A chew that is gentle on the gums matters more than it sounds for an older dog or a small breed, and it is the reason a rawhide-free option like this exists at all rather than being a novelty.

SmartBones Smartsticks are made without rawhide: the recipe is built on chicken breast (29%) and vegetables, with wheat flour, maize starch, pea powder (4.2%), sweet potato powder (1.3%), chicken liver (0.3%) and carrot powder (0.17%) making up the rest, alongside minerals and added vitamins. The finished stick has a softer texture than a rawhide chew, which is the point of the recipe rather than a side effect of it. Each stick measures 11.4 x 3.18 x 3.18cm, and the pack holds 10.

• Rawhide-free: made with vegetables and chicken breast
• Chicken breast makes up 29% of the recipe
• Vitamin E at 100IU/kg and manganese at 15mg/kg added
• Softer texture than a traditional rawhide chew
• Suitable for puppies over 8 weeks and for senior dogs
• Pack of 10, each stick 11.4 x 3.18 x 3.18cm

What the label does not say. SmartBones give feeding guidance by size band rather than a single number for every dog — from one treat over five days for a toy or extra-small dog up to three a day for an extra-large one, each averaging 55.7kcal, and capped at 10% of daily calories overall. There is no ingredient breakdown finer than the percentages above, so exact vitamin and mineral content beyond the two additives listed is not published.

Who it's for: owners of a puppy, senior dog or small dog who want a chew softer than rawhide, and anyone avoiding rawhide chews altogether.