# Alternative to rawhide chews



## flphotog (Sep 23, 2015)

I'm looking for a good alternative to rawhide chews for my Cavalier puppy. He loves to chew and devours the rawhide pretty quickly, then winds up with diarrhea.
I've tried bully sticks and he eats them pretty quickly as well with the same effect. This puppy has a set of jaws on him.
Looking at deer antlers but getting mixed reviews, does anyone have any thoughts on these.
Also looking at Jones Natural Chews, any thoughts.
He does seem to have a pretty sensitive stomach so that is a concern.
He has been checked by the vet many times and has no health issues other than a sensitive stomach.


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## Zeytin (Nov 20, 2015)

Antlers are great if you don't have a strong chewer. I can't give my dog antlers because she chews with all her strength which leads to cracked/broken teeth. For my tough chewer, I really like tendons. Her favorite chew is bison tendons but you can usually find them in a variety of proteins. Tracheas are great too but they're not very long lasting. My dog sure loves them though! She likes pig ears too but I'm not sure if those are good er not. Lots of mixed opinions. I've heard chicken feet are good but I haven't tried those yet.


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## Annageckos (Mar 21, 2015)

Any treat eaten in excess can cause the runs. You may need to make sure he doesn't eat as much. I do not feed rawhide, at all. My guys get bully sticks, beef trachea, deer/elk antlers, water buffalo horns, tendons and of course raw bones. The thing with the harder things, antler and such is to know your dog. I would be hesitant to give them to a hard chewer, I'd be afraid of a broken tooth. There also pig hid chews, I use to give these but haven't in many years. No reason in particular, the dogs liked them. But because of raw feeding my guys don't have a huge need for other chews. They get all their chewing in their diet. With a dog the size of a CKS I'd look into something like pork neck bones(raw, not cooked or smoked). But I know not everyone is comfortable with that. I would suggest you stay away from the smoked/dry bones that they sell at the pet stores. Cooked bones can splinter, any type of bone not just chicken bones. Many times you're fine, but it does happen. Raw bones are safer, they don't splinter like cooked bones do.


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## flphotog (Sep 23, 2015)

For a small puppy he definitely puts his all into chewing. Just gave him a raw carrot to chew on and he is loving it so far. I'll take it away when he starts to eat to much of it, but for the moment it's keeping him happy.


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## Annageckos (Mar 21, 2015)

Have you tried freezing something like a bully stick. That may slow him down and would be great for teething if he hasn't gone through that already.


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## Dog Person (Sep 14, 2012)

If your thinking about antlers I think the split ones are a little "softer" but are by no means soft. I also think different animal antlers are softer - Elk vs dear - no sure which is which , if either.

Maybe freezing the carrots will make a difference. Frozen Kong?


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## doodlebug124 (Oct 31, 2015)

Elk antlers are softer than deer. Antlers also come in different grades...A thru D. Grade A are the freshest and also the softest. Older antlers are usually grayish or chalky looking and often have cracks in them. They are harder. Antlers are composed of bone on the outside and marrow in the middle. A whole antler means chewing thru the bone to get to the marrow, so they're tougher on the teeth. Split antlers expose the marrow making it easier to chew and but also not so long lasting. It's also very important the get the right size antler. And the part where the antler attaches to the head (I think it's called the burr) is extremely hard.

I sell a ton of cow ears. They're cheap and last fairly well for the price. They're not greasy like pig ears and they digest easier. Himalayan Dog Chews are really popular, they're a really hard cheese made from Yak milk. Most dogs digest them pretty well. Trachea usually have a lot of fat on them, I would avoid them given his digestive issues. 

The people that make Himalayan Dog Chews also have a product called Ruff Roots, they are basically the root of some special tree that doesn't splinter. So if you have a dog that likes to chew on sticks these are a safer choice. 

The new "craze" in the dog treat industry is a product by Earth Animal called No Hide. It looks like a rawhide with ground raw chicken brushed on it but the "hide" part is made from chicken, gelatin, brown rice, eggs, and olive oil. I haven't seen new product fly off the shelves like these in the 5+ years I've been in business. They will also be introducing 3 new flavors...beef, salmon or veggie. They had said November, but I haven't seen them yet, I assume they're delayed because they can't keep up with the chicken demand.


