very good. I usually give my dogs raw bones/marrow bones and meat with bones that I find cheap. Turkey necks are also very good for keeping them pups busy for a while.

I'm kinda scared to give my dogs toys alone, especially in a crate where they can easily get very bored. Chew and eat a rubber toy, isn't good for a dog stomach. You can get the same problem with bones too, but they are probably easier to digest, than rubber/plastic.

And remember, always feed RAW bones, never cooked! Cooked bones splinter easily, and can tear up a stomach … good to remember. :)