“If a dog’s prayers were answered, bones would rain from the sky”
-Turkish Proverb.
Giving raw meaty bones to your fur kids is one of the best things you could give him / her for many reasons. Not only are they nutritional (which of course is a large part of their value) but they are an excellent toothbrush, meal replacement, and mental stimulant.
Choose the right size bone for your dog: If you are not sure which size of bone to get for your dog, choose a larger size to be safe. A bone that is the size of your dog’s head is a good start and once you know what kind of a chewer your dog is you can head to smaller sizes.
First time bone chewers such as puppies should be taught how to eat a bone. Choose a stick shaped bone such as a turkey neck, or beef ribs. Hold one end of the bone and let your dog chew on the other and pull away if it seems like your dog will try to swallow the whole thing! Through this process, much like a mother wolf might, you teach your dog how to patiently enjoy a bone.
Given enough time, your dog will eat the whole bone! If your dog eats too much bone however, their stools may come out chalky and hard or if the bone was too rich they may have loose stool. If you suspect they ate too much adding pumpkin to their meal will do the trick. To avoid eating too much bone, you can give it to them in several sittings so that they don’t eat the whole thing at once.
Cooked bones are dangerous as they become very hard and brittle which increases the likelihood of them breaking and splintering into sharp pieces. Cooked bones are also very difficult for dogs and cats to digest as the bones lose all of their nutritional value.
Smoked Bones are also dangerous as they often have additives such as artificial flavouring and preservatives.