Rawhide's are made of dried cow or pig hides and processed into a variety of shapes and sizes.  Some rawhide's also come with garlic, beef, or cheese flavors to increase your dogs interest.  A proper rawhide should have some flexibility and should be made in North America to reduce the amounts of added chemicals.  When selecting a chew, use caution.  To turn white, some rawhide's have been bleached with titanium oxide or washed in formaldehyde.

Rawhide's are good for the dog's teeth and gums, a great source to relieve boredom, and satisfy a dog's natural need to chew.  When selecting a chew, it is a good idea to select a size that appears to be slightly too big for your dog.  This will help prevent your dog from finishing the chew too soon and possibly choking.  Anytime your dog chews a rawhide small enough to fit in his mouth, the chew needs to be thrown out.  If your dog enjoys these chews and you notice small pieces of rawhide hanging off the chew, cut them off with scissors to prevent the dog from ingesting them.  Always supervise your dog with any type of rawhide.

1.  Dogs love the flavor and scent of rawhide's.
2.  Compressed rawhide lasts longer and is more durable than shredded  rawhide.

1.  Not ideal for aggressive chewers.  Large pieces can be swallowed or consumed quickly.  This can cause an intestinal blockage.
​2.  Compressed rawhide's can cause damage to teeth.
3.  Chemical preservatives found in inferior rawhide may be dangerous to a dog's health.
4.  Rawhide's with flavor can stain carpet and furniture.  This can possibly encourage the dog to chew carpet and furniture.

Natural bones with tissue will satisfy your dogs natural instinct to chew.  Plus they help to cure boredom.  

Pros.
-Unlike the sterilized bones, bones with tissue have an aroma dogs love.
-A good alternative to rawhide.

Cons.
-These bones are not good for aggressive chewers.  They may chew off and swallow pieces of bone that can cause digestive problems and broken teeth.  
-If grease and/or meat get onto carpet or fabric furniture, the dog may go back and chew the carpet and furniture at a later time.

Below are links for Natural Bones with Tissue on Amazon.com

Pros:
-Sterile bones are a great alternative to rawhide bones (rawhide can be consumed quickly).  
-Sterile bones are easy to clean.

Cons:
-Sterile bones are not meant for aggressive chewers.  If they chew the actual bone it may result in broken teeth and/or ingesting bone splinters.
-If filled with greasy treats, the grease can get onto furniture or carpet, and the dog may go back and chew them at a later time.
-If the bone is dropped on hard surface, it may crack and need to be thrown out.
-Unless the bone is stuffed with flavor, the dog may not show any interest since the natural flavors of the bone have been removed during the cooking process.

Below are links for sterile bones on Amazon.com