1. Nylabone Roast Beef and Chicken Chew Treats
Key Features
Available in petite, wolf, giant and souper
Highly digestible formula
Completely free of artificial preservatives and fillers
Ingredients contain rice flour, pea protein, dried chicken and wheat starch
Fitted to taste and feel like a real deal bone, this easily digestible chew bone is the perfect solution to curbing Fido’s little gnawing tendencies. You don’t want him chewing on the couch, but you do want him to have some optimal nutrition and clean, healthy teeth: time to kill two birds with one stone. There’s not artificial junk sitting in here, it’s all a highly digestible formula from their edibles collection, giving you a bit of protein, a pinch of fat, and a super happy pup. We may not know what breed of dog you’ve got, but thanks to the versatile construction of these bones, they’re available in four varying sizes. Perfect if you have multiple doggos that each want their own, size appropriate chew bone.
2. Benebone Wishbone Dog Chew Toy
Key Features
Non-edible; no risk of choking
100% real food ingredients for flavor
Designed so your dog can get a good grip and chew on their Benebone
Comes in three sizes with three real food ingredient blends
Packed with flavor, this non-edible chew toy boasts a lot of the same flavors, and a ton of the same great dental benefits that you’re after for for your dog. Since there is a slight risk of choking associated with edible dog bones, they made these in three different sizes, each meant to be chewed on and played with, but never swallowed. What’s more is that they use all-natural, 100% ingredients to flavor their bones, and make three killer flavors available. If your pup is tearing up the chair with his biters, it’s time to curb his appetite, and preserve your furniture. Last but not least, these are designed to properly move around easily when your dog swats it with their paw, so they can always access it and flip it over.
3. SmartBones Peanut Butter Mini Bones
Key Features
24 to a pack for a low cost
No rawhide whatsoever
Simple to digest for your dog
Ingredients contain real peanut butter, chicken and vegetables
Dogs love peanut butter, and you love when they’re happy. More than that, you love when they’re properly cared for, which is why SmartBones is the way to go. Not only do they fall in love with the flavors, but they’re going to get a big up when it comes to digestion. Thanks to the specific slow-melt formula inside of these rawhide-free chews, everything dissolves slowly, letting you take all the worries away from your dog’s digestion. So long as you have a great dog food and a good bone, they’re getting their playtime in, and packing in some serious added health benefits along the way.
4. Blue Buffalo Dental Bones Dog Treats
Key Features
High protein content
Specific design helps with oral care and cleanliness
Contains no artificial ingredients, gluten, or animal byproducts
Comes with roughly 97 treats at a time
Dental care is enough of a hassle for us, but now we have to manage it for our pups. Blue Buffalo is the leading dental bone for dogs, packing nearly one-hundred of these chew treats in a single package, so you can maintain their dental care with a flick of the wrist. This contains parsley to add some natural fresh breath and cut down on bacteria, while also having a high protein content to get some actual nutrition packed into each treat. Because these are dental bones, the grooves and cuts along the edges of each treat help catch food particles and other debris that might be lurking in your dog’s teeth, and wash them all away.
5. Petstages Dog Chew Toys
Key Features
Barbeque flavored; dogs go wild for it
Doesn’t bleed onto the carpet/furniture, no matter how slobbery it gets
Shape allows dog to easily bat it around and get ahold of it
Comes in four sizes and two flavors
Okay, it’s not like throwing a stick in the park, hear us out. It definitely contains real wood, but it’s not going to splinter or damage your dog’s teeth like snapping a stick would. This is a very straightforward chew toy for your pup, emulating a bone’s shape, and being very easy to grip and move around. Your pup will have a hell of a fun time playing with it, and they’ll get right down into it with barbeque flavoring woven throughout. Before you host a funeral for your carpets, these are completely safe, even for white carpets. Dogwood can get as slobbery as possible, but the flavors and colors aren’t going to bleed out, no matter what.
