Product FAQs

Name: Hairy Cow Ear
Brand: The Pets Larder Natural Dog Chews
Price: 2.85 GBP
Availability: InStock

Question 1

Why is rawhide bad for dogs?

Accepted Answer

Rawhide is a by-product of the leather industry, chemically treated with bleaches, lyes, and preservatives during processing. It's not actually a natural chew despite its appearance. Three specific risks: it can swell significantly in the stomach when swallowed, it's a major choking hazard when chewed down to smaller pieces, and the chemicals used to treat it have raised welfare concerns in countries with limited oversight. Dogs love rawhide because it lasts a long time, but there are far better single-ingredient alternatives that achieve the same thing without the risks.

Question 2

How long should a natural chew last?

Accepted Answer

It depends on the chew, the dog's size, and their chewing style. As rough guidance: rabbit ears and small fish skins last 5–15 minutes, cow ears and small bull pizzle 20–40 minutes, large bull pizzle and beef trachea 40–90 minutes, ostrich bones and antlers can last days or weeks for slow chewers. If a chew lasts under five minutes for your dog, it's too small. If it lasts so long that it becomes a small swallow-sized piece, replace it before it gets there.

Question 3

Can puppies have natural chews?

Accepted Answer

Yes, but choose carefully. Puppies have softer teeth and developing jaws, so avoid the hardest categories — antlers, ostrich bones, and dense bone chews can damage developing teeth. Good puppy options include: fish skins (soft and high in omega-3 for skin and coat), rabbit ears, soft cow ears, and small air-dried meat chews. Always supervise puppies with new chews and replace anything they break into smaller pieces. Chewing is genuinely important for puppy development — it relieves teething pain and satisfies a fundamental biological need — so don't avoid chews entirely, just choose age-appropriate ones.

Question 4

How do natural chews help with dental health?

Accepted Answer

Mechanical friction. When a dog chews on something with the right firmness, the surface scrapes against their teeth and helps remove plaque before it hardens into tartar. The harder and longer-lasting the chew, the more dental benefit — antlers, bones, and dense meat chews are most effective. Soft chews and treats provide less mechanical scrubbing. Natural chews aren't a replacement for veterinary dental care, but regular use can meaningfully reduce plaque buildup over time, particularly for dogs that don't tolerate teeth brushing.

Question 5

Are bones and antlers safe for dogs?

Accepted Answer

They can be, but they require more care than softer chews. The risk with hard chews is fractured teeth in aggressive chewers, and bone fragments if a dog manages to break off a sharp piece. Use bones and antlers only with calm chewers, never with dogs known to have dental issues, and always under supervision. Choose appropriately sized pieces — too small is dangerous because of swallowing risk; too large can be frustrating. Whole raw bones (with marrow) are different from cooked bones, which should never be given. If you're unsure whether your dog is a suitable candidate for hard chews, start with a softer category and observe their chewing style first.

Question 6

What are the best chews for aggressive chewers?

Accepted Answer

Aggressive chewers need long-lasting, robust chews — but with care. Good options: large bull pizzle (very long-lasting, fully digestible), beef trachea, lamb necks, large ostrich bones, and antlers used under supervision. Avoid splintering options like cooked bones and any soft chews that will be demolished in minutes and either swallowed in chunks or wasted. The general rule: an aggressive chewer needs a chew that's bigger and tougher than you'd give a calm chewer of the same size. Our team can recommend specific products if you tell us how your dog typically destroys their chews.

Question 7

How often can my dog have a chew?

Accepted Answer

Daily is fine for most adult dogs, provided you account for the calories. A bull pizzle stick or beef trachea is around 80–150 kcal depending on size — for a medium dog, that's a meaningful proportion of daily intake. Reduce food portions slightly if you're giving a substantial chew daily. For high-calorie chews like fish skins, watch the cumulative effect across a week. Smaller, lighter chews (rabbit ears, vegetable chews) can be given more freely. The exception is bones and antlers, which provide minimal calories but should be limited based on tooth wear rather than energy intake.

Question 8

What are natural meat chews made from?

Accepted Answer

Single-source animal material — the specific cut or part named on the product. Beef tripe is dried beef tripe. Chicken neck is dried chicken neck. Pig snout is dried pig snout. No composite ingredients, no binding agents, no artificial flavourings or preservatives. The minimal processing — drying, air-drying, or smoking — preserves the natural nutritional profile of the meat. What you see on the label is what's in the chew.

Question 9

Are natural meat chews better than rawhide?

Accepted Answer

Yes, for most dogs. Rawhide is a heavily processed by-product that swells significantly when wet, creating a genuine blockage risk if large pieces are swallowed. Natural single-ingredient meat chews break down in the digestive system if swallowed — they're made of protein your dog's gut is designed to process. The risks with natural meat chews are different (calorie contribution, appropriate sizing) but more predictable and manageable than rawhide's blockage risk.

Question 10

How do I choose the right protein source?

