Are Rope Tug Toys Good For a Dog's Teeth?

Jacey shows off her healthy teeth
and beautiful smile.

Reviewing Rope Tug Toys for Dogs

It's sad when a young family member has problems with their teeth, even when that family member happens to be a beloved family pet. Case in point, as our gorgeous grandpup Adrian has aged (she's nine now) she's developed major problems with her teeth. Despite consuming treats meant to clean teeth, she's had an abscessed tooth and even had to have a few teeth pulled. These days she's scheduled for frequent doggy-dental checkups and cleanings to monitor her dental health.

Enter Jacey. She's our youngest grandpup, a gentle giant at 11 months, 120-plus pounds and still growing. Jacey has perfect teeth, beautiful and white with a pretty smile that matches her easy-going, happy disposition. And while Jacey is much younger than Adrian, our grandpups' mommy (daughter-in-law Mandy) insists that what has kept Jacey's teeth so white and healthy, and what she expects to keep those teeth healthy throughout Jacey's life, is her knotted-rope tug toys. These toys have always been her favorite, toys that she carries around with her and chews on frequently. Mandy believes that it's the flossing action of the rope as it's chewed that has kept Jacey's teeth so white, clean, and healthy.

Adrian, with her summer haircut, and Jacey,
hanging out on the deck.

Growing up, Adrian never really played with a rope tug toy (or a "tug flosser," as Mandy calls it). If Adrian had played with a tug flosser, would she be having the dental problems that she has now? Mandy believes that she would not and wishes after every expensive vet visit (doggy dental care isn't cheap) that Adrian had been raised playing with a rope tug toy, too, like her sister Jacey.

I've read articles that back up the theory that rope tug toys are very effective for cleaning a dog's teeth. Many manufacturers of rope toys for dogs make that claim as well.

The makers of this Nylabone DuraToy Dental Knot rope tug toy recommend their toy specifically for your dog's dental health. While it's the design of the Nylabone that is made to clean a dog's teeth, the rope also serves as a flosser. It's even flavored with mint! Brush and floss daily. Good advice even for our pets.

Have a puppy or a tiny breed? This little Kong Goodie Bone with rope would be an excellent product to try with your little dog. It's a great introduction to tugging as a game and a very good way to get your dog started with its own tug flosser in order to keep its teeth nice and clean. (Note that many people prefer the Kong brand because their products are made in the United States.)


There are many other rope tug toys or chew toys to choose from. Check out ValuePet's selection of dog rope toys. If you prefer just a rope tug toy that doesn't include a rubber or nylon chew toy with it, you might be able to find one for your dog at your local Walmart store. Or choose from Walmart's online selection of dog rope toys. Be sure to choose a toy in the size that best fits the dog. If she's a puppy, replace her small rope toy with a bigger one as she grows.

Are Rope Toys Safe for Dogs?

That's a good question, one that's important to address. The answer involves parental discretion and knowing your dog and its habits. While most of the time dogs do just fine with rope tug toys, I have read cases of dogs pulling out the thin strings that make up a rope, swallowing those strings, and facing serious issues within their digestive tracts as a result. Some have needed surgery; others have suffered even worse consequences. That's why, in our household, we don't use rope toys for our dog, Daisy. She loves to use her teeth to pull toys apart (especially if there's a squeaker involved) and is more likely than not to swallow the pieces. So we use extreme discretion when it comes to her toys. However, that's just Daisy and none of the dogs we've had in the past have had the issue of eating their toys.

I definitely plan on trying a rope tug toy for any dog that comes into our lives in the future, but I would only allow the dog, especially if it's a puppy, to chew on any new toy under strict supervision. That's advice I would recommend to any pet owner. Learn your dog's habits and choose toys accordingly.

Will your dogs have healthier teeth if they regularly play with rope tug toys? Probably. No one can guarantee it, but Mandy assures us that this method has worked for them and I believe it. It definitely could work for your dog, too.

~ Susan
Read more of my reviews here.

(Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article.)

Personal photos ©A. Deppner, all rights reserved

Jacey says, "Give your dogs rope tug toys to help maintain their healthy smiles!"

Posted by Susan Deppner

About the Author

Susan Deppner is a baby boomer, a cancer survivor, and a Southerner who believes in the Golden Rule. She enjoys writing about food, faith, and fitness; health, home, and holidays; people, places, pets, and patriotism, and more. Follow Susan on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Quick, Easy & Delicious Cheddar Corn Dog Muffins — Low Carb Recipe

I posted a photo of these quick & easy Cheddar Corn Dog Muffins on social media recently and many people commented asking me for the recipe. So, by popular demand, I'm sharing and reviewing my quick and easy recipe for these mouthwatering, keto-friendly, low carb Cheddar Corn Dog Muffins. 

