Give your dog a bone?

[Damrod]

Give your dog a bone? If you do, make sure it's the right kind! Large femurs or leg bones from a cow are ok, as well as large knuckle bones as they don't splinter. Bones should be fed as a dessert or a treat but after a regular meal. Never give a dog a bone if he has an empty tummy. Bones should be fed raw, not coo...ked. Bones satisfy their craving to chew and are good for keeping teeth clean.

If you're uncomfortable with bones, you can give them cabbage stumps or carrots.

[Sid_Wolf]

Sorry Mike im gunna have to call ya up on that one, large weight baring bones should NOT be given, as they break and chip teeth easily, also, when you get them from the butchers they have little to no meat left on them, when you give a bone it should be meaty.

Things like chicken wings & legs (if your dog chews and doesnt swallow them whole), chicken quarters and halved, turkey legs, pork hocks, lamb breast and neck etc, these are all bones you should give, with a good layer of meat on them.

[Damrod]

You should never give a cooked bone to a Dog.

That is the single most important factor that all owners of Dogs need to be absolutely clear on. Cooked bones are not natural for Dogs, they never learnt how to make fire and in their natural state barbecue was not something they were ever too hot on grasping. Raw meaty bones are natural and good for Dogs for all manner of reasons.

Before we get in to that the only other thing you need to be aware of is that raw pork bones may pose a health hazard, but if they are put in the freezer for a few weeks this danger is totally bypassed and pork is as safe as any other raw bone for a Dogs.

Now, many people are loathe to give their Dog a bone but basically all raw bones are safe bones for Dogs.

Many think it is natural but it is not natural for Dogs to have bad breath. None of our three Dogs, or even the Cat for that matter, have bad breath at all. They can be right in your face, and who has a Dog that isn’t on occasion, and there is never a whiff of bad breath unless we have been lax and not given them a raw meaty bone for an extended amount of time.

How do raw bones clean Dogs teeth?

The mere act of chewing, grinding and trying to decimate a raw bone will scrape away any plaque, tartar and the like from a Dogs (or Cats) teeth. The result is a set of teeth many of us would be proud of. The more regular they get them the cleaner their teeth and the better their breath.

But aren’t raw bones dangerous? Won’t it pierce their

• Mouth
• Stomach
• Intestines

The only significant chance of a bone causing damage to a Dog is if it is cooked. Then they can splinter easily and cause major damage. Raw bones are soft, no matter how hard they seem to us. Dogs will eventually eat through almost any bone. Some are tough and these will be the ones that they will never get a bit chunk of in one go. Softer bones they can go through very quickly but they are easily digest-able and about the nicest treat a Dog can have.

Introducing Safe Bones For Dogs

If your Dog has never had a raw meaty bone then begin slowly. Get some small pieces so they can begin the magical transformation to clean teeth, lovely breath, a shinier coat, small stools and general healthiness. Better yet go to the butchers and ask them for a really hard bone with some meat on. Many Dogs will be able to grind on them but never really eat them.

An yes, that’s right. If you feed your Dog bones on a regular basis, at least 2 or 3 times a week their stools will be small, compact, pale and never runny. A true boon in itself and reason enough for many owners of Dogs to make the switch.

And, one of the most important reasons to give safe bones for Dogs:

Dogs love Raw meaty bones.

[sakora]

Being a meat cutter I have A huge supply of meaty bones to give miss I'm a spoiled Brat!!....lol I have always stuck with nuckles and femur bones, I some what agree with sid though, I have NEVER incounterd a problem with these very hard dence bones, I do warn people that theres always a chance that your dog can break a tooth, I myself personaly will not do Pork bones, Way to much bacteria there, Lamb she doesnt like Neither does she care for Elk, Or bison, So for us beef femur bones have worked, But While we on the subject, I would never feed my dog raw minced meat, Unless it was me who Has made it, Being a butcher there is way to many difrent cuts of meat that goes into mince, But not only that the meat itself sits around all day while we fill the buckets, And I just find it kinda gross.... I dont eat minced or ground beef That I dont know where its comming form, So I dont feed it to my dog either!

[vivaat]

I stopped giving Lazer bones after clearing up some he chewed outside to find some them so sharp that I ended up cutting my hand!! These were brought from pet shops too.

Incidently the vet said don't ever give bones of any sort as they are more hassle than they're worth!!

[Sid_Wolf]

Great 2nd post Mike, and I agree with yu, Kiras breath never smells, unless shes just been outside and eaten dookie lol

Angie, good point about the mince meat, I didnt know that (having never been able to stand the smell of the butchers any longer than a few minutes lol), and though I agree it may be gross, I'd still rather feed that than kibble lol at least it is meat eh? lol

[Tikaani&Aiyana]

I always give Tikaani a nuckle bone & whilst it keeps him occupied & something to chew, it really does work wonders for his teeth and breath

[snugglescfc]

We give our 2 bones daily

We were told that husky’s need 20% of their daily diet to be bone and have stuck to that since we have had them, they have different bones every day as a meal

Chicken wings or fish breakfast

Lamb brest, chicken carcase, or other small bone dinner

Raw meat mixed with potato and 1 other veg grated in raw, and zinc (crushed in for dry paws and noses)

And as a treat, apple slices or large bone

We freeze all our bones before we let our 2 have them

[Damrod]

http://dogblog.dogster.com/2010/04/22/fda-makes-no-bones-about-it-advises-against-bones-for-dogs/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+DogsterForTheLoveOfDogBlog+%28Dogster+For+The+Love+of+Dog+Blog%29