How to find the right chew for your dog
A good chew should suit your dog's size, age and chewing style, and it should be digestible without splintering into sharp pieces. On this page you'll find natural chews and treats made from simple ingredients such as beef, lamb, pork, duck, game and fish, with no artificial colours or flavours. If you want to use chewing to help keep the teeth clean, there are also dental chews developed specifically for that purpose.
Most people choose a chew for two reasons: to keep the dog occupied for longer, and to give it a healthy alternative to gnawing on furniture, shoes or other things. Both are connected to the fact that chewing is a natural behaviour in dogs. It releases excess energy and has a calming effect, which is why a chew is often the simplest way to curb unwanted gnawing behaviour without scolding.
The very small and light treats can be found under mini Delights, while the broad selection of chewy treats and slightly larger pieces is found under Delights Treats. If you have a puppy, there is a separate collection under puppy treats.
Choose the size based on your dog's weight and chewing style
The rule of thumb is simple: the chew should be too big for the dog to swallow whole. If a piece can be made small enough to be swallowed in one go, the risk of the dog choking or swallowing it wrongly is greater. So choose a piece the dog has to work at over time rather than one it can gulp down at once.
Size isn't only about weight, but also about how powerful a chewer you have. A calm dog that gnaws quietly can easily manage a softer or smaller chew, while a determined chewer that eats everything quickly needs something larger and more durable. For powerful chewers there are the large variants such as LARGE ROLLED DELIGHTS and LARGE COD FISH DELIGHTS, while smaller dogs and cautious chewers are often better served with SMALL ROLLED DELIGHTS or SMALL COD FISH DELIGHTS.
Regardless of size, you should keep an eye on the dog while it chews until you know its habits. When a chew has been gnawed down to a piece the dog could swallow, you should take it away from it.
Natural chews with no artificial additives
What the chews here have in common is that they are made from whole, simple animal ingredients rather than pressed powder blends with artificial additives. This makes it easier to know what the dog is actually getting, and makes the products relevant for dogs with a sensitive stomach or known sensitivities to certain proteins.
The choice of protein matters here. If your dog hasn't tolerated beef or chicken well, a single, different protein source can be a good place to start. Among the more unusual options you'll find RABBIT DELIGHTS made from rabbit and WILD BOAR DELIGHTS made from wild boar, while LAMB DELIGHTS made from lamb is a well-known choice for many sensitive stomachs. Fish is also a mild alternative, and here the range spans from ICELAND FISH DELIGHTS to the chewier NORTH SEA CHEWY FISH DELIGHTS.
Chews that clean the teeth while the dog gnaws
When a dog chews on something firm over a longer period, the mechanical movement scrapes loose plaque off the tooth surface, and saliva production increases. That is the basic idea behind a dental chew: that the chewing itself helps maintain teeth and gums between brushings. It does not replace tooth brushing, but it is a useful supplement, especially for dogs that won't let you brush their teeth daily.
Among the chews developed with dental care in mind you'll find grain-free variants such as GRAIN-FREE CLASSIC DENTAL DELIGHTS, GRAIN-FREE BEEF & GAME DENTAL DELIGHTS and GRAIN-FREE BEEF & RABBIT DENTAL DELIGHTS. There are also chews with added functional ingredients, for example COLLAGEN & CURCUMA TEETH DELIGHTS and PROBIOTICS & CINNAMON TEETH DELIGHTS. The entire range focused on dental care is gathered under TEETH DELIGHTS.
When can a puppy have chews?
A puppy starts chewing in earnest when the milk teeth come through, and later when they are replaced by the permanent teeth. This change of teeth typically takes place from around three to six or seven months of age, and during this period the puppy has a great natural need to gnaw, because it soothes the sore gums. A soft, easily digestible chew is a sensible alternative to table legs and remote controls here.
Always give the puppy a chew suited to its size and dental development. Avoid the hardest and most compact chews while the teeth are still changing, and keep an eye on the puppy while it chews. The smallest and mildest treats are best suited to this phase, and there is a collection aimed specifically at puppies under puppy treats. If you're unsure about what other treats a puppy is allowed to have, the article what treats can puppies have covers it in more detail.
How long does a chew last, and how often can the dog have one?
How long a chew lasts depends entirely on the dog and on the product itself. A quiet chewer can gnaw on a larger rolled chew for a long time, while a determined chewer can get through the same piece in a few minutes. If you want something that keeps the dog occupied the longest, choose one of the larger and chewier pieces rather than the thin, quick treats.
How often the dog can have chews depends on how calorie-rich the product is, and on the dog's overall feeding plan. Chews and treats count towards the daily energy intake, so if many are given, you should cut back a little on the food so the dog doesn't gain weight. For daily training, where many small rewards are given, lean and small treats are more practical than a large chew. If you want to keep the fat intake down, there is a selection gathered under treats low in fat.
Chews for daily training and for long stretches alone
It's worth distinguishing between two purposes, because they call for different products. For training you want small, quick rewards that the dog can swallow in an instant and move on. Here the small treats are ideal, for example MOTIVATION DELIGHTS or the very small ones in mini Delights. If you want a pack put together for training use, there is the training treat bundle.
If, on the other hand, the dog needs to be kept occupied for a longer stretch, for example when you leave home for a moment or want some peace, a larger chew that it has to work at is the right choice. Here the chewier and more compact pieces, such as the rolled chews and the large fish chews, keep the dog going the longest. A longer chewing session uses up excess energy and has a calming effect, and this makes a solid chew a simple tool against boredom and restlessness.
How to use chews safely
Whichever chew you choose, a few precautions apply. Make sure the dog always has access to fresh water while it chews, and keep an eye on it until you know its habits and how quickly it works its way through a piece. Take the chew away from the dog when it has been gnawed down to a remnant it could swallow whole.
Introduce new chews gradually, especially if the dog has a sensitive stomach, and keep an eye on the stools the first few times. If the stomach reacts, choose a milder protein or a more easily digestible type. Fish and lamb are often good starting points for sensitive dogs. If you have a dog with recurring stomach problems, it may be relevant to look at the whole diet, not just the treats, and here the article what is good dog food provides the background.
