Rawhide is very common across the UK and has been for a long time, but when dog owners realise the risks that come with it, many look for healthier and safer alternatives.
More and more dog owners are now looking for alternatives to rawhide chews.
So if you’re looking at rawhide alternatives, you’ve made a great choice for your dog’s health.
One of the main reasons rawhide has been so popular is that it’s a very long-lasting product for dogs to chew, but the problem is that the risks we know about today outweigh that one benefit.
Luckily, there are so many better options than rawhide that are still very long-lasting while being much healthier, safer, and fully digestible.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the best rawhide alternatives, which ones suit different dogs, and how to choose and use them safely.
Why Look for Rawhide Alternatives?
Rawhide is a by-product of the leather industry, not the meat industry. When animal hides are processed to make leather goods like shoes, bags, and car seats, the outer layer becomes the leather. The inner layer of the hide is what becomes rawhide dog chews.
If you want to know more about why rawhide is bad for our dogs, check out our article about why rawhide is bad for dogs.
Here are the main reasons why so many owners switch to safer alternative dog chews:
- Rawhide expands when wet. It absorbs saliva and stomach fluid so it can expand after your dog has swallowed it. A small piece that went down easily can swell and lodge in the throat, stomach or gut. Obstruction is one of the main reasons vets warn against it.
- Rawhide is not very digestible. Rawhide does not break down easily. Large pieces can sit in the stomach or cause a blockage that sometimes needs emergency surgery to remove.
- It is heavily chemically processed. The hides are treated with chemical brine to slow decay during transport. Then, they are soaked in a lime solution to remove hair and fat, treated with more chemicals to puff up the hide, and washed with hydrogen peroxide or bleach to remove the smell.
- It can carry a bacterial risk. Salmonella and E. coli have both been found on rawhide, which is a risk to your dog and anyone else in your home.
- It is a choking hazard. Dogs that are strong chewers can bite off and swallow chunks whole, which is exactly when choking becomes a serious risk.
We also asked a few practising UK vets for their thoughts on rawhide. Every vet we spoke to had treated a rawhide-related problem at some point in their career, and not one of them would recommend rawhide to owners today.
The issues they had seen included choking, vomiting and oral injury.
Rawhide is not banned in the UK, and plenty of shops still sell it. But most vets now suggest either avoiding it or only offering it under close supervision. Once you know how it behaves, a digestible natural chew is an easy swap.
What Makes a Good Rawhide Alternative?
A good alternative to a rawhide chew is something that is basically the opposite of rawhide while still being long-lasting.
Good alternatives that are much safer and healthier for your dog usually tick these boxes:
- Natural and single ingredient so you know exactly what your dog is eating.
- Hasn’t been chemically processed.
- Digestible, so any pieces that come off break down rather than causing a blockage.
- Sized larger than your dog’s mouth, so it cannot be swallowed whole.
- Free from artificial colours, flavours, preservatives and fillers.
At Cloud K9, all of our long-lasting chews are natural and free from additives and anything artificial. If you’re ready to find the perfect rawhide alternative for your dog, try our treat finder quiz to get the best results for your dog.
The Best Rawhide Alternatives for Dogs
Here are the natural chews we’d recommend as the best rawhide alternatives in the UK, what makes each one a good choice, and the type of dog it suits best. The first three are the closest we’ve found to the rawhide chewing experience, so if you’re switching straight over, that’s a good place to start.
Braided Buffalo Skins
Braided from strips of natural buffalo skin, this is one of the closest things we’ve found to how rawhide chews without any of the negatives of rawhide. It softens as your dog works at it and gives that same long, enriching chew, but it’s fully digestible, so there’s no swelling and no blockage risk if a piece comes away. Single ingredient, no additives, and most dogs take to it straight away.
If you’re moving a dog off rawhide, this is the best place to start.
Why it’s a good rawhide alternative: because it’s a chew made of skin it has some similar properties. It’s a long softening chew, without the swelling, the poor digestibility or the chemical processing.
Best for: dogs switching from rawhide, and moderate chewers who want something that lasts.