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## Annageckos (Mar 21, 2015)

I completely forgot about the himalayan dog chews. My dogs like them, but go through fazes. They leave them for a while then chew them up in a night or two. The good thing about these are that you can microwave the ends and they puff up into a crunchy treat. I have one of the roots too but my dane has only carried it around and left it on the steps so far.


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## Kathyy (Jun 15, 2008)

Try roughly figuring out the calories he has chewed up and reducing the following meal. Little dogs don't need much food, perhaps those chews are just plain too much food. Even that raw carrot could add some calories even though he likely will mostly just poo it right out. Carrots and other veggies don't count as part of a good diet but even rawhide adds protein and you can substitute 25% of his food for good quality treat calories without damaging the overall nutrition he is getting.

Himalayan chews are extremely high in calories, 350 for a small one. Fortunately most dogs won't go through a whole one in one go, just watch it.
A rawhide chew has about 80 calories per ounce, much better. Not a fan of rawhides. I liked giving pig/cow ears and bully sticks which are low in fat if not flavored but would be a lot of calories for a little pup if completely consumed, something like 200 calories each. That's nearly a day's worth of calories right there.
Antlers would be low calorie for sure.
Try other types of veggies too. Sweet potato is high calorie, avoid them. Try giving a thick broccoli stem sometime, it is low calorie.


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## doodlebug124 (Oct 31, 2015)

Kathyy said:


> Himalayan chews are extremely high in calories, 350 for a small one. Fortunately most dogs won't go through a whole one in one go, just watch it.


Himalayan chews are 125 calories per oz. The package of small pieces is 3.5 oz and contains 3-5 pieces. So the small ones range from 87 - 145 depending on how many pieces are in the bag. 




Kathyy said:


> I liked giving pig/cow ears and bully sticks which are low in fat if not flavored but would be a lot of calories for a little pup if completely consumed, something like 200 calories each.


Bully stick calories depend on thickness and length. A "standard" bully is about 20 calories per inch. So a 6" stick would be about 80 calories. 



Kathyy said:


> Sweet potato is high calorie, avoid them. Try giving a thick broccoli stem sometime, it is low calorie.


Sam's Yams regular sweet potato chews are about 40 calories each. Yeah a broccoli stem is less, but the sweet potatoes aren't awful.

The dog is a puppy so it needs higher calories anyway. Of course the OP should be monitoring weight and adjusting as needed.


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## Luxorien (Jun 11, 2014)

I had a similar issue with mine and it was just too much rawhide. I reduced the amount and he was fine. He also seemed to do better with the unflavored stuff. I don't know if my dog's tummy is sensitive in the same way yours is, but maybe that will help.

I haven't tried the other types mentioned b/c my dog was hospitalized overnight for a bowel obstruction and vet said only rawhide or greenies going forward. :\ Vet might have some ideas for your particular dog? Did they say anything about it when they gave him a clean bill of health?


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## doodlebug124 (Oct 31, 2015)

Luxorien said:


> vet said only rawhide or greenies going forward.


This makes no sense to me, rawhides are known for causing blockages.


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## Luxorien (Jun 11, 2014)

Literally anything can cause a blockage, especially if the dog is a gulper (mine was). But I was told rawhide has less risk than, for instance, nylabone, because it is softer. But, yeah, if you swallow a big enough piece of anything, it's going to cause problems.

I'd be interested in seeing some statistics on this - do you know where I might find that information?


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## doodlebug124 (Oct 31, 2015)

Well, yeah...if you compare a rawhide to something completely indigestible like a Nylabone, then it's the better choice. Things like bully sticks, cow ears, himalayan chews etc. are completely digestible making them less likely to cause a problem.

Rawhide is not really digestible. It will absorb fluids and actually expand making it a serious blockage hazard. Rawhides made from a solid sheet pose less hazard as the dog isn't likely to chew off big pieces. But rawhides made from compressed pieces can "disassemble" during chewing giving the dog the opportunity swallow bigger pieces. 

In addition, the vast majority of rawhides come out of China. Rawhides are a by-product of the leather industry and most of the hides from US cattle are sent to China for processing. The preserving process makes them very salty but doesn't do a good job of preserving and most of the time they're rotting by the time they're processed. Then a bunch of chemicals are introduced to split the inner layers of the hide from the outside (rawhides are made from the inner layer), eliminate bacteria and make the end product look good. IMO none of this can be good for a dog.

