I’ve been waiting a long time for tonight’s review. You may think the title of this post is a bit intense, but I’ll tell you right now, tonight’s treat will be receiving a 10 out of 10. Oh, yeah. I said it.
Introducing…
The Himalayan Dog Chew!!!
Best.Treat.Ever.
I wish I could find the pet store employee that first encouraged me to try the HDC and give her a giant smooch. Ok, maybe just a handshake. That’s how grateful I am to her for introducing me to such an amazing dog chew.
What the heck is a Himalayan Dog Chew, anyway?
It’s a dried chunk of yak and cow milk, salt, and lime juice. Obvi.
This is one of the most unique dog chews on the market. It’s an extremely dense chew that can last for up to a couple of months (depending on your dog’s chewing habits).
The HDC has always reminded me of Gouda.
I even think it smells like it!
Give your dog a Himalayan Dog Chew and they’ll gnaw on it for as long as you’ll let them. In fact, your dog may never want to give up their HDC, so it’s smart to set some limits when it’s first introduced into your family’s treat repertoire. For example, Teton is generally allowed to have his HDC for an hour per day (if he wants it). When he is not chewing on it, it’s moved into a cupboard until the next day.
Setting limits like this makes extra special treats more exciting, saves you money (lets face it – good quality treats can get expensive), and allows you to monitor your dog’s digestive response to new (or continuing) treats.
Speaking of money, you might be wondering how much an HDC goes for. That depends! Himalayan Dog Chews come in four different sizes: small, medium, large, and jumbo. We generally buy the large size, which is around $9.99. Cost goes down by about a buck for each subsequent size.
As far as the HDC goes, the bigger the better. Your dog will not be disappointed!
Especially since this is what an HDC looks like after hours of chewing:
See how it’s been worn down and all of the brown Gouda-like stuff on the outside has been stripped off?
At this point, I would probably take the Himalayan Dog Chew away from Teton and toss it. Better to be safe than sorry when it comes to the possibility of choking. However, if your dog did swallow a piece this size or larger of an HDC, it would break down in his or her stomach and your pooch could fully digest it.
Rating time!
Price – $9.99 is a steal for this treat. Trust me…you’ll wish you would have discovered it sooner and you’ll run to your local pet store and beg them to carry it!
Quality – The second you hand this treat over to your pooch, you’ll know the quality is unsurpassed.
Benefits – Hours of focused chewing time means that you can focus on what you need to do and not worry about what your dog is doing. Also, this treat makes a fabulous dental chew.
Ingredients/Features – I don’t have a single complaint! This is the perfect treat for all dogs and especially for those with allergies to things like wheat, beef, etc.
T-Factor – He loves his Himalayan Dog Chews. We always have at least one in the house. When he first gets a new HDC, it’s pretty exciting because he gets to scrape off all of the brown stuff (that must taste the best). I love that he has something safe and fun to chew on while I’m at work. And did I mention that the HDC doesn’t stink or stain?!
No surprise here – the Himalayan Dog Chew gets a 10 out of 10! A first for Her Dog Blog!
If your dog has never had a Himalayan Dog Chew, I encourage you to try it. I’ve yet to hear a negative comment about this treat.
Josh just tried to get one of these for Herman yesterday, but our local natural pet store is out of stock!
We’ll be looking around town for them soon.
Thanks for the recommendation!
Julie
Both of my small dogs broke a tooth on the Himalayan dog chews in the same week. First time with my Maltese Pomeranian I wasn’t sure if it definitely happened with this treat. Second time we actually saw and heard it break our Pekingese’s tooth. It was awful. They both had to go to the vet for extractions $500. Very dangerous for small dogs! Just too hard
Hi Michelle. Thanks for your note. This is the first I’ve heard of this happening! Did you let the folks at Himalayan Dog Chew know? They have always been very responsive to me. I’m so sorry this happened to your dogs!
