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Recommend anything healthy similar to rawhide?

26 replies

Dualipa · 14/06/2020 08:19

I'm after a healthy natural treat for my old dog who's got a sensitive tummy.
She used to love rawhide sticks until I realised that they are unhealthy & made her have the runs!

Anyone know of a good healthy alternative and where to order from?

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vanillandhoney · 14/06/2020 08:36

Pigs ears, pizzles, antlers, lambs tails, goat or cow or rabbit ears, yakkers chews, cows hooves - all available from pets at home Smile

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midnightstar66 · 14/06/2020 08:47

There are loads of animal skin alternatives now. Pets at home have an ok selection and amazon has loads. Also lots of specialist online dog shops now. You can get all sorts - tracheas, ears, feet, snouts ..

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GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman · 14/06/2020 08:51

Do any of those last as long as a chunky twist of rawhide? Pig's ears last about 2 seconds here.

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midnightstar66 · 14/06/2020 09:07

The pizzle sticks and yak chews are pretty long lasting

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Dualipa · 14/06/2020 09:24

Both pretty expensive at around £3 for one pizzle and almost a tenner for a yak chew! Any cheaper anywhere?

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fivedogstofeed · 14/06/2020 09:55

I give mine fish skin bars. Helps to clean their teeth as well.

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midnightstar66 · 14/06/2020 10:04

You should find the yak chew cheaper although probably depends what size you need. The pizzle sticks probably are that much bit could be cheaper in bulk. Rawhide is obviously cheaper but it's pretty crap and that's why

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GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman · 14/06/2020 10:53

I'll give the puzzles a try - I think our local pet shop stocks them.

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vanillandhoney · 14/06/2020 10:56

@Dualipa

Both pretty expensive at around £3 for one pizzle and almost a tenner for a yak chew! Any cheaper anywhere?

The reason rawhide is cheap is because it's full of crap - if you're using to paying £1/2 for rawhide then the others will seem expensive.

You can bulk-buy natural chews online. You can get 2-3 Yakkers for £10 (and they last ages so they're good value). I get mine from Amazon. I also bulk-buy stuffed hooves from Hollings. £20 a box but they last him about 6-8 weeks minimum so it's about 50p a day. Dirt cheap considering the hours of peace and quiet they buy me!
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Ylvamoon · 14/06/2020 15:35

I second fisch skin chews! I have dryed "bars" as well as the whole dried skin. The skin does get chewy like rawhide.

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GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman · 14/06/2020 16:10

How smelly are the fish skin ones?

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Ylvamoon · 14/06/2020 16:18

Not too bad if your dog gobbles them down quickly, my dogs don't smell of them afterwards (long hair Tibetans). But as with anything fishy, it can smell a bit while they have them. I usually feed them outside or in the "doggy" room. I wouldn't want them on any carpet or other floors where DC play.

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fivedogstofeed · 14/06/2020 17:04

Genuinely not that smelly as they're dried. My lot usually take one outside, and they actually do eat them so there aren't bits lying around.

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GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman · 14/06/2020 17:56

Not too bad if your dog gobbles them down quickly,
How quickly? Sorry about the cross-examination, but I want a chew that will shut them up for 15-30 mins. They have jaws of bloody steel.

I just want something non-stinky, that won't leave nasty remains on a hard floor, and that gives them a good gnaw for 15 mins plus, and doesn't break the bank. Rawhide does all this, but I know that it has a well-deserved bad reputation, so I'm trying to find something else.

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Ylvamoon · 14/06/2020 18:22

... well YlvaDog#1: >5min, YlvaDog#3 < 15 minutes... the other one somewhere in between.
But mine are greedy and always on the lookout for someone else's treats. Speed is an advantage. (Disclaimer: YlvaDog3 is just not that much into chewing)

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Yourownpersonaljesus · 14/06/2020 18:36

My dog loves a Lily’s Kitchen Woofbrush: www.lilyskitchen.co.uk/for-dogs/food-for-dogs/shop-by-product-type/dental-chews
They are expensive so she doesn’t get one every day. You can buy them in some supermarkets as well as online.

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RedRed9 · 14/06/2020 18:47

Both pretty expensive at around £3 for one pizzle and almost a tenner for a yak chew!

Buffalo pizzles are around £2.50-£3 but regular pizzles are cheaper.

A yak chew lasts ages so the expense is spread out. But be careful as our dachshund got constipated and I wondered if those had anything to do with it.

There are literally so many natural choices now:
biltong,
chicken jerky,
turkey/duck necks,
puffed chicken feet,
puffed pig snouts,
lambs tails,
ostrich spaghetti,
pork roll,
rabbit ears,
deer hide,
cow ears,
ostrich bones.

I could go on and on.

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RedRed9 · 14/06/2020 18:49
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Veterinari · 14/06/2020 19:08

Antlers are very long lasting

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fivedogstofeed · 14/06/2020 21:02

My lot would get 15-20mins out of one of these

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GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman · 14/06/2020 21:09

Thanks everyone - shall have a look at some of those.

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Dualipa · 14/06/2020 21:22

Pizzles are penis's!! I've ordered but kind of feel sorry for my old girl chewing on a willy 😳

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RedRed9 · 14/06/2020 21:39

kind of feel sorry for my old girl chewing on a willy

😂

If it helps they look nothing like a penis. And she’ll absolutely love them.

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midnightstar66 · 14/06/2020 21:49

Another thing dpup liked absolutely stank, kept her busy a while but yuk... turned out to be bulls bladder lining 😬. The tracheas are huge - some stuffed and I imagine they'd take ages. Dpup is a bit small and young to try her with one yet but I did pick up a stuffed hoof today at pets at home and some ducks feet... the feet kept her busy for a good 15 minutes but imagine a bigger dog would make light work. I noticed they had bulls tails too

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MimsyBorogroves · 14/06/2020 21:53

I've got a lab with jaws of steel. He can finish a yak bar in a couple of hours, so I tend to take it off him half way.

Ostrich bones from JR pets are good. I also just buy raw bones from the butchers.

He can kill a pizzle in 10 minutes. I'd love something that lasts a bit longer. He likes hooves but loses interest once they're unstuffed.

Tracheas are good, but again only give me 10 minutes. He's a nightmare.

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