However, you should always supervise a puppy when chewing to make sure he is not chewing off large pieces that could get caught in his throat. Also, do not give a puppy large amounts of rawhide, as their digestive systems cannot handle protein excesses well. When Chewing When giving rawhide, you should always supervise your dog until you are comfortable with his chewing habits. If your dog likes to chew a hunk of rawhide and try to swallow it, trim off the large softened pieces so they don't get caught in your dog's throat. If you aren't familiar with your dog's chewing habits, you are better off starting with a harder rawhide such as a compressed or knotted bone and moving to a softer one, if need be, rather than giving a chew that is too soft at first.
Rawhide comes from the beef industry and is made from the inner layer of the animal's hide.
It is then rinsed in water for a minimum of one hour and dried. Then it is cut, rolled and shaped. The manufacturing process for rawhide involves no chemicals detrimental to the health of a pet. As mentioned earlier, chewing on rawhide is good for keeping tartar from building up on the teeth, which in turn helps prevent bad breath. The Animal Resources Center at Harvard Medical School also published an article about the dental benefits attained using rawhide as part of a dog's diet.