Review | Long Lasting Durable 5 Senses Chew

The "Long Lasting Durable 5 Senses Chew" was one of the first Nylabone products I purchased for Andy. I picked it up at a T.J. Maxx back in July for around $4.00 but haven't seen one there, or anywhere else for that matter, since. It still shows up on the Nylabone website so I don't think it's been phased out completely. I want to write a quick review, well mainly a caveat, in case there are folks out there that still have access to this particular product. 

The packaging for the 5 Senses Chew touts the following: See it! Interactive Shapes, Smell it! Irresistible, Taste it! Bacon Infused, Touch it! Bumps and Ridges, Hear it! Clickety Clack. I wasn't really taken in by all the claims when I picked this chew up. I decided to buy it primarily because it was a Nylabone product (which I generally trust), it felt sturdy, and it looked interesting. I think Andy might have been at the tail end of teething when I picked it up in July, so I know I was also on the lookout for durable chew toys. 

Review | Nylabone Dental Toys/Chews

I've been on the fence about Nylabone dental chew products for the last couple of months. While I'm still not entirely comfortable with the idea that Andy is ingesting/passing little bits and pieces of nylon, even if they are innocuous, I've decided that the benefits of the chews outweigh any negatives - of which I've yet to find any real evidence of. Andy is an especially aggressive chewer. We discovered this early on as he tore through all of the toys he inherited from Maxwell, our previous dog, and virtually anything else we threw his way. Nylabone dental chews have been one of the few "toys" that can actually withstand the onslaught of my pup's appetite for destruction. 

Andy consistently returns to his Nylabone dental chews - a pretty good indicator he approves of them. He turns to them not only to satisfy his urge to chew but also for play (he loves pushing them across the floor like hockey pucks!). The first 2-3 months Andy was with us he worked his way through a Durachew Bone and a Long Lasting Durable 5 Senses Chew. Maybe 2-3 months seems short for the life of a toy, but considering how little time it takes Andy to utterly destroy most other toys, I'm happy to shell out $5-10 for a "toy" that will last more than a month. Right now he's working his way through a stegosaurus shaped chew.

Review | Kyjen Fire Hose Squeak 'n Fetch

The Kyjen Fire Hose Squeak 'n Fetch is the last "fabric" toy I purchased for Andy. The tag on it said it was made from the same durable fire hose used by firemen and for some reason this got me really excited. I mean it says "Hard Core" right on the toy - surely that means it can withstand the assault of a powerful chewer like Andy.

The material of the Fire Hose Squeak 'n Fetch seemed durable enough and the ends were sewn shut nice and tight, but alas, Andy had one end frayed in a matter of minutes and the body itself was gutted by the end of the night. I bought a medium size hose (10 inches long) for $9.99 at my local Petco and it was in the trash by 10:00 that same night. grr! boo! hiss! The Kyjen Fire Hose Squeak 'n Fetch may work for less aggressive chewers but unfortunately it didn't work for Andy. 

Nylabone

Does anyone have any strong feelings about the "edible" nylon products from Nylabone? I have such mixed feelings about them. I know they're "recommended by vets," satisfy a dog's urge to chew, and supposedly clean their teeth in the process, but I'm still weirded out by the fact that they're eating little bits of nylon. I'm assuming their bodies can't process these nylon pieces and they just pass them in their stool...but it just all seems so...artificial. 

I bought a couple of Nylabone products early on because Andy was (and is) such a powerful chewer. I find that the Nylabone products and toys made of durable rubber (Kong, JW Pet's Good Cuz) are the only toys he can't utterly demolish. Andy has a bone-shaped chew from Nylabone's Durachew line and the "Long Lasting Durable 5 Senses Chew" he's chomping on in the photos above. He actually loves these chews and consistently goes back to them again and again. 

I haven't read anything that outright damns Nylabone nylon products. They did apparently have issues a couple years back with dogs ingesting larger pieces of their Plaque Attacker bones, which were made of rubber, and getting seriously ill and even dying. Nylabone has since redesigned this product but I'll still be staying away from them because they just don't look they'd withstand Andy's aggressive chewing for very long. In any case, I'd love to hear what you think. 

Review | JW Pet Good Cuz

JW Pet's Good Cuz is one of the few toys Andy has not been able to demolish. We've had it for about a month and I'm happy to say its feet are completely intact and it still looks pretty new. We've tossed it around both indoors and out and it washes up clean with a sponge. Andy seems to enjoy its erratic bounce and the ball is firm enough that he doesn't just sit around squeaking it (I know that annoys some people). So far it's been a good buy.

The ball comes in a "Good Cuz" and "Bad Cuz" version - the later having little horns. They're made of durable rubber, come in 3 sizes (Andy owns a medium one, 3" in diameter), and a rainbow of colors. My local PetSmart only carried them in blue, green, and red, but I've seen other colors available online. JW Pet toys are available at PetSmart, Petco, and I'm pretty sure I've seen them at Target. The Good Cuz/Bad Cuz are priced anywhere from $4.99-$9.99, depending on size. I see them on sale now and then and will probably pick up a Bad Cuz sometime in the future.

That's Entertainment! | Dog Toys

Dogs, especially puppies, need a lot of stimulation. This keeps them happy, healthy, and out of trouble. Plenty of exercise, cuddle and play time, socialization, and of course toys, are essential. The type of toys you purchase depends on your dog’s personality, preference, and chew strength. A variety of shapes, textures, and sizes will keep your pup interested.

Plush toys don’t work for Andy. He's a heavy chewer and we learned fast that his first instinct is to try to destroy any toy we give him. Rope toys helped with the discomfort of teething, but once Andy’s adult teeth came in, he ripped them to shreds within days. For the most part I don’t bother buying ropes, anything plush, or made of fabric. Through trial and error I discovered that only durable rubber (like a Kong or JW Pet Cuz Toys) and hard nylon (Nylabone) can stand the test of Andy’s chompers. Good old fashion tennis balls have also held up well. Any pups out there have a durable favorite?