Rawhides processed in the US do not have the same level of chemicals introduced but can't avoid them totally due to the nature of the product. But if you're set on using rawhides, the best choice is US produced and made from a solid sheet. Be careful reading labels as many companies are elusive about their labeling..."Made from US Cattle" doesn't mean it was processed in the US. Also be aware that many Chinese companies have no compunction about labeling things "Made in the US". 

No, I really don't have any sources for you...just years of reading about these types products.


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## Annageckos (Mar 21, 2015)

doodlebug124 says it much better than I could. Thank you. This is a big reason I will not feed rawhide. Plus I've done some work with hides and I know all the chemicals that are used to make leather or prepare hides for taxidermy. Also the hides used for leather come from all kinds of cows, healthy, sick, dead for days in the heat waiting to be picked up. My vet doesn't recommend rawhide, many vets don't. I'm actually surprised your vet says they are good. Personally I'd be looking for a new vet. But that is just me.


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## elrohwen (Nov 10, 2011)

Antlers are great. Besides deer there are elk and moose antlers. The ones that are split, exposing the softer inside, will probably work best for a dog of his size. Himalayan chews are good though some dogs can go through those quickly.


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## philovance (Jan 7, 2009)

doodlebug124 said:


> Rawhides processed in the US do not have the same level of chemicals introduced but can't avoid them totally due to the nature of the product. But if you're set on using rawhides, the best choice is US produced and made from a solid sheet. Be careful reading labels as many companies are elusive about their labeling..."Made from US Cattle" doesn't mean it was processed in the US. Also be aware that many Chinese companies have no compunction about labeling things "Made in the US".
> 
> No, I really don't have any sources for you...just years of reading about these types products.


We've been very happy with Wholesome Hides which I discovered via this article in the Whole Dog Journal: Finding the Right Rawhide Chew For Your Dog - Whole Dog Journal Article - http://is.gd/oOjJga

They are US made from one sheet without the chemicals found in rawhides made in China. Their website has some pretty convincing information.

I have never seen them in a brick and mortar store but they are available online from ebay, cherrybrook.com and Amazon. We buy the 9" retriever rolls and although they cost about $8 shipped they last a long time with our terrier. WH recommends letting the dog chew up to one hour a day and we let Emma have it roughly every other day so it lasts a couple of weeks. 

I also found some Kong rawhides on sale at Marshalls which I bought because I trust the Kong brand.

Otherwise we use Himalayan chews and Best Bully Sticks split elk antlers but the WH rawide is her favorite.

I was hoping for good things from beef trachea because they are cheap but the one time I let her have half of one she got diarrhea. She never gets sick from the other chews.


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## Dog Person (Sep 14, 2012)

I get the Good Buddy rawhides which are made in the US as well from US hides. http://www.castorpolluxpet.com/product/good-buddy-rawhide-mini-rolls I get them from chewy.

I know that they are (are becoming) a Purina company but if nothing changes then what the heck.

The mini rolls are about perfect for Zoey as she gets to chew for a while but they're not so big that she gets a tremendous amount.


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## Luxorien (Jun 11, 2014)

doodlebug124 said:


> Well, yeah...if you compare a rawhide to something completely indigestible like a Nylabone, then it's the better choice. Things like bully sticks, cow ears, himalayan chews etc. are completely digestible making them less likely to cause a problem...


Thanks for the details. I will continue to look into it!


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## Luxorien (Jun 11, 2014)

Annageckos said:


> doodlebug124 says it much better than I could. Thank you. This is a big reason I will not feed rawhide. Plus I've done some work with hides and I know all the chemicals that are used to make leather or prepare hides for taxidermy. Also the hides used for leather come from all kinds of cows, healthy, sick, dead for days in the heat waiting to be picked up. My vet doesn't recommend rawhide, many vets don't. I'm actually surprised your vet says they are good. Personally I'd be looking for a new vet. But that is just me.


I don't think he meant they were "good" just less likely to cause blockages than what I'd been feeding. I mean, I figure chews are pretty much junk food, so I didn't really consider the nutritional content. I'm glad you guys mentioned the risk of toxins- that is something I will have to investigate. The vet didn't say anything about antlers or other types of chews, either. I wonder if that's because he knows I'm cheap, lol. Maybe I will call and ask. I would certainly like to hear the reasoning behind it before I write him off.


