Understanding how your dog chews is one of the most important pieces of information you can learn as a dog owner. Learning how your dog chews is essential for selecting suitable treats that are not only safe, but also provide your dog with the highest benefit.
The first thing to understand about chewing is that it is a natural behaviour for all dogs. Chewing helps reduce stress and anxiety and can even help teething pups relive pain. Chewing (although inconvenient when your furniture takes the brunt) is a behaviour that a dog shouldn’t be punished for, they should be given suitable alternatives so they can safely perform this natural behaviour.
But what is a suitable chew for your dog? Before we look at all the different types of chews, let’s look at all the different types of chewers.
Gnaw Down Chewers:
A gnaw down chewer is exactly what they sound like. Gnaw down dogs will grab a chew by their molars in the back of their jaw, and gnaw down in long, powerful motions. Gnaw down chewers use the power or their jaw to work through a treat, because of this, soft and brittle chews are often unsuitable and can be dangerous as small pieces could break off and cause a choking hazard.
The most suited chews for Gnaw Down chewers, are chews that the dog needs to work at. A “chewy” chew like our Beef Lung works well for a small treat as they aren’t brittle so small pieces can’t break off. Another suitable treat for Gnaw Down chewers are natural ears because they are soft and malleable, meaning dogs use their teeth to gradually wear down the chew. Hairy e
ars are generally tougher, less brittle, and take a bit more work to get through than the plain ears.
If you’re looking for a really long-lasting chew for a Gnaw Down chewer, an antler would be a perfect treat. These are designed to be, you guessed it, gnawed on. Skin chews, like our Hairy Beef Skins, are also brilliant for the Gnaw Down chewer as the more they are chewed, the chewier they get.
Do you think you have a Gnaw Down Chewer? Check out our hand-picked Gnawers Collection.
Crunchers:
Dogs that are crunchers have very similar needs to gnaw down chewers, but owners need to be a bit more careful with their selection of chews as crunchers can get through anything! For a cruncher, you want to choose a treat that is designed to be chomped down on, a solid treat like an antler could damage the teeth if the bite is too tough. Tough, malleable chews are the safest option for crunchers (like our ears and skins). They might not last as long but they are much safer for the dog.
Think of a chew that’s like toffee, it doesn’t matter how hard you try, you can’t get through it on the first bite. Whereas, with a hard boiled sweet, if you bite hard enough you will break it (and probably your teeth). This is why, here at The Hairy Pig, we don’t sell cooked bones because they have a higher risk of splintering and shattering. Which can not only be a choking risk, but the shards can also damage the gut and intestinal tract.
Do you think you have a Cruncher? Check out our hand-picked Cruncher Collection.
Nibblers:
Nibblers are the softest type on chewer, they use their front teeth to slowly and gently wear away at the treat. Nibblers are the easiest chewer to accommodate for, almost all treats would be suitable for them as there is less risk of them damaging their teeth (like a Cruncher) and you don’t need to give them the expensive, tough, long-lasting treats that Gnawers need. 
Nibblers will appreciate a chew that has an end goal, you my find a Nibbler will get bored with a chew that is too tough. Due to this, a variety of ears and wings would make a successful collection for a Nibbler.
Do you think you have a Nibbler? Check out our hand-picked Nibbler Collection.