# Soup Bones



## Susie07 (Jan 26, 2013)

Hi, everyone!

I have a 5 month old female German Shepherd, Maggie, and am wondering if she is too young for an uncooked soup bone. She's teething and does have chew toys (as well as my hands and arms  ), but she hasn't been able to eat them, although not for lack of trying :laugh:. I feed her Orijen large breed puppy food and, so far, have resisted the temptation to give her any people food.

I'm attaching a picture of Maggie that I took a couple of weeks ago.

Thanks!

Susan


----------



## gEEksWag03 (Oct 25, 2012)

My pup is 17 week and starting to teethed. I give him beef rib bones, knuckle bones and lamb femur bones to chew on. usually for 1 day and then i throw it away. At the Ralphs by me, beef soup bones are knuckle bones so i would say it's ok.


----------



## I_LOVE_MY_MIKKO (Oct 4, 2006)

Soup bones are okay as long as she isn't too hard on them. Weight bearing animal bones like that are very hard and can crack teeth. I never had a problem with my dog because he likes to tear any remaining meat off and get the marrow out (too much marrow can cause diarrhea btw), but doesn't bite down on the bone.


----------



## Shade (Feb 20, 2012)

I used raw beef knuckle and marrow bones that are frozen, they love the treat and it helps clean their teeth. You do have the watch the teeth though, especially when they're young


----------



## Neko (Dec 13, 2012)

I give small round marrow bones =)


----------



## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

my dog had center cut femur bones (not split) at 4 months old.
why no human food? a lot of dog food contains human
food (chicken, turkey, beef, lamb, fish, fruit, etc.).


----------



## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

you want to make sure your dog can't swallow the marrow
bone.



Neko said:


> I give small round marrow bones =)


----------



## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

no recreational chew bones .
training is the answer.


----------



## Susie07 (Jan 26, 2013)

Thanks, everyone, for your replies. After she got the marrow out of the middle, Maggie would most definitely bite down on the bone and my concern is that she might crack or break her teeth. I think I'll wait until she's a bit older and her teeth are stronger before introducing her to soup or knuckle bones. I learned from Carmen Duggan (Maggie's breeder) that bones do not splinter unless they're cooked, but I don't want her teeth to splinter either. 

I have always given my dogs people food (as in save them some of what I'm eating, like toast, beef, chicken, fish, veggies, potatoes), but I'd like to wait until Maggie is a bit older. She loves her kibble and I use dog biscuits for training and as treats.

Susan


----------



## Susie07 (Jan 26, 2013)

Hi, Carmen!

I have always given my dogs rawhide bones and they loved them, but that was before I learned how harmful they can be ... so no rawhide bones for Maggie <G>!

Susan


----------



## Neko (Dec 13, 2012)

doggiedad said:


> you want to make sure your dog can't swallow the marrow
> bone.


They are small, but not that small. =) i would say they are size of his tennis ball just a but flatter.


----------

