Compressed rawhide

[Milopup]

After reading a couple of posts suggesting compressed rawhides are good for our pups and appreciated by them, I ordered a few last week, but have a couple of questions.

I ordered the 8-inch bone shaped compressed rawhides and the 10-inch sticks from Drs. Foster and Smith. We gave one of the bone shaped ones to our pup yesterday, and it is as if we are torturing him. :( The stick seems a bit big and heavy for him, and after he chews on the rawhide for a while he starts panting like he is tired/hot. It is like he has this huge task of chewing the rawhide and it is torture, yet he seems to like the taste.

Questions:

1) What size rawhides do you give your pup??

2) Is the panting a cause of concern, or is it just the usual "stubborn cairn working at a task"??

3) Should we just give up on the rawhide idea??

thanks everyone.

[Tracy A.]

I just measured what I buy, and they are 4-1/2" to 5" in overall length. I generally stick to that size, but never seem to buy anthing smaller than that.

[bradl]

I'm so paranoid about choking that I tend to go with larger sizes. (I've not tried the compressed rawhide specifically - but we do give the dogs the 12" bully sticks). I suspect the panting is just that it's hard work chewing and wrestling with something like that. I believe that's a good thing

[Eliz222]

We give the large compressed bones too. Scout is a powerful chewer and can have one torn apart in no time at all. When the pieces get too small, they are thrown away....we have to watch her carefully. Finch is much slower and tends to just "guard" her bone, rather than chew it!

[Milopup]

Thanks. So do y'all think the 8-inch compressed rawhide bones are okay, even with the panting and all?? I want him to enjoy the rawhide, and hopefully clean his teeth as well between brushings, but dont want to torture him.

thanks again.

[Cairnmania]

I'm so paranoid about choking that I tend to go with larger sizes. (I've not tried the compressed rawhide specifically - but we do give the dogs the 12" bully sticks). I suspect the panting is just that it's hard work chewing and wrestling with something like that. I believe that's a good thing

Actually, the problem with choking most often happens when a bone (rawhide or any of the edible kinds) is too big. Small dogs have proportionally smaller digestive tracks (from entry to exit ends!) and an unchewed chunk of a small bone has a much better chance of "going the distance" without a problem. A chunk or large rawhide strip from a larger bone or chew is more likely to get stuck along the way.

Stacey

[Milopup]

Well we gave him the bone for a little while, and again there was the chewing, panting and then hiding of the bone. I am afraid we are torturing him by having him work so hard.

[toomanypaws]

I also stick w/ the 5" compressed rawhide or 12" bully sticks. Only Kiara and Abbey finish their rawhide. Hannah chews for a while and then I put it up for her so the others don't steal it. All three love a bully stick. I will never offer them pig ear strips again. The time Hannah almost choked to death on a piece was a big scare.

[bradl]

Agreed Cairnmania. I guess it's a question of how a big a piece can they can liberate and get down in the first place.

[Lisad]

I give Harry the larger compressed (peanut butter flavor) rawhide bones. I sometimes soak it a little in warm water (it kinda gets things started for him). Like the rest of you, he only gets it when I can watch over him. I throw it away when there is only about two-two and a half inches remaining. When I first started to give him it, he would chew it forever. I had to take it away after about an hour (I didn't want him eting too much of it during one sitting). But, now, that he's been getting them more regularly, he will chew for about 40 minutes and then go and hide it. Harry gets panting too. It's probably a good workout.

[Milopup]

Apparently my pup doesnt want to eat his regular food after he has nibbled his peanut butter flavored compressed rawhide. Even though he didnt eat much of the rawhide, he left 1/2 his dinner and 1/2 his breakfast. I am thinking these are not a good idea for my pup, and hope they didnt cause him stomach distress. :(

[Milopup]

BTW - did anyone else's pup have an appetite change from chewing/eating the compressed rawhides?

Thanks again.

[alaskpat]

My last two dogs were a Lab/Terrier mix (15 yo) and a Cocker/Collie (13 yo). I would never give the rawhides, although the compressed are better then the plain rawhides. Real bones, that you can get at any pet supply are better. Also natural treats like the bully sticks are healthier and more digestible. They also loved the Filled natural bone, spent hours trying to get the filling out. The are both gone now but I have two Cairn puppies that will be here next week and I plan to use the same type of treats and toys since they worked so well before.