Introducing Trachea Tubes as the Perfect Starter Chew for Your Pup!

Some introductions don't go as planned. The other night, I was walking down our street for our town’s "Meet the Neighbors" event. I spotted a family with a cute, wiggly Pomeranian puppy trying to make friends with everyone who passed by—big and small. Some pups were really into it, sniffing their hellos. Others were like.... what is this little ball of energy jumping up in my face. Especially the more "established" pups in the neighborhood—they weren't sure how they felt about this newcomer.

It reminded me of the moment I first introduced my pups to certain healthy treats for dogs, the perfect way to keep their little teeth busy and their bodies growing strong. That's beef trachea tubes—the ultimate starter chew for your pup! But they didn't take to it as fast as I thought they would, either.

They seemed to be thinking. "What is this? Is it a chew treat they could swallow in one gulp? Is it a dog bone? It sure does smell good, but can I eat it?" Now, my furry kids were older. I can imagine this would have been even more confusing for a puppy like that little Pomeranian.

Trachea chew was something that 3 pampered pups who live in the suburbs had not encountered before. And they're not the only ones. I have dog moms and dads asking me these questions.

What Are Trachea Tubes?

Trachea chews aren't dog bones. But they're not a quick treat a dog chews and swallows in an instant. They're mostly chewy cartilage from the windpipe of a cow.

Why Trachea Tube Is The Perfect Starter Chew

Trachea tube is softer than a dog bone with no sharp edges. And if you don't know how your dog will respond to a real dog bone, those details matter. They're not going to break their teeth on it if they turn out to be aggressive chewers.

And let's say they try to swallow it whole. It's kind of like a lifesaver candy. It has a hole in the center (because it's a tube), so you're not going to have a cow's windpipe blocking your dog's windpipe. Well, that's good to know.

And finally, the beef trachea is 100% digestible. It's not causing blockages because your dog's body can break it down. And that's exactly what you want them to do—whether they chew it for a while or try to swallow it whole. Because these single-ingredient dog treats are so nutritious. Cartilage is made mostly of collagen, a structural protein that dogs and humans struggle to make enough of.

Collagen is the framework for just about every tissue in the body. There's not much muscle or fat, but it builds the scaffolding for strong bones, skin, hair, joints, and organs. So, you can't have a strong and healthy body without collagen.

But there's more. There's also a lot of glucosamine and chondroitin for healthy joints. I replaced my dogs' joint supplements with these tasty single-ingredient treats.

They also make tremendous dental chews. That chewing action helps dogs remove the tartar where bacteria that cause dog breath and poor dental hygiene like to hide.

Finally, they're a great source of lean protein, so you can get all of these benefits without adding unnecessary fat to your puppy’s diet—ideal for growing dogs needing extra nutrition.

How Trachea Tubes Fit Into Your Puppy’s Life

Introducing a chew like beef trachea into your puppy’s routine is a great way to get them used to consuming dog chews that take some time and jaw power to work before they can swallow smaller pieces.

Not only does it give your pup something healthy to gnaw on, but It also satisfies that natural chewing instinct.

Puppies need to chew to relieve teething discomfort and avoid destructive habits like gnawing on shoes (been there, survived that!).

When to Introduce Trachea Chews

It's best to wait until your puppy has most adult teeth. This usually happens around 4-6 months. Baby teeth are sharp and can break easily. So, you don't want to introduce something this chewy at a time that could cause baby teeth to fall out before they're ready. That could impact your pup's ability to transition to solid food.

That said, you can certainly start your puppy on trachea treats earlier than dog bones. You should wait until all teeth are in for dog chew bones. Puppies should have their full set of teeth between 6-8 months.

Introducing Your Pup to Trachea

1. Get the Right Size Treat

Trachea tubes generally come in 2 sizes, 7in and 2-3in. If you have a larger puppy or dog, the bigger ones are better. It will make it harder to swallow the whole thing. They instinctively chew it into smaller pieces so that they can eat it.

2. Supervise

Be prepared to sit with them as they explore this new experience. Give your puppy or grown dog trying trachea for the first time a piece of these collagen chews for dogs. Watch how your pup reacts. You want to see some chewing action.

3. Praise Your Pup

Encourage them to chew for as long as they want. If they walk away, that means they're done. You can put it in the freezer and bring it back out later.

4. Time Chew Time

The first chew time should be around 5-10 minutes. You want to introduce them to the concept. You don't want to wear them out and make their jaw sore.

If you're concerned about trying to take chew toys away from your dog, I suggest you keep some healthy treats on hand. I give my dogs a lung bite treat when it's time to drop the best chew bones for dogs or, in this case, the best cartilage chew.

5. Try Again in a Few Days

Go ahead and put it on your calendar. A few days later, you can bring the leftover chew out of the freezer (yum! trachea pop!). Or give a new piece. Continue for several weeks or months before introducing a dog bone into the routine.

6. Start a Healthy Dog Treat Rotation

If your dog is old enough to have dog bones, introduce some variety. Get some meaty single-ingredient marrow bones they can enjoy in between trachea chews. Bone marrow has even more nutrition, including healthy fats like omega 3 for brain and heart health. Be sure to buy grass-fed bones to get the most omega-3.

Marrow bones are like dog puzzles. Your dog will paw, gnaw, and lick until they get all of the slightly sweet, so delicious marrow. It's a very entertaining activity for dogs.

I also like to mix it up even further by refilling the marrow bones after the marrow is gone. I even have a free marrow bone refill guide you can download for free.

7. Make It a Routine

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