# Bones are ok for a dog?



## Raziel (Sep 29, 2009)

So in a previous thread someone said raw bones are ok and are a part of a dog/cats diet.
My dog gets bone but it is finely ground in his food.
So I can feed my dog like a WHOLE raw chicken wing??
Bones and all??
Doesnt sound right..


----------



## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

Angel, please visit the B.A.R.F./Raw diet forum and/or play around with the sites search feature... all of your questions and concerns can be answered there and then some. as those of us in the other thread mentioned - raw bones are fine (yes you can give your dog a WHOLE raw chicken wing). i doubt you'll find many (any) who say differently whether they feed a raw diet or not.


----------



## allieg (Nov 4, 2008)

Raw bones are fine.I fed them for a short time then Athena got sick.Nothing to do with the bones,I assure you..


----------



## JerzeyGSD (Jun 26, 2008)

Feeding raw bones also helps to clean the teeth! (All the ripping and tearing helps to get the plaque off.)


----------



## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Yes. Jax eats chicken quarters, wings, backs, turkey necks, spareribs (I have them cut into 1 to 1 1/2" pieces), ox tails


----------



## MrMacleod (Jan 15, 2007)

Luc LOVES raw bones...beef, chicken, pork, fish, everything except turkey necks. Maybe they smell bad? lol


----------



## Doubleminttwin (Aug 21, 2009)

Bayas a raw dog







She loves wings and quarters and everything else. In fact today she got a whole cornish game hen. Raw has done wonders for Baya and I wouldn't go back to kibble for anythin


----------



## Raziel (Sep 29, 2009)

My dog also eats raw.
But not WHOLE entire bones.
Wont they get stuck?
Or puncture the tummy?


----------



## Raziel (Sep 29, 2009)

Fish bones?
Those are the sharpest ones....


----------



## Doubleminttwin (Aug 21, 2009)

The cooked bones will get brittle and hurt your dog but the other ones aren't like that, they are full of marrow and goodness and Baya breaks them up very easily and usually chews them up really good so they can't hurt her. Cooked bones are a huge no no but raw ones are fine.


----------



## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

what do you feed him for bones then? how is he getting his calcium?

Some ppl give pork necks too.

Jax has some problems digesting the spareribs so I primarily give chicken for the RMBs. These bones are very soft and they digest in her stomach acids.


----------



## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

If you feel a raw bone from a bird, fish, or small prey animal you will see that they are not sharp and brittle the way a cooked bone is. They are soft and flexible, and dogs can easily chew them into pieces.

Think about wolves, coyotes, foxes and wildcats-- they don't grind up their food before they eat it, do they? A dog's digestive tract is similar as they evolved to eat prey animals.


----------



## JerzeyGSD (Jun 26, 2008)

And when you consider the fact that kibble has been around for only between 60-100 years, you can better understand the fact that dogs evolved to eat raw meat and bones and have not had enough time to evolve to eat cooked kibble.


----------



## Raziel (Sep 29, 2009)

I know they dont grind up their food.

That just sounds not very safe. My dog is on a suppliment for minerals etc.
I feed him marrow bones and pork shoulders...but he grinds that up into dust.
Its a little different than throwing my dog a whole raw chicken and him swallowing bones.


----------



## JerzeyGSD (Jun 26, 2008)

Supplements can never replace the real thing. If your nervous, just try giving your pup a chicken drum or wing and see how he does with it! Chickens are killed when they are young so the bones are esp. soft.


----------



## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Just pork? Do you feed any other kind of protein? Beef, chicken, fish, turkey?


----------



## Raziel (Sep 29, 2009)

Yes. He is on that Nupro suppliment
http://www.nuprosupplements.com/ingredients.htm
...and I vary his food as much as I can. Raw chicken, beef, liver, eggs, marrow bones etc


----------



## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: Angel RI know they dont grind up their food.
> 
> That just sounds not very safe. My dog is on a suppliment for minerals etc.
> I feed him marrow bones and pork shoulders...but he grinds that up into dust.
> Its a little different than throwing my dog a whole raw chicken and him swallowing bones.


When feeding raw, you don't feed a whole chicken. After you read up on the diet, you'll see there is more to feeding raw than tossing them a chicken...
Marrow bones are weight bearing and are really not part of the diet, more of a recreational bone. Many dogs will get runny poo as the marrow is rich, so a fresh knuckle bone is better to offer for recreational chewing(softer, no marrow, but cartiledge) 
Dogs teeth will eventually wear down if they are chewing on a weight bearing bone. I take a bone away from my dogs after they dry out, to avoid splintering. They also get harder if they sit around for a day or two. Other than rawmeatybones(RMB's) my dogs do get a knucklebone if I need them to be occupied for awhile(under supervision) but I don't consider it a meal.

Do you feed kibble Angel R or just what you posted above?


----------



## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Take a raw chicken back and a sharp knife. You can cut right thru it with very little effort. That's how soft the bone is.


