# How long can you keep fresh bones?



## Blanketback (Apr 27, 2012)

The title of this thread is misleading - I have knuckle bones lying around here that are months old, ewwww. Other than the obvious, is there any reason to throw them away? Will a healthy dog get sick from chewing on them? I've searched previous threads, but nothing specific comes up, only peoples' preferences. I want to use the really smelly ones to teach my pup where he's allowed to dig in the back yard. What about flies? I suppose my next question is: is it safe for my dog to eat maggots? It sounds absolutely disgusting, I know, but given the choice between the 'new' bone or the 'weeks old' bone, he always picks the stinky one.


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## hps (Jul 18, 2011)

I only give Ritz about 2-3 hrs with her knuckle and then I re-freeze it. I never just leave them laying about. She only gets hers about 2-3 times per week, Its still a reward/treat to her.


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## wildo (Jul 27, 2006)

I also refreeze between sessions, and I get two sessions before tossing the bone.


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## Blanketback (Apr 27, 2012)

My problem is, since I buy them by the case from the butcher, I've already lost a good deal of space in my freezer. I like to leave them lying around so they lose their value - no need to fight over something that's literally everywhere. Our other dog used to resource guard, and this seems to be working very well to deal with that issue. Now when there's hint of trouble, I just take that particular bone away from them. Big deal, 30 more to choose from, lol.


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## trudy (Aug 25, 2008)

Once they have been handed out I don't worry about them, I've never had a dog sick from chewing on old bones, i clean my yard weekly and throw away any I find, BUT knwo there are always some I have missed...again no one seems ever bothered, they clean them quite well the first time, and with multiple dogs when one is done they switch bones,


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## Blanketback (Apr 27, 2012)

Thanks Trudy - I really _do_ need to hear that dogs can eat these gross things. Going on the internet (in general, not this site) is ridiculous - so many "experts" disagree with giving real bones...obviously I'm overriding their opinions, but I'm still worried about just how rotten they can get before they're going to be a problem, if they're going to be a problem. 

The knuckle bones themselves get chewed down and don't smell, but there's another cut (looks like it might be the ankle?) that doesn't get eaten clean to the bone, and the smell is just awful (as you'd imagine) so I thought they'd be fun to bury and make a little treasure hunt out of them. I just don't want to make my puppy sick.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

i give my dog center cut femur bones. the bones lay around
for months. there's no bones in the yard. if i had bones in the
yard i would check them for maggots. if the bone had maggots
i would wash it off and then give it to my dog.

i wouldn't bury bones for my dog to find. i'm thinking
i'm teaching him to dig up the yard.



Blanketback said:


> Thanks Trudy - I really _do_ need to hear that dogs can eat these gross things. Going on the internet (in general, not this site) is ridiculous - so many "experts" disagree with giving real bones...obviously I'm overriding their opinions, but I'm still worried about just how rotten they can get before they're going to be a problem, if they're going to be a problem.
> 
> The knuckle bones themselves get chewed down and don't smell, but there's another cut (looks like it might be the ankle?) that doesn't get eaten clean to the bone, and the smell is just awful (as you'd imagine)
> 
> ...


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## Blanketback (Apr 27, 2012)

Thank you doggiedad - not too many people want to discuss maggots with me, lol! Yum yum, wonder why? The femur bones are the nice long hollow ones, right? I'm not worried about anything that's exclusively bone, I'm concerned about the actual rotting flesh, and whether or not consuming it is ok. 

Yes, it does sound like I'm teaching him to dig up the yard  His first designated spot is where I'd like the pond to go


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## blehmannwa (Jan 11, 2011)

What a timely question. I was just wondering this myself. I'm doing a massive cleaning and I keep finding old bones that Hav has hidden. Some still have marrow. I threw mosit of them away but a few have ended up in the yard as a feast for crows.


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