# Pork Neck Bones



## JohnnyB

In an attempt to improve variety in the diet I've started introducing pork neck bones.

When I get they are cut in a manner that have a larger bone at one end and then smaller & more meat on the other (almost rib like - which would make sense). My GSD has to work to consume the larger bone but seems to do so OK (sounds really hard which concerns me a bit). Are other that feed pork necks feeding this larger more dense portion?


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## shell nyc

My Cavalier (18lbs) usually eats the whole neck bone. Sometimes there's a particularly dense piece that I take away after he chews it for 20 min or so, taking off every last bit of meat and tendon/ligament ickiness. I would think a GSD could handle them pretty easily.


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## onyx'girl

I feed pork neck bones and my dogs regularly will barf up what they don't digest. I try to stay with the smaller chunks and am sure to add muscle meat and organ meat to the meal. 
The bigger chunks are very hard, but most packages tend to have a couple in there.


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## JohnnyB

I'll try to post a pic next time I feed.


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## Chloedancer

I've read somewhere not to feed the smaller cuts of pork neck bone to larger dogs like GSDs. Supposedly they can be found larger or whole? 

I have seen great prices on them and almost bought some but they looked so small. Eik is such a gulper so that worries me.


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## onyx'girl

I don't see a problem feeding smaller "cuts" of neck bones. If the dog can handle it what would be the reason for not feeding it?


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## Girth

I feed mine pig's feet and tails along with beef neck bones. A treat they like that doesn't break the bank.


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## lisgje

Stupid question? Is there a chance of the bones splintering? Have stayed away from animal bones since Chance had shards in his poo the one time I gave him a knuckle bone and I am afraid of internal injuries.


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## shell nyc

onyx'girl said:


> I don't see a problem feeding smaller "cuts" of neck bones. If the dog can handle it what would be the reason for not feeding it?


The only problem I’ve seen with “cuts” of neck bones is they are usually cut in such a way to leave VERY sharp, unnatural pointy ends. Like, poking through the plastic sharp. Those could be dangerous.


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## Chloedancer

Girth said:


> I feed mine pig's feet and tails along with beef neck bones. A treat they like that doesn't break the bank.


Yep, mine love a frozen pig's foot (forgot about those) and chicken feet for a snack. My daughter, however, freaks out.


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## Lauri & The Gang

onyx'girl said:


> I don't see a problem feeding smaller "cuts" of neck bones. If the dog can handle it what would be the reason for not feeding it?


The only reason I can think of is if your dog is a gulper. Then you would want to go with the bigger pieces to FORCE them to chew them up.


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## Lauri & The Gang

lisgje said:


> Stupid question? Is there a chance of the bones splintering? Have stayed away from animal bones since Chance had shards in his poo the one time I gave him a knuckle bone and I am afraid of internal injuries.


Was the knuckle bone you gave raw (fresh from the grocery store) or dried/cooked/smoked (on the shelf in the pet store)?

I have fed my dogs hundreds of pounds of fresh knuckle bones and never had a problem with their stools.


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## Lauri & The Gang

JohnnyB said:


> Are other that feed pork necks feeding this larger more dense portion?


My GSD mix Sasha can handle the pork necks - of ANY size - without a problem. Mauser, my GSD, if a dainty eater. He doesn't like to work too hard at his food so he doesn't usually get pork necks.


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## Chloedancer

Ok, found the larger (huge) pork necks today. Like the turkey necks I got, these are very big. What in the world do you cut them with? They seem too big to feed with one meal. Hacksaw? Cleaver? Chainsaw? lol

So, I've got these two cases of turkey and pig necks thawing out and wondering how in the world to cut them!


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## Lauri & The Gang

The pork necks I feed as is. If one is too much food for a meal simply give them less food in the other meal.

For example, tonight Sasha got the middle section of a turkey wing. It was about 8.5 ounces and she normally only gets 6 oz per meal. Tomorrow morning she will only get about 4 ounces of MM for breakfast.

Make sense?


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## Chloedancer

Yes, thanks, that makes sense. But, I do wonder about bloat if they eat too much at one sitting. Both have bloated up once in the past, before raw feeding.

Also, would just a pork neck (that large) cause constipation if I just feed that and no MM with it? I haven't weighed them yet since they are still frozen or seen how much meat is actually on them.

So, I don't have to pull out the hacksaw? Yay!


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## onyx'girl

I would say that would be too much bone for a meal. 
But I tend to want to feed a balanced portion every meal vs some bone one meal, some muscle meat another. I'd rather just have it all be in balance for better digestion. 
One meal can constipate a dog if there is too much bone/one meal can cause runny stool-not worth the hassle when you can just feed a balance every feeding.


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## Chloedancer

onyx'girl said:


> I would say that would be too much bone for a meal.
> But I tend to want to feed a balanced portion every meal vs some bone one meal, some muscle meat another. I'd rather just have it all be in balance for better digestion.
> One meal can constipate a dog if there is too much bone/one meal can cause runny stool-not worth the hassle when you can just feed a balance every feeding.


That's what I have been doing, trying to keep it pretty much balanced each meal. I did give him a huge turkey neck today but gave some MM along with it. He tends to get constipated easy, I have noticed, even with things like leg quarters (even with a bit of MM along with). I've started removing the bone in the drumstick when I feed quarters. 

I'll see how it goes with the huge turkey neck he had. Haven't tried the giant pork necks just yet.


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## onyx'girl

Thats the problem with turkey necks, too big(portion for a meal) to add MM to. I usually will chunk a tom neck into 1/3s and add MM and OM to make up a meal. Hen necks are good to go. They do love them!
Pork necks are much harder, I wouldn't feed a big portion personally.


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## Chloedancer

onyx'girl said:


> Thats the problem with turkey necks, too big(portion for a meal) to add MM to. I usually will chunk a tom neck into 1/3s and add MM and OM to make up a meal. Hen necks are good to go. They do love them!
> Pork necks are much harder, I wouldn't feed a big portion personally.


I may just cut them all up into halves at least. I couldn't believe Eik ate a whole one. Chloe, I had only given a half. Probably be easier to fit in the freezer that way too.

Haven't tried the pork necks just yet and will probably try to cut those somewhat too. They are just so big.


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## Nikki'sMom

If my 1 year old GSD baby girl gets diarrhea or constipated I always give her" regular" canned pumpkin NOT the pie filling pumpkin (it contains spices that they can NOT eat) even if she vomits I give her canned pumpkin and I will add plain yogurt. It works EVERY TIME. I have had GSD in the past and forgot about how AWESOME canned pumpkin is for diarrhea and or constipation and vomiting. Saves lots of money and stress especially for my fur babies.


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