What are the best chews for your puppy?

Safe Chews for Your Puppy

Puppies have sharp but not very strong teeth, so their chews should be soft enough not to fracture them. Natural animal or vegetable chews are the best choice, and puffed or dried options work well. Avoid rawhide. Giving your puppy healthy chews also gives them an outlet that helps them through teething, so they're less likely to chew your furniture.

Why it matters

• Chews that are too hard can fracture a puppy's teeth.
• Teething is uncomfortable. Chewing helps puppies feel better and get through it.
• Without suitable chews, puppies tend to become destructive during teething.
  

What to look for

• Soft rather than hard. A good test from the video is whether you can bend the chew or press a finger into it.
• Natural chews. Natural animal chews or natural vegetable chews are the best option for puppies.
• The right size for your puppy. Match the chew to your puppy's size and breed so there's no choking risk.

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Chew options from the video

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Puffed cow ear, pig snout, chicken foot

Light and soft. You can bend them, and the pig snout is almost foam-like. A great option for puppies.

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Puffed rabbit ears

Made the same way as the options above. Also available as rabbit ears.

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Furry dried rabbit ears

Dried with the fur still on. Apparently good for digestion, so a great option if your puppy likes them.

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Dried rabbit ears (no fur)

The same ear without the hair. Also very bendy and fine for small teeth.

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Beef braids

A natural chew, not rawhide. Harder than puffed options, but you can separate the strands and give one single strand. Suitable for smaller and slightly bigger puppies.

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Collagen chews

Quite soft and break more easily. Come in many shapes: smaller ones suit small breeds, and large rings suit bigger breeds.‍

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What to avoid: rawhide

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Don't give rawhide. It doesn't digest well in a puppy's stomach, it carries a choking risk, it is often bleached and isn't a healthy option.

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‍Safety tips

• Supervise your puppy, especially with very small puppies and smaller pieces.
• Check they're chewing properly and not trying to swallow the chew whole.
• Choose the size carefully. Use smaller collagen chews for small-breed puppies and larger ones, such as rings, for large-breed puppies.
  

Practice plan

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Offer your puppy a few different soft, natural chews and see which ones they like best. Keep a selection available through the teething phase, and watch them while they chew.

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