Sounds more like your dog had some dental weaknesses. Himalayan chews are just fine for small dogs. There’s a good chance there were hairline fractures in the teeth if they broke that easily. Even small dogs’ teeth can stand up to that type of chew, indeed they’re used to standing up to far more hard items than that (like antlers). We routinely give them to small dogs with nary a problem.
You’ve dang near talked me into getting one for myself!
These are truly the best! Thanks Auntie Shannon for introducing us to them a while back. I have to go to a special store just to buy them but when ever I am in the area I grab one for Tatum. 10 out of 10 for us too 🙂
Our dogs, Milo & Sophie, both 20lb rescue dogs love the wolf size. We buy 2 a week and they last that long or longer! Most dog chews are so gross and smelly, but HDC is pretty user friendly for humans, too, as I don’t smell them very much. We rarely have the problems of ingesting big pieces. And they don’t get sick like they were on rawhide chews. Milo has allergies so HDC has been just awesome for him especially.
Hi Kellie! Glad to hear that your dogs are all about the HDC, too! It’s such an awesome treat. I agree – they don’t stink at all! We haven’t tried the “wolf size” but it sounds large and in charge! Teton sends wags and kisses Milo and Sophie’s way!
This is Sujan from Himalayan Dog Chew. Thank you for the wonderful article. I just wanted to add that, the little piece that gets left over, as in the last few images, does not have to be thrown away. It can be puffed up by putting in the microwave for about 40 seconds in high settings. They would love these puffed up Himalayan, as much as the regular ones. This makes the Himalayan Dog Chew the only chew treat that does not need to be discarded once it becomes small. Please email us at info@himalayandogchew.com if you have any questions. Once again, thank you for enjoying the Himalayan Dog Chew.
Hi Sujan! WOW. That’s amazing! I’m going to have to try that microwave trick next time around. I’m very impressed. Thanks for posting. This is a great tip.
We just started a new blog & the Himalayan Chews were one of our first reviews! They are expensive, but they’re great! Come check us out too! http://operationcaspian.wordpress.com/
Love your puppy! So cute!
We just gave them to our dogs [both aggressive chewers] for the first time – hesitant at first but they loved them … chewed for close to an hour and only chewed off maybe a 4th. Certainly longer lasting than any bully sticks, trachea or pig ears at this house.
I know that a lot of owners are fed up with rawhide and want a safer chew for their dogs. These Himalayan dog chews are a great alternative plus they are tougher and last longer than bully sticks. Thanks for the microwave tip.
Also, the best part of these chews is that when they get to the point where you might throw it away because it’s a choking hazard, zap it in the microwave for 40-60 secs and it becomes a yummy, crunchy cookie!
I gave on to my dog yesterday. She sniffed it and walked away. I picked it up and got her to take it from me. She carried it into another room, dropped it on the floor and walked away. Any suggestions? Btw she doesn’t chew on other bones either. I was hoping this would be the one! She is 6 years old and I just adopted her 10 days ago.
Hi Lyn,
Darn it! Some dogs just don’t care for them. Not surprising since she doesn’t chew on other bones, either. Have you ever tried antlers? If you get one with a lot of marrow exposed she might really enjoy that!
I’ve only had JJ for About a month. I got her as a foster. She was being treated for a suspected food allergy. She is on a salmon and sweet potato food diet. Her itching has completely stopped and her skin has cleared up. She has also been on meds, but I’m weaning her off them. We’ll see what happens. My point in all this is I’ve been very careful not to give her snacks that contain any meat. That’s why the Himalayan chews were so attractive to me. I will try again. BTW I have since adopted JJ!
