We use rawhide for Tatze and the pups. When they are small we hold it for them to chew and take it away when pieces are coming off. By six months old they have about four a week each. We use the ones with dental enzymes in them.
Stanley loves rawhide, it's his absolute favourite. He keeps quiet and entertained, I get to watch TV! I'm a big fan. Although he always enjoys them more if I hold them for some reason, daft dog!
I don't feed rawhide - it gave Charlie runny poo no matter what brand I bought. I don't know whether it's bad or not. I think it's probably a good safe chew for teeth, but I don't know how much to believe the horror stories about chemicals etc.
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I've always used rawhide chews. Not often, but all dogs have enjoyed them and not had a runny bum response. They are never unsupervised though, and I sneak any small bits away to the bin.
Molly has rawhide bones and is fine with them. My last dog couldn't cope with rawhide though - upset his stomach.
Mole couldn't live without his daily rawhide! He's a chewer and it settles him in the evening when we are having supper or watching TV. Asked my lovely vet who says she gives it to both her labs along with a weekly pigs ear. Just to make sure its size appropriate, i.e. Not the little sticks for a big dog. We never give it unsupervised. Bully sticks give him a terrible tummy though so it's rawhide only for us. Only chew that lasts!
Nothing Bailey likes more than chewing his rawhide bones - he can chew to his hearts content without causing any damage and it does seem to satisfy a need!
I err on the side of caution. How devastated I'd be if one of my dogs was ill - or worse - from giving something that I'd heard rumours about but ignored. If you do choose to give it - and plenty of people do, let's remember, without any problems - then I would carefully ensure that the brand I was using had no associations in the supply chain with China.
Duggan loves them, his digestive system does not. We've stopped giving them to him. Kong works just fine. But be careful of certain peanut butter brands. They have an ingredient that's very harmful to puppies also. I don't know it off the top of my head. Google knows. Google knows everything. Lol.
All of our Labs have had rawhide, with no problems at all. It is one of their favorite things and it saves on damage to books and tchotchkes. Last time I bought a large bag from Costco on line. It is South American origin. It is cheaper and lasts a lot longer than bully sticks.
I'd say it's a careful balance of doggy tummies vs your sanity. If they tolerate them and enjoy them plus you get some peace and less chewed books it's a win win situation. Whatever gives that balance is surely only a good thing? Find that thing!