# Boarding for one week. No bone?



## Rhena (Jan 30, 2009)

We just boarded Juno (nine months) at a facility we LOVE for the second weekend. They have some staff that feed their dogs raw and they've been fine with feeding her raw... until this time. They mentioned that they'd rather we not feed her bone because in the off chance that she throws up, a small dog might end up eating some of her bone and they feared that would lead to disaster. (The dogs are all boarded together in a few large rooms.)

We have to board her again this summer for one week. I'm going to give the owner a call tomorrow to see whether or not ground up bone would be suitable and to see if we can come up with some other solutions (the staff might have been freaked out this time because we included pork necks in one of her meals and those are pretty big bones) but I'm wondering if anyone here has other ideas.

Would it be a disaster for her nutrition to not give her bone for an entire week? (We're worried that all that meat would make her stools loose and would make for a tough readjustment period when we put her back on the bone when we return.)

Thanks!


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

If they are worried about her urping up pieces of bone then ground should be no problem.


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

I would say ground bone is better than no bone.. but that is just my opinion.

I would still call the owner and discuss it with them. 

Also - is your dog being supervised while she eats?


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## JerzeyGSD (Jun 26, 2008)

I think bone is a pretty important part of the diet... I would definitely push for ground bone!


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## boscopup (Jun 17, 2003)

I'd definitely go ground for a whole week stay. If it were just a night or two, boneless would be fine, but a week is a bit longer than I'd want to do boneless.

Another option might be to feed something that she isn't likely to urp, and make sure it's soft chicken bones.

Did she actually urp any bones up the previous time?


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## Rhena (Jan 30, 2009)

> Originally Posted By: elisabeth_00117I would say ground bone is better than no bone.. but that is just my opinion.
> 
> I would still call the owner and discuss it with them.
> 
> Also - is your dog being supervised while she eats?


I'm not sure what you mean by "supervised." There are people around. Why do you ask?


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## Rhena (Jan 30, 2009)

> Originally Posted By: boscopupI'd definitely go ground for a whole week stay. If it were just a night or two, boneless would be fine, but a week is a bit longer than I'd want to do boneless.
> 
> Another option might be to feed something that she isn't likely to urp, and make sure it's soft chicken bones.
> 
> Did she actually urp any bones up the previous time?


They just said "In the off chance that she does throw up..." so I'm pretty sure that she didn't. She hasn't thrown up any of her raw bones since she was like four months and having pork neck for the first time.


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

> Originally Posted By: Rhena
> 
> 
> > Originally Posted By: elisabeth_00117I would say ground bone is better than no bone.. but that is just my opinion.
> ...


I just meant that it might ease their mind (while she is eating her bone) if someone was their watching her eat it. It might make them feel more comfortable if she eats her whole bone while someone is watching therefore if she does throw up (which I doubt she would) or leaves a piece of bone laying around they can collect it immediately as not to let the other dogs get to it.

I would personally grind up the bone and send it with her. It would probably be less of a hassle. JMO


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## Rhena (Jan 30, 2009)

> Originally Posted By: elisabeth_00117
> 
> 
> > Originally Posted By: Rhena
> ...


Oh, gotcha! They eat their food in an area separate from the general play area with someone there watching them. I think their concern is that if she threw it up, say, an hour later when she was in the play area, the staff might not get to it to clean it up before the other dogs completely bum rush and eat it. 

I'm going to call and find out whether we can either grind it up or just do chicken necks since they're soft and small and would be even softer and smaller if she were to puke them up.

Thanks for all the advice!


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## Rhena (Jan 30, 2009)

Just a quick update. 

I talked to the owner and we worked out an arrangement where we'll do a meat meal in the morning and then a mostly bone meal in the evening. The staff will let her have an hour-long nap separate from the rest of the dogs after her evening meals so that they don't have to worry about her urping up the bones. 

She's used to having her meals split between the meat and bone, but I'm pretty sure she'll handle this fine and this way we don't have to worry about her not getting certain nutrients that week!

Thanks for the advice, everyone!


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## JerzeyGSD (Jun 26, 2008)

That's great to hear!


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Good to hear they are being so understanding with you!


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## natalie559 (Feb 4, 2005)

I think it is great that they will feed your raw!

Nutrients for one week I wouldn't worry about. The diarrhea that would come from me feeding only boneless meat I would greatly worry about. I would try this 'boarding feeding approach' at home first to make sure there is no massive digestive upset.


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## Technostorm (May 24, 2009)

Speaking of which, I've been watching this thread and I have a general question as to how one goes about grinding the bones? I mean, do you uses a food blender? or something else? as I can tell even the commercial 1 speed blender will not chop the bones up small enough. I also risk the blades breaking. Is there a machine out there that will grind up the bones? because I'm also thinking of making my own raw feed. TIA

Dan


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