Friday, August 12, 2011

Products in Review: Himalayan Dog Chews!

You're probably thinking the same thing I did when I first saw these for sale: "What the HECK is a Himalayan Dog Chew?" I could tell you about how wonderful it is, that it's quite possibly the ultimate treat and boredom buster, but it's easier to take it from a true critic:

...oops, looks like he's a little preoccupied at the moment :)

Last Sunday was the annual Steel Valley Cluster dog show - one of the biggest in the nation! While checking out the vendors in between the wonderful Westies, Schnauzers, Cresteds, and more, I happened upon one booth selling a wide variety of chew toys. I've been looking for the perfect chew for my picky little connoisseur, Xavier. He's the kind of dog who will only play with a rubber toy if it has something delicious inside, gets stomach upset from the wrong ingredients, and doesn't see any point in chewing on a Nylabone. I, myself, have a few hangups about giving him processed bull pizzle, which by the way, comes from Old English. And we thought rappers were being original with "izzle" speak. Hehehe. Anyway, was there a magical treat out there for my dog?

Yes, indeed there is. Off to the side was a display of bags containing different sizes of Himalayan Dog Chews. Intrigued, I picked one up and began reading the label. Basically, it's a slab of cheese made from cows and yaks, smoked in old Himalayan style. Don't let the description fool you - these things are solid! I decided that since Xavier loves cheese, it was something we just had to try. Not sure of what size would suit him best, I picked a bag of mixed chews and proceeded to checkout. The slightly higher price for these tasty sticks paid off. Xavier grabbed the smallest of the bunch, made a beeline for "the den" (that is, under the table!), and began gnawing away. Four hours later, one worn out dog put a decent-sized dent in the stick and could chew no more. Once his jaw was no longer tired, you knew exactly where to find him: chewing it again!

The smallest of the bunch kept Xavier happy for about three days before it got too small. Imagine how happy he'll be when he digs into the large and extra-large ones! There hasn't been any digestive upset, but this would be a concern for lactose-intolerant dogs. Oh well, guess they'll just have to shizzle the pizzle all over the hizzle, fa-zizzle!

...OK, new use for the Himalayan Dog Chew: bop myself in the head with one next time I try "izzle" speak! Never again, haha! ;)

Stay tuned, only four more weeks until Groom Expo!!