How to Make Rawhide Chews
Rawhide chew toys are one of the most popular chew toys for dogs. They provide hours of entertainment and can strengthen a dogs teeth. While there are a number of rawhide chews on the market, it is possible to make your own rawhide chews at home. The process to make a rawhide chew for your dog is not easy, but you will have control over every ingredient that will go into the chew. You can prepare a natural and fun chew for your dog as opposed to purchasing a packaged chew that may contain additives.
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Instructions
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Purchase a hide from a reputable dealer. You can purchase a hide online or you can purchase a hide from a farm. Also, make sure to purchase a hide from a non-fatty animal. The best hides you can purchase for rawhide chews are from older cattle.
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Cut the hide into a size that can fit into the pot that you have on hand. While in the pot, clean off all the excess animal fat, grime, or any other impurities. The only part of the animal you will need for this project is the hide. All other pieces need to be washed off.
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Roll out the hide and cut the hide into smaller pieces. These pieces will be the ones you will make the chew toys from. You can roll the hide into different shapes, such as. bones or rings, or leave the hide in squares.
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Place the hide on a baking sheet and place the sheet in an oven.
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Set the oven on a lower temperature--around 150 degrees--and watch the hide carefully. If the oven is set too high, the rawhide can liquefy. You can increase the temperature if you watch the rawhide and determine the current temperate does not negatively affect the hide.
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Remove the hide after 30 minutes to see if any moisture is left. If so, return the hide to the oven. If it is completely dry, let the hide completely cool before giving it to your dog.
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Tips & Warnings
When making your rawhide chew, make the chew 2 inches larger than your dog's mouth. This will prevent your dog from swallowing the entire chew and possibly choking. A larger toy will force the dog to chew on smaller sections.
The amount of time the hide will need in the oven to completely dry will depend on what type of shape you are making. A flat shape will dry more quickly than a shape that is wrapped over itself like a bone or a ring. Because of this, you need to watch you hide carefully while it is in the oven. The entire process will take a lot of care and patience on your part.
You can add peanut butter or other food items to the rawhide to make it more appealing to your dog.
Once a rawhide is consumed by a dog, it can harden again in the dog's stomach. This can cause digestive problems or even some blockage. Thus, it is best to limit your dog's consumption of rawhide to prevent these problems. Stop giving your dog rawhide if you notice your dog having digestive problems or if you see blood in the dog's stool.
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Resources
- Photo Credit bone image by Henryk Olszewski from Fotolia.com
