We all naturally worry about our dogs’ eating habits. Trying our best to keep them away from known harmful foods like grapes, avocado, chocolate, artificial sugars, cooked bones…and honestly whatever else your dog gets a whim to chew on.
But chewing is great for dogs! And safe supervised healthy chewing is crucial to their well-being and mental health. However, you might have learned recently that chews like rawhide and other low-quality dog chews can break off into chunks becoming a possible choking risk for your pup or even causing intestinal blockage. It’s true. Rawhide is NOT SAFE for dogs!
But are collagen sticks safe?
So, Are Collagen Sticks Completely Safe For Dogs?
A resounding bark of yes! Overall good quality collagen sticks are made from natural ingredients, are safe, and long-lasting chew. Collagen sticks are not only safe for all dogs but come with tons of health benefits.
Vets and dog lovers around the world are recommending collagen sticks as the new safe chew for canines. Bonus, they are a great source of added protein needed in their diet and incredibly low in fat too.
What are Collagen Sticks for Dogs Made Of?
These amazingly delicious stick-like chews are made from the inner layer of the skin of a cow, referred to as beef corium, which holds all the beneficial collagen. Sometimes the collagen for chews can be sourced from other animal products like chicken or fish skin. But the most popular collagen sticks come from single-ingredient grass-fed beef corium. Dogs love it and you will too!
Grass-fed beef is a more nutritionally dense beef and beef product. Barking Buddha Pet only uses high-quality grass-fed beef for its collagen chews.
The Doggy Digest: Why Are Collagen Sticks Safer For Dogs?
As we learn more about collagen sticks we have found they are safe and more digestible than most kibble. We can first begin by better understanding how a dog’s digestive system works.
A Dog’s Digestive System
A healthy digestive tract is one of the easiest ways to stay on track with your dog’s overall health. We, as guardians, control what goes into our dogs. One of the best ways to keep an eye on your dog’s health is learning more about how they process food. Also to be aware and keep a close watch on their daily food intake and bowel movements.
A canine’s digestion works in a complicated way. Tiny variables and factors control the inner workings of their digestive system. Just like their descendants and ancestors before them who hunted and scavenged for their meals. Dogs today still require protein and nutrition as fuel to stay active and healthy.
The Primary Parts of Dog Digestion
Food goes into your dog’s mouth where it is chewed, enjoyed, and swallowed. Your dog utilizes their front teeth to pull the food back to the molars which helps break it down more. The esophagus becomes lubricated and that saliva helps break down those particles even more.
Food then passes down through the esophagus and goes on to the integral stomach digestion and storage containment. When food reaches the stomach where it is essentially stored and continues to go through a slow breakdown. Sometimes dogs require their food to remain in the stomach for upwards of 12 hours, where it becomes changed in consistency and ready for the nutrition to be absorbed into the body.
A dog’s small and large Intestines finish up the digestion process. The small intestine is divided into three parts that work together to break down more and aid the body in absorbing food like fuel.
The large intestine continues to store processed food and is also where the colon begins. Once food reaches beyond the intestinal tracts it is considered fecal matter and moves down through the colon. Then it’s time for a walk or some personal yard time.
A dog’s digestive system is powerful. While supplements can help a healthy gut, they often cannot survive a dog’s digestion system. So they don’t get the full benefit of pills or other oral supplements.
Collagen Chews for Healthy Easy Digestion
Collagen Chews, especially ones made from 100 percent grass-fed beef collagen, are completely digestible and gentle on a dog’s system. Besides having that crucial flavor profile your pup is seeking, digestibility is the next big factor you want to look for in a collagen chew. And their body can absorb more of the collagen while their body breaks it down than supplements.
Collagen Chews come in many different sizes and shapes. From sticks to rings, braids, and every chew in between. This variety of natural treats offers your dog the perfect chew match for them! Along with a huge range of enjoyable textures and long-lasting chewing abilities.
Collagen Chew Sticks are the new and improved chew for dogs. Unlike rawhide, collagen sticks are not treated with harsh chemicals or filled with unnecessary additives.
How to Check Dog’s Stool for Healthy Signs of Digestion?
A healthy dog’s digestive system will produce poops that are log-like in shape. It is not too watery or stiff but just enough firmness to maintain form and segment off clean. It should vary from light to dark browns in color, and be free of large chunks of fecal debris, parasites, or foreign objects.
Small undigested bits of food and hair are not uncommon to find in dog doo-doos. As long as it isn’t a common occurrence, this shouldn’t be anything to worry about. However, do call your vet if ever you suspect your dog is having issues regularly passing food and drink.
Safety is Key!
Although completely safe for dogs, it is always recommended to supervise your pets while they enjoy any food and treats. Try to keep them off furniture and carpets as they happily gnaw away. Monitor their pace and remove pieces of chews that you find are too large or maybe even too tiny.
It is recommended by veterinarians that you choose a chew that is sized just slightly larger than your dog’s mouth. Don’t forget to provide a supply of fresh water for your dog as they enjoy their delicious, digestible collagen chew.