# Nylabone



## PDXDeutschhund (Sep 22, 2010)

I had a shop keeper at a local Holistic Pet Supply suggest Nylabones. Dutch is only a hair over eight weeks, and I've been trying to find one that I feel comfortable with him having.

The first ones we bought were just too small. They were edible and he almost had one of the ends off within fifteen minutes. I took it away because I thought he'd choke on it. 

The second one I bought was this
Dura Chew® Plus Bone - Chicken | Product Finder | By Brand | Nylabone

It seems small as well, and the material is hard as a rock. I'm worried it's too hard for him. Am I wrong? 

Lastly, I bought this one and he loves it.

PuppyBone | Product Finder | By Product Type | Nylabone

Almost too much. He was carrying it around and crying when he was chewing on it the first time. I took it away and only just gave it back. Now he's laying in his bed and quietly chewing on the thing. I only gave it back because he started biting on the metal frame of our coffee table and I didn't think that was good for him or the table. 

Anyway, I've read some warnings about Nylabone. I want to give him something safe to chew on. He has his toys but he seems to want something hard to chew on. I've also got some knucklebones in the freezer that I have yet to give to him.

Any advice?


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## Stevenzachsmom (Mar 3, 2008)

I used to give my samoyed Nylabones. She loved them and never had a problem. I got my GSD when she was 2 years old. I gave her a Nylabone once. It was the really big one. She bit it in half in one bite. I figured she might break her teeth off. No more Nylabones for us.


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## vat (Jul 23, 2010)

I gave all my pups nyla bones and they were a life saver. As they gew I moved up to the more heavy duty ones. Some dogs continue to chew them until they die others not so much after puppyhood.


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## Stosh (Jun 26, 2010)

Stosh bit the end off of a chicken flavored one, it didn't seem as hard as the others. The really hard ones he's not interested in but he has started power chewing not a teething kind of chewing action. I got him an elk antler that he likes


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## Uniballer (Mar 12, 2002)

I let my dogs have the Nylabone durable soupers, even when they are alone in their crate or kennel. I offer something a bit softer to puppies, especially during teething. I have had tiny puppies pick up and chew on a souper that an older dog had started, but the shape was different enough that he could get a grip (and it smelled like The Other Dog's Toy  ).

The Nylabone Gumabone is softer, but it might be too soft. You have to watch it and see. There is nothing wrong with a good raw marrow bone, but it will make quite a mess if you let him chew it on the carpet.


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## Rerun (Feb 27, 2006)

We use the durable souper ones here too, and never had a lick of trouble with them. Dante has been chewing on the big ones since we got him at 10 wks. They wittle them down over the span of time, we replace all of them probably once a year. During the winter they really work on them hard since they are cooped up inside so much with the cold crappy weather.

We started feeding raw bones this yr once a week and that has made a WORLD of difference in helping satisfy their chewing. they spend an entire day each week chewing on their bones, and a good chunk of the next day as well.

I don't use the puppy bones, I don't like the risk of them chewing off a chunk of rubber and swallowing it. Puppies do stupid things sometimes. The soft rubber may seem fine, but once they hit their stride it won't be hard to chew off a piece rather quickly. Even if you're sitting there staring at the dog, you may not be able to prevent it if it happens.


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## Runswithdogs (May 8, 2010)

Rerun, what kind of raw bones do you give that they'll chew on for a whole day? Our pup LOVES bones (though her digestive system doesn't always agree!) and new ideas are always great.


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## holland (Jan 11, 2009)

I have been giving my dogs nylabones and marrow bones-but just took them both to have their teeth cleaned-Rories teeth are worn down and the vet said the nylabones caused it-also she needs a root canal -so I am looking for something other than nylabones after this


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## ahazra (Aug 20, 2010)

Wow Nylabones leading to worn down teeth and root canal !! I'm not a nylabone advocate, but that stuff couldn't possibly be harder than a real knuckle bone that dogs chew on. Our GSD puppy used Nylabones and was perfectly happy with it.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

We have Nylabones, the kind for the toughest chewers. All my dogs use them. My 7 year old kibble-fed dog has never had a dental and the vet said she is fine b/c she chews the Nylabone. I've had the same bone for years. Granted it's pretty nasty but not even half gone. There are so many "flavors" and types, I only use the ones for the toughest chewers, anything else would be too soft.

