Nylabone Chew Toys with Real Meats Review: Our 4-Week Test with a Heavy Chewer

Debbie’s contraband collection, assembled in her first month with me: one hair clip, the reading glasses I’d set down thirty seconds earlier, and, after one bath time, her own collar. She rarely gets more than a few good chomps in before we catch her, but not for lack of trying. My current foster dog is many things: a champion snuggler, a professional-grade napper, and above all, a chewer with the soul of a cat burglar.

She pulls this off in a thoroughly Debbie-proofed house, too. After 15+ years as a veterinary technician, caring for dozens of foster dogs and several of my own, I know not to leave temptation lying around. Debbie simply treats it as a personal challenge. 

Here’s the short version: after four weeks of daily testing, Nylabone’s new Chew Toys with Real Meats made with real Chicken, Bacon, Bison, Venison, and Beef stood up to heavy chewing, redirected Debbie away from my belongings, and became her go-to during anxious moments. The full collection is available at PetSmart.

So how did we get here? Debbie is a 3-year-old Beagle from rural South Carolina. As a stray, she was hit by a tractor-trailer and survived without veterinary care, her wounds and broken bones healing on their own. Debbie carries that hard beginning as nervousness and anxiety, and chewing is how she copes, self-soothes, and keeps her busy brain occupied. She isn’t naughty. She’s a survivor who needed the right outlet.

Why Do Dogs Chew Everything? (It’s Not Bad Behavior)

Dogs chew because it’s natural, normal canine behavior, not because they’re misbehaving. Chewing relieves stress and boredom, satisfies a deep instinct, and supports dental health. Dental health is a bigger deal than most pet parents realize. The goal for pet parents isn’t to stop chewing; it’s to redirect it toward something appropriate, long-lasting, and genuinely appealing.

Veterinarians agree that chewing is normal for dogs of all ages: it’s how they explore, burn energy, and settle themselves. It’s the same advice I’ve spent years giving as a veterinary technician: don’t fight the instinct, redirect it. 

For an anxious dog like Debbie, the settling part matters most. A good chew session helps ease stress; you can watch her whole body soften as she works. And research backs up what I see on my couch: in a 2023 study, dogs left alone with a long-lasting chew showed calmer, more positive emotional states than dogs given treat-dispensing toys. Once I understood that her chewing was a need rather than a habit to break, the question changed from “how do I make her stop?” to “what can I give her that she’ll love more than my glasses?”

Introducing the New Nylabone Chew Toys with Real Meats Line at PetSmart

Nylabone’s answer to that question is its newest collection, which pairs the tastes dogs simply can’t resist with four of the brand’s best-selling shapes: the Original Bone, the Textured Ring, the Femur, and the Comfort-Hold Wishbone. Every toy in the line is designed with tough, long-lasting material to challenge dogs with strong chewing styles, helps clean teeth and freshen breath as dogs chew, and is made with heart and purpose to encourage healthy, non-destructive chewing habits. They’re also proudly made in the USA.

One more piece of full disclosure, the kind no contract requires: Nylabone Chew Toys with Real Meats are the only chew toys I’ve used with my own dogs and fosters for years. Their tried-and-true track record is a big part of why, and it’s exactly why I wanted Debbie to be among the first to try the new line.

Here’s the collection at a glance:

→ Explore the full Nylabone collection at PetSmart

Our Trial, Part 1: The Original Bone Made with Real Chicken

Debbie’s verdict on the Original Bone made with real chicken took about four seconds: she grabbed it, hopped up on the couch, and got to work. This is the iconic shape that has kept dogs busy and happy for more than 70 years, and watching her, you understand why: it fits her mouth, her paws, and apparently her soul.

We tested the small size daily over four weeks. Her typical session runs 10 to 20 minutes, and I’ve learned to offer it at exactly the moments her anxiety spikes: when I run the vacuum, before I leave the house, and during the mysterious Beagle witching hour around 8 p.m. It has become her settle-down ritual. She doesn’t pace; she chews, and the chewing helps her ease into calm.

→ Shop the Original Bone Made with Real Chicken at PetSmart

Our Trial, Part 2: The Comfort-Hold Wishbone Made with Real Bacon

The Comfort-Hold Wishbone made with real bacon gives Debbie an entirely different kind of session. Its three chewing ends and paw-friendly shape let her brace it against the couch cushions and work every angle. It is a more athletic, engaged chew than the classic bone, and her clear pick when she has energy to burn. This is the bone I offer her after breakfast when she typically pesters my 16-year-old Chihuahua to play with her.

Durability report: after four weeks of daily chewing between the two toys, both show the normal surface roughening you expect from a dedicated chewer, and no broken pieces or lost chunks. For a dog who treats chewing as a full-time calling, that’s the result I was hoping for. Having two shapes and two tastes also keeps the novelty high; she rotates between them depending on her mood, and I genuinely couldn’t tell you which she loves more.