My husband loved these so much he couldn't wait for me to make them again!

I wanted a quick and easy recipe for weeknights, so I used Good Dee's Corn Free Bread Mix, which is excellent and has clean, wholesome, healthy ingredients.

However, you could easily make this recipe with your favorite low carb or conventional cornbread or corn muffin recipe instead of the prepared Good Dee's Corn Free Bread Mix, if you prefer. You can also substitute another favorite shredded cheese for the cheddar. See Recipe Variations, below, for more information and variations.

Enjoy!

Recommended Tools and Equipment

I like to use reusable silicone baking cups AKA muffin tin liners lightly sprayed with avocado or olive oil for these cheddar corn dog muffins. Baked goods are released from these cups very easily, and they help keep leftover muffins or cupcakes fresher during storage. These silicone liners are also very easy to clean, especially if you spray them lightly with oil before adding the batter.

The silicone liners I use for this recipe (I have two types) are the GIR: Get It Right Premium Silicone Cupcake Liners Reusable Non-stick Baking Cups, which have a slightly larger capacity than my heavy-duty standard silicone baking cups and also have helpful tabs for lifting muffins or cupcakes in or out of the pan without accidentally touching or marring the tops. The set I have is in the Strawberry Swirl colorway (shades of red, pink, and pale gray), but they also come in a pretty Frosty Mint colorway (shades of dark and pale blue and green).

The handy tabs on the large GIR silicone baking cups make it easy to lift the filled liners in and out of the muffin pan.

I prefer to use these silicone baking cups as liners in a nonstick muffin pan, which helps distribute the heat evenly and helps keep the muffins shaped nicely, while the nonstick pan finish helps prevent any stray bits of batter or cheese from sticking. Chicago Metallic is an excellent brand; I have a couple of specialty (jumbo and mini) muffin pans from them and they're great. Since my standard nonstick cupcake pans are getting a bit long in the tooth, when it's time to replace them I'll be buying the Chicago Metallic Commercial II Non-Stick 12-Cup Muffin Pan.

I use a three-tablespoon scoop to measure out the batter, using one rounded scoop of batter for each muffin cup. I have a set of Norpro stainless steel measuring scoops that I love and use all the time, and the 50MM (3 Tablespoons) Norpro Stainless Steel Scoop is perfect for this recipe.

I use Good Dee's Corn Free Bread Mix along with eggs, butter, apple cider vinegar, cornbread flavoring, cheddar cheese, hot dogs, and avocado oil spray in this recipe, but you can also substitute other ingredients (see Recipe Variations). 

Cheddar Corn Dog Muffins Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 18 minutes

Total Time: 28 minutes

Servings: 12 (one muffin per serving)

Ingredients

For the Cheddar Corn Dog Muffins:

• Avocado or olive oil spray (for greasing muffin pan liners)
• 3 large eggs
• 3 Tablespoons salted butter, melted and cooled 
• 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar 
• 1 Tablespoon Amoretti Sweet Corn Extract or 20 drops of OOOFlavors Corn Bread Flavor Concentrate Unsweetened
• 1 package Good Dee’s Corn Free Bread Mix
• 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 3 hot dogs, fully cooked (I recommend Applegate Farms brand The Great Organic Uncured Beef Hot Dogs)

For the optional dipping sauce:

• 2 Tablespoons sugar-free ketchup (Primal Kitchen regular or spicy unsweetened ketchup)
• 2 Tablespoons sugar-free raspberry jam (ChocZero No Added Sugar Raspberry Jam)
• 1 Tablespoon teaspoon Dijon mustard

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 F. Lightly grease 12 silicone muffin cup liners and place in a muffin tin.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, melted butter, vinegar, and cornbread flavoring or sweet corn extract. Stir in the Good Dee’s Corn Free Bread Mix until well combined.
3. Reserve 4 Tablespoons (1/2 cup) of the grated cheese and mix the remaining cheese into the batter.
4. Divide the batter evenly among the greased muffin tin liners.
5. Slice each hot dog into four sections. Place one section on end in the center of each batter-filled muffin cup, then sprinkle each muffin with 1 teaspoon of the reserved shredded cheddar cheese.
6. Bake until lightly golden, approximately 18 minutes. Do not overbake or the muffins will be dry.
7. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove the silicone muffin cup liners and serve, with or without optional dipping sauce.

