Rawhide chews safety

[nobarkus]

I'm sure you've seen or bought those rawhide chews that are very hard in the shape of a bone, small, medium and large. My dogs loved those things except there's 2 problems.
1. They chew them down to a small piece and try to swallow it. They can choke on it if it's too large.
2. If you have 2 Basenjis and they chew them down to small and gooey pieces and it becomes like gold to them and they'll fight over it. Ringo my red/wht would bait and agitate the other one until it dropped it, ran after him in anger and Ringo would circle around the coffee table and swoop it up. He then would take it to the corner of the room and try to bury it, pushing the carpet with his nose like dirt on it. The other watching him do this would then try to go to the corner to get it and they'd fight.

If I tried to take it away from either they growled at me. I had to put on these really thick fireplace gloves on made of heavy leather so if they did bite it wouldn't hurt and then take it from them.

[JazzysMom]

Last night I had to reach practically down Jazzy's throat to retrieve a chew that she'd stolen from Keoki {after finishing her own; they're only permitted one rawhide each}. I told her to leave it, and then to give, both commands were ignored and she was chewing like crazy trying to get it down fast! LOL

Dh held Keoki out of my way, and I pried Jazzy's jaw open, stuck my fingers in and went fishing. She grumbled, but has never tried to actually bite me in a situation like that. It did occur to me that she could, but I would have still stayed focused until I got what I wanted. It was a gross, slimey mess by the time I got it, but. . . I got it!! When I say, "leave it" and/or "give" I MEAN it!

Didn't even occur to me to wear protective hand covering. Seems like an "oh duh" thing now. LOL

[tanza]

Been there, done that…. And I did get bit one time with OJ... as he was choking on and I went fishing... was not his fault... but mine for not paying attention. Maggii would give you that "look" and you just knew she was going to swallow it... before you could grab it... learned my lessons with those two, I take they way before they get even the slightest bit small...

[Quercus]

@tanza:

Been there, done that…. And I did get bit one time with OJ... as he was choking on and I went fishing... was not his fault... but mine for not paying attention. Maggii would give you that "look" and you just knew she was going to swallow it... before you could grab it... learned my lessons with those two, I take they way before they get even the slightest bit small...

Me too, Pat. I would say that when they are about three inches long, I take them away. I only used the compressed rawhide. They still get little flakes off now and then…and I have noticed that some rawhides will hold together better than others.

I haven't been bitten yet...but if I even think the dog might guard the item seriously, I get a treat and call her (notice I say HER!) away from it. I don't think I could do anything in big gloves...clumsy hands....

[tanza]

Me too, Andrea.. and like I said that time that OJ bite me (and good I might add), he was in a panic cause he was choking… scared the daylights out of me and him too, but it was not guarding....... and I use the compressed also... but lately only the bully sticks... and again since my guys are of the senior age.. now they don't even chew them that often....

[youngandtired]

Sahara is a chewing queen, she loves to chew!!! I have lost many things to her chewing them up. I do give her rawhide now and then, and I too take them when they are too small, I have even held them for her to chew while laying in my lap. She is so use to this she will jump up in my lap when they get small, she is soooo spoiled, but I had rather have a hold of it then to have her choke. Lately I have been buying the Merrick's Bully Sticks, beef tendon, 12" ones and cut them into 3 pieces. They are quite expensive for a chew but Sahara loves them.

[vstripe]

When my Garrett eats his rawhide he really takes his time so I dont worrie much about him swallowing a small piece. Although when I would take the small piece away from him he never fussed but would look at me soooooooo sad.
So now when he's not looking I take the little piece and switch it with a piece of chicken or something so he doesnt notice.

[nobarkus]

I never got bit from trying to take the chews away but Ringo did bite me when I stupidly picked him up when he was having some allergy attack when he was young. He had these little bumps all over him. The bite was so fast and it was like somebody put my finger in some pliers and really squeezed hard. His tooth put a large hole in my finger nail. My hand hurt so bad I couldn't sleep that night. That's why I was cautious.

[nomrbddgs]

I have a question-I have never used rawhide because of the dangers. Is compressed rawhide made differently? Does the whole thing flake off? Or is it wound like the regular rawhide? I would love to give them something to chew-other than the nyla bones or kong toy-but aren't sure how these are.

[tanza]

The compressed does not flake off and they seem to last longer and be made better. I have always used the 10" rolled sticks…. when I used rawhide... however, as I have said, I prefer and now only use the bully sticks...