6. Purina Busy Bone Chew Dog Treats
Key Features
Aesthetics actually hype your dog up, making training a bit easier
Long-lasting treats
Comes in one large bag of 21 ounces; treats for weeks to come
Real meat center for a protein boost and excellent flavor
There’s nothing like Purina, you all remember the commercials, radio ads and what not: they’re one of the best brands out there for your dog, and their luster hasn’t faded with time. That’s partially because they know exactly what your dog enjoys, like these mini dog treats with a real meat center. It not only provides a killer level of protein, but it’s something your dog will go haywire for. These are actually amazing for training your pup, because they’re so aesthetic that they’ll know you’re holding a reward over their heads. Long-lasting, great ingredients, and an insanely inexpensive cost for how much you get in one of these beastly bags.
7. Blue Buffalo Dental Chews Dog Treats
Key Features
Promotes healthier teeth, gums and jaw
Comes in four sizes depending on your dog breed
Contains no chicken or poultry by products
Zero artificial colors or preservatives; nothing but the best for your dog
Designed to look just like what wolves would actually find in the wild, these killer chews are designed to give your pup a healthier glow to their teeth. It also tackles jaw strength and gum health, so you’re getting a trifecta of healthy results for your canine companion. You’re looking for these because you want your pup to get a clean set of teeth, but you also want them to enjoy the hell out of themselves. These come in 10 oz bags, so there’s plenty of chewing action to go around whenever they’re getting a bit hungry. Do them justice, and throw them to the wilderness with Blue.
8. K9 Connoisseur Single Ingredient Dog Bones
Key Features
Certified by the Global Safety Initiative
100% grain-free
Refill the center with your choice product time and time again
Doesn’t grow mold, doesn’t have cracks; perfect
They like to chew on your mocs, your couch, well today, they’re only going to have one thing to chew on. These are designed specifically for those pups that never some gnawing, Even though they’re aggressive chewers, this bone is designed to never crack or grow mold, so no teeth getting stuck, and no slobber-induced bacterial abnormalities. It’s completely grain-free, and best of all, it has a refillable center so you can let them enjoy these time and time again until they get worn-down. Grab them in either a 3, 6 or 12 pack size, and give these to your pup. They’re not only enjoyable, but they’re certified by the Global Safety Initiative, so you know you’re in good hands.
9. The Antler Box-Premium Elk Antler Dog Chews
Key Features
Naturally-shed elk antler chews
Two to a package, one pound in total
Excellent source of calcium and phosphorus
100% money-back guarantee, no matter what
Real elk antlers, seriously. This is the result of something called trophy hunting, where hunters will scan the woods for elk antlers, and take them before rodents get to them. These have immense nutritional benefits for your pup, including crazy amounts of organically-made calcium and phosphorus. If you’re not a fan, that’s okay, you have a money-back guarantee to cash in if it’s not your style. For the eco-conscious person in you, this is, and comes in biodegradable packaging to keep everything a little bit greener. These are definitely pricey, but if you’re ready to get your dog a little treat for being a good boy or girl, this is just the ticket. It’s as close to nature as they’re going to get.
10. REDBARN Large Peanut Butter Filled Bone
Key Features
Two bones per package
Long-lasting for maximum use from your dog
Your dog will flip for this stellar flavor
Cleans teeth while promoting healthy saliva production
In our quest to find the best bones for dogs, we looked at a lot of different ones, and at the bottom of our exclusive list is the Redbarn peanut butter bone. It’s got all the goods, including healthy teeth and gum function, while being irresistable in the flavor department. While these sort of just look like burritos with a bunch of peanut butter filling, they’re actually very long-lasting and give your dog hours of enjoyment. If you’re still not sure which dog bone is best for your pup, peek down below at our buying guide, then circle back and snag your favorite pick.
Dog Bone Buying Guide & FAQ
We’ve broken it down from nutrition to aggression, gum disease and dieting, hygiene and the works. If you’ve had a ton of questions weighing on you that you just can’t find the straight answers to, look no further.
What to Look for When Buying Bones for Dogs
Ingredients - You want to keep is as clean-eating as possible. Look for the ingredients list, protein fulfillments, and anything else that impacts your dog’s immediate health. This is also very specific: pay attention to alternate names for similar ingredients. If your dog is strictly dry-fed or has some allergies, you’ll need to know all the terms of add-on items that are actually allergens.
