Amy, I have the exact same concerns. I bought Malone a *huge* pressed raw hide bone & at first he could chew on it for hours and not get much off it. I wasn't really that concerned. Then one day, it was like he learned how to really chew it, and he got this really big chunk off and I am thankful to have gotten that out of his mouth before he choked or it stopped up his system or something. So I only give him rawhide now when he is supervised, and take it away after 20 minutes when it gets soft. I let it harden back up before giving it to him again. (Side note: At first he was pretty agressive with giving it up, but I started giving him a treat for giving it up, and that has helped immensely)