Pigs Ears

[suki1964]

I was reading a thread the other day about pigs ears and seeing some today whilst out I got a couple.

Well Alfie is in puppy heaven now - hes been chewing away for the past hour or so, stopping long enough only to scoff his dinner  

So how often can he have these? he seems to be sick to the back teeth with rawhide (teething) but Im worrying about how healthy (unhealthy) they are

[Cob-Web]

Hi Caroline

I would see how he goes with them - when I gave Molo his first one, I limited it to an hour, but he still got a bit of a runny poo's the next day.

I waited until he was a bit older and he is fine with them now - I confess I leave one down for him during the day (although I give him the slightly less smelly Good Boy packaged ones   ) and replace them every couple of days. He never chews bits off, just chews it like gum, dangling out of ther side of his mouth!

I assume that they are mainly dried skin, so probaby no worse than raw-hide I would imagine - anyway, once hes through the teething stage he will have them rationed again.

Molo loves the ears, as rawhide is too hard for him at the moment, the ears go soggy and are easier to chew!  

[Shirley]

Hi Caroline

My two boys favourite thing in the whole world (apart from gravy bones  ) are pigs ears but I only give them one every now and again as a special treat.  I read somewhere that they are actually fried so therefore full of fat.  I don't leave them down when I'm out as I had a choking episode with Morgan when he was about 6 months old and had I not been here I dread to think what would have happened -  not with a pigs ear but once they get the hang of it you'd be surprised how quickly they can chew one of these down to a size small enough to swallowand.  All they get when I'm out is a well-stuffed kong  

[Chrissy]

Hello

I give all my dogs one pigs ear a day (& they love them!)  Never had any runny poo's to worry about.

I think it's good practice to supervise a dog when he/she has something to chew, as you never know if they will choke on it.  Mine have them when I'm in the kitchen with them. The dogs all sit in a line and wait their turn, then they ever so gently take the ear from me and then rush off someone "private" to eat it in case one of the others finishes first and comes looking for theirs!

Chrissy
 

[Cob-Web]

I read somewhere that they are actually fried so therefore full of fat. 

I have e-mailed Armitage, who make Good Boy products, to ask them; as I thought that they were dried, not fried, and will be looking for something else if they are loaded with fat    

[suki1964]

Thanks for all the replies. Well he chewed and chewed and never stopped till it was gone so any ideas of rationing it tonight are well out of the window, looks like I could be on poo duty all night

I never leave Alfie alone with chews, if I need to leave him on his own in his crate its a smackeroo or chew stick broken into pieces and hidden around under the blanket and tucked between the toys.

Rachel, let us know what they say about them. These ones Im sure are dried as they leave no grease on the fingers. Dont know which brand they were as they are Wilkinsons cheapos

[Shirley]

I can't get pre packed ones and get them loose from a big bin in the local pet shop    - they are greasy, so maybe they are prepared differently    

[Chrissy]

I need to leave him on his own in his crate its a smackeroo or chew stick broken into pieces and hidden around under the blanket and tucked between the toys.

 

Don't want to worry you, but I'd be careful even leaving broken chew sticks as these also have the potential to lodge in the throat or jam themselves across the narrowest part of the roof of the mouth.  

If I leave my dogs unattended and with something to nibble on I tend to get a new and large rawhide bone (something that can’t disintegrate) which I know from experience will take X amount of time to be reduced to a potentially dangerous size and make sure I’m back with the dog well in advance of this time.

Chrissy
 

[Shirley]

have had a wee search and most of the ones sold online say that they are smoked rather than fried so I'll maybe send for some of these as the one's I get have a definate greasiness about them.  I can give then to the boys more often then    Mind you, if you want to sample deep fried pig's ears yourself then just visit this restaurant :  

New watering hole, The Pig’s Ear, is a rather refined addition to the Chelsea drinking scene, with art-deco light-fittings and zinc bar-tops creating a somewhat quirky setting. If browsing the wine list works up an appetite, eat in the informal dining area, where true to the bar’s name you can sample deep-fried pig’s ears. The first-floor dining room is set to open in September. 35 Old Church Street SW3. Tel: 7352 2908.
 
   

[suki1964]

Chrissy     Posted on Oct 22 2004, 11:22 PM

Don't want to worry you, but I'd be careful even leaving broken chew sticks as these also have the potential to lodge in the throat or jam themselves across the narrowest part of the roof of the mouth.

Oh lordy I never thought of that They are the cheepo chews -  I call them mdf rolls as they seem to resemble compressed sawdust, easily snapped in to tiny pieces to use as bribes when out and about. I shall stick to the smackeroos whilst out.

Thanks for the warning, dont suppose you can ever be too safe

[Bellbellsmum]

I gave Bella a pigs ear the other day as she is chewing everything in sight and her breeder recomended them. She said they were smoked/dried.  

Bella is not fussed about many chews, but the pigs ear was a HUGE hit.  She ran round with it for hours just sucking the edges I'm sure to make it last.  Even when it was dinner she ran to her bowl and then took 5 minutes to realise she had to put it down to eat her dinner.  This worried me as I thought she might get nasty she was being so possesive, but when I took it off her she just looked at me with a hurt "how could you" look on her face and then wriggled orgasmically when I gave her it back    

It lasted 3 days (I took it off her when she was alone)  In the end I binned it. She sulked for about an hour  

The only thing I hate about them is the horrid bacon breath they get with them.

She also loves smoked bones with the meaty bits all over them.  Again only under supervision.

[AmandaA]

Do they smell?

[Sheila]

I used to give Goldie pigs ears very regularly. Then I read somewhere that they were very fattening, so I stopped buying them as she got older.
Today, though, I was in a pet store and decided to treat both Goldie and Lottie and I bought some piggie ears. Lottie has never tried one yet but I bet she loves them.
I decided that I would give them both small rations at tea time and then the pig ears as treats during the evening.
I would like to know just how fattening they are though if anyone knows.....they certainly feel fatty.

[Shirley]

You must be buying the same ones I buy Sheila - they do feel greasy.  From what I can tell from most online petshops, they are smoked and not fried so should be okay  

Amanda, they really stink!!!    

P.S. Sheila, I've had my Bailey fix - any recent pics of Lottie??    

[Sheila]

Shirley......yes, I looked online and noticed they said they were dried, maybe the fatty feeling is just the natural oils in the skin then.

I have got some piccies of Lottie.....I'll post some.......can't have you getting withdrawal symptoms