I have heard mixed reviews on rawhide bones...mostly that it is hard for small dogs and puppies to digest, but it sure doesn't stop pet stores from selling them. I own 3 dogs (1 golden retriever and 2 malteses) and I have always felt much safer giving them what is called "booda bones". Basically they are supposed to be made of compressed cornstarch which is easier on the digestive system. I used to buy them at Petsmart or Petco...I'm pretty sure they still make them. They are more expensive than rawhides but far cheaper than repairing walls and shoes which my dogs chewed on before I discovered the booda bones. They came in sticks or shaped like bones with little nubs on them that massage the puppy's gums when they're teething. Good luck and enjoy your new baby.
I always thought that rawhides were good for your pet to chew on, but recently, One of my Danes started vomiting constantly, and it was always full of rawhide pieces. If you read about rawhides on the internet, you will find that they are nothing more than treated cowhides, and the FDA has no regulations on those. They remove the hair from the skin by soaking the hides in an Ash/Lye solution, or in a Lime solution for 2-3 days, scrape all the hair off, then soak them in a bleach solution to make them white, then shape them while they are still wet. The rawhides made overseas have also been known to be treated with an arsenic based solution. They also cause GI obstructions, since they are nearly indigestible. I will never have another one of my babies chewing on another rawhide! They may enjoy them, but there's also a possibility that they are slowly getting poisoned.
By all means, give the pup a hide. Not only is it good for him, it's good for the teeth. You can't give it to him all the time, but it does make the teeth cleaner and stronger. I would say about one a week, and if the teeth start to bleed from too much chewing, then you know he's chewing too much, just back off a little, and he should be o.k. Hope this helps. And, Guru, please put your 2 cents in if I'm wrong.
My dog loves them, although some do upset her stomach. When buying them try not to get greasy ones or if it looks like it will fall apart easily then it won't last long.
It's fine to give a dog a rawhide for God's sake. People are so paranoid of everything. In the wild it would be MUCH worse for them to survive and they can choke on many things LOL!
