What's the Real Story on Rawhide?

[Traci -Bexter & Maggie]

Is rawhide bad for dogs?  Does it depend on the dog's age?  Or does it depend on what type or where it's from?  Do any of you give your doodle rawhide chews?  Why or why not?  Thanks for the input!

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

Rawhide is an "only with adult supervision" toy for sure, and if your dog likes to devour things, rawhide is a big no-no.  Luna has a little rawhide bone, but she is only allowed to have it with supervision.. and all she does is carry it around, she doesn't actually chew it.  I guess she just likes the taste but doesn't want to eat it?

 

In any case - Have you tried Himalayan chews? (Everest chews) - they're made from milk and lime juice and are easy to digest. 

[Michael Gurley]

I do not give my dogs rawhide. My dachshund chews them just long enough to make them a little bit soggy, then swallows the largest piece she can get into her mouth. I have pried soggy rawhides out of her vicelike jaws before.

 

Sunny is ok with rawhides, but she doesn't seem to like them too much. She just plays with them and tosses them in the air until the dachshund steals them and swallows them.

 

Now Sunny can have a rawhide in her crate or when she's at someone else's house, but I always watch her while she chews on them (rarely for more than a minute... then she gets bored) but she can't have them at home due to the dachshund.