There's no doubt that Charlie is a stick-chewer. She seeks out sticks, stumps and logs whenever possible. Sometimes she gets herself into digestive trouble over her addiction to sticks... I remember back to last summer when she dug up a submerged stump during a camping trip and ended up getting diarrhea for 3 days, most likely she acquired some weird bacteria growing on that mucky stump. We took care of that digestive problem with a little Slippery Elm powder, but I've been in search of safe alternatives to sticks every since.
So I was extremely excited when I came across Himalayan Dog Chew's newest "toy" called Ruff Roots!
Ruff Roots are 100% natural (awesome!), they're eco-friendly (the tuber roots are harvested and then sprout again!), they don't splinter and they actually serve as a natural toothbrush to help decrease plaque on teeth!
What more could you ask for?!
They come in four sizes (seedling, sprout, stump and stalk) with corresponding weight recommendations for each size. We started with the "sprout" size which is recommended for dogs under 40 lbs. since Charlie is 43 lbs and I thought this would be a good size for her.
At first I was worried it was too small and that she'd quickly chew through it. But actually it turned out to be the perfect size for her.
The wood is really hard so it's not too easy to bite off chunks. When she's gnawing on it, small pieces come off occasionally, but nothing too big. In fact, Peanut (a 15-lb. Chihuahua-mix), was picking up some of the smaller pieces and enjoyed chewing on them. I'll probably get a "seedling" size for Peanut soon.
I took a couple videos of Charlie chewing away on her new "toy" so you can see (and hear) how much she's enjoying it! I was going to wait a few weeks before posting this review to see how long it would last, but it is definitely going to take a while for her to chew this up!
VIDEOS (best viewed in Chrome, not Internet Explorer):
Overall, I think this is a great toy for dogs who like to chew on wood or for really aggressive chewers and would probably be great for puppies! It's extremely durable and I love that it's sustainable and all-natural. Plus it's actually *helping* Charlie's teeth by acting as a natural toothbrush rather than ruining her teeth like harder bones or antlers can.
Kudos to Himalayan Dog Chew for creating this awesome toy! We give it two big paws up!
Disclaimer: We were not paid to write this review; this product was purchased with Charlie's allowance and our views are all our own!