ChewScore: how hard is this dog snack?
One dog might enjoy a chew for a long time, while another finishes it in minutes. And while one dog easily chews a hard snack, that same snack might simply be too hard for another dog.
That's why at FurFun, we use the ChewScore.
The ChewScore is a scale from 1 to 5 that indicates, in our experience, how hard a dog snack is. This makes it easier to compare different chews and choose a snack that suits your dog.
From relatively soft snacks for gentle chewers to very hard products for experienced and powerful chewers.
ChewScore introduction
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What is the Furfun Chewscore?
The ChewScore provides an at-a-glance indication of the hardness of a dog snack.
ChewScore 1 represents the softest snacks in our range. As the score increases, so does the hardness. We use ChewScore 5 for the hardest chew products we offer.
It is important to note that the ChewScore is not a quality assessment. A snack with ChewScore 5 is not better than a snack with ChewScore 2.
They are different types of snacks for different dogs and different chewing styles.
The ChewScore also doesn't tell you exactly how long your dog will spend on a snack. Dogs and individual snacks vary too much for that.
Why did we develop the ChewScore?
Anyone who regularly buys dog treats will come across all sorts of descriptions such as soft, hard, extra hard, and long-lasting chewing pleasure.
But what exactly does that mean?
A treat that a small or gentle chewer might take quite a long time to finish can be eaten much faster by a large and powerful dog. Conversely, a very hard treat is not automatically the best choice for every dog.
That's why at FurFun, we wanted a simple way to compare the hardness of different chew treats.
Just as we use the StrongScore for our dog toys to indicate the strength of a toy, we use the ChewScore for our dog treats.
No promises about how many minutes a treat will last, but a practical indication of what to expect in terms of hardness when comparing different treats from our range.
How do we determine the ChewScore?
Just as with our StrongScore, we don't simply take a manufacturer's or supplier's word for it regarding a product. We want to have personal experience with the products we sell.
That's why we test our treats ourselves before determining which ChewScore we believe best suits a product.
Chase, our large East European Shepherd, plays an important role in this. We also use the experiences of our test team with different dogs and different chewing styles.
We look at characteristics such as the texture and thickness of a treat. But, more importantly, we observe what happens in practice during chewing. How easily can a dog break off pieces? Does a product break easily? Does it soften during chewing? And how does the product compare to other treats we've tested previously?
Based on these characteristics and our practical experience, we ultimately determine which ChewScore to assign to the product.
The ChewScore is therefore our own practical comparison system. It is not a scientific measurement, nor is it veterinary or nutritional advice.
Additionally, many of our treats are natural products. Size, thickness, shape, and texture can vary per item. Therefore, two treats from the same package may not be exactly the same.
Therefore, primarily use the ChewScore to compare products within our assortment.
Hardness is not the same as chew time.
We believe this distinction is important.
The ChewScore indicates how hard we rate a snack, not how many minutes your dog will spend on it.
Chewing duration is determined by many more factors.
Size, thickness, and structure play a role, but the dog itself also makes a huge difference. Some dogs take their time and gnaw small pieces off a snack. Other dogs try to break off larger pieces as quickly as possible.
As a result, a large product with a lower ChewScore might last longer with your dog than a smaller product with a higher ChewScore.
ChewScores 1-5
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ChewScore 1 - Soft
These are the softest snacks within our system.
This mainly includes trainers, reward treats, and other soft snacks that are easy to chew and offer little resistance. These products are primarily intended as a tasty snack or reward and not for prolonged chewing.
Therefore, a ChewScore of 1 does not mean that a product is inferior or less suitable for a dog. It simply indicates that chewing and long-term chewing challenge are not the purpose of this snack.
ChewScore 2 - Firm
ChewScore 2 involves a little more chewing.
These treats have more resistance than our softest products, but they are not yet considered truly hard chews.
For many dogs, this can be a good intermediate step if you want to offer something sturdier without immediately opting for a very hard product.
ChewScore 3 - Extra firm
From ChewScore 3 onwards, we clearly categorize products as harder chew snacks within our system.
These products offer considerable resistance and require more chewing than snacks with a lower ChewScore.
For dogs that eat softer snacks very quickly, ChewScore 3 can therefore be an interesting option.
ChewScore 4 - Hard
At ChewScore 4, we're looking at the very hard products in our range.
These snacks offer a lot of resistance during chewing and are mainly intended for dogs who are used to tougher chew products.
With this level of hardness, we find it extra important to consider the individual dog. Not every dog needs a very hard snack, and harder does not automatically mean better.
ChewScore 5 - Extra hard
We reserve ChewScore 5 for the hardest chew products in our range.
These products offer a lot of resistance and are not automatically suitable for every dog.
Especially with extremely hard products, it is important to consider your dog's teeth, chewing style, and experience.
The highest ChewScore is therefore not automatically the best choice.
Safe chewing with dog snacks
No chew snack is completely without risk. How suitable a product is depends on, among other things, its size, hardness, the dog's teeth, and especially how your dog interacts with it.
Never give a chew snack without supervision. Always stay close and keep an eye on how your dog handles the snack.
Choose a size that cannot be easily swallowed whole. Also, keep an eye on what happens to the snack while your dog is chewing. A product that was initially large enough can eventually become small enough to be swallowed in one go.
Remove the last piece when you notice that its size or shape starts to pose a risk.
When using natural chew products, also check for sharp edges or pieces that come loose. If a product takes on a shape you are uncomfortable with during chewing, remove it.
For very hard products and products with bone or hoof, extra caution is important. Such materials can be so hard that there is a risk of damage or fracture to teeth. Bone parts can also form sharp pieces, and swallowed parts can cause problems. Veterinary sources therefore warn against giving bones, hooves, and other extremely hard chew materials.
This also means that a product we sell is not automatically suitable for every dog. For example, with a lamb's leg with bone and hoof, we would clearly state what the product contains and advise you to make a conscious decision yourself.
Does your dog have dental problems, damaged teeth, medical complaints, or are you in doubt for another reason whether a certain chew product is suitable? Then ask your vet for advice.
We love dogs and now have considerable practical experience with our products, but we are not veterinarians or nutritionists. At FurFun, we prefer to honestly share what we know and experience ourselves rather than pretending to be able to give specialist advice.
Need help choosing the right snack? Contact us