For little bitty puppies I use braided bully sticks. My adults can eat one in minutes but my puppies....they'll work on it for a week. It's softer and tastes yummy.


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## PDXDeutschhund (Sep 22, 2010)

ahazra said:


> Wow Nylabones leading to worn down teeth and root canal !! I'm not a nylabone advocate, but that stuff couldn't possibly be harder than a real knuckle bone that dogs chew on. Our GSD puppy used Nylabones and was perfectly happy with it.


We had our first visit with the vet today and he said that he has seen countless dogs with broken teeth from nylabones. We are switching away from them.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

knucklebones are not that hard, the cartilege is fairly soft compared to the plastic of the nylabone, and has nutritional benefits. Marrow bones are hard as they are weight bearing and denser especially when they dry out(splintering is a problem, too). 
I would give a knucklebone(soupbone) before a marrow bone.
A puppy fish nylabone is pretty soft for the puppyteething stage, but beyond that will get chewed right up. I also had the keys for my pup. 
For the adults the galileo seems to hold up, but my dogs don't really like them as much as the softer ones. I do feed raw, but my dogs still like to knaw on something in their downtime.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

my pup had femur bones starting at
9 weeks old. when he came into the house
for the 1st time he picked up a femur bone
and started chewing it. the bone belonged to
our Grey Hound. from that time on he had femur bones
sometimes cooked (boil or baked) and sometimes raw.


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## Rerun (Feb 27, 2006)

Runswithdogs said:


> Rerun, what kind of raw bones do you give that they'll chew on for a whole day? Our pup LOVES bones (though her digestive system doesn't always agree!) and new ideas are always great.


We get beef femur bones from the butcher. They are HUGE and very thick. We have them cut into 4 - 6" sections (bigger than it sounds given how thick they are) and buy 3 femurs at a time. We freeze them and feed one per dog per week. The three bones total is $10, very cheap for a couple months of bones.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

PDXDeutschhund said:


> We had our first visit with the vet today and he said that he has seen countless dogs with broken teeth from nylabones. We are switching away from them.


My question is why are the dogs being allowed to chew so hard and so long that they wear their teeth down or break them? I think a hard chewer is a hard chewer, regardless of what the dog is given. Kenya is like that, I have to closely monitor *everything* I give her to chew because she tends to just crush something and eat pieces that are too large, or she will chew for so long that her mouth is bleeding.


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## holland (Jan 11, 2009)

My answer is "I don't know" -and I really miss the days when I knew it all


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## PDXDeutschhund (Sep 22, 2010)

I'm just frustrated because Dutch seems to want something hard to chew on, but he doesn't like any of the other softer bones I got him. The only one he's liked so far was the chicken flavored nylabone, but the vet said he thought that was too hard. I got him a softer nylabone, but it's unflavored and he has zero interest in it. I put some of his kong flavor paste on it but all he does is lick it off....

Not sure what to do...


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## Rerun (Feb 27, 2006)

Most vets recommend feeding science diet and many even say pedigree and kibbles n bits is fine.....sometimes you gotta use your best judgement. Vets went to school to learn how to do things the average person can't do. Operations, diagnosis using medical equip. This doesn't make them experts on everything doggie.

My dogs teeth are beautiful. They've had nylabones their whole lives.


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## jakeandrenee (Apr 30, 2010)

I am with rerun, take suggestions from the vet however use YOUR best judgement, you know your puppy way better.


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## PDXDeutschhund (Sep 22, 2010)

Rerun said:


> Most vets recommend feeding science diet and many even say pedigree and kibbles n bits is fine.....sometimes you gotta use your best judgement. Vets went to school to learn how to do things the average person can't do. Operations, diagnosis using medical equip. This doesn't make them experts on everything doggie.
> 
> My dogs teeth are beautiful. They've had nylabones their whole lives.


