Choosing Safe Dog Bones

Brushing a dog’s teeth isn’t easy, so conscientious owners treat their dogs with dog bones. The chewing action can mechanically clean off debris and tartar from dogs’ teeth. Dogs love the different varieties, and they’re good for giving your dog something to do.

One example of a potentially dangerous dog treat is dog rawhide. Dogs love it because it tastes like meat, but they can possibly choke on pieces of rawhide that they rip off the treat. When your dog swallows hard rawhide pieces, the can scrape the esophagus or throat. Rawhide can sometimes block your dog’s intestines. If you’ve ever checked out a partially eaten rawhide dog chew, you’ll find that it’s gummy and wet. So it’s kind of like you or I swallowing chewing gum — not that great.

Cow hooves are another dog treat that your little friend will love, but they can cause some of the same problems as rawhide. Additionally, they are sometimes hard enough to crack your dog’s teeth. Uneven, sharp pieces of cow hoof can tear a bowel wall if swallowed. The result can be infection or even death. It is simply not worth the chance.

Not only can pig ears cause digestive tract blockages, they can also contain salmonella. Rather than risking an injury or illness, it’s better to go with safer dog treats.

There are some dog bones that are safer for your friend to eat. Especially in this age of all-natural products, you can find many different kinds of dog treats that are healthy for your dog and that don’t pose so many potential risks.

As you can tell from their name, Nylabones are made from nylon. They’re quite strong. They will not, unlike rawhide, break into chunks or splinter. The whole bone is digestible, and even aggressive chewers will have a good time with a nylon bone. When the Nylabone is down to a little stump, pitch it and get your dog a new one.

One brand of highly digestible and low-fat fake pig ears are called Better than Ears. Because they are made from healthy ingredients like wheat bran and soy flour, they really are better than pig’s ears. Dogs adore Better than Ears. They just don’t last!

Here are some tips on how to give dog bones and when to not give them bones as dog chews. Never give your dog chicken bones. They are prone to splintering, or becoming lodged in your dog’s esophagus.

One less dangerous alternative to regular rawhide dog treats is compressed rawhide. Compressed dog rawhide is made by putting together beef hide layers, and this makes the bone dense. They can last up to five times longer than regular rawhide dog bones.

When you buy dog treats for your special friend, check the ingredients, and look at the bones. If they’re greasy-looking, they are not healthy for your dog. When you give your dog a new bone to chew on, it’s a good idea to keep an eye out. If it splinters or if it looks like it may be dangerous for your dog, throw it away. Don’t take a chance with the health and safety of your best friend.

For more dog treat information and advice please visit me at Dogs Love Dog Treats .