[nagdu] Cheap toy for super chewers

[Elizabeth Rene]

When he was a young guide, my Labrador Retriever Rafael could chew up and 
destroy a Nylabone in half an hour.  Kong toys were no match for him, and 
he'd raid my closet and steal my favorite shoes to gnaw on their heels. 
This is what my vet recommended, and it worked.

Take an old cotton terry towel that you don't care about anymore.  Soak it 
good in cold water, and wring it only so much as not to have water pouring 
off of it onto the floor as you remove it from the sink.

  fold it lengthwise to a manageable width, then roll that long, narrowish 
strip up to form a cylinder.  The idea is to have a bone-like object your 
dog can comfortably carry in his or her mouth but too big to swallow.

Put the soggy cylinder into the freezer and freeze until solid.  You could 
put it into a plastic bag first so it won't stick to the freezer or its 
other contents, but remove from bag when you take it out.

This makes an ice-cold, durable teething toy that will soothe the dog's 
gums, satisfy its chewing desires, and keep its shape as the ice melts, with 
no unknown substances added.

I like the plastic bag idea because it lets me take the half-frozen bone my 
dog has abandoned, slip it back into its protective cover, then throw it 
right back into the freezer.

When the thing starts to unroll and get disgusting, you can throw it into 
the wash and start all over again with the same towel, then trash it when it 
gets raggedy.

A white towel might work best, as you won't have to worry about dyes being 
toxic to the dog.

AS I say, Rafael liked this, and so did my pocket book!

Cheers,

Elizabeth