Natural Treats for Your Beloved Dog

🐾 Why Natural, Sustainable Treats Matter

Many commercial dog treats are packed with artificial colours, preservatives, and fillers that don’t do your dog any favours. Natural treats, on the other hand, are made with real, simple ingredients — often sourced from sustainable farms or responsible suppliers.

By choosing brands that focus on:

• Ethical sourcing (using meat and ingredients from responsible farms),

• Eco-friendly packaging (biodegradable or recyclable materials), and

• Minimal processing,

  
  

you’re giving your dog healthier snacks and reducing your environmental pawprint.

🚫 The Truth About Rawhide

Rawhide has long been sold as a “safe chew,” but it’s anything but. Here’s why we don’t stock or recommend it at Womack’s Doggie Delights:

1. It’s highly processed – Rawhide is made from the inner layer of animal hides, often treated with harsh chemicals to clean, bleach, and preserve it.

2. It’s a choking hazard – Pieces can easily break off and get stuck in your dog’s throat or digestive system, leading to serious health issues.

3. It offers no real nutrition – Unlike natural chews such as antlers, fish skins, or plant-based alternatives, rawhide provides no beneficial nutrients for your dog.

4. It’s not eco-friendly – The manufacturing process produces waste and often involves overseas shipping, leaving a big environmental footprint.

   
   

🧪 How Rawhide Is Really Made

Rawhide might look simple — but the process behind it is anything but natural. Here’s a peek at what really happens before it ends up on shop shelves:

1. Treated animal hides (usually leftovers from the leather industry) are first soaked in chemical baths to prevent decay during transport.

2. Once they reach a factory, they’re washed in lime to remove hair and fat, then split into layers — the top becomes leather, and the inner layer becomes rawhide.

3. The hides are then bleached or whitened, often using hydrogen peroxide or other strong chemicals to improve appearance and reduce odour.

4. Finally, they’re glued, rolled, and sometimes coated with artificial flavourings or colour to make them more appealing to dogs.

   
   

By the time it’s packaged, the “natural chew” you see bears little resemblance to real meat or bone — and that’s what makes it risky.

🌱 Better, Safer Alternatives

Luckily, there are plenty of sustainable and dog-safe options that keep your pup busy and happy:

• Natural air-dried chews like fish skins, venison strips, or rabbit ears.

  
  

Plain Rabbit Ears - no fur

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Venison (Deer) Strips

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• Plant-based chews made from sweet potato or peanut butter.

  
  

Sweet Potato Slices 180g

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• Eco-friendly brands that use responsibly sourced ingredients and recyclable packaging.

  
  

These choices are gentler on your dog’s tummy — and kinder to the planet.

💚 The Bottom Line

Sustainability isn’t just a trend; it’s a way to show love — to your dog, to nature, and to the world around us. By choosing natural treats and avoiding products like rawhide, you’re taking a small but meaningful step toward a healthier, happier life for your four-legged family member.

At Womack’s Doggie Delights, we’re proud to stock natural, responsibly sourced treats you can feel good about — because doing good and treating your dog shouldn’t be two different things.

Based right here on the beautiful Norfolk Broads, we see every day how plastic waste and rubbish can harm local wildlife and waterways. That’s why we’re passionate about promoting eco-friendly choices that protect the places we all love — from the rivers and reedbeds to the dogs splashing along their banks.

🌍 Join Us in Making a Difference

We invite you to join us in making a difference. Choose natural, sustainable treats for your dog. Support brands that care for the environment. Together, we can create a healthier world for our pets and ourselves.

Let’s make every treat count!