What raw bones are safe for dogs??

[loveyouradvice]

Just that really.... Ive got so confused! And therefore just give him venison bones bought at great expense over the internet.

We now have a friendly local butcher who I am sure would happily pass on bones - but which are safe? I want to be super careful as my lovely mum's dog died from chicken bones splintering in her stomach and I've been haunted ever since.

In case its relevant - mine's a small dog - a 5kg dachshund - who loves bones - but could get fat really fast too if overindulges!!

Raw bones are fine, even chicken bones. My two week old pups start on minced chicken and my foot when are trying to chew chicken wings! Raw bones are a totally different thing to cooked. RAW are more chalky and soft and are easily digested by dogs. But cooked bones become brittle and southern very easily.

I have a chihuahua and a rotty. All my dogs have been fed on raw and it really is the best diet for them. Depending on the size of your dog - raw chicken wings, duck wings, duck knecks or ribs would be great for him. If you haven't already got him on a totally raw diet then please look into it. Bones ina raw diet actually count towards dietary health as they help to keep poos form and so ensure the anal glands are emptied. A good start would be the raw mince blocks on nature's menu. They also do smaller bones like duck necks and wings. Your dach would probably be in half a pack of mine once a day. I really can't recommend raw enough.

It's these ones that I use for my smaller dogs.

We’ve been told to avoid cooked bones (obviously) and when giving raw bones, avid any weight bearing bones, as they are too hard and are likely to splinter teeth.

So necks/wings/ribs/duck feet all fine, but avoid knuckles and shins etc.

*avoid not avid

We always give ours the raw chicken wings cut off before we roast a chicken. She’s not raw fed but she likes them. Sometimes straight out of freezer.

Any raw bone is fine I think. I started DDog with raw chicken wings outside in the garden - keeps her entertained for a while. Marrowbones, chicken thigh bones, any lamb bones if i'm de-boning one for a roast.

My old labrador used to love the big beef marrowbones raw. In summer I used to freeze them after bringing them home. Then on a hot day he could have a frozen one out in the garden and it kept him occupied for ages.

I didn’t give chicken bones at all. No reason for that, he just had such a great time with his beef bones so I stuck with them and he didn’t care.

That's really interesting - I hadn't realised that chicken bones were fine. I think I'll try them... Do they eat the whole of a raw thigh bone without problems?? Or do I take it away half eaten??

Your dog will be able to eat a chicken though just fine. I tend to give thighs a whack with a meat hanger to break the bone and my chihuahua will eat the whole thing in about fifteen minutes. That would be a full days food for her. The following day I would give 100g bone free mince and some raw grated veg added in to it for fibre. Then a duck wing or two the following day, then 100g bone free mince with a raw egg mixed into it. Then 150g of mine with bone. Bone shouldn't make up more than 10% of the diet or the poops go white and like rock.