What is the difference between rawhide and collagen dog chews?

Rawhide is tanned animal hide that softens as a dog chews it, while collagen chews are made from purified animal collagen and tend to break down more predictably. Collagen has become the more common choice in this aisle partly for that reason, though both are long-lasting chew-time treats rather than everyday food.

Are rawhide chews safe for dogs?

Used with supervision and sized correctly for your dog, most dogs manage rawhide without issue, but the main risk is a worn-down piece being swallowed whole once it has softened enough. Take any hide chew away once it reaches that stage rather than letting your dog finish it.

What size chew should I buy for my dog?

Match it to your dog's size and how they chew — an aggressive chewer needs a larger, tougher chew than a slow, gentle one of the same body size. A chew too small for a powerful chewer becomes a choking risk once worn down; one too large for a small dog is usually just abandoned.

Should I supervise my dog with a hide or collagen chew?

Yes, always, particularly the first few times with a new product. Take the chew away once it has worn down small enough to be swallowed whole, and speak to your vet if your dog has ever choked, gagged or been sick after a chew of this kind.

Hide & Collagen Dog Treats

Hide and collagen treats are the long-lasting chews built from processed animal hide — traditional rawhide, and the newer collagen-based chews that have largely replaced it in this aisle. Both are chew-time treats meant to occupy a dog for a while rather than everyday food, and the two behave differently enough in the mouth that it is worth knowing which one you are buying.

Rawhide versus collagen chews

Traditional rawhide softens as a dog chews it, eventually becoming a pliable, swallowable mass, which is where most rawhide safety concerns actually come from — a large piece breaking off and being swallowed rather than fully worked down. Collagen chews, made from purified animal collagen rather than tanned hide, tend to break down more predictably and are the direction most of this aisle has moved in.

A chew like a Naw Goat Ear or a Chewllagen Beef Bar sits at this collagen end of the range, offering a long-lasting chew without some of the processing rawhide traditionally involves. Neither type is inherently risk-free, and size relative to the dog matters more than which category a chew falls into.

Choosing the right size for your dog

A chew sized for a small dog handed to a large, powerful chewer is a choking risk once it is worn down small enough to swallow whole, and the reverse — an oversized chew for a small dog — mostly just gets abandoned once it becomes unmanageable rather than causing harm. Match the chew size to your dog's size and chewing style, not just to whatever is on offer.

A dog that chews aggressively and gets through a chew fast needs closer supervision than one who works at it slowly over an evening, regardless of which product you have chosen. Watching how your own dog handles a new chew the first couple of times tells you more than any label will.

Supervising chew time safely

Always supervise a dog with a hide or collagen chew, particularly the first few times with a new product, and take it away once it has worn down to a small enough piece to be swallowed whole rather than let a dog finish it completely. This applies to any long-lasting chew, not just this aisle specifically.

If your dog has ever choked, gagged, or vomited after a chew, it is worth mentioning to your vet and being more cautious with hide and collagen products generally, since some dogs simply do not tolerate them as well as others regardless of size or brand.

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Common questions

What is the difference between rawhide and collagen dog chews?: Rawhide is tanned animal hide that softens as a dog chews it, while collagen chews are made from purified animal collagen and tend to break down more predictably. Collagen has become the more common choice in this aisle partly for that reason, though both are long-lasting chew-time treats rather than everyday food.
Are rawhide chews safe for dogs?: Used with supervision and sized correctly for your dog, most dogs manage rawhide without issue, but the main risk is a worn-down piece being swallowed whole once it has softened enough. Take any hide chew away once it reaches that stage rather than letting your dog finish it.
What size chew should I buy for my dog?: Match it to your dog's size and how they chew — an aggressive chewer needs a larger, tougher chew than a slow, gentle one of the same body size. A chew too small for a powerful chewer becomes a choking risk once worn down; one too large for a small dog is usually just abandoned.
Should I supervise my dog with a hide or collagen chew?: Yes, always, particularly the first few times with a new product. Take the chew away once it has worn down small enough to be swallowed whole, and speak to your vet if your dog has ever choked, gagged or been sick after a chew of this kind.

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.