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## doodlebug124 (Oct 31, 2015)

philovance said:


> We've been very happy with Wholesome Hides which I discovered via this article in the Whole Dog Journal: Finding the Right Rawhide Chew For Your Dog - Whole Dog Journal Article - http://is.gd/oOjJga


After seeing that WDJ article I remember reading it, so that was the source of at least some of my info. I didn't remember the Wholesome Hides product. After looking at their website, they only cover what processing they do. They do not talk about what happens during the tanning process....what chemicals are applied to separate the outer layer that becomes leather from the inner layer that becomes rawhide. I'm curious about that...



philovance said:


> I also found some Kong rawhides on sale at Marshalls which I bought because I trust the Kong brand.


I'd look at them carefully...no US flag or Made in US on the front. And they use that nebulous "Made from US Beef Hides".


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## Dogsignalfire (Nov 17, 2015)

For chews that are not totally edible:

Beef hocks! Or beef ankles... beef shins... same thing. 

We cut off most of the meat to make for dinner, and give the bone with a little bit of meat on it for the dogs. The bone is very solid and make a good chew for small to medium size dogs like Cavaliers. They might gradually scrape a little bit of the bone away over time, but it won't give your pup diarrhea like eating a ton of edible chews do.


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## Annageckos (Mar 21, 2015)

You need to be careful with beef bones, they are very hard and can break teeth. It's a know thy dog situation. I would never give them to a hard chewer. I do how ever get raw beef legs and knees for my dane. She strips the meat off and nibbles the bone. But she doesn't try cracking into the bone.


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## Kathyy (Jun 15, 2008)

Those beef legs sound really good, wish I found them around here but a slice of beef shank is all I see and that is super hard bone that wouldn't be safe for dogs to chew after the meat is gone. A whole beef shank and I'd go for it. Beef ribs work well and neck probably as well although I've never given them.

I don't like giving bare bone that is a chew the dog can carry around the house which is what OP is looking for. Even scraping hard can cause slab fractures. If you must then pork and lamb bone is softer than beef bone. Another issue is if the dog really gets a lot of bone off it can cause fossil poop which can be painful or even require a visit to the vet due to concrete hard poop. And another is a kibble diet always has more than enough calcium and too much calcium is really bad for dogs and even worse for pups. 

I'd be giving kongs smeared with stuff, bully sticks, plain beef ears and tendons. Tracheas are not much of a chew fun as they are to eat, maybe antlers if dog goes for them, maybe hooves or horns if you can stand the smell. I'd just reduce the food according to how much ear or bully stick or tendon went into the pup that day, they are all good additions to the diet being all protein. If my little dogs ate a whole ear that would be all the food they get that day and that would be just fine a couple times a week, other days they might get kibble as usual and maybe kongs smeared with a couple tablespoons of canned dog food and frozen or a teaspoon of peanut butter.


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## Annageckos (Mar 21, 2015)

http://dogboneguy.com/

That is who I get my bones from. I know he ships, but not sure on price. Freyja loves picking out her own bones when we see him at the flea market. All the dogs also love his dog biscuits. But beef bones are not for every dog. I actually break the legs open after they get all meat and goodies off the bone so they can get to the marrow. Then the bones are trashed. Pork bones are great but don't last my guys very long. Lamb and goat last longer but are harder to find.


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## LittleFr0g (Jun 11, 2007)

I just go to the butcher and get a bag of raw soup bones for Kuma. Cheap, healthy, and he loves them!


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## philovance (Jan 7, 2009)

doodlebug124 said:


> I'd look at them carefully...no US flag or Made in US on the front. And they use that nebulous "Made from US Beef Hides".


The Kong rawhides are made in Mexico. I'm just trusting the Kong brand. I got them for something like half price. I doubt I'd buy them on a regular basis.


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

I use hooves and horns for long lasting chews. Some split antlers as well. I bulk order from best bully sticks. The thing I love about hooves in particular is you can stuff them with wet food and freeze them. Hank really likes chewing on them too and they last a good while. They're also cheap and softer than bone. 

He likes himalayan chews but they're really expensive. 

Cow ears are another one we use but he's not a huge fan of them. The paps get sheep ears.

Tendons, tracheas, dried meat for the papillons. Gullet chips, etc. The paps take a while to chew something pretty soft especially Summer since she has few teeth.

EDIT: I know a lot of people don't like cow hooves but I've never had a problem with them. My dogs don't break off chunks, they just scrape at them.


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