Teething puppy - bully sticks and pigs ears?

juliefurry

Rusty but Trusty
Joined
Mar 16, 2005
Messages
6,209
Likes
0
Points
0
Age
40
Location
United States
#2
I gave my bernese mountain dog puppy a bully stick today and she did ok with it. I would definetely watch your puppy with it though to make sure it is chewing it correctly. My berner also eats the nylabones, they have puppy sized ones but if they have any adult teeth you can not give them the puppy ones. I give her the wolf sized nylabone healthy eatibles. They also make a lot of toys now that you can soak with water and freeze and the cold with help the teething puppy (although mine doesn't like it frozen she likes it just plain). I give her the rope toys too to chew on and she likes those too. I think it all has to depend on your puppy and it's individual likes.
 

Doberluv

Active Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2004
Messages
22,038
Likes
2
Points
38
Location
western Wa
#3
I offer you exteme caution. I almost lost a dog due to a pig's ear. Sharp shards can break off and be swallowed and cut the intestines. This is what happened to my dog. Also, pieces of rawhide or anything like it can break off, swell up and block the intestines, a life threatening emergency. Pieces get soggie, break off and can lodge in the trachea and the dog chokes to death. Greenies are another one. There have been numerous fatalaties with those also. Why they are allowed to continue to sell them, I'll never know. They would be pulled off the shelves if something happened to a human baby. I recommend no rawhide of any kind.

There are Kongs (the black ones) which are a very hard rubber and Nyla bones which are hard. You can try those things you freeze. But no matter what kind of toy, always examine it frequently to make sure no small parts are breaking off. I have one dog who is such a hard chewer, she even breaks those Nyla bones with the little nub things on them...breaks them to smitherines and they have to go in the trash. She even tore off the top part of a Kong, a red one.
 

juliefurry

Rusty but Trusty
Joined
Mar 16, 2005
Messages
6,209
Likes
0
Points
0
Age
40
Location
United States
#4
We don't use the pigs ears and we stopped using the rawhide after Hannah had a reaction to it. I used greenies a couple times but then researched them on this forum and stopped. I agree if something like what happens to some dogs who eat greenies happened to a baby whatever it was that caused that to happen to the baby would be recalled and pulled from shelfs but for some reason it doesn't matter for dogs (who are members of our family).
 

gallop-dq

New Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2006
Messages
25
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
Virginia
#5
Thank you for the replys! :)

I don't feed Greenies or rawhides, only bully sticks, pigs ears, and occasionally beef ears or beef puffs.

It sounds like you all are saying that Bully sticks will be ok but I need to be careful with pigs ears.
I think I will be getting a Kong or that type of toy for him. He likes the rope toys and stuffed animal toys but I want to give him edible chews like for when the adult dogs are getting their daily bully or pigs ear.

Are the pigs ears dangerous to dogs of all ages or is it just puppys with puppy teeth that can't handle the pig ears?
 

Doberluv

Active Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2004
Messages
22,038
Likes
2
Points
38
Location
western Wa
#6
My dog was an adult when she swallowed a small sliver of a pig's ear and she had bloody diahhrea and vomitting for 24 hours non-stop, absolutely steadily. She was bleeding internally. If you want to risk it, that's up to you. Of course it doesn't happen to every dog. But after that episode and all the vast amount of information on the Internet about all kinds of rawhide, pig's ears, greenies etc, all the horror stories about deaths of dogs due to these products, it most certainly isn't worth the risk to me. I won't play Russian roulett with my dogs' lives. There are plenty of other toys (hard rubber) which are safer. I do let my dogs chew on certain kinds of sticks from outside. I suppose something could happen there. But I think it's natural for them to chew on these things and for the most part believe that the material breaks down and digests pretty well. I could be wrong.
 

SummerRiot

Dog Show Addict
Joined
Sep 16, 2005
Messages
8,056
Likes
0
Points
0
Age
39
Location
Ontario, Canada
#7
I wouldn't be feeding this daily to a puppy or an adult dog..

Perhaps give them a "chewing time" then take the stick away from them, but definately not give them a full one once a day..

if I misunderstood that part lol sorry..

my Belgian gets Bully sticks on occation and just loves then, he never gets a daily treat though.. every other day he might get a bit of bacon, some cooked liver or his bully sticks.. thats about it for him though..

it also doesn't help that hes allergic to wheat though lol that cuts down his treat intake considerably lol
 

Goobiedogs

MiniSchnauzer Goobiedogs!
Joined
Sep 28, 2006
Messages
26
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
Poochieville
#8
I have been giving bully stick since about 4 mths old, they cant destroy them easily. I do not and would not give pigs ears or dingos, too sharp, no way.

Bullies are fully digestible and have never made my dogs throw up, get diareahha, or made them sick or hurt in anyway. You just gotta watch your dog with the stick and take it away when it gets too small, and they could choke on the small stick.

But never never leave your dog alone with any kind of small toy or stick or any kind of chew stick since they could choke while you are gone. Only safe toys when gone. But bullies have always been great for us.
 

gallop-dq

New Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2006
Messages
25
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
Virginia
#9
Thanks for the replies. :) I tried a bully stick on him and he did well with it. I also got a Kong and some filling stuff, and I'll see how he likes that tonight.
 
Joined
Oct 1, 2006
Messages
296
Likes
0
Points
16
Location
New Jersey
#10
Has anyone ever heard of Ziggies? They are long and you can put them in a Kong. Are they OK? They have chlorophyl in them or something to freshen breath. My puppy loves them and they are 100% edible. They get mushy when they chew. Any thoughts?
 

wilford

New Member
Joined
Oct 14, 2006
Messages
34
Likes
0
Points
0
#12
I have a new 4 1/2 month old Saint Bernard x Dobie puppy

http://www.lovehorsepower.com/images/CliffordOct2006/index.html

and I was wondering if its ok to give him bully sticks or pigs ears at this age. I give my older dogs one every day and I don't want the puppy to be left out. If thats not ok, what else should I give him as a edible chew treat?
Well, bully sticks and pig ears are quite ok, as long as you give only small contents of it unlike what you are giving to your older dogs..It would be best for such treat in order to exercise the jaws of your new puppy..Your puppy would just be used to it as it goes along..

 

Members online

Top