Which bones are safe for your dog?
A few facts and common misconceptions.
Dogs are carnivores (Canis lupus familiaris - subspecies of the Gray Wolf), from the Chihuahua to the Mastiff. They are built to crush, consume, and digest bones - RAW bones. Raw bones are nutritious, easily digested (especially when surrounded by meat), and very beneficial to your dog's health. Raw bones are nature's toothbrush, keeping dogs free of Periodontal disease, and your wallet spared of costly dental work.
Questioning the nutrition of bones?
"Bones from prey are required by wolves as the major source of calcium and phosphorus for the maintenance of their own skeletons. Bones, in fact, are a surprisingly well-balanced food for canids" (Mech, L.D. 2003. Wolves: Behavior, Ecology, and Conservation. pg 125).
But I thought bones were dangerous?!?
We've all heard this argument at one point or another, "Are you crazy? Don't feed chicken bones...you're dog will choke and die!"
However, chicken (and other) bones should be fed RAW, not cooked. When fed RAW they are actually fairly soft and easy for your dog to chomp to pieces. To avoid choking hazards, make sure the chicken bone still has meat on it, and it is sized appropriately for your dog. For example, when feeding your Chihuahua a chicken wing may be appropriate. But if you're feeding a Mastiff you would want to feed a bone-in chicken breast or half/whole chicken.
***Please note, this is very important: DO NOT FEED YOUR DOG COOKED BONES! Cooked bones, especially poultry bones, can splinter and harm your dog. Cooking bones removes all their moisture leaving them dry and brittle, and when they splinter they can do so in sharp shards harming the esophagus on the way in, or possibly piercing the gut on the way out.
The same goes for beef, lamb, pork, and any other bone you may have available to feed. They can be fed fresh or frozen, but should always be RAW.
The best thing to do is supervise your dog whenever feeding bones (and in general) so that you understand how your particular dog eats; whether he is an aggressive chewer, a gulper, a nibbler, or a gagger. For example, if your dog is a gulper you may not want to feed him turkey necks, at least not until he figures out how to eat them. And never cut bones! Give your dog a large bone and let his teeth do all the work.
So what bones are safe to feed?
Depending on your dog's size and eating tendencies, safe bones include, but are not limited to:
- Beef necks, knuckles, ribs, oxtails
- Chicken necks, backs, feet
- Turkey necks and backs
- Lamb necks, shanks
- Pork necks, ribs, and shoulders
- Venison necks, ribs
Bones you may want to stay away from:
- Weight bearing bones like shin and marrow bones from large animals. Although many people feed beef marrow bones successfully, they are hard and dense and can possibly wreck, crack, or break your adult dog's teeth.
- Hollow bones like turkey wings which may break in odd shapes. If you see a bone breaking into sharp shards, take it away.
So go on...give your dog a bone!
