Bones - cooked or not

[carol]

During the winter months I like to give my dogs bones to chew on to while away the long nights. However I am always wary on bits breaking off and getting stuck somewhere on the way to their stomach. So does anyone have any advise/ tips. Cooked, uncooked, bleached etc? The last bones I bought where cooked and not wrapped in plastic wrapping, they gave the dogs terrible diarrhea.

[Fiona]

Dogs should never get cooked bones. The bone becomes brittle as a result of the heat, therefore any bits that break off splinter. These are the bones that get stuck in the dogs throat etc.

[carol]

Are these bones from the butcher or is there a particular "best" place to get them?

[Fiona]

Butcher is where I get mine, or supermarket like chicken wings or rib bones. Morrison do lamb ribs which my lot love!

[marcella]

yes as Fiona says NEVER give a dog a cooked bone. They can eat any type of raw bone including chicken bones but cooked bones splinter and the sharp pieces can cause problems.
We get them from the butcher and also Morrisons. Morrisons have a fab selection of rib bones that cost usually around 40p or thereabouts.
It is recommended that you only give load bearing bones for recreational purposes as they won't digest them. But rib bones and chicken back etc can be completely eaten as a treat or part of a meal and digest easily enough.
A butcher is often more likely to give you the big load bearing bones, knuckle joints and the likes, but as mentioned Morrisons is great for rib bones.
My two love the rib bones best.

[Phoebe]

Sony loves the lamb ribs from Morrison's, too! For Xmas dinner she will have a turkey drum stick - it´s huge!!!
I feed every bone raw. I gave her a smoked one from the pet store once, but she was sick after wards.
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[kendal]

iv given the girls smoked ones before and they have been fine so far, not got round to getting raw bones for them yet
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[carol]

The Lamb ribs went down great, in fact in about 2 mins flat. I turned my back on Dare to give the others their ribs and his was gone.

[marcella]

glad they were a hit!!!!!!!! What a great name 'Dare' ........... love that name, it's brill!

[John Thomson]

Carol,
I'm pleased they enjoyed then........Morrisons supermarket or a local butcher are good and cheap for these............some dogs digestion takes time to adjust to dealing with bones but the correct enzymes are quickly created when you start....when you feed bones you will quickly start watch in what your dogs pass.........to much bone and they will become constipated..........know your own dogs and feed accordingly.....great for keeping teeth clean as well

Have a quick look here http://www.cumbernaulddogtraining.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=430
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John Thomson
www.cumbernaulddogtraining.co.uk