It's no mystery why rawhide dog bones are amongst the most popular dog treats on the market today. Rawhide bones are a reasonably priced dog treat, they are available on many different shapes, sizes and flavors and they last quite a long a time. While they are one of the most popular treats, there is still a lot of controversy surrounding the safety of rawhide treats.
There are those dog owners who wouldn't give their dogs anything but rawhide treats and then there are those who wouldn't ever think of giving their dog anything made out of rawhide. The truth is that there really are pros and cons when it comes to rawhide dog bones.
Chewing on rawhide actually has a lot of benefits. Many dogs, especially puppies, like to chew on bones to burn off some of their energy. Chewing is also a great way for a dog or puppy to release stress. Giving your pooch an outlet such as chewing is a great help when you are trying to teach your dog to refrain from displaying certain behaviors. For example, you can train a new puppy to only chew on things that you would like them to. Try giving your new puppy a rawhide chew bone to chew on when you first bring them home. If you give your pup something to chew on they are less likely to chew your belongings like furniture and shoes. Chewing is also a great way to keep a bored dog or puppy busy. Chewing is also a great way to keep your pups dental health in check. Chewing helps remove plaque and it will help keep their teeth and gum's clean.
Although chewing on rawhide has many benefits, you need to be aware of a few things before you give it to your dog. Rawhide is meant to last for a while. A red flag should go up if you notice that your dog or puppy is ripping through a rawhide treat rather quickly. Rawhide really shouldn't be swallowed. If you find that your pet is swallowing the rawhide quickly, it might not be the right treat for them. Rawhide will expand when it is in your pet's stomach and if the piece is too big, this can be harmful. Your dog will have a hard time digesting large pieces of rawhide and it could cause problems. You really want your dog to gradually wearing down a rawhide dog bone. Digesting small amounts of rawhide is usually not an issue for most dogs. You will also want to make sure that your dog doesn't break off any small pieces of the treat. These pieces could get lodged in your dog's throat and as a result they could choke.
Be sure to supervise your dog when you give them any type of dog bone. Pay attention to how fast your dog consumes a rawhide treat. This will help you decide if you need to get your dog a larger bone.
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