# What kind of bones are okay?



## ardavis324 (Jan 14, 2008)

Rajko is almost 7 months now. What kind of natural bones are okay for him? Where can I get them? A butcher? What exactly should I ask for?


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

we use femur bones with the knuckles cut off and split. the shank we cut in half. sometimes we have the shank cut in 3rd's depending on the length. i boil them or bake them for 1/2 hour to 45 minutes. i have read that cooking them makes them to hard. so far i've never had a problem giving them cooked ones. a few weeks ago i gave them raw ones and everything was fine. they like both, fresh or cooked. we have a Shep and a Grey Hound.and both of them enjoy the bones. when we brought our boy home at 9 weeks he was in the house 5 minutes and he found a bone. he picked it up and went to our Grey Hounds dog bed and played with it. make sure it's ok to give them femur bones at such a young age. i did it and everything was ok. there's always bones and toys laying around here for them to play with.


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## Barb E (Jun 6, 2004)

I would use extreme in cooking bones before you give them to your dogs. Heating the bones can change the bone in a manner that can make them unsafe to the GI Tract of the dog. 

doggieDaD - You've obviously had success with doing so







but I'd never give Dante a bone other than a raw one


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## mspiker03 (Dec 7, 2006)

I feed raw bones all the time. Are you looking for bones that would make up part of a meal (like turkey necks) or something more recreational (like beef rib bones)?

Barb, I'm with you - I would never give my dogs a cooked bone!


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

I have given my dogs raw and cooked bones. To be honest, I have had problems with both. Chama broke her tooth on a raw marrow bone. That turned out to be a very expensive bone! 

Last weekend I bought some smoked elk bones for Rafi. I gave him a knuckle to chew on in the car. That night I woke up to that lovely puking sound and he threw up a bone chip! Thank goodness it came up! I have also heard of dogs who ingested raw bones that caused an obstruction. 

I am very cautious about giving raw and cooked bones now. I do occasionally give them sections of chicken or turkey necks--they are easy to chew up, good for cleaning their teeth and they love them. 

I also have some hard (heat sterilized) free range beef bones in the house. Rafi chews on them for a few minutes a day and they have held up very well. If they start to break then I throw them out. He is always supervised when chewing because he is always right by my side.







These bones last a long time and I sometimes put peanut butter in them for Chama.


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## Barb E (Jun 6, 2004)

Dante got a chip off a raw knuckle bone - he doesn't get those anymore







he didn't puke it up but he had some nasty watery poop









I would rank Dante up there with the tough chewers and so I've really used caution with the rawbones. After the knuckle incident he's only gotten raw turkey necks. 

My concern with the cooking/boiling/etc of the bones is that when he pukes up some turkey vertebrae (which he does from time to time, these are HUGE turkey necks!) it really is soft and pliable. I think that the bone that comes off a raw bone in going to be less jagged/sharp/etc than one that comes off a "processed" bone.

As for the tooth thing....I've heard that about marrow bones for dogs that really chew on them rather than just work on getting the marrow out. That's why Dante's never had one, I have no doubt that with in minutes it would be something to really knaw on.


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

It's called a beef marrow bone (it's a section of cow leg). Your local supermarket should have them. Ask at the meat counter, say it's for a big dog and they'll know. If they don't have them, they can order them for you.

Don't get anything smaller than 4" or your dog will splinter it and choke on it. Also don't get any knuckle looking things, those don't digest well.


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: SunCzarinaIt's called a beef marrow bone (it's a section of cow leg). Your local supermarket should have them. Ask at the meat counter, say it's for a big dog and they'll know. If they don't have them, they can order them for you.


This is exactly what Chama broke her tooth on. When I took her to the vet he laughed and said he sees dogs all of the time who break their teeth on marrow bones.


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

Wow, never heard of breaking a tooth, (runs off to take away the one that's been keeping the puppy amused all day while I clean.)


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

I had been giving the bones for several years before this happened but my vet said it was very common and since then I have heard from people that the marrow bones, if chewed, can break teeth. I thought maybe Chama's tooth was old and ready to break anyway because she's not a particularly aggressive chewer. Basu never broke any of his teeth and he was a more aggressive chewer. But after the tooth incident I stopped giving them. My friend gives them to her gsd without incident.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

it's a femur bone. in layman terms it's a marrow bone or beef marrow bone or leg bone. the knuckle on a femur bone is the size of your two hands clasped together as in prayer. when i give my dogs the knuckle i have them split in half so my dogs can chew on them. i wouldn't give my dog a marrow bone shorter than 4 inches because i would be worried that he might choke on it. i've never had a dog splinter a marrow bone. a lion might be able to splinter one but i don't think a Shepherd can and that's whether it's cooked or raw. now my dogs have taken small peices off the bone (the size of a human tooth). also check for pointed edges when giving a femur bones if you find one take a file and smooth it out.


> Originally Posted By: SunCzarinaIt's called a beef marrow bone (it's a section of cow leg). Your local supermarket should have them. Ask at the meat counter, say it's for a big dog and they'll know. If they don't have them, they can order them for you.
> 
> Don't get anything smaller than 4" or your dog will splinter it and choke on it. Also don't get any knuckle looking things, those don't digest well.


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## DianaM (Jan 5, 2006)

I know my dog would see a bone as a challenge to eat it completely so I make sure to give only raw bones that he can handle without busting his mouth on. So, no femurs or other weight-bearing bones from large animals! The biggest he had was from a pig and never again. He didn't damage himself but he spent way too much time on it. If I want to give him a bone to chew on, a beef rib is the max I'll allow but this also ends up in smaller splinters. Then again, I have a small GSD x (under 50 lbs) so you really must know your dog, its chewing habits, and its strength.


