| Your pet is a loving member of your family and you | | | | and molded into bone shapes and sold as inexpensive |
| love to treat them as one of the family. We are | | | | chew treats for dogs. Many manufacturers cure the |
| always looking at what we feed our kids. Whether it | | | | hides with harsh chemicals; such as, an ash-lye |
| is their regular meals or the snacks we give them | | | | solutions, lime and/or bleach. If the curing process is |
| -we want only the best. The same needs to hold | | | | not enough to help you decide whether or not to |
| true for the pets that are part of our loving family, | | | | feed your dog rawhide, consider the digestive |
| we need to be aware of what we are feeding them. | | | | problems of rawhides. Prolonged chewing can cause |
| More and more, we have become aware of the | | | | rawhides to become stringy or break off in small |
| premium dog foods that are available and the | | | | pieces, which can lead to a choking hazards or throat |
| positive affect it can have on our pets' health. What | | | | irritations. Rawhides are digested very slowly and can |
| we are less aware of is the availability of premium | | | | cause intestinal problems, even blockages. There are |
| dog treats. It does not make a lot of sense to give | | | | safe and healthy alternatives to rawhide that can |
| them high quality foods and then give them a doggie | | | | give your dog hours of chewing pleasure. |
| treat equivalent of junk food. The idea is to give | | | | Dental bones stimulate the teeth and gums to keep |
| them a healthy diet all the way around to make sure | | | | them clean and well massaged. This will promote all |
| they are able to have the best quality life possible. | | | | around, good dental hygiene for your dog. Dogs |
| The idea of premium treats is to provide a healthy | | | | shouldn't be given any treat or bone that is not |
| alternative to the typical treats you find in most | | | | digestible and that doesn't break down well in the GI |
| stores. Premium treats should be loaded with | | | | tract because it could cause problems. This is |
| vitamins, minerals and other health promoting | | | | essential for the dogs' complete health and nutritional |
| ingredients. What they shouldn't contain is fillers, | | | | needs. They deserve nothing but the best from us |
| binders, artificial ingredients and colors, chemical | | | | and that means not only premium dog food, but |
| preservatives etc. | | | | premium treats as well. If we give them one and not |
| Rawhides are animal hides that are cured, pressed | | | | the other, we short-change our pets. |