Rawhide is one of those dog treats that many people know are thoroughly unhealthy and somewhat dangerous, yet almost an equal amount of people are completely unaware of the risks of this longstanding staple of the dog treat industry. Education is key.

What is Rawhide?
In short, it is a by-product of the leather industry that has been chemically treated many times over and then moulded into various shapes to make it attractive to the dog-owning public.

1^st – to preserve the hide.
2^nd – to remove hairs and any attached fat.
3^rd – to separate the rawhide from the top layer which will go on to be made into leather products.
4^th – to whiten the rawhide.
5^th – further preservatives plus a varying array of artificial flavourings and colourings.

Rawhide is certainly not raw; it is heavily processed.

So, Why Do People Keep Buying Them?
One thing that rawhide does do relatively well is that it lasts. It keeps dogs busy chewing, often for hours or even days. If a new owner wants to distract his young puppy from chewing the furniture, or an owner of a bored, destructive dog needs to go to work for several hours, then what is easier than throwing a rawhide chew their way…?

The worst thing about that second example is that the dog is being left alone with the chew for a long period of time. If you are choosing to buy rawhide, have you checked the label? There should be a clear warning of the (very real) potential for choking and blockages to occur. This will be distressing enough if you are present and can rush your dog to a veterinary practice quickly (and then have to watch your dog go through extensive surgery to remove the hazardous blockage), but what if your dog is alone when this occurs? It just doesn’t bear thinking about…

The bottom line is that these chews offer no nutritional value yet pose significant risk.

Looking for healthy dog treats with simple, natural ingredients that you can trust? Look no further than the TP Feeds range.

Related Articles:
6 Ingredients To Avoid When Buying Dog Treats
When Is A Dog Treat Not A Treat For Dogs?