Comment

Comment by Jane on January 16, 2014 at 1:09pm

We've had good luck with antlers (knock on wood). If you dog is a really heavy chewer they might be too hard, but it depends on the dog.

Comment by Rae Staseson on January 15, 2014 at 3:39pm

hi there

yes never ever feed your dog cooked bones. Cooked bones can splinter and kill them. Only raw under supervision and only like a beef joint or beef marrow bone etc.  chicken necks are fine because they are cartilage and actually are great for their teeth and anal glands. My dog is on a raw diet, and I have done alot of homework.  Also ham is bad, salty and cured, no wonder he got sick.  So be careful...good luck, cheers,

Rae

Comment by Denis J. on January 15, 2014 at 12:53pm

Thanks a lots for the advise.   Gives me quite a bit to reconsider, even those from petstores.

I haven't tried those antlers as well for chewing options cause I read lots of dogs have broken teeth and even some jaws trying to break it through.   Their expensive and last forever but doesn't seem a good option, but maybe for some it is..

Comment by Vicky Hay on January 15, 2014 at 11:45am

It only takes a second to break loose a splinter and swallow it. When I was dog-sitting my ex-hubby's golden, my dear then-boyfriend insisted on giving the dog a bone from a pork chop. I got it away from the dog, but too late. A sharp splinter lodged in the dog's gum, festered, and required expensive surgery to remove. Fortunately he didn't swallow the thing.

Comment by Jane on January 15, 2014 at 11:28am

I think a lot of people give their dogs bones as something to chew on for an extended length of time, not really to eat in one sitting as a wolf would do.

Comment by Vicky Hay on January 14, 2014 at 7:55pm

IMHO feeding bones to domestic dogs is not the greatest idea: http://funny-about-money.com/2009/07/10/the-diy-dog-food-chef-shoul...

Comment by Anna Morelli on January 14, 2014 at 11:44am

They cook them with dry heat to sterilize them and eliminate all the fat, etc. on the bone.  This way they can have a long shelf life without refrigeration and yes, it does make them much more brittle, it also wears down teeth.  I only recommend the raw knuckle beef bones cut in half during the stage in which pups are getting new teeth, in moderation, as you say.  It relieves the need to chew, teaches them to chew the real thing, rather than slippers or chair legs, and helps loosen baby teeth so they are not retained.  They are a bit messy though, another reason why the pet stores have them as they do.

Comment by Denis J. on January 14, 2014 at 10:23am

Agreed.   I've learned the lesson and it'll be raw beef bones from the butcher from now on.

Frozen is the best way to go and to give it to him in moderation.    One told me that I could cook it in the stove for about 1 hour at moderate temperature.    But I'm wondering what's the difference with all those smoked cooked bones and ribs you get at Petstores.   Why are those sold everywhere if cooked bones, boiled, etc. wouldn't be ok?

Comment by Jane on January 14, 2014 at 9:59am

I could be wrong here, but I don't think you should give your dog cooked bones of any kind. I'm sure a ham bone is less likely to splinter than chicken, but it could still be dangerous.