# Rawhide alternatives



## armatis68 (Aug 20, 2011)

My dog puppy recently had some difficulties with some rawhide (a mentioned this on some earlier post) and was wondering if anyone can recommend a chew treat similar to rawhide that is healthy and safe for pugs. Bunk loves rawhide, but I'm afraid he likes it a little _too_ much and makes it really difficult for us to take the rawhide away from him (we don't want to leave it with him unsupervised because he swallowed one the other day). We currently give him one _Greenie_ the every night, which he loves, and are looking for something similar.

Thanks!


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## Abbylynn (Jul 7, 2011)

I quit with the rawhide.....too dangerous. Nylabone makes all kinds of chews I hear. I am going to try a couple next week. I am sure someone else has some other goodies to tell you about. The rawhides can get caught in their intestines also and cause a major blockage that could be fatal or cause a need for surgery according to what I understand. They are not just a choking hazard.  Any kind of chew should be supervised no matter what.


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## katielou (Apr 29, 2010)

Bully sticks (if you have a big lots near you they have 2 6" sticks for $3 a lot of the time)
Antlers
Himalayan dog chews
Sweet potato chews
Zukes i think so a greenie type treat that is better.
Raw bones.


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## armatis68 (Aug 20, 2011)

Thanks guys! This really helps because the rawhides did bunk a lot of good in the sense that it calmed him down and was a great way to get him out of the crate without us having to worry about him chewing everything up. @ KatieLou I'll look up some of your suggestions and let you know if I use them. The antlers sound kind of interesting...


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## saitenyo (Sep 9, 2011)

Pardon my ignorance on this, I've actually been trying to learn more about safe chews recently, both for my cats currently and for my eventual dog. What makes bully sticks safer than rawhide? I don't know much about the difference in how they're produced. 

Also I've heard a lot of mixed things about Nylabones, such as those potentially causing blockages as well if the dog bites off large pieces. My family did use them for our dogs without incident though. Are they generally pretty safe?


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## lulusmom (Nov 12, 2008)

Rawhide does not break down so depending on how big of a piece a dog swallows, it can cause blockage requiring surgery. Poop patrol is a good thing to see if the rawhide is passed. If you can't find it, let your vet know and watch for signs of distress. I posted on another thread about almost losing my dog when he got a piece stuck in his esophagus. Rawhides are dangerous and unfortunately dogs and cats don't have the benefit of an FDA so it's even more important that us pet owners educate ourselves and act in our pet's best interest.


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## armatis68 (Aug 20, 2011)

It looks like Bunk has survived this one, but he's not going to be getting anymore any time soon.


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## heidiann (Feb 3, 2008)

We give our dogs Dried Beef Trachea instead of rawhide. The LOVE it!!

http://www.amazon.com/Bravo-Dried-Beef-Trachea-Treats/dp/B000WFEOPA


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## AliciaInTX (Sep 13, 2011)

Our pup loves her braided bully stick! She goes to bed with it each night.  It was one of the first things we bought for her when we brought her home a couple of weeks ago and she's barely made a dent in it but chews on it like crazy! I think they're a great deal.


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## Charis (Jul 12, 2009)

Antlers. They are like dog crack around here. They adore them - they come in all sizes and a variety of "hardness" - with some being softer and some being harder. They are awesome and the main chew around here. We also have everlasting treat balls which are nice for a hour or two respite but do not last near as long as the antlers (hours compared to weeks/months).


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