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Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Rawhide - What is it really?



Have you ever wondered what Rawhide really is?
Rawhide is the inner layer of the hide of any cleft-hoofed bovine livestock. The animal's skin is split into inner and outer layers. The tough outer layer is used for leather shoes, garments, and upholstery, while the softer inner layer is cut and formed into different shapes for dog chews.

Beef-Hide is premium rawhide made from cows raised for consumption. American Beef-Hide is derived from corn-fed cows within U.S. borders.

Collagen fibers link to make the animal's hide tough yet flexible. Human skin has the same basic structure but is much thinner. When collagen in the skin dries out, it becomes stiff. As your dog chews, the saliva moistens and softens the rawhide. Foreign rawhide is often sun parched while U.S. beef-hide is oven dried to prevent over drying.

The quality of rawhide is often related to its country of origin: We try to carry only American Beef-hide: Corn-fed beef raised in the U.S. supply a thick, palatable and high quality chew. American beef-hide is considered "The Source" of choice for premium chews.

Natural tendencies of wild canines and their predecessors was to sink their teeth into their prey and pull away on the hides stripping the skin and meat. Inherent in this feeding processes was the beneficial action of the tugging and pressure on the teeth and gums which served to toughen the gums and clean the teeth for a continuously healthy mouth.

Dental Benefits: As rawhide is chewed and moistened, it wraps around the teeth and rubs off plaque and calculi. Behavior Benefits: All dogs have an inherent desire to chew, especially puppies. Aberrant chewing can be a sign of lack of exercise or a vitamin deficiency, but it is most often a normal desire to chew. This drive can exhibit itself on furniture and clothing items. Beef-hide offers a dog a safe chewing outlet.

But are they safe for my dog? Not everyone is comfortable using rawhide, it is up to you to decide. Chews come in every size and shape imaginable. It is important that the chew be large enough and thick enough that your dog cannot easily chew off and swallow a large piece or the whole chew. Rawhide that requires more than 7 days to chew should be replaced due to dirt and bacteria buildup.

If your dog has gastrointestinal disease or is eating a therapeutic diet, you should seek a veterinarian's approval before feeding any chews. Dogs with beef allergies or that consistently swallow bones whole should probably chew unattended.

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