raw foods / pigs' trotters, chicken mince - ok?

Hi am new to this list so hope i don`t embarass myself with stupid questions but then don`t they say the only stupid question is the one that isn`t asked
Anyway to the point; i am currently introducing raw foods to my staffie bitch aged 1 year. I have found little reference to pig trotters....do these qualify as raw meaty bones....are they safe even? I am finding it quite difficult to track down chicken `bits` despite living in a chicken area....and so have been giving a raw mince ground down by my local butcher out of all his waste including chicken carcasses....can`t pin him down on amount of bone content he just says it varies What is the general consensus of opinion on this?
thanks Jo

Pig trotters are ok but you don't want to feed too much pork as it is fatty and too much tends to upset my dogs tums.

If your butcher is mincing all his waste for you, why don't you get the chicken carcasses off him before he minces them. They are ideal and should be fed whole so the dog benefits from crunching the bones.

Now I'm confused! I've been told that dogs shouldn't be given chicken bones, because of the risk of sharp splinters of bone. What's the truth of the matter? (Now, Jo, that's how you ask a stupid question! )

Snorri

Its perfectly ok to feed dogs RAW chicken bones - NEVER COOKED. Its the cooked bones that splinter (any cooked bones). Dogs are able to crunch up and digest chicken, rabbit, lamb etc. without any problems. The raw bones are also good for cleaning teeth - have a look at the teeth of any dog being fed raw carcasses or chicken wings.

my dogs have chicken carcasses.[raw]

so, where do you people get your carcasses from? i have tried 3 butchers, admittedly, i have been asking for wings and backs but they all claim not to have them. When i asked if they could tell me where to obtain them they were equally vague...i also tried asking if it was worth my while to approach a processor? and was told they wouldn`t sell to the public. I think it is time to get on the phone;o)

Pigs trotters are fine, my lot have them once or twice a week & I class them as a meaty bone meal. I give for their lunchtime meal. I also feed pork meat to them & they do fine on it

Heres some links you might find usefull

http://www.njboxers.com/faqs.htm
http://www.touchmoon.com/dotters/raw/index.shtml
http://www.healthyvet.com/docs.php
http://www.rawdogranch.com/rawdietbasics.htm
http://www.rawfed.com/myths/

I get my lamb bones from a butcher and chicken carcasses from T.P.M.S.
Landywood are also good - I will try to find the contact details for you.
I get them delivered in bulk - frozen.

I feed raw mince bought in frozen blocks from a local pet supermarket. Its very popular with my dog and cheap. I think I'd be carerful about bones, particlary chicken.
Paul

Chicken bones are fine raw they only become fragile after cooking. If they weren't there would be many dead foxes around

I don't feed "pet"mince as you do not know what is actually in it. My BC gets raw minced beef, all the bits of a chicken, pigs trotters & whatever else my lovely organic farmer/butcher has for me-could be anything from turkey & duck to the ends of cuts of meat He's never had any problems & neither have any of my previous dogs