# Pork Shoulder



## Martie (Jun 3, 2008)

We are going to start introducing pork to the dogs. I have pork loin chops that we bought for us as a whole loin, but is really tough - so to the dogs it goes! 

DH (Bless his heart) was at BJ's yesterday and bought a pork shoulder for the dogs. I haven't cut it up yet - but am wondering about the bone. Is it useful? Will the dogs be able to eat it?

Thanks, as always, for all the advice!


----------



## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I don't give my dogs any pork bones except the neck bones...even then I throw out the sharper shards(I get Sustainable selections refuse) I think they are too dense and could harm the gut. Just my opinion.


----------



## Martie (Jun 3, 2008)

Thanks, Jane. We are just starting with pork and didn't know this about the bones. Glad I asked!! No shoulder bones for us!


----------



## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Hi Martie!I feed a lot of pork as along with chicken, it is one of the cheapest meats available in this area. I have not had any problems giving the pork shoulder bones to my dogs. If you buy a whole shoulder, the bone is in three articulated parts so you get a lot of knuckle-type cartiledge on each bone. When I give the bones as recreational bones, my dogs will eat the whole thing, or eat the joint ends and leave the shaft middle and have not had any problems so far. Funny how each dog is different each person has different experiences with what they feed! I've tried pork neck bones with Keeta (before I had another dog), and those were too hard for her. She ate them, but was passing large chunks that had scratched her anus and causing her to bleed. So no more of neck bones for her, but the pork shoulder bones have been fine . . . go figure!


----------



## UConnGSD (May 19, 2008)

Also, some dogs can't do pork very well. So I guess I would start slow. Wolfie puked every single time I gave him pork chops. I thought it was something else first but then switched to other meats and the issue went away. Introduced pork chop again and again puking. So no more pork chops for him.


----------



## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Stark does well on pork hearts but no other pork items. He becomes ill quite quickly (panting, vomiting, loose stool, etc..). 

He use to eat pork all the time and one day just couldn't handle it. I have tried a few times more with no luck, so just start off slowly and see how things go.

Good luck!


----------



## DrDoom (Nov 7, 2007)

Bear does pork well. Too well. To much of it and, particularly shoulder, and he starts to gain weight, but his metabolism is very slow. As far as the bones, at first I was leery. They were so big, and angular, but he devoureds them very easily, crunching them into tiny chunks with almost no effort. I'd give it a try.


----------



## Martie (Jun 3, 2008)

Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences. We will definitely go sloooowww with introducing pork. Luther has a sensitive stomach - although he has done well with everything so far. He does occasionally decide he's tired of something (currently chicken backs - won't touch 'em - but eats quarters and livers - go figure!). Fortunately, we also have "iron-stomach" Otto, who is more than happy to gobble up anything at all. He transitioned SO easily to raw - absolutely no problems - and he is SO happy!! :wild:


----------



## DancingCavy (Feb 19, 2001)

Pork is pretty fatty so I definitely would advise taking it slow with Luther.  The first time I gave Ris part of a pork shoulder, she had 'emergency poop' the next morning (I think it was all the skin). I honestly don't know how she held it that long! 

She's only 42 lbs so she couldn't consume any of the bones in it. I used to feed her pork necks but sometimes she'd have trouble with them. The only pork bones she eats nowadays are the ribs.  I have to go easy on the pork with her.


----------

