Dog Chews and Treats can be choking hazards. They may cause unexpected dog fights and bites to humans. Please take these suggested preventive measures if you decide to make a purchase, especially if you are a first-time dog owner.
- Consider the age, size, breed, and personality of your dog when selecting a treat or chew. When in doubt, go up a size.
- There are always risks involved when giving a dog a hard object. A dog can choke on a baby carrot if they excite easily. If left unattended they can choke on a button or golf ball they find on the floor. Thus, never leave your dog unsupervised with a treat, chew, or toy, especially puppies under 2 years of age. Puppies are less patient, thus they have more of a propensity than adults to gobble rather than sit quietly and chew. Most will grow out of this behavior but some dogs never do. Adult rescues may have this tendency since many are found emaciated and get overly excited when they smell food.
- Regardless of age, until you know your dog’s pre-disposition towards foreign objects, do not feed them bite-sized treats or chews. To figure out your dog's disposition, observe them as they chew.
- If your dog gobbles or their disposition is unknown, purchase the longest size available and remove it when it gets bite-sized. This is 1-3” for small and medium-sized dogs, 4-6” for large and XL dogs.
- Competition for chews adds to the risk of dogs choking or fighting. If you have multiple dogs, feed chews and treats separately until you know their personalities like the back of your hand.
- Even the most docile dog can become aggressive if they think their treat or chew is being stolen. Keep children away at all times and teach them to respect a dog's personal space while eating.
- Throwing up a treat or a chew does not mean it is bad. A 'gag reflex' is normal for dogs with sensitive GI tracts. Sancho is sensitive to brittle chews like yak sticks. He loves them but often throws up small pieces. I don't mind cleaning the carpet so I don't deny him yak sticks, I just do not feed these to him often. To avoid his dinner ending up on the carpet I only feed them between meals. Lola has no GI issues, she can eat anything and not throw up, even a 3-day-old squished frog.
We offer a refund if your pup has GI issues with any of our products, but we cannot assume liability for vet bills related to aggression or choking. If you cannot afford the risks that dog chews come with, you may want to avoid them altogether. However, keep in mind, dogs have an innate need to chew, especially teething puppies. If they are not given something edible, they will choose socks, shoes, furniture, even drywall. Chews made from animal body parts tend to be safer than rawhides or pressed bones. They are certainly a lot healthier.