With the generic / commodity nature of the humble pig’s ear, you might wonder how this universal treat became so wide spread? Besides chicken tenders and beef treats, its one of the most common 100% single ingredients around. We look at the pigs ears for dogs treats origins, their basic nutritional value, and what else they can provide your dog!
The pigs ear history
As shrouded in mystery as the evolution of the dog itself from the grey wolf, exact origins and dates are unknown. Literature does suggest that it was just a common discarded farm animal piece that couldn’t easily be sold to people for human consumption. So its rise to fame is most likely some time after the farming revolution became common place. When excess animal parts became available, and were there was little value to sell to people for their own meals.
Ironically much of Europe enjoys many sorts of offal that much of the new world continents still do eat. AND yet, there are still current recipes for pig’s ears for human dishes. But younger generations of people seem to have little desire to eat easily recognisable animal parts.
While muscle meat (cow steak or lamb) was consumed by the farmer and family and sold to other people via markets or butchers, pigs ears were deemed to be of low financial value, but could still provide valuable protein to their farm dogs. Animals that needed to be in top condition to provide there service to the farmer. That is how pigs ear became a staple in rural areas, and eventually urban areas when word of mouth, and lower costs got around.
WHY DO DOGS LIKE IT?
Pig’s ears are renown for having a fairly long chewing time for most small to medium sized dogs (once oven dried). The texture of a WHOLE animal part is also attractive to primally pull apart. Unlike composite treats, dogs have to actually use their teeth and jaw strength a lot more to eat these.
Nutritionally dogs also benefit from the protein boost that the pigs ear gives them. The modern version has skin overlying a thin wedge of meat. It’s the meat that supplies the essential amino acids that dogs can’t make themselves internally.
Pig’s ears also contain bioavailable (easily digestible and useable) glucosamine and collagen, both of these are ideal for joint health and skin health.
Pigs ears also include nutrients such as vitamins and minerals, including zinc, iron, and B vitamins this means that they are an all-round healthy treat and a good contributor to a healthy balanced diet, in moderation.
If you have ever seen a dog beg for bacon, you will understand how a big piece of pork like pigs ears will also have a familiar smell and taste that makes it such a sort after treat by dogs who can manage to rip it apart.
Why do people NOT like them, even for dogs?
Sure, they can smell a little, but that is true of all animal products, and it is in fact mainly the smell that attracts dogs to enjoying food. At least when you are buying a single ingredient treat, you know that they are enjoying it for its natural self, not for the additives and artificial flavouring that many treats seem to have lately.
Also there is the myth that they are offal and bad for a dog. The truth is that offal is actually properly defined as hormone secreting organs. And that is why the lung and heart are actually muscle meat NOT offal either. True offal organs are an important part of a dog’s diet as they often offer a much higher amount of specific vitamins or minerals that benefit a dog, rather than just the muscle meat.
So while pigs ears are NOT offal, and offal is actually good for dogs (when bought from a trusted source) – pigs ears do have a lot of powerful benefits as mentioned above plus. Especially the Collagen that supports dog joints (ie help with arthritis) that straight meat jerkies don’t provide.
The question of fat content is a curious one. For a while popular media were selling a lot more papers telling people to avoid natural fats (particularly saturated) and instead have vegetable fats in cooking and in margarin, but much of that was on unfounded science and opinions have been reversed.
Yes pigs ears contain saturated fats, but dogs being carnivores handle saturated fats (from eating prey for 20 centuries) differently from humans. The biggest issue with treats in general is not providing too many to make a dog fat – so replacing some kibble with a pigs ear every now and then is very acceptable.
The last (or first) question on many owner’s minds is cost. The reality like with all treats as meat demand increases in developing nations, is that manufacture costs have gone up. Yes you can buy cheap pigs ears, but some of those have additives or are from overseas origin that can have very different labour conditions or safe feeding laws to feed fed to pigs, meaning that unless you buy from a trusted local source and pay a few cents more, you may regret it.
Pigs ears deserve a well earned position in your dogs range of treats, as long as they can managed chewing them.
