So yes, I really gave my dogs rawhide…but organic rawhide for dogs!
This particular type of rawhide is different from the traditional kind. Just FYI, I refuse to offer my dogs any traditional rawhide dog chews because of the chemicals they’re treated with.
Disclaimer: K9sOverCoffee received a free 4×4″ organic rawhide from K9RawFeeding‘s Su Cahill in return for an honest review.
Update 2022: Unfortunately, K9RawFeeding is no longer in business. However, I found a similar organic rawhide for dogs at White Oak Pastures. Some of the links in this blog post are affiliate links I may earn compensation through at no additional expense to you.
What Exactly Is A Rawhide Dog Chew?
Rawhide is the inner soft hide or skin of an animal.
Traditional rawhide dog chews are made from beef hide and are:
- whitened with bleach and/or stronger chemical solutions
- made to last with artificial preservatives
- treated with synthetic flavors to entice dogs to chew on them
Whenever I think of dog rawhides, the picture that comes to mind is that of thick, white bones:
How Is The Organic Rawhide Dog Chew Different?
As I just pointed out, traditional rawhides for dogs are bleached, treated with chemicals and not fully digestible. That means they’re anything BUT a single-ingredient dog chew.
Organic rawhides are only made with beef hide, which means they check the single-ingredient box that’s so important to me.
But the first visual difference that struck me was the beautiful amber color of our organic rawhide. That’s about as far away as you can get from those unnaturally white rawhide bones!
Right after that, its flatness and form – it’s square! I always thought rawhides for dogs had to be thick and come in a bone shape.
Su informed me that these organic rawhides for dogs are made without glue and without any artificial flavors or preservatives.
Additionally, they’re hand washed, stretched on a wooden frame and dehydrated by the sun!
Since it doesn’t contain any preservatives, it’s best kept in the fridge. And that’s exactly where I kept it for about two months. When I pulled it out of the drawer I thaw the pups’ raw dog food in, it looked just as beautiful as it did when it first arrived.
Can Rawhide Be A Choking Hazard For My Dog?
While the organic rawhide for dogs is completely digestible, I strongly suggest to supervise your pup’s chewing. The same goes for any dog chew, for that matter.
If large chunks break off and your pup swallows them whole, your dog could choke on the piece of rawhide. That’s why I’ve made it a habit to supervise my pups’ chewing at all times.
This includes:
Buzz is good about chewing slowly, but Missy sometimes has a tendency of wanting to swallow food whole. When I notice that she seems a little too eager to finish a dog chew, I’ll hold one end of it. That “forces” her to slow down.
Side note: I was pleasantly surprised that this organic rawhide didn’t break into smaller pieces. That way, Missy wasn’t tempted to swallow it whole.
How Long Did the Organic Rawhide Last My Power Chewer?
This particular rawhide chew lasted Missy a little over 30 minutes. That’s a decent time for my little power chewer!
That’s also the perfect amount of time to help reduce tartar and plaque buildup and promote oral health.
Organic Rawhide for Dogs: Bottom Line
I’m so excited that I found another single-ingredient dog chew for my pups. I’m also stoked that I learned that “healthy” and “rawhide dog chews” don’t have to be oxymorons.
It took Missy about 30 mins to demolish this particular 4×4″ organic rawhide. As mentioned above, that’s really good for her given that she’s a strong chewer. So I’m pleased with the durability of this dog chew!
Although K9RawFeeding is no longer in business, I found another supplier in White Oak Pastures.
Tip: If your dog doesn’t do well with beef, you could try yak dog chews instead. They’re also a long lasting dog chew that’s not treated with any chemicals or artificial preservatives.
Do you feed organic rawhide for dogs? As always, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section!
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