Power Chewer

I see that term bandied about quite a bit and since the majority of the blogs I read are centered around Pit Bull-type dogs, I imagine quite a few of these dogs are "Power Chewers."  Sometimes I think Ray fits into that category and sometimes I don't.  For instance, when I first started giving him Churpi-chews it would take about a week or so for him to chew the entire thing.  The last time I gave him one, he had it entirely eaten before we finished our dinner.  At that price, there will be no more Churpi-chews for Ray-Ray.  Hooves have been a great and inexpensive replacement, as we can get those for just a few dollars and they do last well more than a week.

Bully sticks are a highly favored treat for Ray and a twelve inch bully can last almost 15 minutes if we're lucky.  We use them mostly at the beginning of a football game since they tend to settle Ray and get him more focused.  We've also been favoring the frozen stuffed kong, using the recipe that Pitlandia posted the other day.  I had been freezing Ray's kongs, but not using a lot of the mix-ins so he was clearing the contents pretty quickly.  Ray loves his kongs, we've been using them a lot more for feeding, though we do still use his bowl as well.

Antlers are something that Ray is very mezzo-mezzo about.  He prefers the split elk antlers but right now only has his deer antlers, one with a large nub and one more tapered.  Because that is what we have available right now, he has been chewing on those more lately.

For some reason, the antler seemed much more fun on this day than on previous days.

Is your dog a "power chewer" or does he/she have a favorite long lasting chew?  

Big Head Clown

One of the great things about having an anvil shaped head and a goofy personality is that you can usually keep yourself entertained for long (for a puppy) stretches of time.  Ray, as you might imagine, has quite an extensive toy collection with some definite favorites.  As discussed here, the Crinkit is a huge favorite for the noise it makes and the squishy durability of the whole thing.  Churpi-chews are great for down time and having a relaxing gnaw on your mat, plus since it is made of yak milk, salt and lime it can be like a doggie version of margarita cheese.  Ok, that might not be appealing to most readers, but it sure is if you’re a pooch.

Tug is a favorite game for Ray and although he will play with nearly anything, rope toys seem to be a big favorite and circles are his favorite shape.  How do I know this?  Very early on he had a wool circle toy that he absolutely loved to slip his snout through when he played but he also loved to eat kibble out of the middle of the circle .  He also likes to slip his snout through the loop of his rope toy and then pick up other toys, thus earning him the nickname Fat Mouth from Asia.

So last night I happend to look down at a quitely playing Ray when I saw a sight that promted me to call him a Goof-ass and, of course, promptly snap a picture.

Just chillin' with a toy on my head.