[tliu324]

My husband and I rescued a ~4 y/o beagle about a year ago. He is a little shy (we've worked on it and he's getting better) and he almost never barks or bays. He generally leaves everything in the house alone, sometimes even his toys. We have found though that he really likes to chew on rawhides as a way to destress. We have been getting him the compressed rawhides because anything else lasts approximately 30 minutes and he's completely done. However, even with the compressed rawhides, he can finish a medium sized rawhide bone in just under an hour. Ideally, we would love to give him this stress outlet every day, but that much rawhide cannot be good for a 28lb beagle. Are there any alternatives to compressed rawhides that we can try or if he's not having any issues digesting the rawhides, should we just not be concerned about the amount of rawhide he ingests?

 

[Mom2Beagles]

Its good that you are looking for alternatives. I give the girls a rawhide twist stick a few times a week. They have never had any digestion issues. You can also get pigs ears or hooves at the petstore. They love those hoof things and they last longer than a rawhide.

 

[evathedo*g]

Our girl Eva is a crazy chewer {more than my shepherds ever were!}. I tried bully sticks, rawhides, and such...even if it was promised to be 'long lasting' she would have it gone in an hour tops.
Until a friend suggested antlers. Wow - we will never purchase anything else. She has had this one antler for months MONTHS now and it's still almost new. I highly recommend. I do not feel nervous about leaving her at home alone with it {pieces don't break off}, it doesn't make a mess, and it's extremely long lasting.

 

[lynn]

I agree, antlers are a very good rawhide alternative.

 

[thairan]

I get big pork bones from the butcher shop and give them to the 'kids' a couple times a week. The guard dog usually finishes off the beagle's bone when she tires of it.