# Raw hides?



## mk9906 (Aug 16, 2007)

Ok, no shocker here...our 7 week old, Zach, chews everything. 

He had a couple of toys but they weren't good "chews" so I went last night and bought just about everything that they sell. 

I also got some raw hides, I gave him one and he LOVED it. It is the only thing that has held his attention for more than 30 seconds. I put him in the kitchen floor and was able to make a whole dinner without chasing him away from something. 

Please tell me these are safe for him? They are white, flat, very thin and maybe about 7 or 8" long. We never give him one that is wet or soft...we are going to let those dry out and only give him dry ones. We also would not let him have them while he is unsupervised. 

What do you think?


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## ShadowsParents (Feb 27, 2007)

Ohhhhhhhhh you're going to get MANY opinions on this one; I however, feel rawhides are okay in moderation. We do prefer the compressed rawhides though as they break apart better. Mind you, my dogs are pretty good with their raw hides, they don't try to get it down in one gulp. If they showed ANY signs of eating too quickly I would never give it to them again. 

Angie


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## Carsonsdaddy (Nov 1, 2006)

Same here....we don't give them on a regular basis, but Carson is pretty good with them, and doesn't try and eat the whole thing in one sitting. In fact he's had one for a week or so and hasn't really made any headway on it.


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## lovestofly (Feb 25, 2007)

Please if you choose to allow him to have them NEVER leave him unsupervised with them. When Putz was about that age he had a piece stuck in his throat, luckily we were both home, Hubby held his mouth open and I pulled it out of his throat. He surely would have died. I haven't given them to him since. I know people do give them to their pups, I did too until this happened so please be careful. Oh, He wasn't making any noise so that we would know that he was choking - he was opening and closing his mouth trying to get it unstuck, luckily hubby noticed that was not normal and we got it out for him.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

lovestofly said:


> Please if you choose to allow him to have them NEVER leave him unsupervised with them. When Putz was about that age he had a piece stuck in his throat, luckily we were both home, Hubby held his mouth open and I pulled it out of his throat. He surely would have died. I haven't given them to him since. I know people do give them to their pups, I did too until this happened so please be careful. Oh, He wasn't making any noise so that we would know that he was choking - he was opening and closing his mouth trying to get it unstuck, luckily hubby noticed that was not normal and we got it out for him.


That was my experience too. My dog was choking on a piece stuck in the back of his throat and I had to reach down in his throat and pull it out. I don't give rawhide anymore.

You could try Nyla bones, they have edible Nyla bones and durable chew ones too. A kong with treats stuck inside with peanut butter will hold his attention for a while too. I know puppies need things to chew, so I hope you find something safe and that holds his attention.


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## AquaClaraCanines (Mar 5, 2006)

Nope, don't do it...


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## Carsonsdaddy (Nov 1, 2006)

mylissyk said:


> That was my experience too. My dog was choking on a piece stuck in the back of his throat and I had to reach down in his throat and pull it out. I don't give rawhide anymore.


Just a thought....that could happen with anything. Yes, I know, it happens with rawhide alot, but it can happen with anything, toys, sticks, treats...etc. I guess my caution would be just don't leave your pup alone with anything to chew on...you never know what could happen.


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## AquaClaraCanines (Mar 5, 2006)

Rawhide is a common cause of choking and/or internal blockage.

I have had to yank a slimey, vile piece of rawhide out of more than one dog's gob. They also tend to cause dog fights. They ruin coat, too. If you care at all about your Golden's pretty feathering, you won't give rawhide. That is a minor reason not to compared to choking or internal blockage- but it's yet another to add to the list!


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## sharlin (Feb 26, 2007)

I don't give rawride for two reasons: food aggresiveness within the pack and choking/blockage.


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## woodysmama (Feb 25, 2007)

ShadowsParents said:


> Ohhhhhhhhh you're going to get MANY opinions on this one; I however, feel rawhides are okay in moderation. We do prefer the compressed rawhides though as they break apart better. Mind you, my dogs are pretty good with their raw hides, they don't try to get it down in one gulp. If they showed ANY signs of eating too quickly I would never give it to them again.
> 
> Angie


 

LOL...U got that right....LOL.....Myself....Woody gets NO rawhide......Ive seen too many dogs choke.


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## mk9906 (Aug 16, 2007)

Wow, I wouldn't have guess they were so dangerous. He has some of the nyla chews. They are flavored but Zach doesn't care for them. 

I have tried everything to get him to chew because I know chewing is important for the development of their teeth. But so far the raw hides are the only thing that have worked. 