Beef Trachea
A single ingredient chew made from dried beef windpipe. It has a bit of give and softens as it’s chewed, which makes it kind on teeth while still giving a proper chew. Trachea is naturally rich in cartilage, so it’s a great source of glucosamine and chondroitin, which help support healthy joints. Unlike rawhide, beef trachea is fully digestible and gentle on your dog’s stomach.
Why it’s a good rawhide alternative: it gives the soft, satisfying chew rawhide was liked for, but it’s one natural ingredient that breaks down cleanly, so there’s none of the blockage risk.
Best for: a great choice for most dogs, including seniors, puppies over 6 months and any dog that enjoys a chew that’s not as tough as a bone.
Beef Moon Bone
With bone in the name you’d probably think this is a bone, but it’s actually not. A moon bone is beef cartilage, which makes it chewy and long lasting rather than hard like an actual bone. That’s what makes it such a good middle ground. It keeps a determined chewer busy without being too hard, softens gradually as your dog gnaws away at it, and it’s fully digestible.
Why it’s a good rawhide alternative: it lasts and softens in a way similar to rawhide, but it’s fully digestible and free from the brine, lime and bleach treatment rawhide goes through.
Best for: moderate to strong chewers who want a long enriching chew without it being too tough. Moon bones can be quite large so it’s best suited to medium to large dogs.
Lamb Skin Rolls
Rolled strips of dried lamb skin, chewy and satisfying, with natural oils that help support a healthy skin and coat. Lamb suits a lot of dogs with common sensitivities, and as a single ingredient chew there’s nothing hidden in it. Digestible and a good choice for more delicate stomachs. You’ll find more like this in our hypoallergenic dog treats.
Why it’s a good rawhide alternative: it softens and becomes chewy and long lasting like rawhide, but it’s a single natural ingredient with no processing residues, so it’s far gentler and much easier to digest.
Best for: any dogs that enjoy lamb treats but it’s also a great choice for sensitive dogs with it being one of our hypoallergenic options.
Pig’s Ear
A classic dog chew this is one of our best sellers, and for good reason. Pig’s ears are tasty and chewy, and most dogs love them. They’re made of skin and cartilage, so they’re digestible and give a satisfying chew. It is worth knowing they’re higher in fat than some of the other chews on the list, so they’re better as an occasional treat rather than an everyday chew, especially for dogs watching their weight.
Why it’s a good rawhide alternative: it’s a natural, digestible chew that gives the same chewy satisfaction as rawhide, and it breaks down properly rather than swelling in the stomach.
Best for: most dogs as an occasional favourite. Go easy with weight-prone or less active dogs.
Beef Tail
Beef tails last longer than the softer options and give a strong chewer something to work at, while still being fully digestible. A bit more of a durable option without going to the very hard end of the scale.
Why it’s a good rawhide alternative: it gives a strong chewer the effort and longevity they got from rawhide, but as a natural single ingredient it digests cleanly without obstruction worry that rawhide has.
Best for: moderate to strong chewers who get through softer chews quickly.
Yak Chew
A dense, hard milk chew made mainly from yak and cow’s milk, with a very small amount of lime juice and salt. Our yak chews are made of 99.9% yak and cow milk. It’s high in protein and one of the longest lasting Cloud K9 chews, which is why it’s a favourite for dogs that demolish everything else. When it wears down to the last piece, you can soak it and microwave it into a light, crunchy puff, so nothing goes to waste. Because it’s very hard, it suits strong but sensible chewers with healthy teeth, and it’s milk based, so it’s not suitable for dogs with a dairy allergy. Have a read of our guide on whether yak chews are safe for dogs for more information.
Why it’s a good rawhide alternative: it beats rawhide by a long way on how long lasting it is, and it’s a natural chew with no chemical processing. It’s much harder than rawhide, so it’s one to match to the right dog rather than a like-for-like swap.
Best for: strong chewers aged 12 months and over with healthy adult teeth and under supervision.
