Brushing a dog’s teeth isn’t easy, so conscientious owners treat their dogs with dog bones. The chewing action can mechanically clean off debris and tartar from dogs’ teeth. Dogs love the different varieties, and they’re good for giving your dog something to do.

One example of a potentially dangerous dog treat is dog rawhide. Dogs love it because it tastes like meat, but they can possibly choke on pieces of rawhide that they rip off the treat. When your dog swallows hard rawhide pieces, the can scrape the esophagus or throat. Rawhide can become an obstruction in your dog’s intestines. You may have noticed that a partially eaten rawhide dog chew is gummy and wet. So your dog swallowing that is a lot like us swallowing chewing gum – not a good thing.

Cow hooves, while beloved by dogs, can cause some of the same problems as rawhide. In addition to those perils, they are sometimes so hard that they can crack your dog’s teeth. Uneven, sharp pieces of cow hoof can tear a bowel wall if swallowed. The result can be infection or even death. It’s just not worth the chance.

Pig ears can contain salmonella, and they can also cause blockages. It’s better to go with safer types of dog treats, rather than risk injury or illness to your dog.

There are safer dog bones for your furry friend to enjoy. Especially in this age of all-natural products, you can find many different kinds of dog treats that are healthy for your dog and that don’t pose so many potential risks.

Nylabones are made from nylon, as their name would imply. They’re quite strong. Unlike rawhide, they won’t break into chunks or splinter. The whole bone is digestible, and even aggressive chewers will have a good time with a nylon bone. When a Nylabone is chewed down to a little stump, pitch it and get your dog a new bone.

One brand of highly digestible and low-fat fake pig ears are called Better than Ears. Healthy ingredients like soy flour and wheat bran make them better than pig’s ears. Dogs adore Better than Ears. They just don’t last!

A few tips on how to feed bones and when not to feed bones as dog chews. Never let your dog have chicken bones. They can become lodged in your dog’s throat or even splinter.

One less dangerous alternative to regular rawhide dog treats is compressed rawhide. The rawhide bone is dense due to compressed layers of beef hide. They can last up to five times longer than regular rawhide dog bones.

Check the ingredients and take a look at the bones when you’re buying dog treats for your little buddy. If they look greasy to you, they aren’t healthy for your dog. It’s a good idea to watch your dog whenever you give him a new type of dog bone to chew on. Throw it away if you see splinters or some other reason that it may be dangerous for your dog. Don’t take a chance with the health and safety of your best friend.

For more dog treat information and advice please visit me at Dogs Love Dog Treats .