Accepted Answer

Start with your dog's history. If they have a diagnosed protein sensitivity or allergy, choose a novel protein they haven't been regularly exposed to. For dogs with no known sensitivities, variety is beneficial — rotating between beef, chicken, pork, and duck provides a broader range of nutrients and reduces the risk of developing a sensitivity through repeated exposure. Single-ingredient chews make rotation straightforward because there are no hidden proteins in composite ingredients.

Question 11

Can dogs with sensitive stomachs have meat chews?

Accepted Answer

Single-ingredient meat chews are generally well tolerated because there are no composite ingredients to react to. The key variables are fat content and novelty. High-fat cuts (pizzle, pork crackling) can cause digestive upset in genuinely sensitive dogs. Novel proteins — a protein the dog hasn't eaten before — occasionally trigger a short adjustment period. For sensitive dogs, start with leaner, single-ingredient cuts like chicken neck, duck feet, or tripe and introduce one new protein at a time.

Question 12

What is the difference between a chew and a treat?

Accepted Answer

Treats are small, consumed quickly, and used for training or reward. Chews are designed to be worked over time — the sustained chewing action is the point, providing mental stimulation, jaw exercise, and dental benefit. Many single items (duck feet, chicken necks) sit in the middle ground and can serve as either. If you're looking specifically for small high-volume training rewards, our dog treats collection is the better starting point.

Question 13

Are vegetable chews lower in calories than meat chews?

Accepted Answer

Generally yes. Plant-based chews tend to be significantly lower in fat than meat-based alternatives, which translates to a lower calorie density. This makes them particularly useful for dogs on weight management plans who need to chew frequently without the calorie contribution of pizzle, tendons, or other higher-fat meat chews. Exact calorie content varies by product — check individual product pages for analytical constituents where available.

Question 14

Are vegetable chews suitable for senior dogs?

Accepted Answer

Yes — the softer texture of most vegetable chews makes them one of the better options for older dogs with worn or fragile teeth. Hard chews that risk tooth fracture become a concern as dogs age; vegetable chews generally don't carry this risk. The lower calorie density is also a benefit for senior dogs who are less active and more prone to weight gain.

Question 15

What is the Yakers microwave trick?

Accepted Answer

When the chew reduces to a small piece too short to chew safely, place it in the microwave for 30–60 seconds on high. The remaining piece puffs up into a light, crunchy treat your dog can eat safely. This means nothing goes to waste — the chew provides value until the very last piece. It's one of the things that separates Yakers from most other long-lasting chews.

Question 16

Are Yakers chews odourless?

Accepted Answer

Yes — unlike many meat-based long-lasting chews, Yakers have minimal odour. This makes them practical for indoor use without the smell associated with pizzle, tripe sticks, or fish-based chews. It's one of the reasons they're popular with owners who want a long-lasting option that doesn't make the living room smell.

Question 17

How do Yakers compare to antlers?

Accepted Answer

Both are long-lasting hard chews. Antlers are denser and typically last longer, but carry a higher risk of tooth fracture due to their extreme hardness. Yakers are slightly softer than antler (though still a hard chew) and have the advantage of being fully consumable — antler doesn't reduce in size meaningfully, while Yakers are eaten down gradually. For dogs who benefit from a long-lasting chew but whose owners are cautious about the hardest options, Yakers are a reasonable middle ground. The microwave puff at the end also means nothing is wasted.

Question 18

What is a natural pet shop?

Accepted Answer

A natural pet shop is an independent retailer that stocks pet food, treats, chews and accessories selected against a nutritional and ingredient standard rather than a commercial one. In practice that means prioritising high meat-content foods, named protein sources, minimal processing, and transparent labelling — and not stocking products that don't clear that bar regardless of brand recognition or margin. The Pets Larder is an independent natural pet shop based in Hayle, Cornwall. We're also an award-winning one — Independent Pet Shop of the Year 2021 — but the award matters less than what it reflects: a consistent stocking philosophy applied since we opened, not a marketing position adopted later.

Question 19

How long has The Pets Larder been in the pet industry?

Accepted Answer

The Pets Larder was founded in 2018, but the professional animal care background behind it goes back further. Our founder Katy spent a decade running an award-winning dog daycare in Cornwall before opening the shop — which means the nutritional knowledge, the behaviour understanding, and the relationships with dog owners came first, and the retail operation was built on top of them. That's an unusual foundation for a pet shop. Most retailers learn about pet nutrition through supplier training. We came to it through fifteen years of watching what different diets did to dogs in our care every day.

Question 20

Do you work with vets and pet health professionals?

Accepted Answer

We work alongside veterinary professionals and take referrals from vets whose clients are looking for dietary support that sits outside a standard clinical prescription diet. We're not vets and we don't diagnose — but we do have a working knowledge of how diet intersects with common conditions: digestive issues, skin and coat problems, joint health, urinary health, and weight management. When a vet recommends a dietary change for a dog and the owner wants help finding the right food, we're a useful next step. If you've been given dietary guidance by your vet and want help translating it into practical food choices, contact us directly.

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