Is your dog still chewing like it’s 1994?
While we all love Boyz II Men, it’s 2022 and time for dogs to join us in the new millennium. Retro beef rawhide chews are widely available but have many drawbacks like being messy, smelly, and sometimes even a choking hazard. QT Dog has looked all over the world for some of the most interesting and innovative new ways for pups to chew. I have also tested all of these out on my own thirteen pound bichon, Zelda, so I know your dog will love them, too. Check out my top five picks for rawhide alternatives:
Colgn Chews
QT Dog’s latest and greatest natural chew line is the Colgn Chews. Whether your dog is big or small, there are chews for just about any size dog in this water buffalo cheek chew line. These chews get their name from the collagen rich hide they’re made from. I’ve read plenty of articles about how collagen is supposed to help keep skin, nails, and hair healthy, so why not give that same love to my pup?
Zelda got the Colgn Ring chew just last week and has refused to give it up since.
Gobi Goat Horn
The Gobi Goat Horn is something special. I’ve never met a dog that didn’t want to tear into one of these.
This long-lasting chew is actually a piece of Mongolian Goat horn with the nutrient rich core still intact, and that is what drives dogs crazy. They can’t quite sink their teeth into the core of it, so they suck and chew on the outside. Turns out, this chew is actually great for their dental health and helps fight plaque and tartar buildup (bonus!).
Zelda has been munching on the same horn for about a month and it’s still holding strong.
Churpi Chews
If you know anything about dogs, you know they love cheese!
That’s what makes Churpi Chews so special: they’re made from yak milk and craften in the Himalayan mountains causing them to harden to the most solid hunks of cheese I’ve ever seen in my life. The altitude is the only way to make these bits of cheese so hard that a dog cannot bite into them. Instead, they are forced to slowly chew on them. This means your dog has to slowly and painstakingly chew away at the hunk of cheese to get that *special good cheese flavor* they crave.
This is my go-to to give to Zelda if I know I need to give her something to keep her occupied. It works great for when I have to leave the house for extended periods of time (she’s an anxious pupper) and I want to make sure she has plenty of stimulation. This protein rich chew is my catch all to keep Zelda happy, so much that when she hears me opening the drawer with the chews in it she really only cares if it’s Churpi. The best part of these chews is once they get too small for your dog to chew on, you can pop them in the microwave for about 30 seconds and they become a Churpi Puff which is a great little treat that your dog will go insane for.
Seriously, these chews are no joke, every dog I’ve given them to near refuses to give them up!
Antlerz
Antlerz is a QT Dog classic (the original deer antler chew for dogs).
These chews made waves when they were introduced to the industry and we just have not stopped looking for great all natural chews and treats from around the world since. And for good reason: these naturally shed deer antlers don’t break off into choking-hazard bits, and the hard calcium and protein rich chews are great for doggy dental health.
Depending on how often your dog chews on these, they can last months which makes them one of the longest lasting chews on this shortlist! I also love that they’re made from naturally shed free range deer. Every season deer naturally shed their antlers and the chews you get from QT Dog are made from the antlers collected in forests all over the United States.
Water Buffalo Horn
Another long-lasting all natural chew suitable for larger dogs come from water buffalo.
I find that larger and more energetic breeds like Labradors tend to be big fans of the Water Buffalo Tugz for their play aspect, but dogs of all sizes love the traditional Water Buffalo Hornz. These chews are similar to the Gobi Goat Horns in that they’re pretty simple: a whole piece of water buffalo horn that dogs really love!
Zelda loves when I put stuff inside these, but she will also just munch on it all on its own. They can be a bit cumbersome for smaller dogs so make sure you get the smaller size if your dog is on the wee side. Just like the rest of the chews on this list, these horns will last your four-legged family member a long time no matter how hard and persistent of a chewer your pup is.
Shop from a variety of water buffalo horns that come in different shapes and sizes.
About Sophia
Sophia is the Website Manager, Blog Editor, and Social Media Coordinator for QT Dog. She joined QT Dog in 2020 after completing her Bachelors in Computer Science and Criminal Justice and Masters at Loyola University Chicago. In her free time, she enjoys watching Star Trek, writing and playing music, and spoiling her mostly blind bichon mix - Zelda. Check out all the fun content she shares on our socials @qtdogllc.