Are SmartBones rawhide-free?

Yes, that is the defining feature of the range. The chewable centre is made from vegetable starches rather than animal hide, wrapped in a layer of real meat, most commonly chicken.

How often should I give my dog a SmartBones chew?

Treat it as an occasional chew rather than a daily meal replacement or a constant treat, in the same way you would manage any calorie-containing chew alongside your dog's normal complete diet.

Are SmartBones suitable for puppies?

Check the specific product for a puppy or age-appropriate size and formulation, since not every chew in the range is intended for a young, still-teething dog. Supervise any new chew closely the first few times regardless of age.

Do SmartBones contain grain?

This varies between individual products in the range, so check the specific ingredient list if your dog needs to avoid grain, rather than assuming the whole range is either grain-inclusive or grain-free across every variant.

SmartBones: what's actually in them

SmartBones are built around a simple idea: replace rawhide with a chew centre made from vegetable starches, wrapped in a layer of real chicken or another named meat, giving dogs a chewable shape without the digestive concerns some owners have about traditional rawhide.

What the chew is actually made from

The outer layer is a genuine meat wrap, most commonly chicken, which is what gives the chew its smell and taste appeal to a dog. The inner bone or stick shape itself is built from vegetable-based starches, such as potato or sweet potato depending on the specific product, rather than the animal hide used in traditional rawhide chews.

This construction is the whole point of the range: a chew that looks and behaves broadly like a rawhide bone during chewing, without being made from hide, which is the ingredient some owners specifically want to avoid.

How to pick the right one

The range covers a few different centre flavours, including sweet potato and standard vegetable starch bones, plus different wrap flavours beyond plain chicken in some lines. Choose based on your dog's usual taste preferences and any known sensitivities, in the same way you would with any treat or chew.

Size the chew to your dog's weight using the guidance on the pack, since a chew sized for a small dog is a poor fit, in both durability and safety terms, for a much larger one, and vice versa.

How it behaves compared with rawhide

Because the centre softens with saliva in a different way to compressed animal hide, some owners find a SmartBones chew breaks down a little faster than a traditional rawhide bone of a similar size, which is worth knowing if your dog is used to a longer-lasting chew and finishes one of these more quickly than expected.

As with any chew, supervise your dog the first few times with a new product, and remove and discard any piece that has been chewed down small enough to swallow whole, regardless of what the chew is made from.

Storage is simple compared with rawhide, since the vegetable-based centre does not carry the same odour some owners associate with traditional hide chews, and packs generally keep well in a cool, dry cupboard between uses without needing refrigeration.

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Common questions

Are SmartBones rawhide-free?: Yes, that is the defining feature of the range. The chewable centre is made from vegetable starches rather than animal hide, wrapped in a layer of real meat, most commonly chicken.
How often should I give my dog a SmartBones chew?: Treat it as an occasional chew rather than a daily meal replacement or a constant treat, in the same way you would manage any calorie-containing chew alongside your dog's normal complete diet.
Are SmartBones suitable for puppies?: Check the specific product for a puppy or age-appropriate size and formulation, since not every chew in the range is intended for a young, still-teething dog. Supervise any new chew closely the first few times regardless of age.
Do SmartBones contain grain?: This varies between individual products in the range, so check the specific ingredient list if your dog needs to avoid grain, rather than assuming the whole range is either grain-inclusive or grain-free across every variant.

Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.