Is This Real Wood? The Honest Answer About Natural Dog Chews

Pet parents often ask us: “Is this real wood?” “What if my dog chews it down?” “How’s this different from cheap sticks?”

We decided to show you — literally.

Each Woodbone chew is cut from solid olive or coffee tree roots. No glue, no filler, no chemicals — just dense, natural wood that dogs love to chew.

What Makes Woodbone Chews Different

Most cheap wood sticks are compressed sawdust with glue and flavouring added. They look like wood, they smell like wood — but they’re not. Woodbone chews are cut directly from solid wood. When your dog chews down to the core, the material is still wood — not glue, not filler, not anything processed.

The two types we carry — olive wood and coffee wood — come from naturally fallen branches and pruned trees. No trees are cut down for our products. Each piece is cleaned, dried, and shaped by hand.

What Real Dog Owners Say

A dog dad from the UK let his two puppies loose on our Olive and Coffee Wood sticks for weeks. In this short video, he shares how long the chews lasted, how the dogs reacted, and what makes these natural toys worth it.

Is It Safe If My Dog Swallows a Bit?

Small wood fibres from natural chews pass safely through a dog’s digestive system in almost all cases. The key is size: always choose a chew that’s larger than your dog’s mouth so they can’t bite off large chunks. Remove and replace when the chew gets small enough to swallow whole.

If you have questions about sizing or breed suitability, get in touch — we’re happy to help.

Explore our full range of natural dog chews →

Frequently asked questions

Are wood dog chews actually safe?

Yes — when properly sourced and made. Woodbone chews use coffee and olive wood: two food-safe hardwoods with no toxic compounds, no splinters, and no additives. They break down into fine fibres rather than sharp shards. Standard caution applies: supervise your dog, especially in the first few sessions, and remove the chew when it becomes small enough to swallow whole.

What if my dog swallows a small piece of wood?

Small wood fibres — the kind that come off during normal chewing — pass through the digestive system without issue. The risk to avoid is large chunks. With Woodbone chews this is unlikely because the wood fibres rather than splinters. Monitor the size of the chew and replace it when it gets too small.

How long does a natural wood chew actually last?

For light to moderate chewers, a single chew can last weeks to months. For heavy chewers — Staffies, Labradors, German Shepherds — expect days to weeks depending on the dog and the wood type. Coffee wood is significantly denser and lasts longer for enthusiastic chewers. If your dog gets through a chew in under an hour, size up.

Are Woodbone chews better than rawhide?

In most respects, yes. Rawhide is chemically processed, can swell in the stomach, and carries a risk of blockage if large pieces are swallowed. Natural wood chews have none of those risks: one ingredient, no processing, no swelling. The texture is also more satisfying for dogs that need to chew — wood provides resistance that rawhide often does not.