Rawhide Chews: How Do You Make Sure They are Safe?

Rawhide dog chews are kind of like chocolate. There’s the “grocery store stuff” and the really good stuff. Think Whoppers vs. Godiva.

Unfortunately, there’s no really good way to know the good from the bad from the ugly. Rawhide chews are not created equally but pet retailers and others display them in equal fashion. It’s not their fault. They may not even know there are significant differences.

So as a consumer or breeder of dogs—many dogs that would chew cast-iron pans if they could–rawhide chews are an important way to keep them chewing on the right things vs. the furniture, couch corners and house shoes.

Let’s start by asking you to not blame your dog. Chewing for a dog is like watching TV for an adult. It’s a relaxation. It can also be a nervous habit. We chew our nails. They chew whatever they can. Watch this vet share some chewing insights. He shares some practical tips about chewing, such as positive and negative reinforcement, deterrent sprays and more. You can view more chew-related vids as well.

If you choose the right type of rawhide dog chew, they are safe. The wrong type? They may not be safe. To distinguish the dangerous from the definitely quality chews, apply these guidelines and know that safety usually means purchasing chews:

The Right Size. St. Bernard’s vs. Silky Terrier. Bolognese vs. Bull Mastiff. Dogs vary in size, so do dog chews, so it’s important to know the proper size of the dog-chew.

The Right Shape. Rawhide chews shapes almost mirror a jigsaw puzzle. Straight, bent, twisted, turned, rolled, flat, round, curled and curved. How do you decide? Again, it gets down to dog size. We found the knot chews and the curved knot chews are the safest. Why? Since dogs are chewing the curved knot, they have to chew around the curve vs. chomping chunks from the chew.

The Right Ingredients. Many rawhide chews include potentially toxic dyes and chemicals. Since there is no regulation over manufacturing, there’s a significant gap between manufacturers that care about quality, and those that don’t. Here, we manufacture rawhide chews from natural grass-fed beef hides minus chemicals, preservatives or bleaches. We also actually marinade the chews. No quick sprays or dips. Lastly, we don’t use rawhides from suppliers that sell rawhides taken from sick or diseased animals. We use fresh, healthy hides for rawhide production. Many of our rawhide products are even patented.

Bottom line, you can’t go wrong with natural rawhide chews, chosen carefully. Our commitment is to ensure your dogs – and all pets – stay happy and healthy. We invest in development and manufacturing to do just that.

You can find a complete line of rawhides online, or at your local PETCO store. Our Website also includes a searchable directory of providers.

When it comes to the animals we love, give them a chew they savor and stick with.

You’ll have a much nicer couch, furniture that’s not splintered and house shoes you can actually wear.