Well which one would you recommend for a pup that's only 8.5 weeks old? That's really been the most challenging part. A lot of the "puppy" bones are just too small for him. The one I got was actually rated for a pup that's 3 months old, but the size just seems much safer for him.


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## jakeandrenee (Apr 30, 2010)

Have you tried a frozen stuffed puppy KONG?


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## PDXDeutschhund (Sep 22, 2010)

jakeandrenee said:


> Have you tried a frozen stuffed puppy KONG?


We haven't frozen it. We put the paste in there and he licks at it for maybe 5 minutes and gets bored. His little tongue can't even reach very far in there so he can't get the stuff that's further down in the kong. What do you like to freeze in there?


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## jakeandrenee (Apr 30, 2010)

Oh, anything...peanut butter, plain yogart, ground beef, kibble, treats.

I put a little yogart or peanut butter, then a treat or kibble, another plop of yogart, kibble etc. Then freeze! 

Jake didn't stay with much too long at that age either so mix it up a bit. Also bully sticks are good.


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## jakeandrenee (Apr 30, 2010)

Another suggestion is taking an old dish rag, tying a few knots in it, wet it then freeze it.


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## PDXDeutschhund (Sep 22, 2010)

jakeandrenee said:


> Another suggestion is taking an old dish rag, tying a few knots in it, wet it then freeze it.


Ooo that's a good one. I'll have to try that. We're also going to try that rope soaked in beef stock. The vet was actually really impressed with that idea.


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## jakeandrenee (Apr 30, 2010)

Yes, just get creative, don't worry after your pup is done teething he will stay with everything longer....
Also look in a everlasting fun ball. I would get the large!!!


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## PDXDeutschhund (Sep 22, 2010)

jakeandrenee said:


> Yes, just get creative, don't worry after your pup is done teething he will stay with everything longer....
> Also look in a everlasting fun ball. I would get the large!!!


That looks great. I've actually heard that some trainers give 2/3 of their meals to their dog in an interactive toy like that. 

Where did you get yours? I could order it online but I'm wondering if I can get it at Petsmart or Petco.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

For 8.5 weeks I'd use bully sticks. I think I mentioned that earlier, have you tried it?

In my experience, puppies want something softer that's real food. Mine have not cared about Nylabones or anything similar, even stuffed Kongs, but they've always loved the braided bully sticks.


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## PDXDeutschhund (Sep 22, 2010)

Liesje said:


> For 8.5 weeks I'd use bully sticks. I think I mentioned that earlier, have you tried it?
> 
> In my experience, puppies want something softer that's real food. Mine have not cared about Nylabones or anything similar, even stuffed Kongs, but they've always loved the braided bully sticks.


For some reason I feel like I've been told that he's too young for bully sticks from a couple different sources. You disagree?


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## ahazra (Aug 20, 2010)

I really liked the rope soaked in beef stock. I'm going to try it too. Any other bright ideas ?


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

PDXDeutschhund said:


> For some reason I feel like I've been told that he's too young for bully sticks from a couple different sources. You disagree?


I don't know, I've never been told not to give them. But, with any chewing thing there has to be supervision and common sense. Most of the warnings I've seen for bully sticks are to make sure the dog does not swallow a large chunk at the end. My adults will eat a bully stick in about 30 seconds, but an 8 week old puppy might gnaw for a week. When the stick is only about 2 inches left, I throw it away and give another. What I like about bully sticks is that they are edible. The frozen/soaked rope idea is OK but what if the dog is pulling off strings from the rope? I'd rather have them chewing and ingesting something that is meant to be eaten.


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## jakeandrenee (Apr 30, 2010)

Very good point about the rag....I guess when I used it I watched him and soon as he really tried to "eat" it I took it away and refroze it...the cold seemed to give him some relief. But over all I like the stuffed frozen kong the best at that age and I did and still do give Jake bully sticks....when he was that age they lasted a long time but now no so much!! LOL


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