Merrick Texas Toothpick Users

[Maximo]

How do the Texas Toothpicks compare to other chews -- do they get soft as the dog chews, or do they break off in pieces?

Are they messy or smelly?

How long do they last?

[Zeus08]

Oh that is a good one. I want to know too!

[Texanna]

It looks like they are made from cow tails, so I imagine they are mostly cartilage. I don't know if they are stinky or not, although if they are smoked there is probably some odor. I happen to know Susie Merrick (one of the owners) through some volunteer work, and the Merrick plant is only 45 miles from where I live, so I've actually been there and seen how the test animals are treated (like pets). I wouldn't have any qualms about using their products.

[Maximo]

Originally Posted by Texanna

It looks like they are made from cow tails, so I imagine they are mostly cartilage. I don't know if they are stinky or not, although if they are smoked there is probably some odor. I happen to know Susie Merrick (one of the owners) through some volunteer work, and the Merrick plant is only 45 miles from where I live, so I've actually been there and seen how the test animals are treated (like pets). I wouldn't have any qualms about using their products.

Neat! Thank you for the inside view and recommendation.

My primary question is how do the Texas Toothpicks chew -- do they break off in pieces, or do they become chewy like the wishbones? The toothpicks look like cheese breadsticks to me.

[Ichabob]

I have been using these for about 2 mos. now they are cow tails and they don't last very long, they get a little mussie but not bad, no smell.

Wicket and teddy likes these better then the bully sticks, in fact they want touch the bully stick, when the tooth picks get on the small side I take them away and give it to the jack russell she eats the whole thing with no problems. I have notice that they pull some of the cartridge off and eat it, but I have had no ill effects from that. I am very careful what my guys get and they only get the toothpicks as chews, buddy biscuits are there only treats,
and merrick dry food, after wicket got ill and ended up at the vets for days becasue of solid gold treats, I am very careful about what they get.

I want to try the lamb ears but my husband says why change things when everthing is going good, and he's right, after wicket nightmare he dosn't want to try anything new any more.

[cj125]

I always buy Merrick's Flossies, Lamb Ears and Texas Toothpicks. My kids love them. I get them at Pet Mountain.

They're not real hard but my kids seem to take longer to eat these compared to the flossies. There's like a real hard thick toothpick in the center and it's a little softer outside of that. It's hard to explain but I've never seen pieces bitten off of them. No, I don't think they smell either.

I've always been real happy with Merrick's products and the service at Pet Mtn.

[drabinowitz43]

Texas Toothpicks are awesome and not messy or smelly. My dogs love them.

[Maximo]

Originally Posted by cj125

I always buy Merrick's Flossies, Lamb Ears and Texas Toothpicks. My kids love them. I get them at Pet Mountain.

They're not real hard but my kids seem to take longer to eat these compared to the flossies. There's like a real hard thick toothpick in the center and it's a little softer outside of that. It's hard to explain but I've never seen pieces bitten off of them. No, I don't think they smell either.

I've always been real happy with Merrick's products and the service at Pet Mtn.

I finally bought Texas toothpicks for my boys and Maximo savored his and didn't get very far, but Teddy devoured most of his in minutes. I took it away before he could eat the entire thing.

[Britster]

I got the Toothpicks once for Jackson and he ate it sooo fast. On the other hand, I get him a 12" bully stick and it will last us a week. So I prefer to spend the $$ on the bully sticks. Plus he doesn't seem to like the toothpicks as much.

[capt_noonie]

Uni loves the toothpicks! They last her a few days, but sometimes Katie will a get a hold of one and will devour it in a few mins! I try to give the wishbones to Katie since she's such a power chewer, and here I thought Uni was a power chewer! Uni can take out the bone inside the toothpick. She eats it down to about 4 inches, then pulls the bone out, eats the outside, then tosses around the bones playing with it, then eventually eats it. When it gets to be about 1" long I throw it away, but if she sees me throw it out, she will sit by the trash and cry.

Toothpicks have absolutely NO smell! Wishbones are a little bit but don't smell bad. I can't stand the smell of bully sticks and I've tried lots of brands. You name it, I tried it, it smells. Oh toothpicks are on sale at entirelypets.com 2 for $1!!!

[Maximo]

Originally Posted by capt_noonie

Uni loves the toothpicks! They last her a few days, but sometimes Katie will a get a hold of one and will devour it in a few mins! I try to give the wishbones to Katie since she's such a power chewer, and here I thought Uni was a power chewer! Uni can take out the bone inside the toothpick. She eats it down to about 4 inches, then pulls the bone out, eats the outside, then tosses around the bones playing with it, then eventually eats it. When it gets to be about 1" long I throw it away, but if she sees me throw it out, she will sit by the trash and cry.

Toothpicks have absolutely NO smell! Wishbones are a little bit but don't smell bad. I can't stand the smell of bully sticks and I've tried lots of brands. You name it, I tried it, it smells. Oh toothpicks are on sale at entirelypets.com 2 for $1!!!

Katie sitting by the trash crying -- awww, poor baby. These little ones are too funny.

How often do you give your girls toothpicks? I don't want to overdo it with added protein and calories.

[Maximo]

Originally Posted by Britster

I got the Toothpicks once for Jackson and he ate it sooo fast. On the other hand, I get him a 12" bully stick and it will last us a week. So I prefer to spend the $$ on the bully sticks. Plus he doesn't seem to like the toothpicks as much.

My boys must be the only Yorkies that don't really care for bully sticks...they prefer chews that make for speedier demolition lol.

[capt_noonie]

Originally Posted by Maximo

Katie sitting by the trash crying -- awww, poor baby. These little ones are too funny.

How often do you give your girls toothpicks? I don't want to overdo it with added protein and calories.

They each get a chew everynight for a few hours. I think every two or three days it's time for a new one. On other days, they will just fight over a ball and won't touch the chews.

[OlivesMommy]

Originally Posted by Maximo

My boys must be the only Yorkies that don't really care for bully sticks...they prefer chews that make for speedier demolition lol.

Olive loves bully sticks and Himalayan chews. I only let her have the bully stick when I'm watching her. I think the Himalayans are smellier than the bully sticks, but they just smell like smoked cheese so it's not too horrible. I'm happy if she's happy!

[megooego]

My boys love these! They have absolutely no smell, and like everyone said, they are only $1. They do not last very long, though. My boys can go through one in a day. I usually buy bully sticks more often, just because they last so much longer.