Are you looking for a long lasting dog chew that will keep your dog stimulated?
My Alaskan Klee Kai dogs love something to chew on – it’s been an obsession since they were puppies.
When they were much younger, we used to give my mini huskies bully sticks to chew and they’d last hours and hours.
It proved a great deterrent from chewing clothes and furniture but the bully sticks gave my dogs bad breath.
Not only that, the bully sticks became a choking hazard when my Klee Kai had gnawed them down to a knob which they could inadvertently swallow.
However, there are some great alternatives to bully sticks that can act as long-lasting chews to keep your canine companions entertained.
In this article, we’re going to look at the best long-lasting chews in the UK to provide British owners with something to keep their dogs stimulated.
Editor's note: The content on this website is meant to be informative in nature, but it should not be taken as veterinary, medical or professional advice. Our articles and the products featured in them are not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems for you and/or your pet. It's always best to consult your vet regarding any health issues your pet may have.
Benefits Of Long Lasting Dog Chews
Shepherd works on a chew at the park (Photo: Adobe Stock)
If you’re thinking about purchasing a long-lasting chew for your dog, you’ll be pleased to know there are some potential benefits.
• Dental care – Traditionally, dogs and their ancestors maintained good dental health by chewing or gnawing on bones, bone parts and raw meat. Nowadays, you can easily find dental chews for your dog but they’ll usually be soft and devoured in seconds by your pooch. If you opt for a natural chew, it’s an efficient way of cleaning your dog’s teeth especially if your pet is reluctant to have their teeth brushed like my Klee Kai.
• Prevent boredom – Some breeds have more needs than others so if you’ve got a dog with a high IQ, requires a sense of purpose or lots of energy, you’ll probably find a long-lasting dog chew is a great way to keep them entertained. If you can find a long-lasting chew, it could in theory keep your four-legged friend entertained for hours. However, it’s probably a good idea to limit their daily time gnawing on a chew each day.
• Anxiety – You’ll find that pet owners with an anxious or nervous dog will often leave a chew in their bed when they have to leave the house. Separation anxiety is a chronic canine condition that can affect any dog irrespective of breed or mix. Although experts say leaving a chew won’t fix or prevent separation anxiety, it could temporarily help if your aim is to leave the house with a distracted dog.
• Nutritional benefits – By opting for a natural, healthy chew, your dog will be able to get some nutritional benefits from their chew. Of course, you should give your dog long lasting chews alongside a balanced and complete diet. These chews are no substitute for daily meals. Having said that, some chews could be rich in calcium, protein, phosphorus or other minerals and nutrients.
• Hip and joint care – You’ll notice if you’ve researched hip and joint care supplements that they’ll usually contain collagen. The good news is that lots of long-lasting dog chews contain collagen so they can help to promote healthy hips and joints. If you’ve got an older dog, you could even research long-lasting chews that are specifically rich in collagen.
Risks Of Long Lasting Dog Chews
Jack Russell enjoys a chew on a rug (Photo: Adobe Stock)
Naturally, there are some risks associated with long lasting dog chews – and that’s why it’s a good idea to supervise your dog at all times.
• Choking hazard – We recommend keeping a close eye on your dog when they’re enjoying a chew. There’s obviously a risk that he may swallow the chew, especially when it’s been gnawed down to a knob. This often happened with my Klee Kai when I used to give them bully sticks and it can be a disconcerting experience. If there’s a small piece left and you think it could be a choking hazard, it’s a good idea to remove it.
• Broken teeth – If your dog is enjoying a chew that is simply too hard for them, it could lead to tooth damage in the form of a crack or break. This can be expensive to fix and especially if you don’t have pet insurance.
• Obstructions – If your dog gnaws the chew down to a knob and you haven’t spotted it or failed to removed it, they could ingest the remnants of the chew. This could lead to a obstruction in their digestive system which could result in a medical emergency.
• Sensitive tummy – Carrying on from our previous point, an ingested chew could lead to stomach upset. If your dog has a sensitivity tummy, you’ll need to do careful research before giving your dog a long-lasting chew to prevent upsetting their tummy.
• Bacteria – Unless you’ve got a big chewer, my dogs will have a good chew for 30 minutes or more before leaving their treat for some time. My Klee Kai would take days and sometimes weeks to completely finish a bully stick. The salvia slobbered over the chew can attract bacteria.
• Calories – Some chews, such as bully sticks, can be calorific so it’s a good idea to carefully read the label and limit the number of chews that you give your canine companion on a daily or weekly basis.
Best Long Lasting Dog Chews UK
Now that we’ve taken a look at some of the benefits and risks associated with long-lasting chews, we’ll showcase some of the best long-lasting dog chews available in the UK right now.
