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Bones remind most pet parents of their furry friends, but they also remind them of the risks that come stuck with them. If there’s one thing that can instantly capture the attention of your fur baby, it is a juicy bone. But, with the splintering risks attached with bones and rawhide chews, they are not the best pass time for your furry friend.
Fortunately, there are some good bone alternatives that can keep your doggo busy and satisfied. SmartBones are certainly amongst the ‘top’ list!
What are smart bones, how are they made, their health quotient, if they’ve ever been recalled, whether they are any different from Dream Bones – this review covers it all! So, if you are looking for safe, healthy bone treats for your buddy, keep reading.
SmartBones For Dogs – How & Why They’re Made
Smart Bones are hailed as “The Healthy Alternative to Rawhide” by their makers. These are highly digestible chews that are made with real vegetables and chicken. On a plus, they come loaded with minerals and vitamins to give an extra dose of health to your canine. They are manufactured by PetMatrix in Vietnam and China.
The Classic bone chews have a tied-knot bone look. SmartBones are available in mouth-licking flavors – ranging from bacon and cheese, classic chicken, xylitol-free peanut butter, and even sweet potato! They come in all shapes and sizes-small, medium, and large, to suit the size of your dog.
When it comes to Quality Standards, SmartBones understand that your pooch means more to you than just a pet. They follow United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations, and their manufacturing units are FDA registered.
They claim to ensure high-quality standards with the help of the following checks:
- Highly experienced quality control team
- Sanitized and modern or state of the art facilities
- Quality ingredients, including properly sanitized chicken
- Contamination-free, safe manufacturing practices
- Laboratory testing
SmartBones are made to offer a healthy, rawhide-free, tasty chewing experience for your dog—great partners for your teething puppies, as well as grown-up dogs’ teeth and gums. Depending on the size of your dog, you can treat her to 1 to 2 SmartBones a day.
Pros
- Rawhide-free
- Highly digestible
- Variety of flavors and sizes
- Good for dental health
- Loaded with Minerals and Vitamins
Cons
- Contain titanium dioxide
- Cost more than other chews
You can purchase SmartBones at your local retailer. Alternatively, you can order them from online stores like Amazon, Petco, Chewy, and PETSMART.
SmartBones Products
When it comes to flavors and types, SmartBones has doesn’t disappoint. Their products are classified into four main categories, along with several sub-types. Four main types include –
- Classic Chews
- Care Chews
- Innovative Chews
- Specialty Chews
We’ve selected and reviewed some of their top most popular dog chews:
SmartBones Large Chews With Real Chicken
These SmartBone Chicken Chews are 7 inches long and are ideal for large dog breeds that weigh more than 50 pounds. If your dog is a chewer, this one is the right pick. These will last your dog for much longer than other small chews.
The pack contains three large-sized chicken flavored chews. They can be eaten one at a time, while the remaining can be resealed in the pack or stored in an air-tight container.
SmartBones SmartSticks Chews
The SmartBones SmartSticks is fit for small to large-sized breed dogs. It is more suitable for adult canines. Available in 5 different flavors, beef, bacon and cheese, peanut butter, sweet potato, and chicken; these are made with real vegetables, chicken, and peanut butter.
The sticks measure five inches each and last up to 30 minutes on average. These are easily digestible and are softer and safer than rawhide chews.
SmartBones Mini Dental Chew Bones Dog Treats
These are the right pick for small dog breeds weighing between five and ten pounds. Like other products, these chews are made of real veggies and chicken. With these Mini Dental Chews, you no longer need to worry about smelly breath.
It’s because these come packed with essential dental ingredients to freshen breath, reduce plaque build, and clean teeth. Dogs in all life stages – young and naïve or old and wise – can have it.
SmartBones Recall
With multiple rawhides containing chew brands being recalled, the ingredients and manufacturing practices are more concerning than ever. In all these years, there hasn’t been a single recall over SmartBones.
Overall, the ingredients used look safe, given that they are made with real vegetables and chicken, but they also contain titanium dioxide, which is known to cause irritability in canines. Additionally, they contain color agents like FD&C Red 40.
Another area of concern stems from Amazon reviews. While most SmartBones products have an overall rating of 4 plus, we came across some repetitive complaints of diarrhea, constipation, or a lack of appetite. As a responsible pet parent, you must check all the ingredients carefully and see for possible allergic substances.
Dream Bones Vs. SmartBones Review
With Spectrum Brands, Inc. as their parent company, both Dream Bone and SmartBones are more or less identical, with similar product varieties and flavors. Dream Bones doesn’t have the peanut butter flavor. Both Dream Bones and SmartBones are rawhide-free. The first nine ingredients in both the products are common, whereas the tenth ingredient in SmartBones is 2,3 Dihydroxypropyl Octadecanoate, in contrast to Glycerol monostearate in DreamBones.
The main difference is just the labeling, so if your local retailer has either of the two brands, you can go for any, unless your furry friend has a special preference for peanut butter.
Endnotes
When it comes to comparing with rawhides, SmartBones offer the safer and tastier option. It has been a hit among pet-owners and dogs alike. It is manufactured to meet the FDA’s approval and uses state of the art machinery.
When it comes to user reviews, most were positive, while most of the negative ones objected to their outside USA manufacturing. The ones that complained of diarrhea could have had a possible allergic reaction to some ingredients.
Regardless, it is always prudent to keep an eye on your canine when they are chewing on stuff, especially when trying new chews. Rawhide chews that get chipped and swallowed are much more problematic, and alternatives like SmartBones offer all the benefits of rawhide chewing, minus the choking risk.