rawhide bones

Question
Our beagle is slightly overweight and I'm concerned about how bad rawhide bones are for our dog - do they contain alot of fat/calories? She is an only pet (don't have room for more) and she seems to get bored easily - she loves the rawhide bones but i'm just concerned about her weight - we give her one a week.

Answer
Hi, thanks for writing to me!

Beagles have a tendency to be overweight as a breed. You have to be very careful that you are not feeding ANY human food and that their dog food portion is just right. Bisquits and treats that are given should be done sparingly or if given frequently the normal portion adjusted down accordingly. Rawhide once a week is fine and probably wouldn't contribute to your dog being overweight.

My two beagles (and whippet mix for that matter) are fed twice a day and at each feeding they receive 1/4 cup of a quality brand of kibble. The only addition to that is that in the AM feeding they get about one tablespoon of wet mixed in with warm water because I put medications in with their food. This way they don't notice it. Mine do not get a lot of extra exercise (unfortunately I work two jobs and go to school four nights a week) but between the food portion and running around a large yard they stay at a perfect weight according to the vet.

Hope this helps!
Have4Paws