I found this great article on Rawhide bones for dogs on the CupOFdog blog.
We used to give our dogs rawhide, but since going raw they only get marrow bones or dried trachea to chew on.
Here’s a little snippet of the article:
Rawhide, that chewy treat available in almost all pet stores (and some grocery stores, I have noticed) is a hotly debated dog treat, one of the most common treats in the pet industry. Is it safe? What are the issues? Let’s explore.
How Rawhide is Made
Rawhide is the dried out raw hide of an animal. Rawhide chews are usually made from bulls, pigs, cows and sometimes horses. The hides are obtained from slaughterhouses, as they are a by-product, un-edible for humans. The hide is scraped of all meat, hair and fat. Originally, Native Americans used rawhide as a material in cabin and boat construction becauseSkinning a Pig of its extreme durability.
Here’s the link to the whole article: http://www.cupofdog.com/2008/08/05/rawhide-danger-in-disguise/ I think the article is worth a read.
Rawhide can be dangerous. Be careful and if you chose to give it to your pooch(es) please don’t do so unsupervised.
Here’s a link to some alternatives to rawhide for chewing: http://www.k9rawdiet.com/Treats-for-Chewing-c-5.html
