[MrWoofus]

I know I've heard mention of it on all of the good Dog shows on TV, and I've just chalked it up to "He's teaching him to be a dog!" but....

What's the real deal on all of the neck chewing and grumbling and all?

My big guy Sherman (The big, Yellow Labrasaurus) and Kevin will chew on each other for hours. Wrassling and gnawing and growling and carrying on like they're mortal enemies.

Which typically ends up with them falling asleep on in a pile on the kitchen floor. (Sherman also makes a good mattress)


And what's the secret to convincing Kevin that "Sticks are more fun to chew OUTSIDE!" (and not all over my poor kitchen floor)?

I swear, that boy is part beaver!

 

[Frieda]

1. I think (and I've been known to be wrong quite a few times). The neck chewing ultimately has to do with either establishing dominance or its part if their "shake and kill" DNA.

Female Rottweiler Freyja does this all the time with my older male Catahoula/Pit Sheldon. If it goes on too long, and I hear too much rough play, I break it up. Freyja gets to be like a shark in a feeding frenzie and has hurt Sheldon a few times.

2. Since I was a kid on the farm, with Shepherd/Collie mixes, and other breeds, I have seen dogs chew sticks. Unfortunately, Freyja is a stick chewer and will also bring hers in the house --- which they promptly go in the garbage the minute her back is turned.

I learned on the farm that small sticks can indeed become lodged in the roof of a dog's mouth. I saw my dad pull more than one stick from the roof of the mouth of one dog until he got older.

Annnnd, FWIW, I had a young horse (around three years) who managed to do the same thing -- aske me how much fun it was pulling a wedged stick from the roof of the mouth of a horse. I've had my own horses for sixty years and that was the only time I ever saw a horse do that.

Meaning, it doesn't matter dog breed or species ---- there are some who just can't keep anything out of their mouths, lollol

Freyja is the most aggressive chewer I've ever had --- you may want to buy some super heavy duty chew toys for Kevin as he sounds as if he is going to be an active chewer.

I buy most of Freya's toys from Chewy.com. They are much cheaper for the same toys than Pet Smart or Pet Sense, which are the only stores available to me that sell toys for hard core chewers. Even our feed stores don't stock safe chews for big dogs --- I guess they think all the XL and XXL dogs in our county have jobs guarding livestock and don't need chew toys, lol

 

[MrWoofus]

My last male was a stick hound! (In every sense of the word). i actually had to pull a stick from the roof of his mouth once when he was a pup.

(I actually have it somewhere in a ziplock bag, with a few of his baby teeth)

Maybe it's a boy thing?

 

[Frieda]

Maybe it's a boy thing?

My Freyja is a female, lol.

I honestly can't remember if it was the mom or her son that dad had to remove the stick from the mouth.

 

[Steph King]

Although we have some sticks in our yard, ours haven't been big on stick chewing. They LOVE bully sticks though. I buy mine from an online group in the biggest size they have. I buy food from chewy.com and love them, but they are always out of bully sticks when I order.

Boys and girls, both are big on chewing. Some dogs are more intense about it than others, but I never saw a difference between sexes. The bigger stockier Rotts were bigger chewers, I guess. We adopt, so we have owned lighter backyard bred Rotts in the past.

When we bring out the Bully sticks even the old chihuahua who is missing half his teeth, lights up like a candle. I buy him teeny weeny bully sticks.

 

[MrWoofus]

My Freyja is a female, lol.

I honestly can't remember if it was the mom or her son that dad had to remove the stick from the mouth.

I was actually talking about my boys

The girls would NEVER eat a stick, it simply wouldn't be ladylike!

 

[nyoungsma]

Although we have some sticks in our yard, ours haven't been big on stick chewing. They LOVE bully sticks though. I buy mine from an online group in the biggest size they have. I buy food from chewy.com and love them, but they are always out of bully sticks when I order.

Boys and girls, both are big on chewing. Some dogs are more intense about it than others, but I never saw a difference between sexes. The bigger stockier Rotts were bigger chewers, I guess. We adopt, so we have owned lighter backyard bred Rotts in the past.

When we bring out the Bully sticks even the old chihuahua who is missing half his teeth, lights up like a candle. I buy him teeny weeny bully sticks.

So how do the bully stick hold up? Norton destroyed a tire toy yesterday (the actual Goodyear tire rubber) chewed right through it. He's also killed a Kong, a Kong Stick and more than one rubber Nylabone (although I really didn't expect those to last). I'm constantly looking for things to keep him busy.

Also to the original post-Norton loves chewing on wood. He hasn't gotten a hold of a stick yet but he has destroyed several wood blocks and other wood toys of the kids'. He goes for those first if the boys leave them in reach lol.

 

[RainahsMom]

Bully sticks don't last long for Rainah... maybe 15 minutes? but she loves them! I don't get the big ones tho... just the 6" monster sticks from chewy.com. I recently got her a beef knuckle from chewy and she loves it! It's huge and looks like it will last a long time. She loves to chew so it's been a challenge to find toys that last. JW Invincibles chains and whirlwheel have held up well, as have Jolly Pets bounce and play ball. Outward Hound makes a toss n tug disc that she really likes. Her new favorite toy is Jolly Pets teaser ball... it's a hard plastic ball with a smaller ball inside. The outer ball has holes in it and she tries her best to get the little ball out lol! And her all time favorite toy is something I picked up at a bargain store for $0.60! It's called a Sky Bouncer and is actually a human toy but she thinks it's the best thing ever! I've seen them at Walmart occasionally or you can find them online.

 

[RainahsMom]

Another thing I forgot to mention... elk antlers! I get them at chewy. The first one I bought was split and it didn't last long but then I bought a whole one... we've had it for well over a year and there's not much wear on it at all. She doesn't chew it as much as she used to, as she prefers her Benebone. Of course I didn't let her have antlers or a Benebone until she had her adult teeth so this may not work for you yet, but you could try it later.

 

[Andrea52]

I've done bully sticks for Bella. They are expensive (for good quality) and stink in my opinion, which is probably why she loves them so much.

Your story brough up fond memories of my girl as a pup and she would find a stick to chew only to have the big guy Rocky come take it away.

Kevin is so cute holding his own.

 

[Sheera'smom]

Both Leisa, and our previous rottie, Sheera, love(d) sticks.
Sheera had a few "favorites" and actually pulled on out of a campfire one night when my husband thoughtlessly tossed it in!! Fortunately, it hadn't caught on fire yet, but she was not happy with him. She also liked to carry logs around, I'm talking 3-4 inches in diameter, about 2 feet long. Didn't really gnaw on them, just carry them around. I don't know why....

 

[Capp]

that's exactly like Mocha. Stick obsessed.