Humans and Dogs Both Bite Nails
Do you bite your nails? I used to. I no longer do, and I don’t bite anyone else’s nails. But what does this have to do with dogs and their treats? Take a look –
Jones Natural Chews offers Hooves as dog chews. Hooves are cow toenails. Dogs love to chew on them. LOVE. I’m guessing it’s nearly as therapeutic as a human biting their nails. Well, probably more so. Chewing a Hoof is great for a dog’s teeth and gums. It keeps them busy. And maybe it helps with stress levels, which is essentially what causes you to bite your nails. It’s a result of stress, yes?
Benefits of the Hoof
As I mentioned, the Hoof is great for keeping a dog’s teeth and gums healthy. They spend a lot of time gnawing on it, scraping the teeth and gums clean. It’s also a great busy tool. Because it’s a gelatinous nail, instead of a bone, the Hoof doesn’t splinter, and it is eventually consumed.
Also, if you’re of a mind to do it, you could smear a little peanut butter inside of the Hoof to interest your dog. Some dogs aren’t Hoof fans, but the gnawing is good for them, so the peanut butter is incentive to give it a try. I’ll just bet they fall in love with it after that.
And some dogs have sensitive teeth. Their teeth tend to splinter or break when gnawing on something as hard as a bone or antler, which can be frustrating for the owner trying to maintain healthy teeth and gums. The Hoof is a great alternative, being softer than either a bone or antler, but with the same dental benefits.
The Down Side
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the down side of the Hoof. And it’s not true of every Hoof, but certainly often enough. When it’s being chewed, the Hoof can stink. I’ve heard two reasons for this.
- The stink is determined by where and how the cows are kept – grass pastured cows don’t produce stinky toenails
- Bacteria builds up in the toenail, like stinky shoes for humans, and the moisture in the chewing activates it, like getting shoes wet for humans prone to stinky feet
I don’t know the absolute truth of the stink, but I do know that Hooves are safe and that dogs love them. I also know that they make an amazing puppy chew.
Teething Toy
This is about the time a lot of you are going insane. You got a puppy for Christmas, or your kids did, and it’s teething on everything in sight. It’s chewing up shoes, wrappers, window sills. If you’re not about to lose your mind, maybe your spouse is. I recommend puppy training classes, and a Hoof. The Hoof feels great on their teeth and gums. It’ll keep your new puppy occupied while you put everything away, out of reach. In addition to the Hoof, get a Knee Cap or Knuckle, dependent on the size of your puppy. They’re also excellent teethers and will last even longer.
Finding a Hoof Near You
About now you’re asking where you can find one of these marvelous treats! Your dog is drooling on your keyboard and you’re shaking your fist at the monitor asking, “WHERE DO I FIND A HOOF?!” That’s an easy thing. Jones Natural Chews is available in pet stores and feed stores all over the country! Near me (Tulsa, Oklahoma) they can be found at Atwoods and Tractor Supply, as well as a couple of Southern Agriculture stores. Even better, click on this sentence to be taken to the site to plug in your city and state. It will bring up a list of stores near you which carry Jones. At the bottom of that page is a list of online retailers, if you’re not wanting to leave the house.
Better yet! Enter the Hoof giveaway! It’s open until Sunday, and you can tweet daily entries, which improves your chance to win!
So go! Give your dog a Jones Natural Chew. Watch it smile. Naturally. And spread the good chews!
Until I write again …
Flea