Rawhide Dog Chews....

an owners' guide

Anyone who's ever owned a puppy knows that chewing is something a puppy just HAS to do! Rawhide dog chews can be wonderful chew toys if chosen properly and used sensibly.

Whether it's nylabones, rawhide or your best leather pumps, chewing helps relieve the discomfort of teething, develops strong jaws and helps alleviate boredom.

And on top of that it's just plain FUN!

Rawhide Dog Chews - The Basics

There have been concerns over the safety of rawhide dogs chews and it's a good idea to know a bit about the different types of rawhide available, and the pros and cons of this type of chew toy.

Once you have the facts you can make an informed decision about whether or not to let Fifi loose on that big, knotted bone!

Rawhide is made from the inner layer of a cow's hide. It is cleaned and dried before being cut, rolled, shaped or pressed into one of many different shapes or forms.

Rawhide produced in the USA is not subjected to any chemical treatments that could be bad for your puppy's health. That is not necessarily true of rawhide that is processed in other countries where there have been reports of toxins such as arsenic and chrome being used.

Making The Right Choice

If Fifi swallows these pieces they'll be softened by her stomach enzymes and expand. Once that happens there's a possibility that one, or more, pieces could get stuck in her digestive system and create a blockage which requires surgery.

There are different varieties of rawhide dog chews available - rolled, compressed, granulated or cut. Each type varies in texture, appearance and hardness and comes in several different sizes. Some can be flavored.

What type you choose depends on whether you have a small, dainty chewer; a mid-sized averagely enthusiastic chewer; or a large, aggressive chewer.

One of the most important things you can do to help Fifi enjoy her rawhide dog chews, is to match the right type of chew with her chewing style.

• Granulated rawhide
  The softest rawhide dog chews are the ones made from granulated rawhide (also called extruded rawhide). This variety crumbles fairly easily and should only be given to light chewers or puppies, and only in small amounts as it's usually eaten pretty quickly.


• Rolled or cut rawhide
  This variety is usually cut into strips or rolled. it's then made into bone shapes, usually with a knot at each end. The flat knotted bones are a bit softer than the rolled, knotted ones. Both types are usually suitable for average chewers.

  Be careful though if Fifi chews the knot off the end of the bone. These knots can be very dangerous if she tries to swallow them whole (which often happens as they're difficult to hold and chew and usually fit fairly easily in a dog's mouth).



• Chew flips, chips & strips
  Smaller, flat pieces cut from rawhide sheets. These rawhide dog chews are easily softened and are often the right size for swallowing whole. Not suitable for large puppies, dogs or active or aggressive chewers
• Compressed rawhide
  This is usually made up of several layers of rawhide which is compressed into a shape (often a bone but without the knots). This results in a very dense, hard rawhide chew that lasts a long time. It's the only kind of rawhide that's suitable for aggressive chewers and large breed puppies.

Safety tips

• Supervision
  It's very important to supervise your puppy or dog, whenever they are chewing on rawhide. That way if Fifi should succeed in chewing a large piece off her beloved bone you will be there to stop her from swallowing it.
• Inspection
  Each time Fifi finishes chewing and playing with her rawhide dog chew, you should examine it for any large, softened pieces. These should be cut off. When the chew gets small enough to fit in her mouth, take it away and replace it with a new one.

One other thing I'd like to mention are the flavor-basted variety of rawhide dog chews. The compressed rawhide is generally left unflavored, but several other kinds come with the option of added flavor basting.

This has both pros and cons.

In a nutshell

If you choose the right variety of rawhide and match it to her chewing style, as well as giving adequate supervision while she chews it can be a safe and enjoyable toy.

Whether or not to allow Fifi to have rawhide chews/toys is a personal decision, and only you can decide what you're comfortable with. If you decide to say "yes" to rawhide follow the above guidelines. If you choose not to go that route there are plenty of other options out there.

Check out my Indestructible Dog Toys page to see a great selection of some of the toughest dog toys on the market!