Size - We get more into detail on this in a little bit, but basically you want to avoid getting a bone that’s too big, otherwise they can crack their teeth, and one that’s too small to avoid choking hazards. Plenty of brands have a handful of different sizes for different breeds of dogs.
Flavor - This isn’t something you can be the judge of, it’s all up to your diamond pup. For the most part, even on synthetic bones, you get natural beef and chicken flavoring, so if you know they already dig that, you’ll have a much easier time selecting everything.
Natural vs. Synthetic - We’re going to break everything down in this guide, but just know that this is a key factor in pricing, and determining how much the bones are actually worth.
Dental Bones - Sometimes the vet will actually recommend you go for dog bones, especially these dental ones that can really improve their oral health. For puppies, these can help promote stronger teeth and an easier time growing those new ones in.
Why You Should Give Your Dog Bones
These perks both apply to raw and synthetic bones, each in varying degrees. Your pup may have been bred for domestication, but dogs were always meant to have a wild streak and get their food from other sources. Here’s what you need to know about giving your dog a bone.
- Cleaner Teeth: If they’ve got a regular chew (more on this later) they’ll have cleaner teeth. You know how you have one friend that says dogs mouths are cleaner, and the other friend who says the opposite? It’s a mouth: it’s dirty, unless you do something about it, just like with us. A proper chew can help them break up stuck-on kibble particles, and promote a healthier amount of saliva to burn away bacteria.
- Digestive Health: Remember that thing about saliva and bacteria in the mouth? That’s where dog bones come in handy again. When bacteria is kept under control due to sufficient saliva production, you have more saliva, and that breaks down food before it hits the stomach. Dry-fed dogs can sometimes have less stomach acid, so that added digestive boost is a big help.
- Healthy Outlet: This is subject to opinion and your dog’s behavior status, but if they’re chewing a bone, they’re getting that aggression out and living out their doggy days with non-violent means. If they’re chewing up the memory foam mattress and what not, then they’re acting on primal instincts to chew, chew, chew. Curb their appetite (and protect your stuff).
Why You Shouldn’t Give Your Dog Bones
- Cracking: This usually only occurs with cooked natural bones, but the last thing you want is for your pooch to crack a tooth. Dogs are extremely sensitive, and when they’re domesticated with kept nails, their teeth are a defense mechanism that they rely on. Cracked tooth means pain, and it also hurts your dog’s confidence.
- Choking: I’ve never had a dog that’s choked on a bone, natural or synthetic, nor do I know anyone that this has happened to. It’s one of those rare, minor statistics, but it’s still something we want to mention so you know all of the associated risks. This is why some products, like our number one pick, offer different size options.
Natural vs. Synthetic Bones
You wanted to know, so we whipped this up. There’s a distinction between natural and synthetic bones, apart from the obvious. For some dog owners, this is all about preference, but for others it comes down to strict analysis. Natural bones are something that your dog is more likely to enjoy, but it doesn’t always mean it’s better for them.
When it comes to nutrition, natural bones absolutely take the cake. They have plenty of meat tendons hidden in the bones to promote strong probiotic health, while also helping them get all that aggression out. We’ll touch more on aggression and chewing in a moment. For more options, check out our detailed review of probiotics for dogs.
On the other hand, synthetic bones are a little bit better for all-around oral care. While they don’t makes as much of an impact in the internal nutrition department, they actually clean your dog’s teeth far better, which promotes healthy saliva production. Furthermore, they’re softer than regular natural bones, reducing the risk of a cracked or chipped tooth.
Our Top Pick
Nylabone just can’t be beat. They’ve taken the time to really inspect and research everything surrounding what your pup likes, and what nutrition benefits safe dog chews can have. Packed with excellent ingredients, a lick of protein and a dash of fat, these safe dog bones for chewing really pack it all in. While that all sounds well and good, the only judge that matters is your diamond pup, and they’re going to flip head over heels when they try a bite of this.
