So .. Do you give your dogs bones... Most people FREAK OUT at the idea.
Of course, yes NO chicken bones, rib bones, pork etc...anything that can splinter...but
I have given my dogs beef knuckle bones and the marrow bones (raw) for years with no problems.
I have heard it is good for their teeth and it gives them something to do when they're bored and I can't
take them somewhere or for a walk...
Any thoughts ?
Thanks. Oh and........... Happy Friday ! Yay !
Of course, yes NO chicken bones, rib bones, pork etc...anything that can splinter...but
I have given my dogs beef knuckle bones and the marrow bones (raw) for years with no problems.
I have heard it is good for their teeth and it gives them something to do when they're bored and I can't
take them somewhere or for a walk...
Any thoughts ?
Thanks. Oh and........... Happy Friday ! Yay !
posted by:
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San Diego
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Re: "Giving the dog a bone"
Fri, May 16, 2008 - 10:24 AMMy dog eats a raw diet - couldn't do that without bones! ;) She eats chicken bones from time to time as well as pork ribs. As long as the bone is not cooked it's fine. Cooked bones can splinter. For raw bones don't give any load bearing leg bones, it can damage teeth. Saffy has a smoked bone that she's whittled down over the last 2 years. It's her favorite thing the whole wide world and I'll be sad the day it gets to small and I'll have to take it away (I'm guessing... 6 months or so from now).
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Re: "Giving the dog a bone"
Fri, May 16, 2008 - 10:58 AMMy dogs also eat raw. They eat *raw* chicken and pork bones all the time with no problem. You want to avoid cooked bones of any kind as they can splinter, but raw bones are much less likely to splinter as they are softer. They crush more than anything.
I don't feed beef knuckles or leg bones from large animals as they are so dense that they can easily break teeth. Riley broke both of his two large upper molars on nectarine pits, which aren't nearly as dense and hard as beef knuckles. For chewing, my dogs have nylabones, dental dinos, and a rope toy (which seems to be a big favorite around here and it flosses their teeth for them!). Well, Squeek chews on those things. Riley can't really chew anymore now that those large teeth are missing. So he gets treat balls and kongs that he can fish treats out of. -
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Re: "Giving the dog a bone"
Fri, May 16, 2008 - 1:20 PMI go to Gelsons, they have bags of bones for a dollar, given it for years...never a problem,,,the dogs enjoy it, their teeth are clean, they have something to do that they like, -
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Re: "Giving the dog a bone"
Fri, May 16, 2008 - 1:51 PMI've got a 9 year old, two 8 year olds & a 2 year old who've had bones for dessert almost daily for most of their lives. So far I've picked up no problems. The dogs prefer the bones to all their other food. I don't dare mention this to my vet who is deadset against giving dogs bones. Everytime I hear someone who advises against 'giving the dog a bone' I worry about it a bit, but then I read a lot of stuff about the fact that dogs are designed to eat bones and I stop worrying. -
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Re: "Giving the dog a bone"
Fri, May 16, 2008 - 2:59 PMYeah, they also say dog's aren't supposed to eat raw food! When did dogs learn to cook? -
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Re: "Giving the dog a bone"
Fri, May 16, 2008 - 5:10 PMPersonally, If I heard my vet telling people not to feed bones to dogs, I would find another vet. Fortunately, my vet recommends raw feeding. Pip has been eating raw meat and bones for 8 of his 9 years...never had a problem with him.
Eating raw bones not only helps keep dogs' teeth clean, but it also helps keep their anal glands healthy, requiring less manual drainage by groomers and vets. I wish more people would feed their dogs bones!
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Re: "Giving the dog a bone"
Sat, May 17, 2008 - 6:11 PMAnything that looks bone- like, Ella gets all anxious and runs around the house whining for a while with it, gets even more anxious, and then buries it in the back yard.
However, greenies, pig ears and cow hooves don't make her do this.
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Re: "Giving the dog a bone"
Fri, May 16, 2008 - 5:50 PMI wish my dogs ate raw bones. Im sure they would have healthier teeth.
I have tried twice to give them raw knuckle and marrow bones. and both times they sniffed them and walked away.
So I gave up that idea.
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Re: "Giving the dog a bone"
Fri, May 16, 2008 - 6:00 PM>>I have tried twice to give them raw knuckle and marrow bones. and both times they sniffed them and walked away.
So I gave up that idea. <<
Probably because it was such a dramatic change. It's possible to "teach an old dog new tricks" and there's lots of tips on how to switch to raw or at least integrate it. Imagine eating food pellets your whole life then one day someone gives you a salad - you'd walk away from it too. It's not "food" to you. I try to continually give my dog a variety of foods, which has made her try anything I give her. Just yesterday I gave her some roasted beets for the first time - I was surprised at how much she loved it. She got to lick the pan and she chose it over the juicy steak plate. Go figure. -
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Re: "Giving the dog a bone"
Sat, May 17, 2008 - 6:46 AMPip loves beets! I also try to give him as wide a variety of foods possible. Pip is funny...he actually will pick his meat out of the bowl, drop it beside the bowl, eat his veggies first then go for the meat.
For dogs who are used to kibble, it's best to take baby steps. Start off with small scraps of meat, or even ground meat, toss a few veggies into their food bowl with a little low-sodium broth, then eventually lead up to bones. Start off with softer bones such as chicken wings or pork ribs, then it's easier to graduate them onto the big, beefy knuckle bones.
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Re: "Giving the dog a bone"
Sat, May 17, 2008 - 11:07 PMLoki has about 6 of the hollow beef bones...
It's the only toy he doesn't destroy......but stuff it with PB and he loves it....
I'm a vegetarian, so anything that looks like actual animal parts is too weird for my house.
But those hollow, hard bones have lasted Loki for YEARS and can always be refilled.
Are you picking fights here Jenn (wink,wink)
And Lo has gotten some 7" rawhides as of late..........just cause I've been a bad mom an left him more than I'd like.........And I hate to leave him......They are intact when I get home and he devours them when I get home :) -
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Re: "Giving the dog a bone"
Sun, May 18, 2008 - 8:25 AMha ha, my dogs do the same thing. Won't touch them when we're gone, but totally into them when we're home. -
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Re: "Giving the dog a bone"
Sun, May 18, 2008 - 10:00 AMPip does the same thing. He'll eat what meat may be on the bone, but won't touch the bone until I get home.
Be careful with those hollow beef bones, Molly. Those things are cooked and very hard...they can break teeth on those things. If you're going to feed bones to your dog, they are best when raw. -
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Re: "Giving the dog a bone"
Mon, May 19, 2008 - 9:39 AMAs I said, Loki's had them for 7 years and has never broken a tooth.
He mostly just knaws on them when excited of feeling teritorial with our foster dogs. -
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Re: "Giving the dog a bone"
Mon, May 19, 2008 - 10:07 AM>>As I said, Loki's had them for 7 years and has never broken a tooth.
He mostly just knaws on them when excited of feeling teritorial with our foster dogs<<
Saffy chews on the same bones you've described. She's had the same one for over a year, a record for her! She *LOVES* it and she does the same thing you describe, chewing on it has a calming effect - she looks like she's having a zen moment with it. -
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Re: "Giving the dog a bone"
Mon, May 19, 2008 - 5:12 PMI'll give them both bones... My pittie sneakily runs off with hers and buries it in the backyard and secretely hides it. Then she'll go and steal my other dog, Winston's ( Boxer ) bone - she's a little brat... A couple days later she'll go and get her buried treasure and make Winstonjealous...
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