I do have to say there is no way I would give lamb bones to any of mine. They splinter too easily and could cause damage internally - sorry dont mean to step on any toes.

If the dog isnt used to hard marrow bones or knuckle bones you can do two things. First is to scoop out most of the marrow with a teaspoon. Its easy enough to do and just leave a small bit at one end if its a knuckle bone or a bit in the middle if its a marrow [open at both ends] of the bone. They will gnaw quite happily at it for hours.

The other way is to cook the bones in the oven until the fat turns crispy brown. The marrow will have gone very soft and liquidised. I would definitely scoop it out as it would be guaranteed to cause diarrhea in a dog not used to it. Then give the dog the cooked bone. Many prefer this type of bone.

I agree that pigs ears can be lethal. I only give them under supervision. Some of the rawhide chews are nearly as bad.

B

My dogs, along with thousands of other raw fed dogs would have to disagree with you on this one.
Lamb bones are fine for dog. Mine have enjoyed whole lamb shoulder, lamb ribs and lamb neck with no ill effects. Many, many raw feeders give it to their dogs.


Cooked bones is just asking for trouble imo, best to totally avoid.

I give mine lamb bones all the time and pork, chicken, turkey and beef knuckle bones. I have had no problems with any of them splintering, however if you cook them then they will splinter quite badly. I would rather my dogs starved than feed them a cooked bone.

You can get lamb bones here from supermarkets and they are mostly backbones and some neck bones which are not as hard as the leg bones. The only "side effect" seems to be smelly wind if they have too many of them

As for pigs ears I used to give them supervised but having to hang a 23 kilo dog upside down and slap him on the back when a large piece got stuck...... and pulling another piece out of another dogs throat while he was choking on it......... not an experience I wish to repeat. I had the same problem with the raw hide chews

I know lots of people that feed them and their dogs are fine but then I know some that feed cooked bones and theirs are fine too....... doesn't mean they are a good idea and then there are the stories about where the hide for the chews actually comes from......

Yes IF they are fed raw it would be okay but mine are not. Therefore not advisable. Cooked marrow bones are fine, have to disagree there. Personally I prefer to give them raw but its up to the individual. It takes a very strong jawed dog to crack a marrow bone - yes, I have had dogs that did raw and cooked but the most of the dogs we have had just gnaw and suck and worry themselves silly about where best to bury them!

We had a dog some years ago that got hold of a lamb bone and it lodged in his gut - experience makes you wary.

We can always agree to disagree.

B

Ours are all on the raw meaty bones diet, so its pretty much all their diet, they especially like a whole chicken carcass or pigs trotters!
Just make sure they are supervised, but they keep mine amused for hours.

Ours used to get the runs when we first put them on a raw diet, but their system soon got used to it and they get chalky, which is much more pleseant!

I have the idea that bones also keep the anal glands working properly, because the poop is usually hard and dry?
I'm finding it difficult to get marrow bones here, something to do with the hygiene laws (BSE related) according to our butcher.

Your best bet is to find a farmer who alsohas a farm shop and will sell you bones.

I dont think too hard stools are the order as they can irritate the delicate lining of the bowel. Just watch and restrict - we let ours have the bones for couple hours a day and after couple days the bones begin to pong anyway so they are removed and disposed of unless one of the dogs buries it

B

Oh thats a shame i know some butchers can be funny, fortunatly ours is very good and gives us a ready free supply. we also get some from our local farmer who has his own butchery and because we are in his organic box scheme he delivers them for free as well, might be worth looking in the yellow pages at farms and butchers.
We did have to do a bit of asking around at first, but its been worth it,