Just wondering peoples views on rawhide chews. I am in 2 minds as to use them for my dog as have heard stories of them swelling and causing blockages.

I will only use them if they are made up of very small peices as my aussie nearly choke on one made of a single piece of rawhide.

> Just wondering peoples views on rawhide chews.

Don't like them, think of them as dog chewing gum.

I hate them and think they should come with a warning.  I have had a dog choke on them and a few years ago someone I know of lost thier dog when it choked on rawhide.  She couldn't get it out of the dogs throat and by the time she reached the vets the dog was dead.

I agree with everyone else. I don't give them to my dogs. I have always found in the past that they choke. Its horrible stuff.

I agree with everyone else as well, never, ever give them to any of my dogs.

Rawhide chews - ghastly things.  Although the flat ribbon type are supposed to be better and safer

If you want to give a treat there are many better things.  Fish 4 dogs have great fish skin treats that mine adore - half the fun is eating it, the other half is picking up tiny tiny crumbs of it that may have fallen behind the bed... !

If you want to give your dog an activity then you could consider a raw meaty bone, or food discovery toy, or do a bit of training.  15 minutes of training is often enough to tire a lively youngster out for a while

Mine won't even eat them so I gave up before I heard all the bad stories!

I don't like them either- have not given them to my dogs since I seen one (shetland sheepdog) years ago at the vet clinic with a very huge recent scar on it due to a blockage and was coming back to have stitches removed- scared me off them ever since.

I think dogs toys are not ment to get soft and chewy but to offer a chew which rawhide does not.

I have large breed dogs and once had to pull a rawhide chew from the back of my girls throat, she was frothing at the mouth and it was scarey. Never given them since!

Never had a dog choke on one, but all of my dogs have had dicky tummies from them :(  Wouldn't touch them with a barge pole.

My dogs' favourite treat is dried tripe sticks.  They do pong but the dogs LOVE them and they get a good chew out of them.

99p a bag in Home Bargains at the moment :-D so cheap too

Wow - this is so interesting! I do give my girls raw hides and (touches wood) have never had a problem! I use the knotted bones. I also give mine Jumbones but not very often as a) they only last around 30 seconds and b) they are not good as part of a monitored diet and thus they are only given as treats to avoid expanding waistlines!

I like to give the filled bones too - they are great for keeping my girls interested and occupied. I found that the roasted bones upset my girls tummies :o( I do give raw meaty bones but they tend to end up buried.