bones...are they a good idea

[juliette]

On New Year's eve we had a hooman/furkid party in Newfoundland - present were six hoomans, 1 huskie/Newfoundland cross, 1 Huskie/Sheppard cross, a Sheppard/Beagle cross and Otto.

To celebrate the New Year (and in an effort to reduce the doggie politics), Chris and I picked up 3 large bones (looked like large joints) and one "tarter buster" for Otto. Sure enough, all four dogs traded all around. Can't wait for the pictures to be sent with Otto digging into a bone which was 3/4 of his body length!

Now, the question is - are these any good for them? They were raw bones, from a very high end reputable pet store, refridgerated for a couple of days. Since Otto LOVED them so much, I would like to give him one every once and a while (noticable difference on his teeth too).

Any suggestions on health benefits/problems? Frequency of "special treat".

Cheers
Juliette

[Missy]

If the bones you are talking about are like bones from a butcher from a cow ,they are great for them I give them to my dogs all the time and they love them and the help keep their teeth pretty and white too...
I don`t give them to my dogs raw though I boil them on the stove in a pan of water until all the fat or meat is no longer pink then I let them cool . I am sure Otto will enjoy this treat every now and then :raz:
Missy

[Heidismom]

cooked bones will possibly splinter, and not just outside the mouth! All my friends who feed raw food (BARF), sometimes called bones and raw food, never cook the bones. They usually give the bones once or twice a week, and they say it makes a big difference on cleaning the teeth. Julia B.
:book:

[Mark]

Quite right! Cooking bones is dangerous to our puppers. And we also would prolly not have known that without the internet. :)

[Rusty's mom]

In the summer we give our boys raw knuckle bones that we get from the meat market - they love them :circle: We don't get them in the winter cuz I don't want them in the house and we don't live in a sunshine state so they're summer treats only. We never give our boys cooked bones as they can splinter but do give them 'chewies' every day for their teeth. They also do the 'great switcheroo' and it's so funny to watch. They just crack us up :laugh:

Kathy - mom to Rusty, Duffer and Hobbs:laugh:

[Missy]

Thanks everyone for the info on splintering bones I was told never to give your pup anything you would not eat yourself and never give them raw meat but I never thought of that bone splintering Thank you so much Missy

[mamaw]

My dachsies love to chew on hooves is that good or bad for them?

[Owen's Mom]

Hey Missy...

I've been feeding Owen a raw meat and bone diet for more than 3 years with no problems. It would seem we shouldn't give dogs food we wouldn't eat, but in reality their natural diet differs greatly from ours and should technically be based on raw meat. They are decendents of wolves and you don't see wolves in the wild (or the zoo for that matter) chomping down corn on the cob or mowing a wheat field ;)

While raw feeding isn't for everyone (it takes a lot of research and commitment to do it right) it is completely safe :flower:

And... Julia is sooo right, boiling a bone is not a good idea at all. Feed it raw, or don't feed it at all. Pick up a good Nylabone or Kong toy if your dog needs something to chew on that will be safe.

Mamaw... Hooves are not horrible for them, but have been known to splinter and cause intestinal blockages. They are MUCH better than pig's ears, which are loaded with saturated fat and are well known to cause pancreatitis.

[mamaw]

Thank you for ans my ingirey about hooves. Mybabies do have nylabones which they chew on but they prefer the hooves. Should I remove the hooves. When I clip the babies toenails turbo will scoff up the toenails from the other two and eat them before I can stop him. He drives me nuts. Guess I need to cut toenails when Turbo isn't around. He is a pistol, a very dtetemined dachsie who recovered from surgury and going great guns. Even his surgeon is amazed at his recovery and is going to use the pics (that i supplied him with) to help other dachsie owners with the post operative therapy.

[Frzframe]

when a wolf eats the 1st thing that goes is the tummy so they do get grass, nuts, grain ect in their diets. But mostly they do eat the raw meat. Just had to add that about the grains and stuff that they get from their kill. They also eat the yucky stuff so they most likely eat the poo too - ewwwwwwwwwww. :D

~Shonda