Optional dipping sauce:

Mix the sugar-free ketchup (Primal Kitchen), sugar-free raspberry jam (ChocZero) and Dijon mustard. Serve 1.25 teaspoons of dipping sauce with each cheddar corn dog muffin.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size: one Cheddar Corn Dog Muffin (without optional dipping sauce)

Calories: 189

Fat: 16.3 g

    Sat. Fat: 5 g

    Cholesterol: 70.3 mg

Total Carbs: 6.3 g

    Net Carbs: 1.3 g

    Fiber: 5 g

    Sugars: 0 g

        Added Sugars: 0 g

    Sugar Alcohols: 0 g

Protein: 8.6 g

Recipe Variations

• If you want some hot dog in every bite, consider dicing the hot dogs and mixing them into the batter instead of inserting 1/4 hot dog into the center of each muffin.
• If you're not a fan of cheddar, consider substituting another cheese such as shredded Swiss, provolone, or gouda.
• If you want to make this low carb cheddar corn dog muffins recipe entirely from scratch instead of using a mix, try the Keto Corn Dog Bites recipe from All Day I Dream About Food but mix in the shredded cheddar before scooping the batter and add the shredded cheese topping before baking.
• Alternatively, you could substitute a conventional corn muffin mix or recipe for the corn dog batter if you aren't watching your carbs.

Cheddar corn dog muffins, fresh from the oven!

Quick, Easy & Delicious Cheddar Corn Dog Muffins — Low Carb Recipe by Margaret Schindel

Posts About My Keto Diet Journey

My First Year on The Keto Diet

Preparing to Succeed on the Keto Diet, Part One

Preparing to Succeed on the Keto Diet, Part Two

Low Carb Muffins & Cupcakes: Treats to Enjoy on a Keto Diet

Low Carb Keto Chocolate Yogurt Granola Chip Pudding Recipe

Good Dee’s Keto Cookie Low Carb Baking Mix Review

Hamama Microgreens Growing Kit Review & Success Tips

My Favorite Hamama Microgreens Seed Quilt Accessories

Keto Cheddar Cheese Biscuits With Chives Recipe

The Ultimate Keto Hot Chocolate Recipe

The Best Low Carb Keto Gift Ideas: Keto Gift Guide

The Best Low Carb Keto Cinnamon Muffins

Wholesome Yum Keto Bread Mix and Yeast Bread Recipe

The Good Chocolate 100% Organic No Sugar Dark Chocolate Review

The Best Advice to Maintain Your Keto Diet Weight Loss

My New Irresistibly Delicious Keto Cheese Crackers Recipe

Luscious Low Carb Keto Triple Peppermint Cheesecake Brownies Recipe

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The Best Quick and Easy Low Carb Keto Shortcake Cupcakes Recipe

Comparing the Best Keto-Friendly Chocolate Hazelnut Spreads - No Added Sugars

The Best Low Carb Keto Sandwich and Burger Buns Mix

Blueberry Biscuit Scones — New, Easy, Low Carb Keto Recipe

The Best Keto Pizza Crust Mix With 0 Net Carbs

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Quick, Easy & Delicious Cheddar Corn Dog Muffins — Low Carb Recipe

Reviews of the Keto Diet by Barbara C. (aka Brite-Ideas)

My Personal Keto Testimonial

How I Stayed Committed to the Ketogenic Way of Eating

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Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Embark Dog DNA Test Review

Embark Dog DNA Test Kit

Dogs are such wondrous mysteries.  When we adopt a rescue animal, there is this vast unknown.  It is only natural to have a desire to discover as much as possible about a new family member.  In the quest to uncover a newly adopted fur baby’s history, more and more pet parents are choosing to explore their dog’s breed mix, heritage, and health profiles through DNA analysis.  This is where the Embark Dog DNA Test comes into play.

Finn's Disability is Congenital

I have had so many questions about my newest dog, Finn.  Because he was rescued from a situation of extreme neglect, and because Finn has a congenital condition (Medial Patella Luxation), it seemed especially critical to know more about potential health issues.  Of course, like most people who choose to have their dogs tested, I was also excited to gain a greater insight into Finn’s family tree.  One of my biggest questions, with regard to Finn being rescued with a group of dogs (a hoarding case), has centered on what his relationship might be to the other dogs that were trapped in the same household with him.

