As some of our customers know, our beloved rawhide manufacturer, Wholesome Hide, was forced to cease production, due to the scarcity of American hides, a long domino-effect story having to do with the pandemic.
They will still be offering rawhide to us under the name Wholesome Hide Select, but will be sourcing their product from other countries that will be fully disclosed, not China. They have assured me that the manufacturer they choose will be using quality hides, and no harmful chemicals in their process.
Our plan is to try them here, be sure we are happy with the thickness and the quality, and if we are happy, we'll offer them to our customers.
In the meantime, here are some all-natural, easy-to-source, economical chews you can give your dog. All of these can be used to exercise jaws, scrape teeth, and massage gums, all very healthy for your dog's mouth, with the added benefit of great nutrition.
A word of caution: proceed slowly. Although these vegetables and fruits are entirely safe and healthy, some dogs might have a bit of digestive upset. I don't know about you, but when I eat too many raw carrots, I get a painful belly ache! Always supervise. Use common sense.
Be aware that some of these add calories to your dog's diet, and carrots, pumpkin, and sweet potato contain carbs, which our dogs need in limited quantities.
Do not use broccoli or cauliflower - both cause gas!
Here's the list:
Huge, Raw Carrots (we have a source for humungous carrots through our restaurant supplier and will be trying these) - be sure they are big enough for your dog to chew on. Carrots have always been a favorite here!
Raw Pumpkin - who knew?
Raw Sweet Potato - nice and hard, good for scraping and massaging, lot of chew!
Apple Slices or Chunks (remove seeds) - a preferred treat here.
Celery Stalks - our dogs love these!
Whole cucumber - we use the French seedless style - another favorite here.
Raw Green Beans - best for small dogs.
We will keep you informed on the rawhide situation and will get it resolved as quickly as possible. In the meantime, happy chewing to your dogs!