Are Nylon Chew Toys Bad for Dogs

Chewing is a basic necessity for dogs, and they chew not only to keep their teeth and jaws strong but also to improve their dental health and relieve boredom, frustration, and stress.

Puppies can also benefit from chew toys as they help these little furry friends during their teething period. It would be best if you did not stop your dog from chewing, but you can encourage it by getting appropriate toys for this activity.

In cases where there are no chew toys for dogs, they look for any available object, such as pieces of furniture, shoes, clothes, and anything they can get hold of.

Chewing of valuable items can be frustrating to the owner; this is where chew toys come in. There are different chew toys in the market for your dog, and the problem mainly lies in which is the best for the dog.

As a dog owner, you may have asked if nylon chew toys are safe or bad for your dog; this article is here to answer the question and more. Before we answer the question, let us explain what nylon chew toys are.

What Are Nylon Chew Toys?

Also known as nylon bones, these toys are hard, non-edible playthings made to help puppies and older dogs exercise their teeth and stay busy. Nylon chew toys are made from nylon, also known as synthetic polymers.

This nylon is made of polyamides and obtained from petroleum. The manufacturing process includes melting this nylon into fibers, films, and shapes into chew toys of different sizes and shapes.

Nylon may seem flexible and soft, but the manufacturing ingredients include strong materials that can withstand chewing for an extended period.

Nylon chew toys are made into different types for different categories of chewers. An aggressive chewer will need a stronger nylon chew toy than a puppy going through a teething period.

These toys are coated with different flavors to make the chew toys enticing and delicious for the dogs. These flavors include beef, bacon, chicken, cheese, peanut butter, bison, and others.

You get a chew toy according to the taste loved by your dog. Nylon chew toys come in different shapes – bones, rope, ring, barbell, circle, jack, animal, etc.

Types Of Nylon Chew Toys

Nylon chew toys come in different types, representing each chew toy’s chew strength. These types include:

Teething Puppy Chew

From the name, we can deduce this type of toy for puppies. It is made with the softest nylon and designed for only puppies undergoing teething. Teething Puppy Chew is recommended for puppies as hard chew toys can break their teeth and cause damage to their gums.

Moderate Flexi Chew

Made with nylon harder than Teething Puppy Chew, Moderate Flexi Chew is recommended for adult dogs that gently chew on toys. The toy is hard to withstand chewing for these adult dogs but flexible enough to protect their teeth from damage.

Tough Strong Chew

For dogs that fall into average chewers, this type is recommended. It is stronger for gentle chewers as the material is tough and durable. Most dogs use this type except aggressive chewers.

Power Chew

Power Chew is strictly for aggressive chewers, and the material is tough and durable to withstand aggressive chewing and the strong teeth of these dogs. It is never advised to give this type to other chewers to avoid dental problems.

Are Nylon Chew Toys Bad For Dogs?

No. Nylon chew toys are not bad for toys, and they come with many benefits, which include:

Tasty coatings

Unlike some chew toys with little or no taste to entice dogs, nylon chew toys are made with flavors. These flavors make the chew toys appealing for dogs as they look forward to chewing them. We already stated that nylon chew toys are made from nylon; to conceal the smell of this ingredient, the manufacturers use flavors to coat the toys.

This coating comes in different flavors like chicken, beef, bacon, peanut butter, bison, and others. The varieties cover the taste bud of lost dogs. You can even get two or more flavors for your pet to give it a treat from time to time.

Dental health improvement

Not only does chewing on these nylon chew toys help dogs to remove plaque from the teeth and help produce more saliva in the mouth, but some also come with a texture that helps wear off plaque from the teeth and gums while your dog chews on them. Producing more saliva and wearing off plaque is like having double the benefits of a chew toy.

Durability

Nylon chew toys are one of the tough and most durable chew toys you can find in the market; the material used in producing them helps them stay longer.

Also, the different types cater to the needs of dogs with various chewing personalities. You can avoid damaging your dog’s teeth while using the recommended type.

Washability

Unlike leather chew toys that are difficult to wash, You can easily wash nylon chew toys in a dishwasher due to their texture.

You do not have to worry about the toy taking longer to dry, as nylon can be dried with a clean piece of cloth while your dog resumes chewing.

Nylon chew toys may come with the benefits explained above and even more, but some factors may make them unsafe. These factors include:

Hardness

Nylon chew toys may come with different types recommended for toys with various chewing personalities, but sometimes these toys fail to pass tests to be sure they are fit for dogs.

In some cases, dog owners get a specific type for a dog and find out the toy is more challenging than it should be, thereby damaging the dog’s teeth. 

Artificial material

Nylon chew toys are made from artificial materials – synthetic polymers; this is harmful to animals when exposed to this chemical for a long time. Synthetic polymers are unnatural and contain toxic chemical additives. 

Studies have shown that this chemical can cause cancer, impaired cognitive development, fertility problems, decrease in hormone activity in humans and rodents.

Although no study directly links these effects to dogs, it is believed there may be health effects on other animals.

Digestive problems

Nylon chew toys are non-edible, which means they are not digestible. Sometimes due to constant chewing, some parts of the chew toys may fall dislodge and be swallowed by the dog.

As the dog’s body is not designed to digest nylon and plastic, these chew toys accumulate in the stomach and cause obstruction, resulting in digestion and gastrointestinal problems.

Choking

When nylon chew toys are dislodged, there is a high chance of your pet swallowing some pieces, and these can block the windpipe and respiratory tract resulting in choking. If this is unnoticed on time, it could lead to the death of your dog. 

How to Be Sure Your Dog Is Safe While Using A Nylon Chew Toy?

While using nylon chew toys, your dog deserves all the supervision and monitoring you can give it. Here are some tips for selecting a nylon chew toy for your pet.

Check the type and durability level

Before buying any nylon chew toy for your dog, you should check the label for the type. Carry out a finger test on the toy even after confirming the variety, and this will give you a double guarantee that your dog’s teeth are safe.

Bend your thumbnail into the toy, and if it gives in, you can know if it conforms to the type written on the label. You can also hit the toy on your knee; it is probably hard for your dog’s teeth if you feel pain.

Check the size

Nylon chew toys come in different sizes, and a puppy will need a smaller size than an adult dog. Selecting the appropriate size for your dog will help prevent swallowing or choking. Also, ensure it needs to be more significant as your dog may become frustrated.

Know the chewing personality of your dog

Knowing the type of chewer your dog is, is very important when selecting any chew toy, not just nylon chew toys. Does your dog chew toys like it wants to destroy them? Or does it treat toys with care and gentleness?

If your dog takes time to chew a toy, adjust it, and pick at the chew, it is a gentle or average chewer. But if it gnaws at toys and tries to consume them, it is a tough or aggressive chewer. 

Monitor each chew toy every day

Before you give a chew toy to your dog every day, you should inspect it to confirm if there are loose parts, dislodged pieces, or sharp edges.

Examining chew toys will help detect when a toy is old and no longer safe for your dog. In cases where a chew toy is not dangerous for a dog, it is advised that you change it to avoid problems.

Bottom Line

Nylon chew toys are an excellent alternative for your dogs instead of chewing on your pieces of furniture and other stuff around the house.

They are made into different shapes and sizes and have many flavors that may entice your dog. However, it is advised that you consider some of the safety tips we highlighted above to avoid creating problems for your pet.