SmartBones: Smart Alternative to Giving Your Dog a Rawhide
Kristen Sydelko
My pup is a rawhide addict. If there was a Rawhide Addict Anonymous group, I would be the first one to sign Bailey up. He loves the taste, the shape, the texture, and the challenge. He even gets a little picky, sniffing an offered rawhide up and down like a fine cigar. After a thorough inspection, he will either delicately take it from your hand or else turn his nose and look at you like, "Really? That's the best you can do?" He can sit and chew for hours, or he will run around the house with it hanging from his mouth. I am sure his perfect afternoon would be gnawing a rawhide while nestled in my down comforter. However, he doesn't get that pleasure, and he has to stick with either his pillow bed or the carpet.
Rawhides can come from many different countries and can consist of many different qualities of product. Knowing that there can be a problem with dogs and the digestion of certain rawhides, I have always been a little concerned about Bailey's doggie addiction. On one side, his teeth are in immaculate shape due to all the chewing. On the other hand, sometimes, he prefers eating rawhides to dinner. When I found out PetSolutions was carrying SmartBones, I was intrigued to try this rawhide alternative. Knowing how particular my pup can be, I wondered if SmartBones would handle the sniff test. I was already using Greenies to help keep Bailey's teeth clean, so I opted to try the Chicken and Dental flavors. SmartBones are also offered in Peanut Butter flavor. I really don't know what I was worried about. Bailey loved his SmartBones. His sniff test was extremely short, and he immediately sat down to tear into his new treat. The only downside was that he finished each of the bones I gave him (size Large, since he is 50 lbs) in 30 minutes apiece.
Some great benefits of using SmartBones as a rawhide alternative:
rawhide-free chew- veterinarian approved
- made with real, dried chicken breast (this is true whether it is the Chicken, Dental, or Peanut Butter flavor)
- first chew of its kind to be fortified with vitamins and minerals
- chewing activity promotes healthy dog dental care
- over 99% digestible
Please remember to follow the weight sizing guidelines when trying out this treat. Just like any other treat, the weight guidelines are there to help protect your dog from trying to eat a chew that is too small.
If your dog sounds like mine, I would highly recommend trying a SmartBones flavor today. And, if you have tried these, please let us know what your dog thought about his rawhide replacement!
Reader Comments (2)
Being warned about many negative affects of rawhide I was thrilled to find this alternative at our local store. Our beagle-mix, Poppy, can appear to be a picky pup when it comes to treats but she loves to chew. This alternative has passed both our tests! Poppy loves to chew on these in the evening. The only negative is that the bone is short lived, but Poppy is worth it!
My dog loves them, too. As I mentioned in my post, he's a rawhide addict. I, too, wish the SmartBones lasted a little longer, but they are a really good alternative! Glad your pup likes them!