#TYPES OF RAW HIDES FOR DOGS SKIN#

The rawhide may then be preserved, coloured and/or flavoured, often using artificial additives.Īnd then the final product can be folded, pressed or extruded into the bone shapes, rolls, knots and chew sticks that we're familiar with. This step also helps to remove any unpleasant stains or odours that might be present after the earlier steps. Inner layers destined to become rawhide are then typically washed and may be whitened using a solution of hydrogen peroxide, bleach or other chemicals. The outer layer will be tanned to produce leather while the inner layer is what will go on to make rawhide (or, alternatively, products like gelatin, cosmetics and glue). Next the hide is treated with more chemicals that puff the hide, making it easier to split into its two constituent layers. The hair is then removed by chemical and physical processes before being rinsed again. Once the hide arrives at a tannery, it is rinsed and treated with lime to help separate the fat from the skin. They may remain at this stage for some weeks or even months and while the brine does help to slow their decomposition, it does not stop it and many hides will be in varying states of decay by the time they are finally processed. Most hides are taken directly from the slaughterhouses and preserved in a high-salt brine. While not all rawhide is made in the same way, most from China, India, Thailand, Brazil etc (which accounts for the vast majority of the supply ) is produced using similar techniques. Alternatively, rawhide can be pressed or extruded into just about any shape and can be dyed any colour in the rainbow.īeneath the pretty shapes and colours, though, rawhide is highly controversial due to the way it is made and the significant harm it can cause to dogs. Rawhide comes in all sorts of forms - it's most commonly seen as a pale brown, hard sheet, often folded or rolled into appealing shapes like bones, knots or sticks.

#TYPES OF RAW HIDES FOR DOGS SKIN#

It is made from animal skin (usually cow but can be any animal) and so is often (mistakenly) thought of as a 'natural' product. Rawhide (sometimes labelled as cowhide or beef-hide) is the most popular category of dog chews both in the UK and globally.

Types of raw hides for dogs