----------



## JerzeyGSD (Jun 26, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: Jax08Take a raw chicken back and a sharp knife. You can cut right thru it with very little effort. That's how soft the bone is.


Very true! I've cut through entire chicken carcasses with just a cheap pair of kitchen scissors!


----------



## Raziel (Sep 29, 2009)

Yes, I know the back is soft.
But what if he eats a big bone and it gets stuck?
Like it wont pass?
Ive read SOO many stories about that happening.


----------



## Doubleminttwin (Aug 21, 2009)

> Originally Posted By: Angel RYes, I know the back is soft.
> But what if he eats a big bone and it gets stuck?
> Like it wont pass?
> Ive read SOO many stories about that happening.


But how many of the stories were about cooked bones vs raw bones?


----------



## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Don't give him big bones.

Bigger spareribs are to much for Jax. She was off all day, had diarhea, seemed to be better so we went to agility where she ran one course and then promptly went tot he gate and stood there with her nose thru it. She kept looking at me and whining. So we left, got to the car and she threw up pieces of the bone and had some diarrhea. That is why I stick iwth the softer bones like chicken and turkey. 

Some ppl grind the bones, some grind ones they think are to big.


----------



## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

What big bone are you talking about? A weight bearing bone should not be fed/or beef ribs... most dogs will throw up bones that are not dissolving(pork necks come to mind) then they re-eat them!
I haven't read much about bones getting stuck or causing obstructions. Not saying it doesn't happen...


----------



## Raziel (Sep 29, 2009)

I dont have to give it to him to keep him healthy though right?
his BRAVO food comes with ground up bones in it.
So he shouldnt need anymore....right?
It would make me much too nervous.


----------



## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

btw Jane...thanks for the tip on the marrow bones drying out and splintering. It's time to throw some bones away around here and get some new ones out.


----------



## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

To keep his teeth clean, I would at least give a turkey neck or fresh beef knuckle bones to chew. Ground meat will not help as much as crunching bones. Though raw has enzymes to help keep teeth clean. Do you feed green tripe?


----------



## MrMacleod (Jan 15, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: Angel RFish bones?
> Those are the sharpest ones....


He doesn't eat Marlin or swordfish! lol...a little trout, mackeral, some yellowfin if I am lucky enough to catch them(not whole obviously), sardines, you name it. I am pretty sure he would eat crab or lobster if I let him. But that is kind of expensive..and I am cheap! hehe

Seriously, try it. Your dog will love it.


----------



## phgsd (Jun 6, 2004)

There are MANY raw feeders on this board, some are new (like myself - been feeding raw for about 6 months now, to 4 dogs) and others have been doing it for years. I don't think you'll get anyone here to tell you that raw bones are dangerous. Dogs are built to eat them, their stomachs can handle bones (and soft chicken bones are especially easy!). 

As others have suggested...look into the raw feeding section of this forum or even google "raw feeding dogs" or something similar, you will come up with a ton of information.

If you are just feeding pork shoulders and Nupro your dog's diet is not balanced so please research what you're doing! I think people would agree that a good quality kibble is better than a (very) poorly balanced raw diet!


----------



## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I fed my dogs bluegill/heads, too(removed the fins) during the winter ice fishing season. I thought they ate them, til the snow melted! What an ugly site!!!


----------



## MrMacleod (Jan 15, 2007)

ewwww!! haha


----------



## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

> Originally Posted By: onyx'girlI fed my dogs bluegill/heads, too(removed the fins) during the winter ice fishing season. I thought they ate them, til the snow melted! What an ugly site!!!










Jax won't eat mackerel at all. Or Whiting. Or beef heart if it's not cut up. But she's not a prima donna at all.


----------



## mspiker03 (Dec 7, 2006)

> Originally Posted By: Angel RFish bones?
> Those are the sharpest ones....


I do cut off the sharp fins of, say, Tilapia. But my dogs eat whole raw fish, head and all.

I have been feeding raw food for approx 2 1/2 years - that would be over 3,500 pouds of raw meat AND bones! (2 dogs, approx 4 lbs between the two each day). They just crunch away at the bones! I actually find it pretty cool to watch them eat and chew the bones.


----------



## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

I have more fun shopping for Jax's meal than I do for ours. *L*


----------



## Raziel (Sep 29, 2009)

> Originally Posted By: phgsd
> If you are just feeding pork shoulders and Nupro your dog's diet is not balanced so please research what you're doing! I think people would agree that a good quality kibble is better than a (very) poorly balanced raw diet!



NO! Hes on the BRAVO diet!!
I was just nameing the kind of BONES I give him!!

http://www.bravorawdiet.com/products/original/original_chicken.html


----------



## Doubleminttwin (Aug 21, 2009)

> Originally Posted By: Jax08I have more fun shopping for Jax's meal than I do for ours. *L*


Lol me too, everytime I go to a shopping place I have to look at their meat section and see what new things Baya can try, she loves getting new food and its so fun to watch her reaction to them







For us I go w/whatever is cheapest


----------



## Raziel (Sep 29, 2009)

> Originally Posted By: Jax08I have more fun shopping for Jax's meal than I do for ours. *L*


I do the same!
I saw ostrich patties...ew how weird


----------



## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

The Bravo products have the bone ground up in them so it's ok to feed just those (already have the calcium source).

