Best dental chews for Border Collies

Your vet is right to flag dental care — it's one of the most overlooked parts of dog health, and Border Collies are no exception. The honest truth is that most popular dental chews are mostly starch and flavouring with minimal real cleaning action. The better ones have a specific texture that mechanically scrubs the teeth as the dog chews. Before I point you to the right product, a couple of quick questions: how much does your Border Collie weigh, and does she have any known food sensitivities or allergies?

That's exactly the right instinct from your vet. At 18kg she's mid-range for a Border Collie, so you want a medium-sized chew that she has to work at. Does she tend to be an aggressive chewer or more of a slow, methodical one? That affects which shape works best.

Perfect — that means she'll get real benefit from a textured chew rather than needing something extra tough. My recommendation is Whimzees Variety Box, Medium. They're vegetable-based, low in additives, free from artificial colours and flavours, and the ridged shapes genuinely do the mechanical scrubbing your vet is after. For a methodical chewer they'll last a reasonable amount of time too. One chew daily is the standard guidance. You'll find the medium variety box on Amazon UK for around £15–18 for a box of 14, which works out well per chew. Avoid the Pedigree Dentastix as a first choice — they're heavily marketed but the ingredient list is mostly wheat starch and sugar syrup.

Daily is better for dental health — plaque builds up continuously, so consistent daily chewing keeps it in check. Just factor the calories into her daily intake. Whimzees Medium are around 90 calories each, so trim her main meal slightly on days she gets one. If her teeth are already showing significant tartar buildup, the chews will help maintain things going forward but won't reverse existing buildup — that needs a professional scale and polish from your vet first.

Then you're in a great position — starting preventative dental care at 4 is exactly the right time. Whimzees daily, adjust her food portions slightly, and you're sorted. Your vet will likely notice the difference at her next checkup.