1) Butternut Box’s Yonks Bar
Where To Buy: butternutbox.com
Butternut Box Yonks Bar (Photo: hellobark.com)
If you’re looking for a long-lasting dog chew that will not only keep your dog stimulated for hours but promotes calm and wellbeing, look no further than Butternut Box’s Yonks Bar. It’s harnessed the magic of Meadow Milk to create a calming, durable chew. It contains alpha casozepine which has been shown to reduce stress and promote wellbeing. Their Yonks Bar contains soothing chamomile and honey as well as Ltheanine and L-tryptophan that help to produce happy hormones such as a serotonin and dopamine. They’re rich in calcium and protein to support dental health, bone health and muscle development. Even though I was initially skeptical whether it would last, my Alaskan Klee Kai spent hours and hours on the Yonks Bar perfectly content. There was no nasty odor and I had peace of mind knowing that the Yonks Bar was low in fat and contained no nasties. You can only order a Yonks Bar as part of Butternut Box’s meal subscription service but if you’re looking for balanced and complete meals, you could sign up for a 50% discount off your first two boxes and add a Yonks Bark to your delivery.
You can get 50% off your first box and 50% off your second box if you sign up to Butternut Box by clicking here.
2) Yakers
Where To Buy: www.amazon.co.uk
Yakers chew (Photo: Amazon UK)
The Yakers are a dog treat brand that produce 100% natural chews made with Himalayan Yak Milk. They add a small amount of lime juice and salt to harden the milk before it’s compressed into blocks and smoked for 28 days to give them flavour. Yakers write online that these chews are extra long lasting, helps to fight plaque and target, rich in protein and calcium. This Yak chew is gluten free and preservative free so you can reward your dog without feeling guilty. They’ve got an average rating of 4.5 stars based upon over 1,750 reviews on Amazon. The Yakers natural chew costs around £10.40 on Amazon for a two-pack.
3) Earth Animal No Hide Dog Chew
Where To Buy: www.amazom.co.uk
Earth Animal No Hide Chews (Photo: Amazon UK)
Earth Animal have created a healthy rawhide alternative that is a long-lasting chew. They use seven natural ingredients – a single protein source alongside brown rice flour, organic eggs, olive oil, banana, pineapple and agar-agar (a vegetable gelatine). Earth Animal offer beef, chicken, fish, peanut butter and venison. There’s no nasties such as chemicals, bleaches or formaldehydes. Earth Animal explain their chews are long-lasting, easily digestible and promote dental hygiene. You pick the chew that is right for the size of your dog, whether you need a stix, small, medium or large chew. They start at £10.99 on Amazon for a pack of two chews.
4) Ace Antlers
Where To Buy: www.amazon.co.uk
Ace Antler (Photo: Amazon UK)
Another alternative to bully sticks are deer antler dog chews. They come in a range of sizes and help to keep your dog occupied and their teeth clean! Ace Antlers locally source their completely natural antlers – and they’re cruelty free. Ace Antlers explain that antlers are rich in calcium and protein. They don’t omit a nasty odor unlike other chews such as bully sticks. Often billed as a the toughest chew on the market, antlers certainly fit the bill for a long-lasting chew. You can select the right size for your dog, ranging from small all the way up to monster. Prices start at £7.99 for a pair of small antler chews on Amazon.
5) Bounce And Bella Natural Dog Chew
Where To Buy: www.amazon.co.uk
Bounce And Bella (Photo: Amazon UK)
Bounce And Bella’s Natural Dog Chew is made from just one ingredient: beef. So you can have peace of mind knowing that your canine companion is getting a healthy treat without any hidden additives or nasties. These tasty chews have been air-dried to lock in flavour and goodness. Bounce And Bella explain online that they don’t use any chemicals to speed up the drying process unlike some rawhide chews. You won’t be left with an unpleasant knob at the end that could represent a potential choking hazard or bacteria hub. Bounce And Bella’s beef chew will only last for the best part of 5 to 20 minutes depending on the size of your dog so they’re not as long-lasting as some of the other chews in this article.
Wrapping Up – Our Final Thoughts
Butternut Box Yonks Bar (Photo: hellobark.com)
We’ve reached the end of our article on the best long-lasting dog chews in the UK.
Our top pick would be Butternut Box’s Yonks Bar based upon our experience with this calming chew.
My Alaskan Klee Kai loved these healthy chews and it kept them entertained for hours and hours, while I had peace of mind knowing that these bars were free from additives and nasties.
Having said that, if you prefer to stick with Amazon then you won’t go wrong with a Yakers natural chew made from Himalayan Yak Milk. These chews were also a hit with my mini husky!
