The satisfaction of chewing stems from a dog’s ancestral roots: the wolf. Wolves mainly feed and prey upon animals that require dissecting and chewing (Arhant et al., 2021).
Did you know that chewing can last up to 26 minutes in the wild (Arhant et al., 2021)? Have you ever noticed your dog’s food bowl disappear within minutes?
That being said, bowl-feeding may not satisfy your dog's ancestral desire and need to chew (Arhant et al., 2021)! This could potentially lead to destructive and negative chewing on inedible items… like your furniture!
Do you notice that a lot of the dog chews on the market are targeted toward dental care? Yes, chewing different varieties of chews can lead to improved dental health like reducing plaque… but chewing is so much more than dental health to your canine! It is entertainment, stimulation, and stress relief. Dental health is just an added bonus!
Dog chews are great for enrichment and stress relief for all life stages of dogs. Chewing is especially great for dogs that may spend time in their crate while their owner is at work. NAMASTE? No… NAMAS-CHEW! For working dogs, chewing is their form of R&R! Chewing can provide stress relief and entertainment to any of your canine friends (Arhant et al., 2021).
Pets Bring Joy offers a variety of chew products to enrich your dog's wellbeing. So… how do you pick the best chew for your dog? Let’s take a look at one of PB&J's favorites: bully sticks. PB&J give The Natural Dog Company's bully sticks their seal of approval.
BULLY STICKS (BEEF PIZZLE)
According to Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Jo de Klerk (2021) bully sticks have many benefits.
Benefits of bully sticks (beef pizzle):
Reduces bacteria on teeth
Removes tartar
Promotes strong jaw muscles
Chewing releases endorphins
Long lasting chew
Highly digestible
Great for puppies (5-10 minutes at a time)
Great for dogs with anxiety/phobias as chewing provides an enriching outlet for them
Bully sticks are primarily protein
Tips for dog owners:
Only buy from trusted sources (LIKE US!) to ensure proper manufacturing, packaging, and handling
Wash hands after giving a bully stick to your dog
Opt for low odor bully sticks (like the ones in our store)
Supervise dog and take away the final nub
Feed 1-2 bully sticks per week due to high caloric value
It is not certain how many calories are burned while a dog is chewing. What is for certain is that dogs need a little bit of everything: exercise, cognitive stimulation, and a balanced diet. Dogs burn an estimated 0.8 calories per pound for every mile they walk with their owner (Tudor, 2013). So, for a 30 pound dog that is about 96 calories per hour. For a 90 pound dog, that is estimated to be around 288 calories. However, those calories can be easily replaced by the next meal, next treats, or next chew that the dog ingests. Therefore, the calories burned during the exercise would be canceled out. So a great tip to keep in mind is to not underestimate the amount of calories in treats and chews.
Dogs love treats and chews! Treats and chews bring joy to their RUFF lives. There IS a place for treats and chews in their life, however, balance is essential. High caloric treats and chews should be given in moderation and not used as meal replacements. Just like in humans, your dog’s morning walk can be easily canceled out by your feeding (or treating) practices (Tudor, 2013).
References
Arhant, C., Winkelmann, R., & Troxler, J. (2021). Chewing behaviour in dogs – a survey-based
exploratory study. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 241, 105372.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2021.105372
de Klerk, J. (2021, June 16). The truth about bully sticks for dogs (by jo the vet). Kip & Twiggy's.
Retrieved April 20, 2022, from https://kipandtwiggys.com/bully-sticks-for-dogs/
Tudor, K. (2013, October 10). How many calories do pets burn during exercise? PetMD. Retrieved April 26, 2022, from https://www.petmd.com/blogs/thedailyvet/ktudor/2013/oct/how-many-calories-do-pets- burn-during-exercise-30951