Safer alternatives to rawhide?

matthewm11 · 10-30-2011, 12:42 PM

My 8 month GSD mix got sick after I gave her rawhide a few weeks ago and found out on this site rawhide can be very harmful for dogs. My dog loves bones and I know they can help relieve stress. Whats a safer alternative? Someone recomended "bully sticks" (i think thats what they are called) but I couldn't find any at my local petco. Are those big pig bones or ears they sell in pet stores safe? We used to give our families late husky pig ears all the time and she never had a problem with them (but we also gave her rawhide and she luckilly never had a problem with those either) My dog was just spayed so I am limiting her off leash play outside for a few days so the stitches dont open so I'd like to get her something to chew on.

Holmeshx2 · 10-30-2011, 12:50 PM

raw knuckle bones and marrow bones.. not the ones at petco but a butcher would have them... marrow bones also called soup bones

matthewm11 · 10-30-2011, 12:56 PM

I read up on raw feeding and read how raw bones are good for the teeth and eating flesh off of raw bones is better for digestion. I did give her a raw beef bone with some meat on it last week but got freaked out because the bones looked so sharp so I didn't let her have it for long. I may switch to raw feeding at some point but need to do more research. Thanks for the suggestion. I will pick some of thosr up from a butcher.

Caledon · 10-30-2011, 01:02 PM

My dog loves chewing on those plastic Nyla bones (sp) that you buy in the pet store. I don't see the apeal to them but she likes to chew them. She also chews on deer antlers, and a stuffed Kong.

She used to chew of those ropes but is no longer interested.

Bully sticks are expensive and don't last that long. I do give her a pig ear every once in a while, but sometimes it upsets her stomach.

Raw knuckle bones upset her too and she was not really thrilled with them.

onyx'girl · 10-30-2011, 01:24 PM

Elk or deer antlers are good chews, and last for awhile.
The dogs don't ingest much during a chew session so the odds of digestive upset are slim to none. This place has reasonably priced ones:
Shop Yellowstone Antlers, for the best selection of naturally shed Elk Antlers. Buy premium Elk, Moose, Whitetail and Mule Deer Antlers and own a piece of Yellowstone Country Today! Buy Our Yellowstone Premium Elk Antler Dog Chews. Yellowstone Antler

jprice103 · 10-30-2011, 03:54 PM

I give my dog bullysticks. She absolutely loves them!!

Razzle J.Dazzle · 10-30-2011, 08:09 PM

Our dogs LOVE bully sticks. We just don't tell them what they are made of

Six · 10-30-2011, 08:11 PM

Plus one for bully sticks.

10-30-2011, 12:42 PM	#1 (permalink)
matthewm11 Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Southern California Posts: 121	Safer alternatives to rawhide? My 8 month GSD mix got sick after I gave her rawhide a few weeks ago and found out on this site rawhide can be very harmful for dogs. My dog loves bones and I know they can help relieve stress. Whats a safer alternative? Someone recomended "bully sticks" (i think thats what they are called) but I couldn't find any at my local petco. Are those big pig bones or ears they sell in pet stores safe? We used to give our families late husky pig ears all the time and she never had a problem with them (but we also gave her rawhide and she luckilly never had a problem with those either) My dog was just spayed so I am limiting her off leash play outside for a few days so the stitches dont open so I'd like to get her something to chew on.

10-30-2011, 12:50 PM	#2 (permalink)
Holmeshx2 Elite Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ft. Bragg, NC Posts: 1,646	raw knuckle bones and marrow bones.. not the ones at petco but a butcher would have them... marrow bones also called soup bones __________________ Jinx vom Wildhaus

10-30-2011, 12:56 PM	#3 (permalink)
matthewm11 Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Southern California Posts: 121	thanks for the reply I read up on raw feeding and read how raw bones are good for the teeth and eating flesh off of raw bones is better for digestion. I did give her a raw beef bone with some meat on it last week but got freaked out because the bones looked so sharp so I didn't let her have it for long. I may switch to raw feeding at some point but need to do more research. Thanks for the suggestion. I will pick some of thosr up from a butcher.

10-30-2011, 03:54 PM	#6 (permalink)
jprice103 Master Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Philadelphia Suburbs Posts: 960	I give my dog bullysticks. She absolutely loves them!! __________________ -Jessica Cheyenne von der Price-Sable GSD-12/20/10-CGC Faegan vom Johnson-Haus "Panzer"-Black GSD-12/31/11-S.T.A.R. Puppy

10-30-2011, 08:11 PM	#8 (permalink)
Six Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Redmond, Oregon Posts: 62	Plus one for bully sticks. __________________ Six - 8/16/2011 Reggie J. Simpson - 9 y/o GSD

10-30-2011, 01:02 PM	#4 (permalink)
Caledon Elite Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Ontario Posts: 1,787	My dog loves chewing on those plastic Nyla bones (sp) that you buy in the pet store. I don't see the apeal to them but she likes to chew them. She also chews on deer antlers, and a stuffed Kong. She used to chew of those ropes but is no longer interested. Bully sticks are expensive and don't last that long. I do give her a pig ear every once in a while, but sometimes it upsets her stomach. Raw knuckle bones upset her too and she was not really thrilled with them.

10-30-2011, 01:24 PM	#5 (permalink)
onyx'girl Crowned Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: SW, MI Posts: 17,611	Elk or deer antlers are good chews, and last for awhile. The dogs don't ingest much during a chew session so the odds of digestive upset are slim to none. This place has reasonably priced ones: Shop Yellowstone Antlers, for the best selection of naturally shed Elk Antlers. Buy premium Elk, Moose, Whitetail and Mule Deer Antlers and own a piece of Yellowstone Country Today! Buy Our Yellowstone Premium Elk Antler Dog Chews. Yellowstone Antler

10-30-2011, 08:09 PM	#7 (permalink)
Razzle J.Dazzle Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 145	Our dogs LOVE bully sticks. We just don't tell them what they are made of

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