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Paw parents love to give their pets the best treats. When your pooch is teething, deserves a reward, or needs something to calm his anxiety down, we often choose rawhides as their treats. But which ones have a great reputation when it comes to vets and pet parents alike?
7 Best Rawhides For Dogs
- Best Overall: Castor & Pollux Good Buddy Rawhide Treats
- Best for Small/Toy Dogs: Dingo Mini Bones Dog Treats
- Best for Larger Dogs: Good ‘n’ Fun Triple Flavor Kabobs Chicken
- Pet Parents’ Favorite: Pet Factory Rawhides
- Best in Flavor: Pet Factory Peanut Butter Beefhide
- Best for All Ages: Best Bully Sticks
- Best Natural Rawhide: Pet Magasin Natural Rawhide Chips
Best Overall: Castor & Pollux Good Buddy Rawhide Treats
Key Features:
- With natural chicken flavor.
- Sourced from USA-raised beef.
- Made in the US
- Comes in 4 sizes
Pet parents love the smell of Castor & Pollux Good Buddy Rawhide Treats. These treats are made in the US, which assures you of the quality. These are made only from US-raised beef and are never bleached or treated with harmful chemicals.
Castor & Pollux Good Buddy Rawhide Treats are available in 4 different sizes. These are also affordable and are worth every penny. So, if you want a tasty and good-smelling rawhide for your pooch, be sure to add Castor & Pollux Good Buddy Rawhide Treats to your list.
Best for Small/Toy Dogs: Dingo Mini Bones Dog Treats
Key Features:
- Packed with protein
- With Chicken Wrapped With Premium Rawhide
- Comes in 8 colors
Many pet parents of small and toy breeds can’t get enough of Dingo Mini Bones Dog Treats. These tiny bones are packed with protein and are made with real chicken meat. it contains no fillers, which means you are basically feeding your dog with nothing but tasty and safe-to-eat treats.
Best for Larger Dogs: Good ‘n’ Fun Triple Flavor Kabobs Chicken
Key Features:
- Wrapped With Premium Real Meat (Hearty Liver, Premium Chicken, and Wholesome Duck)
- Unique shapes
- Long-lasting
- Comes in 9 sizes
Good boys only deserve the best tasting treats like Good ‘n’ Fun Triple Flavor Kabobs Chicken. These gourmet rawhide treats come with real premium meat, ensuring undeniable goodness with every bite. If you are after a gourmet rawhide dog treat for your pooch, consider this as your next investment.
Pet Parents’ Favorite: Pet Factory Rawhides
Key Features:
- Made from corn-fed US-raised beef
- No harmful and artificial ingredients
- With more and thicker fibers
- With natural scent and taste
- Manufactured under GFSI quality standards
- 8 inches long
If you want to feed your best bud with rawhides made from US cattle and undergo GFSI quality standards, then choose Pet Factory Rawhides. These are 8-inches long, tasty, and are long-lasting treats made with no artificial flavors. It received many great reviews from other pet parents looking for quality and long-lasting rawhides for their pets.
Best in Flavor: Pet Factory Peanut Butter Beefhide
Key Features:
- Peanut-butter flavored
- Braided design
- Very gentle for sensitive tummy
- Made under strict GFSI food quality standard
- 100% made in USA
- Comes in 3 flavors and 2 sizes
Most dogs can’t say no to peanut butter, let alone ignore a peanut-flavored beefhide. This is one thing that sets Pet Factory Peanut Butter Beefhide on top of every pet parent’s list. It has everything one might possibly want for their best buddy’s beefhide, including strict quality production, great-tasting flavors, and safe, natural ingredients.
Best for All Ages: Best Bully Sticks
Key Features:
- Single-ingredient dog treat
- Protein-packed
- Low-fat
- Natural scent
- Moderate moisture content
- Comes in 5 styles and 2 sizes
Best Bully Sticks are free from any artificial flavoring, chemicals, and additives. These last longer thanks to their moderate moisture content, and are easily digested even by dogs with sensitive stomachs. This doubles as an extra oral health aid, making your pet’s teeth cleaner and his breath smelling fresher.
Best Natural Rawhide: Pet Magasin Natural Rawhide Chips
Key Features:
- Low calories
- Randomly-shaped chips
- All-natural beef flavor
- Treated with bacteria
- No preservatives and chemicals
- 3 years shelf-life
Pet Magasin Natural Rawhide Chips are naturally-flavored, thick, natural beef flavor, and low in calories. Pet parents love these for they have a longer shelf life and promote better oral health and reduce chewing tendencies on dogs. With this as your next treat to your pooch, you can finally discourage him from chewing and gnawing on random items in your home.
What is Rawhide Made Of?
Rawhides are raw inner layers of a cow’s hide made for the dog’s chewing pleasures. Some makers add great tasting flavors to rawhides. These are made to help dogs with their oral health, discourage random chewing, and in keeping them engaged.
Are Rawhides Safe For Dogs?