Buffalo Horn
A naturally hollow, very hard, long lasting chew made of keratin, which is the same tough protein found in hair, nails, and hooves. The hollow centre makes it great for enrichment sessions, because you can stuff it with something tasty (and even freeze it) to keep your dog interested for even longer. As with any hard chew, supervise your dog and take it away if the edges start to wear sharp or it gets small enough to swallow.
Why it’s a good rawhide alternative: it’s completely natural and outlasts rawhide comfortably, without any of the processing. It’s a hard chew rather than a soft one, though, so it suits confident chewers with healthy teeth.
Best for: strong chewers with healthy teeth who enjoy a long project, supervised.
How to Introduce a Rawhide Alternative Safely
Switching from rawhide is easy and one of the best choices you can make for your dog, but it’s worth doing gradually so you can see how your dog gets on with new chews.
- Start with a short session and watch how your dog handles the new chew.
- Supervise fully for the first few goes, especially with anything long lasting.
- If your dog is unsure at first, give them some time to try it and figure it out rather than introducing something new again. It’s great for your dog’s mental enrichment.
- Introduce one new chew at a time, so if there’s any tummy upset you know what caused it.
- Always have fresh water available while your dog chews.
- Take any chew away once it’s worn down small enough to swallow whole.
Keep chews and treats to around ten percent of your dog’s daily calories, with the rest coming from balanced meals. If you want to be precise, our dog calorie calculator gives you a daily figure to work from.
Which Rawhide Alternative Is Right for Your Dog?
If you’d rather cut straight to what suits your dog, here’s a quick guide.
- Puppies: stick to softer, digestible chews like beef tails, lamb skin rolls, and avoid the very hard chews while adult teeth are still coming through.
- Senior dogs: softer chews with plenty of give are easier on older, more worn teeth.
- Power chewers: this is where yak chews and buffalo horns are a solid choice, as long as your dog has healthy teeth and you supervise them while they chew.
- Sensitive stomachs: single protein chews like lamb skin rolls suit dogs that need hypoallergenic options.
- Small dogs: choose smaller, softer chews that suit a smaller jaw, and skip any of the big hard chews until they are older.
Still not sure? Our treat finder quiz matches the right chew to your dog in about a minute.
Frequently Asked Questions
Natural, digestible single ingredient chews are the best options. Braided buffalo skins, beef trachea and beef moon bone are the closest matches to how rawhide chews, while softer options like lamb skin rolls suit sensitive dogs and harder chews like yak chews suit strong chewers. Choose based on your dog’s size, age and chewing style.
The safest long lasting chew is one that is digestible, sized correctly and matched to your dog. For length without hardness, beef moon bone and braided buffalo skins are good choices. The very hard chews last longest but carry a tooth fracture risk, so they only suit dogs with healthy adult teeth under supervision.
No. Rawhide is still legal and widely sold in the UK. Many independent shops, including us, choose not to stock it, and a lot of vets now advise avoiding it or only using it under close supervision because of the risk of swelling, blockages and poor digestibility.
Softer, digestible chews are ideal for puppies. Beef trachea and lamb skin rolls are gentle on developing teeth. Avoid very hard chews like yak chews, horns and bones until adult teeth are fully through, and always check the age guidance on each product.
Most dogs can enjoy a chew regularly as part of a balanced routine, as long as chews and treats stay to around ten percent of their daily calories. Rotate the type of chew, spread out the harder ones, and always supervise.
Final Thoughts
Moving your dog off rawhide is one of the best choices for their health and to avoid an unexpected vet visit, and there’s no shortage of natural chews that do the job better and are much healthier.
If you want the closest match to rawhide, start with braided buffalo skins, beef trachea or beef moon bone.
If you’ve got a large breed or power chewer with healthy teeth, our yak chews and buffalo horns will keep them busy for hours.
Cloud K9 was created for dog owners who want the best for their dogs. If it’s not natural or good for your dog, it’s not Cloud K9. Our chews and treats are made from real ingredients, naturally prepared, and never packed out with fillers or additives.
Whether you’re looking for something tasty to use for training sessions, a long lasting chew to keep them busy, or support with dental care, take a look at our natural treats and chews chosen to help dogs live their best.