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## Maedchen (May 3, 2003)

_This is exactly what Chama broke her tooth on. When I took her to the vet he laughed and said he sees dogs all of the time who break their teeth on marrow bones. _

I know of plenty dogs who broke their teeth on marrow bones. There was also a member here who's marrow bone got locked in the dogs mouth (maybe sucked into the tongue? I don't remember). 
*It's a general rule to never give dogs weight-carring bones of heavy animals,* bc they can break a dogs teeth.

Sorry you had to find out the hard way.


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## Eve-Lynn (Apr 28, 2008)

So can a 1 year old GSD eat the rib bones of a deer? My BIL is a hunter and said he would give me the trim and rib bones. Can they eat deer heart and liver?


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## gogo (Sep 7, 2008)

Actually my shepherd at 8months did splinter a marrow bone 
uncooked. Haha


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## Barb E (Jun 6, 2004)

> Originally Posted By: Link's MomSo can a 1 year old GSD eat the rib bones of a deer? My BIL is a hunter and said he would give me the trim and rib bones. Can they eat deer heart and liver?


Absoultely Not, you MUST have them shipped to me









Dante doesn't get Venison, I don't know any hunters anymore. From what I have read though, I would feed what you have listed.


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## mspiker03 (Dec 7, 2006)

> Originally Posted By: Barb E.
> 
> 
> > Originally Posted By: Link's MomSo can a 1 year old GSD eat the rib bones of a deer? My BIL is a hunter and said he would give me the trim and rib bones. Can they eat deer heart and liver?
> ...


I may fight you for those deer ribs Barb!









Deer heart, liver, ribs should be fine. We don't get venison around here either, so am extremely jealous (well, technically my dogs are really jealous)!


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## Eve-Lynn (Apr 28, 2008)

so the ribs won't be considered recreational bones then, he will be able to eat and digest them?


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## Timber1 (May 19, 2007)

This topic was discussed extensively at a Pet Expo today. 

The conclusion, right or wrong was never feed hip or elbow joints. Always the femur. However, some at the dog expo mentioned the same concerns that were raised about a dog breaking a tooth.

A firm conclusion was never cook the bones simply because it is more likely a dog can splitter them.

Personally, my three get raw femur bones a few times weekly and it has never been a problem.


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## Maedchen (May 3, 2003)

> Originally Posted By: Link's MomSo can a 1 year old GSD eat the rib bones of a deer? My BIL is a hunter and said he would give me the trim and rib bones. Can they eat deer heart and liver?


Yes. Mine also get deer leg bones (including the hooves & fur), the bone is way not as dense as a cows. Last year they even had huge elk bones, but I stayed away from those.

I'd love to feed deer heart & liver, but the deer the butcher takes in must already been gutted in the woods.


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## Lola1969 (Mar 6, 2007)

I ask for "marrow bones" from the butcher at the supermarket and he understands me. Ozzy loves them!


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

i'm not sure what's haha about your dog splintering a marrow bone??? was it the shank or knuckle he splintered? i find it very hard to beleive he could splinter a cooked or raw femur bone, especially the shank.


> Originally Posted By: lorActually my shepherd at 8months did splinter a marrow bone
> uncooked. Haha


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## Catu (Sep 6, 2007)

I just got a smocked cow femur. Now I'm concerned about the tooth thing. It's ok to give it to her for some minutes everyday? That's was I had planned to do anyways, since I know that if I let it to her amusement she can be with it all day.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

i've never experienced anything bad by giving my dogs femur bones cooked or raw. my dogs also have access to the bones all of the time. now some people say don't give them femur bones if your dog is a heavy or aggressive chewer. a friend of mine came over with his Chihauhau and the Chihauhau grabbed one and jump on my sofa with it and had a ball. i gave him the bone to take home. if you're concerned about the teeth don't give them to your dog. i don't think giving your dog the bone sometimes is going to prevent a broken tooth. it only takes that one wrong or to much pressure bite.


> Originally Posted By: LicanAntaiI just got a smocked cow femur. Now I'm concerned about the tooth thing. It's ok to give it to her for some minutes everyday? That's was I had planned to do anyways, since I know that if I let it to her amusement she can be with it all day.


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## 3K9Mom (Jun 12, 2006)

My vet is a board-certified dentist. He says that beef bones keep him in business. He strongly suggests against all beef bones, lamb bones, hard nylabones, etc.

My senior is probably one of the least aggressive eaters around. She broke two teeth on bones. This was before I met my vet and learned better. 

Laugh, dismiss it, or take the advice seriously. I know what my specialist tells me. I am very careful about what I give my dogs. I told my friend about what my vet said. She poo-pooh'd it, because she feeds raw and wanted her dog to have recreational bones. But then, at 1.5 years old, her GSD (not an aggressive either either) had a tooth extracted due to a beef shoulder bone. 

Cattle weigh up to 1500-2000+ lbs (depending on breed). That's a lot of weight that legs have to support. Those bones are strong. Our dogs' jaws are strong. Something has to give. What often gives are the teeth. 

I feed my dogs poultry RMB, Merrick chews like their tendons and Texas toothpicks (beef tails) and bully sticks. I give them interesting chews, like Kongs stuffed with frozen foods. When the Kong shows the slightest bit of age, I toss it. I don't feed hooves or anything that just appears too hard. 

I keep my purchases to those things that I can reasonably chop with a cleaver or bend/break my hands. If I can't, then I don't let my dogs eat it.


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