How to choose a long-lasting chew (and how long they really last)

"How long will this last?" is far and away the question we get asked most. The honest answer is that it depends as much on your dog as it does on the chew, a determined Staffie and a gentle senior will get very different mileage out of the same antler. But there are patterns, and once you know them it gets much easier to pick well.

At the hard-wearing end sit antlers, horns and knuckles. Our Antlers start at £4.50, Buffalo Horn is £7, and the Ostrich Dino Bone at £12 is about as durable as it gets. These are the ones that come back out week after week. They suit dogs who settle down and work at something methodically, rather than dogs who try to crunch straight through.

In the middle are the collagen and braided chews. Camel Collagen Braids (£1.50 for a medium, £3 for a large) are our pick here, camel is genuinely one of the longest-lasting proteins we stock, and collagen is much kinder on teeth than a hard bone. Yak chews and Bulls Pizzles (£3.40) sit in similar territory.

Then there are the quick, satisfying ones: ears, skins, strips and flatties. A Buffalo Ear at £2.50 or a Hairy Rabbit Ear at 60p won't take an hour, and they aren't meant to. They're a reward, not an occupation.

A useful rule of thumb: the harder the chew, the more carefully you should match it to your dog. Very hard items aren't the right choice for dogs with dental problems, for puppies with baby teeth, or for dogs who bite down hard enough to risk a fracture. If you're unsure, particularly with an older dog or one that's had dental work, have a word with your vet first.

Whatever you pick, supervise your dog while they have it, take it away once it's small enough to swallow whole, and make sure there's fresh water nearby. That last one matters more than people expect with dried chews.

If you want to find out what your dog actually rates without committing to a full bag of anything, a treat box is the cheap way to run the experiment.