Nylabone Puppy Bone Flexible Dog Chew

August 1, 2010 7:10 pm | By Zootoo Editor Flinn D.

Flexi-Chew is yet another entry in the hard plastic bone category by the folks at Nylabone. Unfortunately, none of the new products Nylabone has released until now seem to address the underlying question pet owners have about their chew-toy products; are they safe? Too many stories have emerged of Nylabone products being chewed up into smaller pieces than intended, and swallowed by pets. This often leads to digestive tract problems, a serious complication.

Flexi-Chew is made out of the signature Nylabone hard plastic material that the manufacturers use in every single one of their products. This material is like catnip for dogs, who love the way the plastic surface massages their gums.

Unfortunately, dogs who are moderate to strong chewers can usually manage to break off pieces of the hard plastic that are small enough to swallow. With Flexi-Chew, I was aware of the problem, so I closely supervised my dog while he played with it.

I am pleased to report that it appears the Flexi-Chew is a step forward for Nylabone. The company has begun to make their bones more flexible, allowing for moderate to strong chewing without dangerously small pieces flaking off.

After chewing for the better part of an hour, my dog had managed to wear down Flexi-Chew but was unable to break it into smaller pieces. The flexibility of the material strongly improves the Nylabone product. While I have some hesitations about absolutely recommending the toy given the speculation about its safety, I can say that this bone worked fine for my dog, despite his problems with Nylabone products in the past.

Pros: Flexible design helps to cut down on small-piece breakage.

Cons: As with any dog bone, watch closely for any choking hazards.