Whether you have a brand new puppy or a faithful old friend, one of the best things you can do for your dog is to provide him with a chew bone or chew toy/treat of his very own. Aside from being just plain fun, bones provide important benefits:
- Bones help improve dental health by helping to scrape away plaque, control tartar buildup, and maintain gum health. This diminishes bad breath, keeps teeth whiter, and reduces the risk of potentially serious dental problems.
- Bones provide stimulating activity by entertaining your dog for hours and keeping his mind stimulated. This is especially important for older dogs who may not be as active.
- Bones satisfy your dog's innate urge to chew, helping you to avoid destructive (and frequently expensive) chewing behavior from both puppies and adult dogs.
- Bones relieve your puppy's teething pain and stimulate the growth of adult teeth.
Drs. Foster & Smith is proud to offer your best friend the widest selection of bones in several shapes, sizes, and flavors. The following guidelines can help you select the perfect bone to fit your dog's chewing habits.
Bone-Hard Chew Toys & Treats
If your dog is a "power chewer" whose strong bite chews through bones in a flash, extremely long-lasting, durable
Bone-Hard Chews are a great choice. They're designed to wear down slowly rather than break or splinter, and they provide important dental benefits. Nylon-based
Nylabones are virtually indestructible.
Healthy Chews
When you want to give your dog an all-natural, low-calorie chew, a
Healthy Edibles Natural Chew is a good choice. Made from healthy ingredients, these natural, completely digestible chews taste great and are ideal for dogs on weight-loss plans.
Natural Beef Bones
Real, long-lasting natural beef bones are heat sterilized for your dog's safety, wear down slowly, and provide superior jaw exercise and dental benefits. 
Hickory-Smoked Meaty Bones & Knuckles have delicious real meat attached. Because all natural bones pose a minimal risk of splintering, we recommend supervising your dog's chewing sessions.
Rawhide Bones
A long-time favorite among all dog breeds, Rawhide Bones are beneficial to dental health and available in a variety of shapes and sizes to satisfy every chewing habit and dogs of all sizes. Drs. Foster & Smith have gone to great lengths to ensure that our rawhide chews are the absolute best for your dog. Made from premium beefhide from corn-fed American cattle, our rawhide is produced under the strictest quality standards and tightly wrapped/knotted to provide the most rawhide for your money. Compare our rawhide bones to the thin, loosely wrapped bones you will find on any retail shelf, and you'll see a definite difference in quality.
Whether your dog prefers traditional knotted bones, rings, or sticks - flavored or plain - our wide variety of rawhide, including
Drs. Foster & Smith Super Deluxe Bones,
Natural White Rawhide, and Beefeaters Non-Stain Rawhide, offers something for every dog. If your dog makes quick work of standard rawhide chews, try a
Pressed Rawhide Bone, which provides several "welded" layers of the longest-lasting, toughest rawhide available. We recommend supervising your dog while he's chewing a rawhide bone and taking away smaller pieces he has chewed off to minimize the rare risks of choking and intestinal blockage.
Dental Bones
Dental problems can take a toll not only on your pet, but also on your pocketbook.
Dental SmartBones provide an inexpensive approach to prevention and ongoing dental health, and are often flavored to prevent "doggie breath."
Nylabone Durachews and Dental Chews offer even the most aggressive chewers raised dental nubs to help teeth and gums stay clean and healthy.
The right bone can make all the difference
Choose a bone that matches your dog's chewing rate and chewing habits. If your dog chews for short periods of time with a soft bite, a smaller
rawhide bone that softens easily will be enjoyable. Harder bones such as
Natural Beef Bones will last longer and be more satisfying to the aggressive chewer. Keep in mind that dogs may be choosy about their bones. If at first you don't succeed, try other bones until you find the perfect chew. Your dog will thank you with a healthy mouth, constructive chewing behavior, and near constant interest in the bone you've chosen.