We adopted our sweet girl at 6 years old, too! (she is going on 12 now)
And she is not typically a chewer. She doesn’t even play with dog toys. 😛 She has had dental problems in the past and the vet always told us to give her something to chew. Everything we tried, she either totally ignored it, or she chewed it a little until it made her sick. The vet recommended antlers rather than bones b/c they don’t have marrow so they shouldn’t upset her sensitive stomach. But antlers are so expensive at the pet store!! We tried these Himalayan chews and the first time we gave it, she pretty much ignored it. But we kept it out, and one day, she started to chew it! Once she got a taste of it (she does love cheese and I assume that’s kinda what it tastes like) she was willing to keep going. She would sometimes go a couple days without chewing, but then she’d always go back to it, and now here we are a few months later and she is working on her third one (which is a milestone for her in the chew treat dept! LOL)
This treat is great for us because
1. it doesnt upset her stomach… yay! Nylabones, Greenies, Milkbone Brushers– all the typical dental treats that take less chewing just make her throw up.
2. she will actually chew it!
3. it is hard enough to last a long time and really scrub those back teeth– we noticed a major improvement in her plaque problem within the first day that she really went to town on the chew.
4. but yet it hasnt caused her any teeth/gum issues from being so hard. When we got her, she already had several broken teeth (she was a rescue so we really don’t know what caused that). And the few times in the past that she has chewed on rawhide, she stopped and we noticed that her gums were bleeding! I think that’s another reason she doesn’t chew much. But this treat must be shaped right for her… or maybe she softens it with her mouth as she’s chewing. Whatever the reason, I’ve been watching her closely and she’s never ended up with any bleeding or (god forbid) chipping of her teeth with this chew.
SO thankful that after 6 years we’ve found something that works!!
Sorry this reply is so long! I just hope you try again, in case maybe your dog just needs to develop the taste for it, or else that you find something that works for you. Good luck!
Are these safe for my Yorkie who was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis a few months ago? Had to cut down her fat content drastically. I think the bully stick I tried once she had recovered made her throw up again so those have been banned. She’s pretty sad about that so I’m hoping this is a possible alternative.
My Shih Tzu loves the Himilayian yak milk bones and we’ve been giving them to him for several years with no problems. Until last month – when, without my knowledge, he swallowed the end of one before I took it away. It did NOT digest and he nearly died while 3 vets (local, internal specialist and emergency room vets) were trying to figure out the cause of his symptoms of extreme pain, lethargy and, near the end, vomiting. The 3rd vet recommended euthanasia, but thankfully I took him home – over that night, he passed the hard, only partially piece of yak milk bone. 2 weeks later, he’s fully recovered! From now on, he’ll only get supervised time with the largest size brand new HYC’s, and as soon as they get anywhere near small, into the trash! (We tried the microwave idea but it didn’t seem to change the texture – ??)
Hi Anne. Wow, that sounds awful! I’m so glad your dog is ok now. It’s annoying to have to supervise your dog when he/she eats harder chews like the Himalayan, but I do it, as well! Switching to the largest Himalayan chew size is a great idea. Thanks for sharing!
We also microwave the ends of our Himalayan chews. We had one time where it didn’t “work”, and realized that the end hadn’t been chewed, and therefore the hard outer “skin” was still on it. Soaked it for a bit in water to soften, and then it microwaved just fine. Hope this helps.
My chihuahua also broke one of his teeth. He loves it, but I don’t want to take another chance on a busted tooth. Too bad because it kept him entertained for a while.
Wow! That’s scary. Thanks for the comment. I found a new treat that lasts as long as as the Himalayan Dog Chew and it’s much softer so I’ll post a review of it soon!
herdogblog.com 
Josh just tried to get one of these for Herman yesterday, but our local natural pet store is out of stock!
We’ll be looking around town for them soon.
Thanks for the recommendation!
Julie
Let me know what you think of them and how long it takes Herman to go through one. Hope you can find them soon!
Both of my small dogs broke a tooth on the Himalayan dog chews in the same week. First time with my Maltese Pomeranian I wasn’t sure if it definitely happened with this treat. Second time we actually saw and heard it break our Pekingese’s tooth. It was awful. They both had to go to the vet for extractions $500. Very dangerous for small dogs! Just too hard
Hi Michelle. Thanks for your note. This is the first I’ve heard of this happening! Did you let the folks at Himalayan Dog Chew know? They have always been very responsive to me. I’m so sorry this happened to your dogs!