Rawhides, like all great things, have their own pros and cons. In general, most rawhides are relatively safe for dogs since these are made with caution and only the best ingredients. Dogs can enjoy chewing on their yummy treat and have their teeth cleaned at the same time.
However, there are also cons related to chewing rawhides.
- Dogs sometimes choke on a piece of rawhide that is a bit too big to pass in his esophagus.
- Rougher and harder rawhides can result in broken teeth as well as bleeding gums and mouth.
- Some rawhides are treated with harmful chemicals, which, when ingested, can make them harder and trickier to digest.
- Digestive issues can arise like when rawhides cause vomiting, diarrhea, and even intestinal blockages.
Benefits of Rawhides
There are lots of great reasons why pet parents buy the best rawhides for their dogs. Some of these are as follows.
- Gives dogs a positive distraction
- Make them happy by stimulating their love for chewing
- Promote oral and dental health
Things to Consider When Buying a Rawhide
Made in the USA
Rawhides made in the USA are usually the best options available. They follow the highest standards possible and make rawhides with safety and quality in mind. Other countries known for their quality rawhides are Australia, Canada, New Zealand, or Western Europe.
Rawhide Types
There are three main types of rawhides.
Compressed
Compressed rawhides are made of multiple sheets compressed together. The result is hard, dense, and longer-lasting rawhide. These are perfect for large dog breeds.
Granulated
Granulated rawhides are crumbly, making them a better choice for pups. One needs to stock up on these if your pooch is still a pup.
Rolled/cut
Rawhides are cut into many strips and then rolled over the top of each other. These resemble a thick bone. Dogs end up having chunks of rawhides after he starts chewing on them.
Quality
Premium quality rawhides are worth the hype since these are made with only the finest and freshest ingredients. They last longer, are not treated with chemicals, have natural colors and tastes, and are generally safer. These also carry a tinge of animal odor and give your pooch some serious jaw exercise.
Alternatives to Rawhides
If you don’t have any rawhides available, these are the best alternatives you can serve.
Frozen marrow bones
The largest hip bones are the marrow bones and contain lots of marrows. These yummy-tasting pieces of heaven have healthy nutrients like calcium and protein. Give your pooch a couple of these each month and he will surely love you more each month.
Raw bones
The majority of dogs have low raw bones. These are generally sturdy, tasty, and harmless. You are sure to give him a great number of jaw workouts by giving him raw bones as a treat.
Antlers
Deers use their antlers to get stuck in vines and bushes. These are also a great treat for dogs that need to chew more. Note that one should never give antlers to senior dogs and pups as these are really tough, to begin with.
Edible dental chews
Edible dental chews are, well, safe to eat. These come with different footprints and sizes. These can be perfect whether you have a toy pooch or a gentle giant.
Hooves
Who would have thought that hooves can be extraordinary treats? When animal hooves are no longer fit for running, kicking, and scratching, you can give some to your pooch. Watch him gnaw and chew on some tasty hooves and this will also massage his gums and clean his teeth.
Tail bones
Tail bones are another rawhide alternative that can come from different sources. They are sturdy, which means even one of these will last for a very, very long time. Just make sure to research the protein source before buying.
Pig Ears
There is simply something in pig ears that makes dogs want to chew on them all night. For your furry friends, areas are tasty and chewy. So, consider this the next time you are out in the market.
Bully Sticks
These are great treats made from dried penis tendons. Dogs have a strange love for bully sticks, so you might want to consider giving one to your pooch. Consider the manufacturer before buying to avoid buying one that smells.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the safest rawhide for dogs?
US-made rawhides are considered the safest for dogs. Those made in Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and Western Europe are also safer compared to Asian-made rawhides. To make sure you are giving safe rawhides, consider the following tips.
- Rawhides are fresh and are not rotting
- It must have a meat-like smell
- The rawhide is thick
- The rawhide’s inside is not white and should be intact
How much rawhide should I give my dog?
It is essential that you limit the amount of rawhide you give to your best buddy. Overdoing it can lead to your pooch suffering from vomiting, stomach ulcers, and other gastric issues. Rawhides are also rich in calories, which can further hurt his weight.
In general, 1 stick of rawhide is usually enough each day. If the treats are tiny, you can give them up to 2 pieces.
Can puppies have rawhides?
Yes, you can give your puppy rawhides. However, there are many considerations you need to keep in mind. These are the following.
- Young pups still need time developing their teeth. It is best to give your puppy rawhides after reaching their 6 months.
- Some dogs have a hard time digesting rawhides. Since pups are still growing, they may not be able to tolerate rawhides. Remember that even adult dogs can’t digest 1 large piece of rawhide in one go, which means pups take longer.
Can I give my dog rawhide everyday?
Generally, yes. But make sure to limit his rawhide intake to 1 piece per day.
Conclusion
Rawhides, when given to dogs with precaution, can be a great way to maintain good oral health. These are excellent in keeping dogs engaged, in helping teething dogs soothe sore teeth, when he deserves a reward, or when he is feeling anxious. Buying the best rawhide in the market will help you guarantee the rawhides’ safety, quality, and taste.