Short answer: A chew lasts a long time either because it is rock hard or because it is tough. Rock hard (deer antler, horn, hooves, marrow bone, olive wood) lasts the longest, but can break a molar in a dog that cracks instead of gnaws. Tough (an 80 cm bully stick, head skin roll, pressed bone, oxtail) also lasts long and gives way, which makes it the better choice for most hard chewers. Always choose a size your dog cannot take whole into their mouth, stay nearby and take the last piece away.
What is a hard chewer, actually?
A hard chewer is not a big dog, but a dog with a particular chewing style. Some dogs gnaw: they rub the side of the mouth along the chew and work it down slowly. Other dogs demolish: they put the molars on it, bite through and want the thing in pieces. That second group is what we call hard chewers, and they are exactly the dogs in which a rock-hard chew can do the most harm. So first watch how your dog chews, and only then choose the chew.
Lasting long: hard or tough?
Everything that lasts long does so for one of two reasons. Hard material, such as antler, horn, hoof and bone, does not give way; the dog simply cannot get through it. Tough material, such as tendon and dried skin, does give way but can only be gnawed down slowly. For the teeth that difference is big. Vets regularly see broken molars, often the large carnassial tooth in the upper jaw, in dogs that chew on rock-hard things such as bones, antlers and hooves. A simple test: press your thumbnail into the chew. If the material does not allow any impression, it is harder than a dog's tooth tolerates in a dog that bites through. If a small dent goes in, it is tough and safer.
The long-lasting chews from our shop compared
| Chew | Hard or tough | How long it lasts | Suits | Watch out |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer antler (S to XXL) | Rock hard | The longest of all, often weeks | Calm gnawers with healthy teeth | Not for demolishers; away as soon as it gets small or sharp |
| Buffalo horn and ram horn | Hard, slightly softer than antler | Long | Gnawers that find antler too hard | Can split into pieces; remove sharp edges |
| Olive wood | Hard, fibrous | Long | Calm gnawers, dogs without beef | Not for dogs that bite off chunks; check the fibres |
| Hooves (beef and calf hoof) | Hard | Long | Adult dogs that gnaw calmly | Split into sharp pieces; filled hooves are very fatty |
| Marrow bone, Dino, horse leg | Rock-hard bone | Long | Large, calm gnawers | Bone can splinter; the marrow is fatty |
| Pressed bone (15 to 30 cm) | Tough | Long | Most adult dogs, demolishers too | Gets soft at the end; take the last piece away |
| Oxtail (35 to 45 cm) | Tough with bone segments | Long | Medium and large dogs | Average fat; segments can come loose |
| Bully stick 80 cm | Tough | Long, over several sessions | Almost all adult dogs, demolishers too | Hold the end with gulpers |
| Head skin roll | Tough | Long | Demolishers and gulpers | Gets smaller slowly; away as soon as it fits in the mouth |
| Rawhide (bones and donuts) | Tough, gets soft | Medium | Calm chewers | Large soft pieces can be swallowed |
An overview of all types, including the softer ones, is in which chew is best for your dog.
The safer long-lasting chews: tough instead of hard
For a dog that demolishes, you choose material that gives way and still does not run out quickly. Our 80 cm bully stick is the clearest example: dried tendon, 82.68 percent crude protein and 2.60 percent crude fat according to the label, that can only be gnawed down. Your dog cannot bite through it and so cannot break anything on it either. The same goes for a head skin roll: dried skin from a single animal species that stays firm and gets smaller slowly. The pressed bone of 25 or 30 cm is pressed beef skin in the shape of a bone: 77.35 percent crude protein and only 4.31 percent crude ash, so tough and not a real bone. And the oxtail of 35 to 45 cm combines tough meat with small bone segments, at 15.02 percent fat quite a bit more nourishing than a tendon.
These tough chews do deliver energy. Count them in the daily amount of treats, about 10 percent of what your dog may have per day; how to work that out is in how many treats can a dog have per day. You do not have to let a long tendon or big roll be finished in one go: take it away after a quarter of an hour, store it dry and give it again tomorrow.
When a hard chew is fine
Rock hard is not always wrong. An adult dog with healthy teeth that gnaws calmly can enjoy a deer antler for weeks: according to the label it contains 0.01 percent fat and 52.95 percent crude ash, and it is available from S (50 to 75 grams) to XXL (276 to 350 grams). Buffalo horn and ram horn are slightly softer than antler and so a step in between. Olive wood is hard but fibrous: it does not splinter into sharp points but frays into small fibres, and it contains no animal protein, handy for dogs that cannot have beef or chicken. Hooves are hard and hollow; the natural beef hoof and calf hoof consist of horn, the filled variants with sheep fat are at 84 to 99 percent fat truly a fatty chew. For all these hard chews the rule is: only for gnawers, never for demolishers, and stop straight away if you hear your dog cracking.
Size: bigger than the mouth
The most important rule for every long-lasting chew: your dog must not be able to take the chew whole into their mouth. For a large dog that means an antler in L or XXL, a bully stick of 80 cm instead of 15 cm, a pressed bone of 30 cm, a Dino XL or XXL. A chew that is too small is no saving: it is gone sooner and invites swallowing. Small dogs get smaller sizes, but the same rule applies there too.
Supervision and the last piece
Stay nearby as long as your dog chews, even with a chew that lasts for weeks. Take the chew away as soon as it fits in the mouth, as soon as sharp edges appear (horn, hoof, bone) or as soon as the end gets soft and slippery (pressed bone, rawhide). If you hear cracking, the chew is too hard for this dog: stop and switch to tough. What to do if a piece is swallowed after all and when to call the vet is in which chews are safe for dogs.
Ingrid's tip: With a new hard chewer, always start with something tough, such as a long bully stick, and just watch for the first ten minutes. If they gnaw calmly, you can try antler or horn later. If they put their molars on it straight away and you hear cracking, you stay with tough. That saves your dog a broken molar and you an expensive procedure.
Frequently asked questions
Which chew lasts the longest?
Deer antler, followed by horn, olive wood, hooves and marrow bone. Of the tough chews, an 80 cm bully stick, a head skin roll and a 30 cm pressed bone last the longest.
Is deer antler safe for a hard chewer?
For a dog that demolishes and cracks, no: the material does not give way and a molar can break. For a calm gnawer with healthy teeth it is a chew that lasts for weeks, under supervision.
What is the thumbnail rule?
Press your thumbnail into the chew. If no impression goes in at all, the chew is harder than a dog's tooth tolerates when biting through. If a small dent goes in, it is tough and safer.
Can a puppy have a long-lasting chew?
No hard chews while the milk teeth are changing. What a puppy can have and from when is in our article on chews for puppies.
How do I recognise a broken molar?
Suddenly chewing on one side, dropping food, drooling, a swollen cheek or not wanting to be touched around the mouth. Go to the vet then, even if your dog carries on eating.
Sources
- Dierenkliniek De Arker, Risico's van hondensnacks (broken teeth from chews that are too hard, splinters, supervision)
- American Kennel Club, Can Dogs Eat Bones? (bones: splintering, size, supervision)
- LICG, Gebitsverzorging bij de hond (chewing and teeth)
About the author
Ingrid Kooijman is the founder of Canis Snacks. She selects natural single-protein dog treats, sells them online and at markets in Brabant, and answers dog owners' questions about food and chews every day. Questions about this article? Email info@canissnacks.com.
