Chewing bones is one of the favorite activities of dogs. They love to chew bones. Even they will chew anything that looks like bones. Many people give their dogs bones for chewing and developing the growth of their dogs’ teeth.
But every activity has a limitation. You can’t give your dog a bone for hours. So, you might be confused about how long a dog should chew on a bone. Well, you have to know the consequences of over-chewing a bone.
Moreover, you have to know if there is any effect of chewing bones too much or not.
How long should a dog chew on a bone?
A dog should chew on a bone for 10-15 minutes. We allow dogs for chewing bones regularly for their teeth activity. Especially when the dog is growing, he also needs to grow the strength of his teeth. But chewing for more than 15 minutes is not right. Even it can cause some adverse effects.
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People give their dogs different types of bones. So, each bone has different features and elements. You have to know which bone is safe for the dog to chew on for how long. So, let’s see how long a dog should chew on a specific bone.
Rawhide bone:
Generally, rawhide bone can be a natural bone or not. It can be made commercially with different types of ingredients. So, when it comes to chewing rawhide bones, you should not let your dog chew this bone for a long time.
10 to 15 minutes is the average time that a dog can chew on a rawhide bone. If your dog chews a rawhide bone for a long time, he might have chemicals from the bone. This might be toxic and indigestible for the dog.
Marrow bone:
Like other bones, marrow bones should not be used for a long time. You can let your dog chew on a marrow bone for a maximum of 20 minutes. If your dog chews on a marrow bone for more than 20 minutes, it can be unhealthy.
Moreover, preserve the marrow bone in the refrigerator after every time the dog chew on it. Otherwise, using the marrow bone again and again for a long time can harm your dog.
Raw bone:
Dogs can chew on raw bones. Generally, dogs love to chew on raw bones. When you give your dog a raw bone, make sure the bone is not cooked.
Moreover, don’t let your dog chew on the rawbone for a long time or more than 15 minutes. So, a dog can chew on a rawbone for 15 minutes.
How long should your puppy chew on a bone?
You should not let your puppy chew on a bone. If he does, let him chew on a bone for 10 to 15 minutes. Generally, chewing bones can be dangerous for puppies sometimes.
When a puppy chews on a bone for a long time, chemicals from the bone can harm the puppy. Moreover, if the bone is small and breakable, it can chock in the puppy’s throat.
So, chicken bone is not safe for puppies. Give your puppy a medium to large-size bone so that he might not break it. Moreover, always supervise your puppy’s chewing on a bone. You can give him a bone to chew on, but only for 10 to 15 minutes.
Can a dog chew on a bone too much?
Dogs love to chew on bones. So, if you let your dog chew on a bone, he can chew it all day long. But chewing on a bone too much is not good for the dog. If your dog chews on a bone for hours, it can cause dental trauma to your dog.
Moreover, sometimes the bones are not natural. They are made commercially for dogs. These bones have chemicals and indigestible ingredients. So, if the dog chews on these bones too much, he can face digestive problems.
Chewing on a bone too much will also lead your dog to inactivity. He will enjoy chewing on a bone and will be discouraged from doing other things.
Is it OK for dogs to chew bones every day?
It is OK for dogs to chew bones every day for a specific time. For example, if you let your dog chew bones every day for 15 minutes, it can help. Because chewing helps stimulate the saliva enzymes of your dog.
Moreover, it will help prevent plaque buildup on the teeth of your dog and gum disease. So, chewing bones is good for dogs. But you must ensure that your dog doesn’t chew bones for the house. Chewing too many bones has some drawbacks.
So, it is OK if your dog chews bones for less than 15 minutes a day. But if he chews for a long time continuously, it can cause certain problems.
Why do dogs chew on bones for hours?
You might know that dogs like to chew on bones. Even they will chew bones for hours if they want. So, let’s see why dogs chew on a bone for hours.
Dental development:
Generally, chewing is essential for dogs for their dental development. Dogs are supposed to chew bones. If you don’t let your dog chew on bones anytime, it might not be beneficial.
Chewing bones help dogs keep their jaws strong and teeth clean. So, dogs chew on bones for hours.
Fun activity:
Chewing bones is one of the fun activities for dogs. They love to chew bones. Even whenever dogs are sitting idly, they might chew bones. Moreover, when dogs play, they will play with bones and chew on the bones.
Chewing bones makes them happy and helps them pass a better time.
Stimulation:
Chewing bones helps dogs to stimulate. Chewing will activate stimulation in dogs and help them to free themselves from anxiety and stress. Since chewing is a fun activity for dogs, it will help them to release stimulation hormones.
So, dogs like to chew bones for hours.
How do I get my dog to stop chewing on bones?
You might know that chewing bones is helpful to dogs but overdoing it can cause problems also. So, you have to know the technique to stop your dog. Let’s see how you can get your dog to stop chewing on bones.
Teach your dog:
Teach your dog the basic commands so that when you tell him to leave the bone, he might leave it.
Hide the bone:
Hide the bone from the dog when his chewing is over.
Distract your dog:
Distract your dog from the bone by giving him treats.
Get different types of toys and puzzles:
Get your dog different types of toys and puzzles so that he can pass time with other toys.
Appreciate:
Appreciate the dog if he follows your command to leave the bone.
Practice him:
Practice him to leave the bone after a specific time every day.
Does chewing bones help a dog’s teeth?
Yes, chewing bones help a dog’s teeth. Generally, for both humans and many animals, chewing is a stage of developing teeth. So, when a puppy is growing, he will try to chew on everything. Chewing is not always harmful.
This will help the dog to keep its teeth clean. Moreover, chewing will help them to strengthen the jaws and muscles of the mouth. Besides, chewing bones will help them to scrape plaque from their teeth.
So, chewing is good for a dog’s teeth and dental development.
Can dogs eat ribeye steak bones?
Dogs can eat ribeye bones but cooked rib eye bones are not safe for dogs. Generally, cooked bones can splinter and cause internal damage to dogs. So, ribeye steak bones can be harmful to them.
Generally, medium to large-size bone is suitable for dogs to eat. But when they are eating small size cooked bones, this can lead to choking and damaging the internal throat tissues of dogs. So, you should avoid giving your dog ribeye steak bones.
What are the best chew bones for puppies?
It’s not always safe to give your puppy bones to chew on. Because bones can get stuck in their throat. Puppies’ teeth are not developed completely. So, when they chew on bones, they might not break the bone well and consume it. So, there is a chance of choking.
So, you have to give puppies chew bones that are suitable for them. Here is a list that you can follow.
- Raw bones
- Marrow bones
- Rawhide bones
- Beef bones
- Raw ribeye bones
- Safe and edible polymer bones.
Final Thoughts
A dog should chew on a bone for about 10 to 15 minutes. Sometimes, chewing a little longer might not harm your dog. But if the dog chews on a bone for hours, it can cause several problems like losing appetite, dental problems, choking, etc. So, try to let your dog chew bones for a specific time.