Nylabone Frequently Asked Questions

It’s important to select the appropriate chew toy type, size, and formulation based on your dog’s age, breed, chewing style, and weight. The pressure exerted by a strong chewer’s jaw is considerable, and when directed straight down can put tremendous stress (as much as 450 psi) on the dog’s teeth. That’s why non-edible chew toys should be large enough to encourage chewing from the side rather than the top and bottom. 

If you have more than one dog in your household, select chew toys that are appropriate for your largest, strongest chewer. See our Chew Style Guide for more details, or shop by your dog’s exact weight bracket: up to 15 lbs, up to 25 lbs, up to 35 lbs, up to 50 lbs, or 50+ lbs. 

● Watch how your dog treats their current chew toys rather than guessing from their breed alone. A dog that flattens a toy in a week may need something tougher, like a Strong Chew or Power Chew toy. 
● A senior dog or a lighter chewer usually does better with a Flexi Chew toy, which flexes
instead of just resisting. 
● A teething puppy needs a Puppy Chew toy, our softest line. 

This two-part system, chew strength paired with weight-based sizing, is the standard. Look for a chew toy matched to how your dog chews and how big they are rather than a single one-size product. Our Chew Style Guide has the full breakdown, and the Product Finder can match you to specific products. 

Once you’ve found your dog’s pawfect match based on their chewing style and weight, visit our Guidelines for Use page for more details on the specific chew strength. 

Nylon is the core material behind the Power Chew line, chosen because it holds up to aggressive chewers without breaking down quickly. Strong Chew toys use natural rubber in some products, which adds flex that plain nylon doesn’t have. Flexi Chew toys lean into that flexibility even further with softer, more pliable material suited to gentler chewers and seniors, and Puppy Chew toys use the softest materials of the four lines, designed for a teething puppy’s developing mouth. Every material is flavored all the way through rather than coated on the surface, which is why the flavor holds up over time. 

Non-edible chew toys, the nylon and rubber lines like Power Chew, Strong Chew, Flexi Chew, and Puppy Chew, are built to be chewed on. They’re flavored throughout so a dog stays interested, but they aren’t formulated to be digested, and swallowing large pieces isn’t the intended use. Edible chew treats work the opposite way: Healthy Edibles and Nubz chew treats are made to be eaten from start to finish, formulated with real proteins or natural flavors and limited ingredients. A chew toy is the better fit for redirecting destructive chewing or keeping a dog occupied over a long stretch, since it has a much longer chewing lifespan before it wears out. An edible chew treat works better for training or rewarding, or as a shorter chewing session. See our full range of edible chew treats to compare. mouth. Every material is flavored all the way through rather than coated on the surface, which is why the flavor holds up over time. 

No. Nylabone flavors non-edible chew toys all the way through to help dogs stay engaged and excited to chew, but that flavor is there for taste rather than safety. Non-edible chews are designed to be chewed, not eaten, and the flavor doesn’t change that. If you think your dog swallowed a large piece, take the product away and contact your veterinarian. Edible chew treats are the products actually formulated to be digested; that distinction is why the two categories exist.py’s developing mouth. Every material is flavored all the way through rather than coated on the surface, which is why the flavor holds up over time. 

Edible chew treats are “treat” bones that are meant to be consumed, and all dogs consume edible treats at different rates of speed based on their jaw strength and chewing style. The lifespan of each edible chew treat can also depend on how determined a chewer your dog is. 

This depends on the dog’s age, weight, and activity level. General edible chew treats are not recommended for puppies younger than 6 months old. Please check with your veterinarian about your dog’s daily caloric intake and the proper time to introduce edible chew treats into your puppy’s diet. If you have a younger puppy, Healthy Edibles Puppy Chew Treats are formulated specifically for puppies starting at 3 months old, which is different from the general edible treat line above. 

Nylabone edible chew treats are best enjoyed by a dog who has all his permanent teeth; they are not recommended for the immature digestive systems of very young puppies. We recommend that you consult your veterinarian for the right time to give your puppy edible chew treats. For younger puppies, Healthy Edibles Puppy Chew Treats are a separate, puppy-formulated option worth asking your vet about. 

Ingredients are printed on each package and can also be found by viewing the nutritional analysis for each individual product on its product page. 

Edible dog dental products generally split into two categories: dental chew toys and dental chew treats. 

Dental chew toys, like our Power Chew Dental Dinosaur, are non-edible toys built with dental ridges and nubs designed for repeated chewing over time. The dental benefit comes from scraping plaque off the tooth surface every time your dog gnaws on it. 

Dental chew treats, like Nutri Dent, are edible treats built with a specific textured design so the act of chewing helps clean teeth, helps reduce plaque and tartar, and helps freshen breath as a dog works through them. The dental benefit comes from the combination of the chew’s design and a dog’s natural chewing motion.

Advanced Oral Care works differently: it’s a line of toothbrushes, toothpaste, dental sprays, gels, and water additives meant to be used as part of an actual brushing or dental-care routine rather than handed to a dog to chew. 

The right choice depends on what routine your dog will actually tolerate: a dental chew toy or dental chew treat worked into daily habits, or a toothbrush-and-paste routine with Advanced Oral Care products layered on top. Visit our Dental Care hub to browse the full lineup, and see a veterinarian for any dog with existing dental problems. 

Replace when the chew toy’s ends are worn down, cracked, or if it becomes too small for your dog to chew safely. There’s no fixed timeline: how long a chew toy lasts depends on how your dog chews and how often, so the same toy can last months for one dog and need replacing within weeks for another. Check the toy itself, not the calendar, and inspect it before every use.

Most Nylabone chew treats are proudly made in the USA, and most Nylabone products are made in our facility here in Neptune City, New Jersey. All USA-made Nylabone chew toys, chew treats, and dental care solutions have the American flag on the package. A few of our products are made overseas. Be assured that all Nylabone manufacturing partners, both domestic and overseas, must adhere to stringent quality-control standards for every product that bears the company’s name. We require all contract manufacturers to comply with GFSI-benchmarked food safety standards and FSMA. We also manage a food safety testing program using accredited third-party facilities. 

In addition, Nylabone facilities that produce edible products undergo both voluntary and legally required pet food safety inspections or audits conducted by government institutions and other third-party sources. Our facilities uphold the high food safety and ethical standards these organizations demand and have achieved compliance with the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, Safe Food Quality Level 2 Certification, Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit Social Compliance Certification, and USDA exportation certification. Read the full breakdown on our Nylabone Pet Food Safety Certifications page.