Reku has a powerful need to chew. He always has. We have provided him with a long line of chewy treats since he was a puppy. This has helped to keep him chewing on approved items only, rather than, say, my favorite pair of leather shoes. The problem is there aren't a lot of dog chews available here in Mazatlan. Knowing this, we brought 900 large Greenies with us when we moved here, but that supply has run out.
Fortunately, places like Walmart and Soriana have started stocking DentaBones, Busy Bones, and other dog chews, but man are they pricey. A DentaBone goes for about $26. That is an expensive daily treat for a dog, and when you multiply that by two dogs...well, it gets impossible. We have experimented with some different rawhides, and Sams Club occasionally has a value pack of chews, but we are always on the lookout for dog treats.
We discovered shortly after we moved to Mazatlan that Reku has an affinity for fresh corn tortillas. As soon as we walk in the house with some, his nose is in the air and we have his undivided attention. The problem is they are very soft, and he can consume an entire tortilla in about 1.5 seconds. He loves them, but no opportunity to chew.
Now that we have a tortillaria right across the street, we have fresh tortillas in the house more often – at least once a day. We have been experimenting with the right amount of tortillas to buy. We started off at five pesos worth, which was way too many. So we backed off to three pesos worth. That still buys us about 14 tortillas. We only eat 2 each during a meal, so that's still a lot. The next time, we asked for two pesos worth. And while that is a more manageable number of tortillas, we got a dirty look from the tortilla lady. In the interest of neighborhood amity, we buy three pesos worth.
So now we have about 10 unused tortillas a day in our house. I have made tortilla soup and tortilla casserole and tostadas, but seriously, there are only so many things you can do with tortillas. And they don't keep.
One day, I didn't fold up the left over tortillas after breakfast. We had eaten at the table in the courtyard. When I came back later, I discovered a stack of tortilla frisbees that had been curing in the sun most of the day. I offered one to Reku. He as confused and tentative at first, but he soon whisked it away to his favorite chewing spot and thoroughly enjoyed himself.
Now when we finish a meal, we take the leftover tortillas and roll them up, two together, and leave them to dry for a day. Reku has an endless supply of chewies he loves, and the price is certainly right.
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BTW, I have found tortillas will last longer if you take the stack and pull them all apart and restack them looser. Also if you need to use some that are getting a bit old, just moisten them with water before putting them on the comal. (Our tortilleria is a block and a half uphill)