yeah, 'periodically' is the word! Everything in moderation
and yes, In the Olden Days, Id see chunks of Greenies in Rei's turds. So- two problems- 1: old formula, 2:gulpy dog. Now the recipe is different and feeding any chew with Reilly is a team sport- I hold and only open my hand around a small amt of it so she can only shave off a bit at a time. I dont see greenies coming out the way they go in- not for years- so they remain part of our chewing toolbox assortment, along with bully sticks, antlers, raw bones etc. I cant really afford to get them often, but when I have some, they do love them.
Rei has the same problem with Himalayan chews- she bites them up into chunks and bolts them down, so I cant let her have them. those dont digest in chunk form either. I let the kai have them when teething, but I cant get them anymore for my guys. Also very expensive to get a safe size for a big dog. Rawhide we dont do at all- I used to get Rei the retriever rolls, but I had to pick them out myself because often they were a sheet wrapped around a lot of small chunks which she'd swallow and not process well. I have gotten tracheas and other dried animal by products but they only last seconds with my power chewers.
mostly we buy the thickest bully sticks we can get at bestbullysticks..but even those are a treat. Daily use? antlers. expensive, but they do last.
@wrylybrindle - seriously, check out http://www.acadiaantlers.com/. I just did the price comparison to the moose antlers at bestbullystick.com. Bestbullysticks has better prices on chews under six inches, but acadia antlers has much better prices on chews larger than that and the cost difference might favor acadia antlers depending on shipping cost for bestbullysticks (prices on acadia are shipping inclusive).
They're based out of New England so you might want to see if they're doing a show near you. When I picked it up at a show I think I got a six inch taster slice for $8. It lasted for months (shared) but my guys are not power chewers or gulpers (for reference I have a 17 lb dainty nibbler girl, and a 25 lb regular chewer boy - both shibas).
It looks like they have antlers (expensive ones) for power chewers. Not sure what your needs are but you can always email them.
@lindsayt - Question about THK beams... Do they smell when the pups are chewing on them? I am looking for an addition to our chew basket, but because we are traveling so much these days, it needs to be something that is not super smelly.
We primarily use pigs / hogs ears and pressed pork bones for the inside pack, and varying elk bones for the boys outside. We now live close to a shop that butchers wild game for hunters, so going to try and arrange some fresher bits for the entire Shikoku crew next season.
Bully sticks... but they're SOOO gross and stinky, and Hana carries the smell all over her front legs, so not as often, but I get her free-range bully sticks.
For more of an everyday thing, she chews on the long rolled up raw hides. Those last FOREVER.
Starting to think my boy has a very sensitive stomach after his bully stick episode, he tried an Honest Kitchen small beam. the very next day he had mucoid feces. he's now back on the anti-inflammatory/anti-biotic metronidazole. Strange that it seems like all of a sudden he cannot tolerate different proteins. he has been on raw since 14 weeks
@lockshi3, what breed is your boy, how old is he now, and what kinds of raw food protein has your boy been on? My JA girl is 8-months old, and I'm noticing she has a sensitive stomach when it comes to kibble but much easier to transition on raw food (whether freeze dried, frozen or dehydrated), regardless of protein source. She seem to do best on red meat though.
@rikumom he is a 3 yr old shiba. I feed him lamb, venison, rabbit, pheasant, turkey, sardine. he seems to do okay on the raw which is strange. but more recently with bully sticks and other chewable proteins he cannot handle it at all.
@lockshi3, thx for the details, I hope he gets better soon. I guess maybe sensitive tummy is not breed specific as I'd thought
Compared to my JA, my shiba (12 yr on Sat) eats everything--kibble, raw, home made rice porridge, steamed pumpkin... He's cheap to feed compared to her! I have known a couple of unrelated Shibas who had IBD of unknown origin and were on metronidazole. But this is the first time I've heard chew treats causing issues when the raw food is otherwise fine
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and yes, In the Olden Days, Id see chunks of Greenies in Rei's turds. So- two problems- 1: old formula, 2:gulpy dog. Now the recipe is different and feeding any chew with Reilly is a team sport- I hold and only open my hand around a small amt of it so she can only shave off a bit at a time. I dont see greenies coming out the way they go in- not for years- so they remain part of our chewing toolbox assortment, along with bully sticks, antlers, raw bones etc. I cant really afford to get them often, but when I have some, they do love them.
Rei has the same problem with Himalayan chews- she bites them up into chunks and bolts them down, so I cant let her have them. those dont digest in chunk form either. I let the kai have them when teething, but I cant get them anymore for my guys. Also very expensive to get a safe size for a big dog. Rawhide we dont do at all- I used to get Rei the retriever rolls, but I had to pick them out myself because often they were a sheet wrapped around a lot of small chunks which she'd swallow and not process well. I have gotten tracheas and other dried animal by products but they only last seconds with my power chewers.
mostly we buy the thickest bully sticks we can get at bestbullysticks..but even those are a treat. Daily use? antlers. expensive, but they do last.
They're based out of New England so you might want to see if they're doing a show near you. When I picked it up at a show I think I got a six inch taster slice for $8. It lasted for months (shared) but my guys are not power chewers or gulpers (for reference I have a 17 lb dainty nibbler girl, and a 25 lb regular chewer boy - both shibas).
It looks like they have antlers (expensive ones) for power chewers. Not sure what your needs are but you can always email them.
Not as bad as deer feet
It is still my dream to find my own sheds while out hiking....
For more of an everyday thing, she chews on the long rolled up raw hides. Those last FOREVER.
Sometimes, I give her pigs ears.
----
no bones for Hana with her capped tooth
Compared to my JA, my shiba (12 yr on Sat) eats everything--kibble, raw, home made rice porridge, steamed pumpkin... He's cheap to feed compared to her! I have known a couple of unrelated Shibas who had IBD of unknown origin and were on metronidazole. But this is the first time I've heard chew treats causing issues when the raw food is otherwise fine