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Choosing dog chews can be a trickier process than it seems! If the chews are too soft, your dog might not get the full benefits. If the chews are too hard, you risk your dog breaking a tooth- or worse.

Some types of chews can become dangerous obstructions if ingested. Other chews may have toxic ingredients you don’t even know are there.

Improving teeth and gum health. Dogs that chew actively have less plaque build-up. And some types of dog dental treats and diets can reduce plaque by nearly 70%. How do they do this? Simply the mechanical action of chewing can make a difference. In one study, increasing the diameter of kibble by 50% led to a 42% reduction in tartar. In the same study, coating the products with a substance called polyphosphate further reduced tartar by 55%.

The Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) is an organization that evaluates pet products to see if they meet standards for reducing plaque or tartar. Approved foods, treats, and chews must reduce plaque or tartar by at least 10% to achieve the VOHC seal of approval. If a chemical anti-plaque agent is used, it needs to reduce plaque or tartar by at least 20%. Go to http://www.vohc.org/accepted_products.htm to see which products have received the VOHC seal of approval.