Sounds more like your dog had some dental weaknesses. Himalayan chews are just fine for small dogs. There’s a good chance there were hairline fractures in the teeth if they broke that easily. Even small dogs’ teeth can stand up to that type of chew, indeed they’re used to standing up to far more hard items than that (like antlers). We routinely give them to small dogs with nary a problem.
You’ve dang near talked me into getting one for myself!
These are truly the best! Thanks Auntie Shannon for introducing us to them a while back. I have to go to a special store just to buy them but when ever I am in the area I grab one for Tatum. 10 out of 10 for us too 🙂
You are so welcome! I also go to a special store just to get these. They’re so great!
Our dogs, Milo & Sophie, both 20lb rescue dogs love the wolf size. We buy 2 a week and they last that long or longer! Most dog chews are so gross and smelly, but HDC is pretty user friendly for humans, too, as I don’t smell them very much. We rarely have the problems of ingesting big pieces. And they don’t get sick like they were on rawhide chews. Milo has allergies so HDC has been just awesome for him especially.
Hi Kellie! Glad to hear that your dogs are all about the HDC, too! It’s such an awesome treat. I agree – they don’t stink at all! We haven’t tried the “wolf size” but it sounds large and in charge! Teton sends wags and kisses Milo and Sophie’s way!
Hi:
This is Sujan from Himalayan Dog Chew. Thank you for the wonderful article. I just wanted to add that, the little piece that gets left over, as in the last few images, does not have to be thrown away. It can be puffed up by putting in the microwave for about 40 seconds in high settings. They would love these puffed up Himalayan, as much as the regular ones. This makes the Himalayan Dog Chew the only chew treat that does not need to be discarded once it becomes small. Please email us at info@himalayandogchew.com if you have any questions. Once again, thank you for enjoying the Himalayan Dog Chew.
Hi Sujan! WOW. That’s amazing! I’m going to have to try that microwave trick next time around. I’m very impressed. Thanks for posting. This is a great tip.
We just started a new blog & the Himalayan Chews were one of our first reviews! They are expensive, but they’re great! Come check us out too! http://operationcaspian.wordpress.com/
Love your puppy! So cute!
Excellent! Thanks for checking us out. Your blog looks great! 🙂
We just gave them to our dogs [both aggressive chewers] for the first time – hesitant at first but they loved them … chewed for close to an hour and only chewed off maybe a 4th. Certainly longer lasting than any bully sticks, trachea or pig ears at this house.
I know that a lot of owners are fed up with rawhide and want a safer chew for their dogs. These Himalayan dog chews are a great alternative plus they are tougher and last longer than bully sticks. Thanks for the microwave tip.
Also, the best part of these chews is that when they get to the point where you might throw it away because it’s a choking hazard, zap it in the microwave for 40-60 secs and it becomes a yummy, crunchy cookie!
I gave on to my dog yesterday. She sniffed it and walked away. I picked it up and got her to take it from me. She carried it into another room, dropped it on the floor and walked away. Any suggestions? Btw she doesn’t chew on other bones either. I was hoping this would be the one! She is 6 years old and I just adopted her 10 days ago.
Hi Lyn,
Darn it! Some dogs just don’t care for them. Not surprising since she doesn’t chew on other bones, either. Have you ever tried antlers? If you get one with a lot of marrow exposed she might really enjoy that!
I’ve only had JJ for About a month. I got her as a foster. She was being treated for a suspected food allergy. She is on a salmon and sweet potato food diet. Her itching has completely stopped and her skin has cleared up. She has also been on meds, but I’m weaning her off them. We’ll see what happens. My point in all this is I’ve been very careful not to give her snacks that contain any meat. That’s why the Himalayan chews were so attractive to me. I will try again. BTW I have since adopted JJ!
