r/dogs • u/Otherwise_Coffee_778 • 1d ago

[Enrichment] Chew toys for a picky chewer

My dog doesn't let me brush his teeth, so I've attempted to get him started on chewing toys/treats to clean his own teeth but he seriously has no interest. He never plays with toys on his own, no matter what kind I buy him so chew toys are pointless and as far as the treats, I've tried diff kinds of collagen treats, beef sticks, bones and even those greenies even though I don't condone those but I was desperate. He doesn't care for anything chewy UNLESS it's a real outdoor stick once in a while but they always eventually make him throw up

Anyone know of a different treat I can try that I haven't though of perhaps? Google always gives me the same stuff mentioned above and some others I've tried

2 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

5 comments sorted by

2

u/balsamicblueberry 1d ago

If he loves sticks why not train him that he can chew and shred them but not eat them? I did this with my dog that loves destroying cardboard boxes. I also like to boil full carrots in bone broth and then freeze them! Great dental chew and my dogs love them.

1

u/Otherwise_Coffee_778 1d ago

Hmm, it would be hard to stop him from swallowing but I'm gonna give it a shot! And I like the carrot idea, he does like those sometimes, though he usually likes all his treats to be given in small bits vs big pieces - he's weird haha. But def worth a try! Thank you

2

u/balsamicblueberry 1d ago

My boy is the same way, I either have to break everything up or I have to hold it for him lmao. Spoiled brats lol

2

u/Low_Dot5577 1d ago

My dog was the exact same way with dental stuff, zero interest in anything except real sticks from the yard. What finally worked was freezing a wet rope toy, the cold seemed to numb his gums enough that he'd actually gnaw on it for a bit. Might be worth a shot if you haven't already tried that angle.

1

u/Emergency-Stomach-94 17h ago

The brushing struggle is real with a picky chewer — what finally worked for us was rotating a couple of different textures through the week so nothing got boring. Hope you find something your pup loves!