I have watched him with it and he's very careful. He actually hasn't "eaten" any of it yet. And it would be easy for him to if he wanted becasue they are so thin. So far, he just chews. 

I think the treats in the kong might work too. What sort of treats would you recommend? I don't want them to interfere with his diet.


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## Luvinmygoldens (Jul 16, 2007)

I have the same problem. I'm trying to find something for my almost 4 month old Cooper to chew on so he'll be occupied sometimes and for exercising his jaw. I've given him rawhide a couple of times and he threw up within hours each time. So, I no longer give rawhide. I also started worrying about choking and intestinal blockage. Cooper likes only some of the Nylabones. The easier to chew ones made for puppies is what he likes. But, he seems to get too big of chunks off that too cause he has thrown up after chewing one of those too (chunks of it came out so I know that's what made him sick). It was a large one too and said it was made for puppies up to 50 lbs, so I thought it would be OK for him. The more durable Nylabones that are much harder to chew, he has NO interest in. My next thing to try will be a Kong with a treat of some kind inside.


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## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

I would put peanut butter inside the kong, maybe some little treats that he has to work out. There are many kind of kongs on the market that do many different things so find one that may work for you. Also get one that is made in USA. Some are made in China.


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## norabrown (Jul 20, 2007)

Samson is 4 months and NEEDING to chew. I've been doing things with a teething Kong and I bought an actual beef femur for him. He also threw up when given a raw-hide.

My question is...do any of you who do not use raw-hides use bully sticks? I read they are supposed to be easier to digest. And I wondered if they still get caught in the throat so easily. I had no idea what these were until a few of the neighborhood kids were very interested in wondering if I gave them to Samson. They were curious enough and acted strange enough that I did a google on them. So, yes, I do know what they are made from. I don't have a problem with that. I just don't want to give Samson anything bad for him.


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## woodysmama (Feb 25, 2007)

Bully sticks are actually good for them.....very good in fact. Again, they just have to be supervised but if I gave anything it would be the Bully Stick. But im such a big jerk chicken, that I'd be petrified something would happen...I gave him a Booda Bone once but I held the end of it the whole time, he finally got disgusted and walked off.


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## sophiesadiehannah's mom (Feb 11, 2007)

i give my girls rawhides every once in awhile, however look at the package carefully to see where it comes from, i only buy made in the usa and that is difficult to find at times. pet factory is made in usa.


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## marshab1 (Aug 28, 2006)

I used to give Tinkerbell rawhides at that age. She needed the chewing. We started witht eh flat ones, and then had to graduate to the rolls. Then one day she was even devouring those very quick. I did have to pull pieces out of ehr mouth a few times. But she never actually got to the choking point because ffrom here I had learned to watch for it. But it takes forever for rawhide to digest, so when she devoured a whole roll she then didn't eat much, had the runs and then even started throwing up. That was th last of the rawhides. But she was about 8 months old when that started happening. Aas a young teething pup with supervison, you should be ok for a while. But please supervise.

Tinkerbell does not like nylabones, never has. What she does like is the smoked bones you get at the pet store, or in the meat department at the grocery store. She started with the ham bones, then some knuckle bones, and now knuckles and femurs. These are still how we get thru the day. She is a big chewer, but she doesn't chew anything besides her bones and paper. She has a ton of toys and none of them get destroyed. but bones she gets a new one every 7 - 10 days. We always 3 or 4 laying around.


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## Oaklys Dad (Dec 28, 2005)

I think it all depends on the dog. I personally never liked the thin flat ones and always gave the ones knotted on both ends. Like everyone above said be sure not to let them have them unattended ever. Some dogs do well with them and others do not. My last dog would have a new one every few days. Oakly is not so into them so though he has had them on occasion he much prefers the raw butcher marrow bones. They are a bit nasty for a few days but he absolutely treasures them.


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## Goldndust (Jul 30, 2005)

Every dog i've owned has had rawhides, but I don't give the flat ones. One aggressive chewer I had began choking on one while at the vets office, the vet tech threw it down to him.

I myself give the rolled up ones with no ends, I supervise at all times while they have them and I take them the minute they start getting smaller and pitch them in the garbage.


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## Bailey & Bentley (Feb 25, 2007)

I would have to say no to rawhides. I have heard too many bad things to give my them to my dogs such as choking and chemicals. I would suggest a marrow bone instead that you would buy at the meat section of your market. Even then I would always supervise a dog with these too.


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