Lets’ take a look at some safe alternatives to Rawhide for your rescue. There are some good options out there. Raw bones can splinter becoming dangerous if caught in a dog’s’ digestive tract. Rawhide that you purchased from the store often has preservatives, chemicals or other additives, and other plastic chew toys can crumble and get caught in the digestive tract.
Crunchy treats can assist with keeping your dog’s teeth and gums healthy, and dependent upon the type of treat, it can even help freshen your dog’s breath.
Safe Alternatives that Offer Nutrients and Crunch.
The #1 Rawhide Substitute – The Bully Stick:
The Bully Stick is a great go-to substitute to rawhide. They give off kind of a weird funky order, but your dogs will love them. Another plus is Bully Sticks do not splinter. As a matter of fact, the only downside to the Bully Stick is they do not last very long because your dog will like them so much. Even though the Bully Stick is brown colored, you don’t need to worry about it staining your carpet.
It is perfectly fine for your rescue dog to digest these sticks. Just make sure you get Bully Sticks that are all natural with no added chemicals or other preservatives.
Interesting fact: The Bully Stick comes from the dried penis (aka pizzle) of a bull and are filled with nutrients.
Whole Raw Carrots:
One of the easiest things you can do is give a dog a whole carrot. Just cut off the stems. There is no need to skin the carrots. Just give it to your dog and they’ll will really enjoy them, all though the carrot won’t last long. To up the ante and make the carrots even more irresistible to your dog, marinade the carrots in chicken broth for at least 30 minutes to an hour before giving to your dog. They will love this healthy safe treat. As an added bonus, carrots help to keep your dog’s teeth clean.
Celery:
You will only want to give your dog bite size pieces as too much celery can upset a dog’s stomach if eaten in abundance. If you want to add a tiny bit of peanut butter to the celery that is OK, but not too much because most peanut butter purchased at the store has quite a bit of salt. As an added benefit, celery will also help to freshen your dog’s breath.
Green Beans:
Green beans are a great crunchy alternative dog treat when given raw. They are chalk full of vitamins and minerals. You can also serve them steamed, but don’t steam them too long because they may lose some nutrients and what dog wants a soggy green bean. Also, do not add salt to the green beans. If giving them to your dog out of a can, make sure to go with a low salt can.
Cucumbers:
According to the American Kennel Club, cumbers are a great low-calorie snack and your rescue will enjoy them for their crunch.
Cucumbers are perfectly safe for dogs to eat, and offer a low-calorie, crunchy snack that many dogs love. Cucumbers only contain about 8 calories per one-half cup of slices, compared to the 40 calories in a single medium biscuit, and are very low in sodium and fat.
You will just need to make sure you do not give your dog too much. Cucumber should only make up approximately 10 percent of the dog’s daily diet.
Apple Slices:
Another tasty crunchy treat for your dog is apple slices. Notice how we say apple slices and NOT whole apples. The core of an apple is dangerous for dogs as the seeds contain a deadly toxin called cyanide. If you google cyanide or if you watch murder / homicide shows you will find out all you need to know about this toxin. However, giving your dog tasty apple slices is perfectly safe, just make sure they don’t eat too much. Slices from one apple is more than enough.
Other Rawhide Options:
Salmon Skin Bones:
They are not always easy to find and not something you come across often, but salmon skin bones make a great healthy treat for your furry friend. There are beneficial fats and nutrients in salmon. Chewing one of these bones could also help the sheen on your dogs coat. It would probably be best to monitor your pet while chewing the salmon as it can be quite chewy and tough. You don’t want your furry companion to choke.
Are Pig Ears the Same as Rawhide?
An Honorable mention would be Pig Ears. Pig Ears are a different than Rawhide in that they are primarily cartilage and fat. The downside is that your dog can eat and digest them very quickly, so they will not hold your dogs attention for that long.
Are Pigs Ears Safe for Dogs?:
Generally speaking pigs ears are safe, but they do not necessarily come without risks. There have been instances where pig ears have led to the transfer of salmonella to your canine companion. It is important to know where pigs ears come from because in some parts of the world, health and manufacturing guidelines when it comes to pets are not the same in many instances.
If you are going to give your dog pigs ears, try to stick with a manufacture based somewhere in the U.S. If you rescue pet becomes ill, it is easier to trace the source if the manufacture is based in the United States. The CDC issued a warning about the dangers of pig ears a few years ago. Here is a link to that case: Click Here to link to that case.
Another matter of note concerning pigs ears, they have a higher fat content than other options such as bully sticks and cow ears.
- There is a risk of giving your pet salmonella.
- Owners of pets could potentially get salmonella through the handling of pig ears.
We hope this article has been helpful in some way. There are actually many more safe alternatives to Rawhide not mentioned here, but we felt it would be beneficial to mention some of them. Have fun with your furry friend!
