Dogs love to chew and rawhide chews have long been best-sellers. Made from the skin of cattle, pigs, deer, and other animals, they’re called “raw” because they haven’t been tanned for use as leather. Rawhide chews keep dogs entertained for hours and are inexpensive, convenient treats. But are they safe?
Rawhide chews are potentially dangerous because they can be a choking hazard or cause gastrointestinal obstructions. Some rawhide chews are hard enough to break or damage teeth.
Rawhides are not considered “food” by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are therefore unregulated. They are exempt from AAFCO registration and labeling requirements and their labels are not required to include a guaranteed nutritional analysis.
According to Today’s Veterinary Practice (January 2024), many rawhide chews are treated with degreasers, detergents, sodium bicarbonate, hydrogen peroxide, lime, or other chemicals to remove hair or fat, kill pathogens, and improve appearance. Cheaper ingredients, scrap rawhide, and artificial colors and flavors are often added and additives, such as glues to hold shape, may be used. Ingesting rawhide exposes dogs to these processing chemicals and other questionable ingredients.
Benefits of Rawhide for Dogs
At the same time, rawhide treats have been shown to:
How to Avoid Problems with Rawhide
In 2023, Veterinary dentist John R. Lewis, VMD, reported in the Journal of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association that the ideal chew item for dogs should be:
- Sufficiently interesting to the animal to encourage chewing
- Long-lasting or safe to give frequently
- Of high nutritional quality with minimal calories above the current diet
- Proven to decrease plaque and calculus
- Not excessively hard in order to avoid harm to the teeth and jaws
- Has minimal risk of toxicity, choking, and GI obstruction
Rawhide easily satisfies the first two criteria, and although it is not known for high nutritional quality, rawhide contains some protein. The main risks associated with rawhide chews are that, unless sourced and manufactured to avoid these problems, they can contain traces of toxic chemicals and be hard enough to damage teeth or harm the gastrointestinal tract.
Best Rawhide Choices
Reflecting today’s interest in natural diets, improved-quality rawhide chews are growing in popularity. Companies that minimally process hides from grass-fed (highest quality) animals include:
White Oak Pastures Grass-Fed & Pastured Pet Chews.
Fresh Farms Grass-Fed Rawhide Chews
Real Hide. Grass-Fed Rawhide Chews
Buffalo Range Grass-Fed Bison Chews
Hotspot Pets.Grass-Fed Rawhide Treats
CowDog Grass-Fed Brazilian Rawhide Chews
These and similar brands produce rawhide chews of different shapes and sizes. It’s important to choose a size appropriate for your dog and consider your dog’s approach to food and treats. Don’t feed small treats to large dogs who might swallow them whole, be careful about giving rawhide to dogs who chew aggressively and gulp their treats, and look for chews that have not been chemically treated.
Rawhide Alternatives
For those who would rather not deal with rawhide at all, pet supply stores offer dozens of alternative treats that can keep your pup busy.
Hooves and Antlers for Dogs
Most dogs love to chew on whole or split antlers from deer or elk, and these are widely available. So are hooves from beef cattle, some of which are filled with peanut butter or other flavorings. Hooves and antlers are very hard, and while many dogs do well with them, some have broken teeth or damaged their gums. Redbarn Dog Chews come with instructions to monitor dogs while they chew, remove any splinters that break off, and always choose a chew size larger than your dog’s mouth. If feeding a filled hoof, check its ingredients, which may be high in sugar, carbohydrates, and calories, and adjust your dog’s diet accordingly.
Chew Sticks
Dogs love to chew on wood,, but doing so can cause injuries. Petstages Dogwood Chew Sticks look like small tree limbs, but they are non-splintering chew toys made of natural wood fiber and synthetic materials that mimic wood’s texture and taste. Many buyers report that these durable sticks last for weeks or months. They come in multiple flavors and sizes, float in water, and satisfy most dogs’ chewing urges.
Nylabones
For 70 years, Nylabone Chew Toys have been helping puppies and adult dogs satisfy their chewing cravings without harming their teeth or surroundings. Nylabone manufactures chew toys, edible chew treats, and dental products that promote oral hygiene, discourage destructive chewing, and reduce stress. Their main ingredient is nylon, a non-toxic thermoplastic polymer that can be made into fabric, toothbrushes, car parts, and plastic food storage film.
Yak Cheese Chews
Yak cheese dog chews from Bully Bunches, Tibetan Dog Chews, Mount Tibet, EcoKind, and other manufacturers keep moderate chewers busy for days. Said to originate in the Himalayas (some are made in Nepal), early yak chews were made of air-dried yak milk. Today’s recipes combine yak milk with lime juice, which is compressed into bars and hardened for weeks. Some recipes include salt and some add strawberry, blueberry, or other flavors. The chews are hard, so opt for something softer if your dog has missing, sore, or weak teeth. Choose a size larger than your dog’s snout. Several manufacturers recommend limiting your dog to one chew every couple of days or less. When your dog reduces a yak cheese bar to a small piece, transform it into a crunchy cheese puff by soaking it in water for 10 minutes, then microwave it for 45 to 60 seconds (time depends on piece size). Let the cheese puff cool before giving it to your dog.
Garden Vegetables
Carrots, parsnips, broccoli, celery, peppers, sweet potatoes, and other raw vegetables are natural dog chews. Because they are sweet and high in carbohydrates, feed them in small quantities. Avoid onions and corn on the cob.
Kongs and Similar Toys
Rubber chew toys that have openings for food and treats are entertaining and rewarding. You can even feed some of your dog’s dinner in them. For inspiration and over a hundred recipes, visit KONG Cuisine, West Paw (which manufactures chew toys and other items with synthetic, nontoxic rubber) and My Woof’s Pupsicle, which is a lick treat holder rather than a chew toy. Depending on what you stuff them with, these toys will excite and entertain your dog.
Dried Body Parts
A fast-growing section in pet supply stores offers air-dried and freeze-dried lamb lungs, duck necks, beef cheeks, pig snouts, tripe strips, lamb ears, fish skins, bones, and other satisfying dog chews. These animal-source chews come in a variety of shapes and sizes. For examples, visit RedBarn, Nature’s Logic, Raw Paws, Natural Farm, ZIWI, Oma’s Pride, and My Pet Carnivore.
Puppy Teething Toys
For advice about safe, effective puppy chew toys, see “How to Choose the Best Puppy Teething Toys”.
The Importance of Supervision
Whether you choose rawhide chews or alternatives, help your dog enjoy the chewing experience without complications. Study ingredients, plan ahead, select the appropriate size for your dog, introduce chew treats carefully, supervise your pup, and be ready to substitute a different kind of treat if necessary.