→ Shop the Comfort-Hold Wishbone Made with Real Bacon at PetSmart

How Do You Redirect Destructive Chewing?

You redirect destructive chewing by offering an appropriate chew toy your dog finds more appealing than the forbidden item, rewarding the swap, and making the toy part of your daily routine. Here’s the simple three-step routine that worked for Debbie:

• Offer the chew toy before predictable “busy paws” windows (alone time, visitors, post-breakfast mischief, evenings) so the good habit starts before the bad one can.
• Play the trade-up game: when she grabs something forbidden, swap in the Nylabone and celebrate the choice like she just won the lottery.
• Rotate shapes and tastes to keep novelty and enthusiasm high.

The line is designed to encourage exactly these positive chewing habits, and one month in, the results speak for themselves: my glasses are safe, and Debbie has a job she loves.

What Size and Shape Chew Toy Is Right for Your Dog?

Choose a chew toy based on your dog’s weight and chewing style: the toy should be large enough that it can’t be swallowed and sturdy enough to match how hard your dog chews. Supervise chew sessions, and check the toy regularly as it wears. Sizing is the first thing I check on any chew toy, both as a veterinary technician and as Debbie’s current caregiver.

$3Shape is mostly about your dog’s chewing personality. Debbie’s picks suit a settle-in chewer and a brace-and-gnaw athlete, but if your dog craves bold, novel tastes, look at the Femur made with real Bison & Venison. And if yours loves to grip and chew from any angle, the Textured Ring made with real Beef & Chicken was practically designed for them.

→ Find your dog’s perfect match at PetSmart

FAQ: Nylabone’s New Chew Toys with Real Meats

What are Nylabone’s new Chew Toys with Real Meats made with?

The new collection features durable, long-lasting chew toys made with real Chicken, Bacon, Bison, Venison, and Beef, the tastes dogs crave, in four best-selling Nylabone shapes: the Original Bone, Comfort-Hold Wishbone, Femur, and Textured Ring. The line launched at PetSmart in 2026 and is proudly made in the USA.

Are these chew toys good for aggressive chewers?

Yes. The collection is designed with tough, long-lasting material specifically to challenge dogs with strong chewing styles. Our tester, a determined 3-year-old Beagle with a well-documented enthusiasm for grabbing anything she can reach, chewed daily for four weeks without breaking off any pieces. Choosing the right size for your dog matters most.

Do Nylabone Chew Toys with Real Meats help with dental health?

They can help. According to the AVMA, nearly 80% of dogs show signs of periodontal disease by age three, which makes daily dental habits worth establishing early. Chewing is not a substitute for brushing or veterinary cleanings, but as dogs chew, these toys help clean teeth and freshen breath. That makes a daily chew session one of the simplest habits you can build to support your dog’s dental health between vet visits.

Can a chew toy help an anxious dog?

Yes. Chewing is one of the ways dogs naturally self-soothe, and a long session with an engaging chew toy helps ease stress. With Debbie, my anxious rescue Beagle, offering her Nylabone before stressful moments (visitors, alone time) has become her most reliable settle-down ritual. A chew toy supports a calm routine; it isn’t a treatment.

Are Nylabone Chew Toys with Real Meats safe for dogs?

Nylabone Chew Toys with Real Meats are designed for safe chewing when used as directed: choose the size that matches your dog’s weight and chew strength, supervise chew sessions, and inspect the toy regularly. They have been the go-to chew toys of my own foster routine for years. Ask your veterinarian if you’re unsure which chew toy is right for your dog.

How do I know when it’s time to replace a chew toy?

Replace a chew toy when it shows significant wear: for example, when the ends are worn down or the toy has become small enough to swallow. Routine surface roughening is normal and expected; noticeable shrinking is your cue for a fresh one. A quick check at the end of each chew session keeps things simple.

Where can I buy the new Nylabone Chew Toys with Real Meats?

The full collection is available at PetSmart, in stores, and online. You can shop the Original Bone made with real chicken, the Comfort-Hold Wishbone made with real bacon, or browse every shape and taste on the Nylabone brand page at PetSmart.

Every Dog Deserves a Job She Loves

Fostering is a promise to set a dog up for success. For some dogs, that means a quiet room; for others, a slow-feeder bowl. For Debbie, a little survivor with a big heart and busy jaws, it meant finally giving her something worthy of her time. Watching her settle in with her bone at 8 p.m., deep-seated anxiety temporarily off duty, I’d call that a promise kept.

→ Shop the new Nylabone Chew Toys with Real Meats collection at PetSmart, including Debbie’s picks, the Original Bone (Chicken) and the Comfort-Hold Wishbone (Bacon).

 

This article is sponsored by Nylabone; all testing and opinions are our own.