The Scoop On Rawhide Dog Chews
Including Safer Alternatives

Rawhide Or Raw Period

Dog owners must realize that feeding rawhide dog chews or any type of bone can be risky. There is always the possibility of the bone getting lodged in the intestines and the stomach along with the colon becoming impacted. Therefore, supervision is a must.

What Is Rawhide?

A layer of hide that usually comes from cattle. It is not only used to make dog treats, lamp shades and drum heads, but Native Americans used buffalo hide to make clothing and TeePee's as well. Like their ancestors, dogs have a natural instinct to hunt and chew and it is believed that rawhide satisfies this need for Fido.

Natural Or Pressed Dog Chews?

•  Natural is white in color unless it has been basted with flavorings and is harder than the pressed form.

•  The pressed form is a granulated form molded into a particular shape, usually a bone. This form is softer than the natural hide.

Keep in mind that ALL rawhide chew sticks and rawhide dog chews should be given sparingly, if at all. Eliminate rawhide altogether should you notice any unusual behavior.

Recommended Chews & Alternatives To Rawhide

•  Sweet Potato chews are an excellent alternative to rawhide. Plus, they're a great form of fiber too!
•  "Lamb Ears" or "Beef Tails" are another option as long as they are completely all natural and manufactured in the USA. The lamb ears are a soft, smaller treat and the beef tail is crunchy. Although both of these treats are hide, in our opinion, both are better than the standard rawhide chew treats. Again, we believe that all rawhide dog chews should be given sparingly and ONLY in the presence of the owner.

  Since the curing of rawhide is so important, we strongly recommend American made that has been U.S.D.A. inspected.**Keep in Mind** If your dog has salt restrictions, be careful with rawhide of all kinds.

•  Another great alternative to rawhide are "Tripe Sticks". Tripe is the stomach tissue of cows, sheep and oxen. A little stinky, but 99% of dogs LOVE tripe.

A Bone Keeps Your Dog Busy

Although it's been said that the constant chewing scrapes and cleans the dog's teeth by removing tarter and plaque; your dog would have to chew a great deal of bones to really clean the teeth.

Chewing any type of bone does not adequately clean your dog's teeth. The regular use of a good oral care spray or rinse is the best treatment outside of brushing his teeth. Bone chewing is more for entertainment than anything.

The Right Size

A good rule of thumb is to make sure that the rawhide dog chew is approximately 2" bigger than your dogs mouth so that he can't swallow the entire rawhide dog chew at one time.

Raw Bones

Raw meaty bones are instinctive for dogs. Most dogs love raw meaty bones straight from the butcher shop. By providing a treat in this form you are actually allowing your dog to be a dog; like nature intended. Keep in mind that many vet's debate the issue of feeding bones of any kind to dogs.

Should Raw Bones Be Cooked?

Absolutely Not. Never give your dog cooked or boiled bones. Cooked bones splinter and are depleted of all the natural benefits.

Raw Bone Equals Clean Teeth

A raw bone is one of the most effective teeth cleaning agents available for your dog.

What About Bacteria?

Nature has not only given the dog a very acidic stomach, but a short digestive tract as well. This means that even if any bacteria makes it to the stomach, the acid in the dogs belly generally kills it. It's always a good idea to give any raw bones outside and throw away any left over pieces.

The Connection Between Rawhide For Dogs And The Deadly Gastric Swelling (Bloat)

Understand that rawhide enlarges once swallowed which means it has the potential to cause gastric swelling (bloat). This seems to be more common in the large deep chested dogs, but any dog can be affected by this very dangerous condition.

Become Informed About Bloat and Know The Symptoms:

If you ever see any of the following symptoms in your dog, GET HIM TO THE VET IMMEDIATELY. DO NOT WAIT UNTIL HIS BELLY BECOMES ENLARGED, A HALF AN HOUR IS CRITICAL AND COULD MEAN LIFE OR DEATH. GET EXTENSIVE INFORMATION REGARDING DOG BLOAT ON OUR BLOG:

•  Pacing
•  Resting in unusual places
•  Salavating, heavy panting, whining
•  Restless and uncomfortable
•  Agitated
•  Unproductive vomiting although he may produce a foamy substance
•  Excessive drooling and gagging
•  Swelling in abdominal area which may or may not be noticeable

Supervision is always recommended when a dog chews on any bone including rawhide dog chews. You have to determine which rawhide dog chews, if any, are suitable for your dog. We highly recommend considering the alternatives to rawhide mentioned above. Consider throwing in an occasional raw meaty bone to give him a good teeth cleaning and a real nice treat for him as well.

Also, be sure to toss any left over pieces due to bacterial build-up.

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