In the 10 or so years I've been feeding my dogs raw I've fed over 10 THOUSAND pounds of raw meaty bones. I have never had a puncture, no torn intestines, no nothing.

My Corgi mix did get a chunk of turkey neck stuck in her throat once - before I realized she was a gulper. Now I make sure her pieces are very small - but they are still pieces of meat with raw bones.

Sasha had a whole chicken leg for breakfast, along with a half a back. She had no problems chewing it up.


----------



## Raziel (Sep 29, 2009)

SO...hes fine with just the bravo food then?
I dont have to feed him extra bones to keep him healthy?


----------



## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

From what my training director who has bulldogs said yesterday, they have small tracheas and he grinds their bones(chicken backs). 
So it depends on the breed, I'm sure. GSD's should be able to handle it. My pup is a gulper, too and inhales his leg 1/4s...


----------



## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: Angel RSO...hes fine with just the bravo food then?
> I dont have to feed him extra bones to keep him healthy?


How do his teeth look?


----------



## Raziel (Sep 29, 2009)

Fine....but his teeth are kinda worn down.
i think i gave him too many marrow bones.
I try not to give him too many.
They are nice and white.
Well he is only 1


----------



## HeidiW (Apr 9, 2009)

I have a questions? I have some canned Salmon and there are bones in it, this is supposed to be for people. I don't like it, can I give it to my dogs ?


----------



## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

yes, you can feed canned salmon.


----------



## HeidiW (Apr 9, 2009)

Ok great, I will split it up between the three of them.  thanks.


----------



## angierose (Apr 20, 2009)

Angel R, I don't feed raw as a large part of the diet, but I do give Kaylee chicken quarters (leg and thigh) once or twice a week for dinner. The first time I did it, I was absolutely paranoid about her choking. Sat on the porch with her while she ate, had the pet first aid open to the section on choking and watched her like a hawk. But she crunched through all those bones like they were nothing, and she looked *so happy* doing it. I still watch her while she eats, but more now because she is enjoying her meal and I love to see her happy, rather than because I am afraid. I also like that it takes her fifteen or twenty minutes to eat, and I think it works her brain a bit.


----------



## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

> Originally Posted By: Jax08I have more fun shopping for Jax's meal than I do for ours. *L*


Same here.. haha.. 

I pay more attention to my pets meal plans than I do my own.


----------



## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

> Originally Posted By: Angel RFine....but his teeth are kinda worn down.
> i think i gave him too many marrow bones.
> I try not to give him too many.
> They are nice and white.
> Well he is only 1


I would be more concerned about a 1 year old puppy's teeth being worn down than them being punctured by a raw chicken bone... but that's just me.


----------



## JerzeyGSD (Jun 26, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: elisabeth_00117
> 
> 
> > Originally Posted By: Jax08I have more fun shopping for Jax's meal than I do for ours. *L*
> ...


Same!


----------



## Raziel (Sep 29, 2009)

> Originally Posted By: elisabeth_00117
> 
> I would be more concerned about a 1 year old puppy's teeth being worn down than them being punctured by a raw chicken bone... but that's just me.


I already asked that question on here, they said his teeth are prolly just soft...so YAH they arent like WORN but they arent pointy at the top.
And its not like I can fix that.
AND I AM NOT worried ABOUT TEETH being puntured. Where did you read that?
I said I was worried about his tummy being puntured


----------



## allieg (Nov 4, 2008)

I think that's what she meant just skipped a few words..


----------



## Raziel (Sep 29, 2009)

Yah. Maybe but why would I freak out about my dogs teeth being a bit dull? They are fine. I asked my vet. They are just a bit softer than most dogs teeth...and I cant really change that.
So I try not to give him to many marrow bones to chew on.
I give him 1 every 2 months or so


----------



## aubie (Dec 22, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: Jax08I have more fun shopping for Jax's meal than I do for ours. *L*


lol...I tell hubby when we're in the store "be right back, going to the weird meat section!"









Angel, raw bones are fine for dogs. Even though it seems to go against everything we've always been taught. What is not fine is cooked bones...it causes them to harden and splinter and this is what causes danger in regard to punctures.

A raw bone, like a turkey neck, chicken neck, wing, pork neck, etc in the raw state is actually quite soft. Since bones the inside of bones are hollow and made up of spongy cartilage they are easily digestable and soft, especially when compared to a cooked or dried bone. I can bend a turkey neck and snap it and can cut through chicken quarter bones with a knife or a pair of old kitchen scissors.

There are also many great treats out there that won't wear teeth as bad...bully sticks, beef trachea, fish spines, skate tail. I buy mine from bestbully's.com.


----------



## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

I meant the stomache/gut... sorry I wasn't clean in my post.


----------



## Raziel (Sep 29, 2009)

Its ok!


----------