We adopted our sweet girl at 6 years old, too! (she is going on 12 now)
And she is not typically a chewer. She doesn’t even play with dog toys. 😛 She has had dental problems in the past and the vet always told us to give her something to chew. Everything we tried, she either totally ignored it, or she chewed it a little until it made her sick. The vet recommended antlers rather than bones b/c they don’t have marrow so they shouldn’t upset her sensitive stomach. But antlers are so expensive at the pet store!! We tried these Himalayan chews and the first time we gave it, she pretty much ignored it. But we kept it out, and one day, she started to chew it! Once she got a taste of it (she does love cheese and I assume that’s kinda what it tastes like) she was willing to keep going. She would sometimes go a couple days without chewing, but then she’d always go back to it, and now here we are a few months later and she is working on her third one (which is a milestone for her in the chew treat dept! LOL)
This treat is great for us because
1. it doesnt upset her stomach… yay! Nylabones, Greenies, Milkbone Brushers– all the typical dental treats that take less chewing just make her throw up.
2. she will actually chew it!
3. it is hard enough to last a long time and really scrub those back teeth– we noticed a major improvement in her plaque problem within the first day that she really went to town on the chew.
4. but yet it hasnt caused her any teeth/gum issues from being so hard. When we got her, she already had several broken teeth (she was a rescue so we really don’t know what caused that). And the few times in the past that she has chewed on rawhide, she stopped and we noticed that her gums were bleeding! I think that’s another reason she doesn’t chew much. But this treat must be shaped right for her… or maybe she softens it with her mouth as she’s chewing. Whatever the reason, I’ve been watching her closely and she’s never ended up with any bleeding or (god forbid) chipping of her teeth with this chew.
SO thankful that after 6 years we’ve found something that works!!
Sorry this reply is so long! I just hope you try again, in case maybe your dog just needs to develop the taste for it, or else that you find something that works for you. Good luck!
We love Himalayan Dog Chews! Best treat ever!
Are these safe for my Yorkie who was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis a few months ago? Had to cut down her fat content drastically. I think the bully stick I tried once she had recovered made her throw up again so those have been banned. She’s pretty sad about that so I’m hoping this is a possible alternative.
Hi Angie, I’d check with your vet on this! Hopefully they are safe but I can’t say for sure. Good luck!
My Shih Tzu loves the Himilayian yak milk bones and we’ve been giving them to him for several years with no problems. Until last month – when, without my knowledge, he swallowed the end of one before I took it away. It did NOT digest and he nearly died while 3 vets (local, internal specialist and emergency room vets) were trying to figure out the cause of his symptoms of extreme pain, lethargy and, near the end, vomiting. The 3rd vet recommended euthanasia, but thankfully I took him home – over that night, he passed the hard, only partially piece of yak milk bone. 2 weeks later, he’s fully recovered! From now on, he’ll only get supervised time with the largest size brand new HYC’s, and as soon as they get anywhere near small, into the trash! (We tried the microwave idea but it didn’t seem to change the texture – ??)
Hi Anne. Wow, that sounds awful! I’m so glad your dog is ok now. It’s annoying to have to supervise your dog when he/she eats harder chews like the Himalayan, but I do it, as well! Switching to the largest Himalayan chew size is a great idea. Thanks for sharing!
We also microwave the ends of our Himalayan chews. We had one time where it didn’t “work”, and realized that the end hadn’t been chewed, and therefore the hard outer “skin” was still on it. Soaked it for a bit in water to soften, and then it microwaved just fine. Hope this helps.
My chihuahua also broke one of his teeth. He loves it, but I don’t want to take another chance on a busted tooth. Too bad because it kept him entertained for a while.
Wow! That’s scary. Thanks for the comment. I found a new treat that lasts as long as as the Himalayan Dog Chew and it’s much softer so I’ll post a review of it soon!