My decision to send Finn’s DNA to Embark’s veterinary geneticists came about when a fellow adopter of one of the dogs saved with Finn spoke to me about Clark’s DNA results.  I suspected that Finn and Clark might share a Border collie ancestor.  Curiosity led me to go online and order my Embark Dog DNA Test so I could compare Clark and Finn’s results.  Amazingly, my test kit arrived within three business days. 

Finn's DNA Sample

Collecting Finn’s DNA sample took just 30 seconds.  Using the swab in the kit, I soaked up a small amount of saliva and secured the sample in the vial provided for preservation.  Mailing the vial could not have been easier.  A postage paid label and box were provided.

Embark is exceptional when it comes to communication.  At every step along the way, I was notified by email and text message about what was happening with Finn’s DNA sample.  For instance, I knew when it was in the centrifuge, when it was being purified, when the DNA was being replicated (one million copies!), and when the geneticists were beginning to build Finn’s profile chromosome by chromosome. 

Finn's Health Summary

First, I received Finn’s health summary.  I was relieved to see that he is clear of each of the common genetic conditions identified for his breed mix.  Competitors charge extra for each test.  I appreciated the advantage of having all of these genetic disease tests included in the price of the Embark test kit.  As a bonus, a custom report was provided for Finn’s vet.  

Finn's Breed Mix

Next, the greatly anticipated breed mix report arrived through my online portal.  Wow!  I was expecting Finn to be part poodle and part Border collie.  That was confirmed.  What I didn’t anticipate were all of the other interesting breed mixes and percentages.  

Finn's Family Tree

There are other advanced features and analyses too involved to cover in this review.  One thing I will mention is that Finn now has the opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research.  When I chose the Embark Dog DNA Test, one of the factors that appealed to me most was that of the ongoing research which would provide me with continual updates. 

Though there are less expensive DNA tests, with faster results, I am completely sold on Embark's comprehensive package.  I feel the cost was reasonable for what I gained in terms of knowledge about Finn, reassurance about his genetic disease risk, and the fascinating details about canine genes.  I highly recommend Embark's Dog DNA Test.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Moose! The Reading Dog - Book Review

Moose! The Reading Dog

As Finn and I embarked on our journey to become a registered therapy dog team, we sought to learn as much as possible from local dog celebrity, Moose, and his Pet Partners handler, Dr. Laura Bruneau.  One of the first things I did was to read their recently published book entitled Moose! The Reading Dog.  The review that follows is written primarily through my teacher lens, though it is also shaped by my passions for reading and animal rescue.

I first came across Moose's book at the Alamosa Public Library where I was looking for reading material to use in future animal-assisted interactions with elementary-aged children.  As a teacher who loves to read with primary students, I was delighted to discover that Moose's story fit right in the sweet spot of that target group.

Photo of Moose Used With Permission

One of the things that sets this book apart is that Moose tells his own story.  That first-dog perspective is appealing to young readers.  Over the course of six chapterettes, Moose reveals what makes him the extraordinary dog that he is.  We learn how his life started out on a ranch (Chapter 1 - About Me), how he ended up in an animal shelter (Chapter 2 - The Shelter), what it was like to be adopted by a new family (Chapter 3 - My New Home), how he began to change his behavior (Chapter 4 - Learning the Rules), the process of finding a job for his unique gifts (Chapter 5 - Getting Ready to Work), and, finally, helping children enjoy reading (Chapter 6 - I am a Reading Dog).

It is so easy to fall in love with Moose.  My favorite illustrations in the book, as designed by Mic Ru, were those of this gentle giant (a 115-pound Saint Bernard mix).  There was a sweet, friendly, and very huggable quality that flowed through the depictions of Moose.  You could feel his great goodness.

As one who has always been very selective about the books I place in the hands of impressionable young children, Moose! The Reading Dog has earned my seal of approval for:

• being a book with the kind of positive messages that empower young people;
• presenting the kind of transformations that change lives for the good;
• offering up encouragement to children, and all of us really, about being true to whatever it is that frees us up to be our best, and to make it possible for others to become the best version of themselves.

I plan to purchase multiple copies of this book to share with other teachers and to gift to the children in my life.  Finn and I give this book a rating of five paws up for inspiring us to move forward with our dream.  We believe Moose will also inspire you to be true to what makes you authentically you.  And the world needs that—you being beautifully you.

Reviewer's Note:  This review is the second in a series focused on therapy dog teams.  You can read my first installment by clicking the following link (Becoming a Pet Partners Therapy Dog Team).

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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