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Tracheas are natural chew treats that offer numerous health benefits for dogs. Dog owners can give their dogs a beef, lamb, or bison trachea to satisfy their chew drive and support joint and dental health. Plus, the trachea can be turned into an engaging meal with an easy stuffed trachea recipe.
What is a Trachea Chew?
The trachea is an animal's windpipe, rich in natural nutrients and providing a satisfying chewing experience for dogs. It comprises cartilage and connective tissue, making it a natural source of glucosamine and chondroitin, essential components for joint health in dogs. I get air-dried beef, bison, or lamb trachea from Real Dog Box, so I'll stick with those for this blog post.
The lamb trachea is small and great for gentle chewers, while the bison trachea is huge and excellent for aggressive/strong chewers.
Nutritional Benefits of Trachea for Dogs
- Joint Health: Trachea is a natural source of glucosamine and chondroitin, which support joint health and mobility in dogs. This makes it an excellent treat for senior dogs or those prone to joint issues.
- Protein: Trachea is a protein-rich treat that can help support muscle maintenance and growth in dogs. It provides high-quality protein essential for a dog's overall health and well-being.
- Chewing Benefits: Chewing on tracheas can help promote dental health by reducing plaque and tartar buildup, strengthening jaw muscles, and providing mental stimulation for dogs.
- Natural Source of Nutrients: Trachea contains essential nutrients like calcium, phosphorus, and collagen, which are beneficial for bone health, digestion, and skin and coat health in dogs.
When I give my dogs a trachea as a chew, I don't adjust their diet to account for the additional nutrients. I prefer to feed variety and balance over time. I don't mind if my dogs have more calcium, for example, on one day and less on another. The most I'll do is slightly reduce their dinner to account for a large chew or feed a stuffed chew as a meal.
Recipe for Stuffed Tracheas for Dogs
Tracheas are an excellent chew for my dogs. Stuffed tracheas turn the chews into a meal. Feeding stuffed trachea to raw fed dogs can offer several benefits due to its combination of natural ingredients, nutrients, and chewing satisfaction. Here are some advantages of feeding stuffed trachea to raw fed dogs:
- Natural Ingredients: Stuffed tracheas typically contain wholesome and natural ingredients like meat, vegetables, and yogurt, but dog owners can also fill them with raw dog food, offering a balanced and nutritious treat for their dogs. Either way, these ingredients provide essential nutrients, complementing a raw diet.
- Added Variety: Stuffed trachea can introduce variety to a dog's diet, offering different textures, flavors, and nutrients than regular raw meals. Variety is essential to ensure a dog receives a wide range of nutrients for optimal health.
- Joint Health Support: As stated above, the natural glucosamine and chondroitin found in trachea can support joint health in dogs, which is especially beneficial for growing puppies, dogs with joint issues, and seniors.
- Dental Health: Chewing on stuffed trachea can help promote dental health by reducing plaque and tartar buildup, strengthening teeth and gums, and providing mental stimulation for raw fed dogs. Chewing can help keep teeth clean and gums healthy.
- Enrichment and Mental Stimulation: Chewing and working to extract the stuffing from the trachea can provide enrichment and mental stimulation for raw fed dogs. This can help prevent boredom, reduce anxiety, and satisfy your dog's instinct to chew.
- Digestive Health: The combination of ingredients in stuffed trachea can support digestive health in dogs by providing fiber, probiotics (if included in the stuffing), and other beneficial nutrients that promote a healthy gut microbiome and proper digestion.
- Training and Treats: Stuffed trachea can also be used as a reward for raw fed dogs. It's a high-value, nutritious treat that can be enjoyed after training sessions or as an occasional snack.
By incorporating stuffed trachea into a dog's diet, pet owners can provide a tasty, nutritious, and beneficial treat that offers a range of health advantages, from joint support to dental health benefits, while enriching and stimulating their furry companions.
Ingredients for Stuffed Tracheas
- Raw tracheas (beef, lamb, or bison); raw is easier, but you can also use air-dried tracheas
- Stuffing options: (Choose one or mix and match)
- Raw or gently cooked ground protein: I use lean beef, turkey, or green tripe (I don't cook the tripe)
- Plain pureed pumpkin or sweet potatoes
- Plain yogurt
- Pureed vegetables: I prefer leafy greens, zucchini, green beans, culinary mushrooms, and ripe tomatoes
Instructions
- Mix preferred ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
- If using raw tracheas, rinse them under cold water to clean them (optional).
- Stuff each trachea with your ingredients mix.
You can freeze your stuffed tracheas for a cooling summer treat or feed them thawed as a meal. I recommend laying down a tarp or towels or feeding your dogs outside because it can be a messy meal, but your dogs will enjoy it.
I always monitor my dogs when giving them a robust chew or raw meaty bones, just in case. I keep an alternative on hand if the chew turns out to be a bad fit for one of my dogs so I can trade it out for another high-value treat or chew.
Where to Buy Tracheas for Dog Chews
I've been happy with the following sources for tracheas:
- Real Dog Box – they often add beef, lamb, and bison tracheas to my monthly subscription box. They also sell them in their Secret Shop.
- Raw Feeding Miami – RFM offers raw and dehydrated beef tracheas and they're GORGEOUS.
- My Pet Carnivore – MPC offers raw beef trachea, also GORGEOUS.
There are many more sources for trachea; check your local butcher, online raw feeding groups, or your local raw food co-op.
