Light-colored dogs should preferably choose colorless chew sticks

Chew sticks are common snacks in a dog's life and also a good tool to help dogs pass the time. But owners need to pay attention to some related issues when feeding chew sticks to dogs, otherwise, carelessness may bring adverse effects to the dog.

1. Size Should Be Moderate

When selecting chew sticks for dogs, the size must be noted. Too large chew sticks are not good for the dog to gnaw on, but if the chew sticks are too small, the dog may swallow them whole, which can cause a choking hazard. Next is hardness; although chew sticks are used for teeth grinding, they are still snacks, so they shouldn’t be too hard. Some dogs may stubbornly refuse to stop biting until they break it, which can easily injure their teeth.

2. Owners Should Pay More Attention

Dogs usually focus their attention when gnawing on chew sticks, so they won’t cling to us, but we shouldn’t be careless and should still pay proper attention. The chewing time should not be too long; after chewing for a while, the dog should rest. Long chewing periods can harm the dog's gums and teeth. It can also train the dog to give up the chew item, fostering some obedience.

3. Light-Colored Dogs Should Avoid Colored Chew Sticks

Some colored chew sticks contain dyes. For white dogs like Bichons, Pekingese, Samoyeds, prolonged chewing can cause the color to stain their paw fur, which would be troublesome to clean and affect the dog's overall appearance.

4. Replace Chew Sticks Regularly

These snacks are not usually finished at once and are used multiple times. But after each chewing session, leaving the chew stick aside can cause contamination. Thus the chew stick’s usage time should not be too long; it is best to replace it with a new one after a period. Otherwise, long-term chewing on an unclean chew stick can allow bacteria to enter the dog's digestive tract, causing gastrointestinal discomfort and related issues like diarrhea.