Treats and chews
How do I know if a chew is too hard for my dog?
Last updated 23 September 2026 · How we write and check this
Short answer
A simple test many vets recommend is pressing a thumbnail firmly into the chew: if it does not give even slightly, or you cannot dent it at all, it is likely too hard for safe chewing and carries meaningful tooth fracture risk. Chews that bend, compress a little, or have some flex, like a rubber toy, pass this test more reliably than rigid bones, antlers, or hooves.
The thumbnail test explained
Pressing a fingernail into the surface of the chew with moderate pressure and looking for a slight indentation is a quick, practical way to gauge hardness without special tools. Items that leave no mark at all, like a hard antler or a dense weight bearing bone, are the same category of hardness that most commonly causes slab fractures in a dog's molars.
Comparing to a dog's own bite force
A large breed dog can generate several hundred pounds per square inch of bite force at the back molars, which is more than enough to crack a chew that feels completely rigid, especially with repeated, enthusiastic chewing over weeks. Softer, more forgiving chews absorb some of that force instead of transferring it directly into the tooth enamel.
What to do once you have identified a risky chew
Removing a chew that fails the thumbnail test from rotation, even if the dog seems to enjoy it, and replacing it with a softer alternative reduces the chance of a costly and painful dental fracture that often requires extraction under general anesthesia if it happens.
Key takeaways
- A thumbnail that leaves no indentation on a chew usually signals it is too hard for safe use.
- Large dogs can generate enough back molar bite force to crack completely rigid chews.
- Chews with some flex absorb bite force better than rigid ones.
- Remove any chew that fails the thumbnail test, even if your dog seems to enjoy it.