It’s the Thought That Counts…But Not When It’s Rawhide

It's the holidays and it's busy! You're busy, the stores are busy, the streets are busy, it's the busiest time of the year for thoughtful gift givers like you and you've got a million people (and pets) on your list to shop for! It’s so easy to grab something “cute” for a friend or family member’s dog. After all, who doesn’t love showing a little extra love to the furry family members on the nice list?

But there’s one product that shows up on store shelves every year, in festive colours and decorated with a bow perfect for the holidays, that we hope never makes it into your shopping cart, or under anyone’s tree you know.

You guessed it...Rawhide! One of the most dangerous products ever marketed for dogs, yet still sold by stores all around the world and one of the most purchased "gifts" for dogs over the holidays. Now you may be asking yourself, "if Rawhide is so dangerous, why would stores sell it?" It's actually quite simple...because people buy it! If we stopped buying it, they wouldn't keep selling it!

We have never carried Rawhide and we never will! Each year we try to empower as many pet parents as possible on the dangers of Rawhide. Last year, we came up with a simple acronym (and a jingle 🤣 you can view here) to help pet parents remember:

DGORJT — Don’t Give or Receive Just Trash

🚫 What Rawhide Really Is

Rawhide isn’t a by-product of the meat industry, as many people think.
It’s a by-product of the leather industry.

What’s not good enough to become shoes or belts is chemically processed into what looks like a “chew treat” for dogs but can come with deadly consequences.

To make it look clean and appealing, manufacturers use bleach, lye, formaldehyde, paint, and even glue to strip, whiten, and shape the material. The result is a “treat” that’s more craft project than food, and it can wreak havoc inside your dog’s body.

⚠️ Why Rawhide is So Dangerous

Rawhide doesn’t break down in your dog’s stomach. It swells. That means it can easily become lodged in the throat, stomach, or intestines, often requiring emergency surgery to remove. Each year when we share this important information, we hear the horror stories from our customers and social media family where Rawhide is the villain! Some of the stories are of dogs ending up in surgery and some are even more tragic.

Even small pieces of Rawhide can cause blockages, choking, or digestive distress. And when you combine that with a cocktail of industrial chemicals, it’s easy to see why we say: it’s not a treat, it’s dangerous trash disguised as one.

But here’s the thing: pet parents who buy rawhide aren’t doing it out of neglect, they’re doing it out of love. They just want to give a dog a gift that makes them happy. They just didn't realize the dangers that come with that gift. And that’s exactly why education matters!

💪 You’re the Hero for Choosing Safer Alternatives

You don’t need rawhide to give your dog or any other dog on your Christmas list something special. There are so many safe, natural alternatives that satisfy their need to chew...without the risk.

Some of our top recommendations:

Raw Meaty Bones – nature’s toothbrush and full of natural minerals
Bully Sticks – fully digestible, high-protein chews that keep pups busy
Esophagus or Collagen Chews – rich in natural collagen to support joints and skin
Better Bones - they are a chew toy made from two natural ingredients (powdered cellulose & vegetable oil) and they're great for tough chewers
Bull Tails – they look like rawhide, but they’re not!

🐾 What Makes Bull Tails Different

Our bull tails go through a completely natural process...no chemicals, bleach, or glue. They’re gently cleaned in a warm water bath with walnut and pistachio shells to remove debris. That process turns the skin white naturally, while keeping it safe, digestible, and nutrient-rich.

So they’re long-lasting, satisfying, and completely safe, everything rawhide pretends to be without the potentially harmful or dangerous consequences.

🎁 The Bottom Line

This holiday season, as you're scratching names off your list and see all the festively decorated Rawhides in stores around the city, skip them! If a store tells you their Rawhides are perfectly safe, ask them how they're made. If they don't know or don't say, you've got your answer!

If you want to gift joy to a furry guy in your house or your friends house, choose something that’s safe, natural, and healthy. Because nothing says love like giving a gift that won’t send them to the emergency vet.

When you choose natural chews, you’re not just being a thoughtful gift-giver, you’re being their hero. Because the most important thing you can remember this Pawliday Season when it comes to Rawhide is...