Taste: 1.5 Matty was given a rawhide bone of another brand, and loved it, so I decided to grab a bag of smaller ones so that when she finished her first one she would have some more to get started on. However, she has next to no interest in these, she'll carry it around and hide it but never ever chews on them. I don't know if it's the thin shape, the lack of taste, the texture...I really don't know. Like the Nylabones, it's just a mystery.
Nutrition: 2/5 Almost completely empty of nutrition, these treats are designed to appease the chewy desire of puppies a dogs, not to provide nourishment.
Price: 3/5 At around $8 for the bag that I purchased, they are a bit high, especially considering Matty doesn't like them. However, they have LOTS of variety to choose from and I would be willing to give a different flavor/style a chance.
Availability: 2/5 Produced only for Petsmart, you'll need to visit your local store or order online doing a "rawhide" search in the bar on the main page. Searching for "Dentley's" will send you to their official website.
Enjoyment: 4/5 Matty enjoys this toy, but the squeakers are difficult to activate and that's usually one of the drawing points for her. However, this is quickly becoming one of her top favorite toys, she loves to drag it around (kind of like a large stick) and play tug. The durable ridges of the toy make it harder for her to get to the softer plushie sides and gives her a challenge. Lots of wagging and playing with this guy.
Durability: 4/5 Being a Tuffy toy, it's rated as a 7 out of 10 on their scale, and I would say that's a pretty fair rating, however, Matty quickly managed to tear loose some of the stitching around the face, discrediting the "5 rows of stitching" as advertised. Though all-in-all this is a very heavy toy, and seems to be quite a durable product in spite of a few loose threads. It can be washed and played with outdoors, and is designed to stand up to the elements.
Interactive: 3.5/5 You will want to spend time with your dog and this toy, mainly using it for fetch or maybe a bit of tug and chew. Keep your pup supervised as it plays with this toy to keep it from ingesting any parts of this that may come loose. Can also be used for pool or lake fetching, if your pup likes to splash around in the water.
Availability: 3/5 The best place to get this product is at Mydogtoy where you can get discounts just for being a toy tester and submitting your review once a month, but if you want to locate this (or other) Tuffy items online you can shop at Nextag or Amazon.
Price: 3/5 Overall I think this product should stand to be a bit cheaper, maybe in the $10 range. Improve the accessibility and quality of the squeakers, maybe fix the thread fraying, and I'd be a lot happier.
Quality: 3.5/5 Unlike the Mighty Toy Ball that we tested out last month, once the "outer shell" on this guy is removed or damaged, you will need to throw the toy away. Overall I think the materials that are used to make the nEELmo are wonderful, tough, and pleasing for doggie mouths to chew on, just watch out for the frayed strands of string and the loop of cloth at the end of the toy. As stated above, if the squeakers are replaced to something a bit more reliable, I'd give a higher score.
