During this increased time at home, many of us have fallen into less healthy snack routinesâdogs and humans alike. As a dog parent, Iâm always looking for that perfect blend of treats that give my dog both a tasty reward and plenty of nutrients.
When I heard about Yummy Combs, which claim to have that ideal combination along with a design to promote dental health, I was excited for my dog, Leia, to try them. My excitement was nothing compared to Leiaâs as soon as she smelled them!
Hereâs what happened when we tried Yummy Combs doggy dental chew treats!
A Little Background About Yummy Combs
These chicken-based treats, made in the USA, are full of vitamins and flavors. They are at least 44 percent protein, with twelve âwellness supplements.â
I was surprised to find the creators of these chew treats created the very popular Greenies dental treats, too. They also founded Roetheli Lilâ Red Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable entity âfocusing on Third World Assistance, pet therapy, entrepreneurship, and inspiration.â
Their development team includes experts in veterinary medicine, biochemistry, physiology, and more.
I always like knowing where my products come from and where the money goes. When choosing between products, I often choose the one thatâs connected to a charity of some sort if possible.
The Perfect Fit
Iâve been increasingly mindful of Leiaâs dental health as sheâs gotten older. Sadly, as is common with many aging small dogs, sheâs had to have quite a few teeth extracted.
Chew toys that claim to scrape off plaque are appealing, but Iâm also nervous to try them, as I donât want to give Leia something that may be too hard for her teeth or the wrong size for her little mouth.
One thing I love about Yummy Combs treats is that they come in five different sizes, designed to fit your dogâs mouth. As usual, Leia was in the smallest category, âextra small,â for dogs five and a half to twelve pounds. Leia is six pounds.
Because I had the option to choose the appropriate treat size, I didnât have to worry about Leia not being able to fit her mouth around them or accidentally hurting herself by trying to bite something too big for her jaw or teeth.
A Picky Pup Gets A Health Incentive
The âchew treatâ combination was much more effective for my picky pup than a chew toy alone; she usually pays toys no attention.
Leia has some very non-dog tendencies. She can be picky with treats, too. However, the healthy, delicious blend of flavors and nutrients was of the highest interest to Leia. She barely let me take a photo of the package without jumping up to snatch itâshe could smell the treats through the foil!
Leia devoured these treats as quickly as she could, which really wasnât very quick at all. It took Leia eight minutes to eat one at full voracious speed, allowing for lots of time for the hard honeycomb design to scrape away at her teeth.
As she broke the treat down, it stayed in one safe piece, with dissolving, soft edges; no worry about choking or scrapes. The slowly dissolving design is perfect. It holds up well enough to do its work for dental health without being extremely hard or sharp.
The sound of Leia eating this treat was softer than chewing on something very hard, like an ice cube, but not crunching quickly, like her usual dog food. It really sounded like she was working on a chew toy, but I could see it dissolving.
I was really happy she was so motivated to work on cleaning her teeth while slowly ingesting healthy ingredients at the same time.
How Do They Work?
The honeycomb âholesâ are supposed to surround your dogâs teeth, while the higher edges around the hexagonal indentations are supposed to massage your dogâs gums and scrape plaque between and around the teeth.
It definitely seemed to do the trick, as I watched Leia working the honeycomb shape around and around in her mouth. I think it worked well for her, despite her missing some teeth, because she didnât just keep it in one spot. She chewed it from all angles of her mouth.
The only thing I wasnât sure about was that the indentations didnât seem deep enough to reach plaque down near her gums. However, I think the fact that itâs a chew treat, rather than a chew toy, means that the depth of the holes needs to be limited for safety reasons.
Also, like human teeth, dog teeth are different sizes from each other. So perhaps the indentations were designed for the smallest of the teeth.
These treats also made my ears happy, as it didnât sound like Leia was chewing on something super hard, like ice. I was happy with what the chew treat did and how much Leia loved it.
Itâs important to note, as does the productâs website, that these chew treats are meant to be supplemental treats. Theyâre not a substitute for brushing your dogâs teeth or using a vet-approved water additive, like we do for Leia, nor are they a substitute for a healthy regular diet.
Leia has not had any adverse effects from these treats, which Iâve fed her multiple times. Both of us wanted to be thorough about testing, though perhaps for different reasons.
Although we keep our dog on a pretty strict diet, these treats didnât upset her stomach. She also hasnât loosened any teeth or scraped her gums, as far as I can tell.
This Dog Momâs Verdict?
I would definitely get Yummy Combs again, and I think Leia might be mad at me if I didnât!
I feel good about these treats and am always happy with anything that might improve my pupâs dental health. Iâd recommend them for any dog who needs a yummy snack that can help keep their teeth and gums in shape between doggy dentist visits.
You can find out where to get Yummy Combs here!
Has your dog ever tried a great dental treat? Which one is your pupâs favorite? Let us know in the comments below!
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