Over 99% digestible. What does that mean?
Digestibility Studies are quite complex and are carried out in accordance with a strict
protocol established by AAFCO (Association of American Feed control Officials),
and by Kennel facilities registered with the USDA under the Animal Welfare Act.
In its most basic form, the study requires feeding specific dogs only dog
food and measuring what goes in and what comes out and then repeating
it with the same dogs but adding the treats to the dog food. All output
is lab-analyzed for protein, fat and caloric digestibility.
Our standards required more than two years of formulation and re-formulation to finally
achieve a 99.2% digestibility - a testament to the high standards and the quality of the
ingredients we use. To put this in perspective, even the best dog foods achieve only 85%
total digestibility. You can rest assured that your dog will get maximum nutritional value
from
SmartBones chews. Side Benefit: Smaller stools. Smart Bones for Smart Dogs.
Preferred by 9 out 10 dogs over the leading rawhide chews.
For palatability testing, we used the leading rawhide dog chew on the market - again
using a strict protocol - one of each treat is offered to a dog in a left and right bowl on one day then the bowl placement is
reversed on the second day. Out of the 20 dogs, 18 dogs chose the SmartBones chew first on both days, and the other 2
dogs chose
SmartBones chew on one of the days so they were judged to show no preference; hence 9 out of 10. This is
very convincing data, but in practice we guarantee that you will find that unlike dogs who simply try to pull hidden treats out
of other rawhide products and leave the rawhide un-chewed, your dog will chew and eat all of the SmartBones chew.
Why are SmartBones Fortified with Vitamins and Minerals?
SmartBones chews are produced in a food grade production facility where we can formulate and control each and every
ingredient. So we decided to fortify them with vitamins and minerals. By doing this, you can be sure that along with their dry
kibble dog food, your dog's total diet will remain fully nutritionally balanced. Rawhide and many other chews don't have the
luxury to do this. In fact, even though rawhide analyzes as over 80% protein, the protein is of such poor quality that it is actually
"unavailable protein" and has almost zero nutritive value for a dog's body. That's why
SmartBones chews are Smart.
Why is it important for my dog to chew anyway?
Historically, in the wild, dogs used to tear through the skin of a wild beast to get at the meat, cleaning their teeth naturally in the
process. But today's domesticated dogs eating kibble in a bowl never gets this exercise, and as a result, their canine teeth become
disused and plaque can buildup. Ask any dental hygienist and they will tell you about how poor dental health even in pets
can result in infections, kidney and heart diseases, let alone bad breath. Acids in the mouth can damage the gums resulting in
gingivitis which in turn can lead to periodontitis - the leading cause of tooth loss. In addition, all dogs
have an inherent desire to chew, especially puppies. Destructive chewing is often the result of a
normal desire to chew and to relieve boredom. Over the years,
we have found that dog chews are
an effective alternative to your furniture and shoes.
These aren't like other chews I've seen. Are SmartBones chews patented?
Yes. In December, 2009, the US Patent and Trademark Office awarded us a Patent # 7,677,203
for one of the decade's most innovative and unique advancements in the Dog Chew category.
How many SmartBones chews should my dog have each day?
Dog chew consumption is size-dependent but it is appropriate to feed 1-2
SmartBones
chews of the correct size daily.
