Raw bones okay?
Dear Darcy! Love your website and your facebook question/answers! I have been thinking of switching to a raw diet for my dogs…will be making the switch soon. I am wondering if only raw bones are ok to give….In the past I have given them a large cooked type bone from the pet store for them to chew on. They occasionally get small pieces chewed off and swallow them. Is this ok or should I not do that anymore? Thanks for your help! Amanda
Dear Amanda,
Yes, raw bones including the marrow are definitely good and necessary in a raw diet. I like chicken bones especially. Any raw bone that won’t splinter the way your dog chews on it is okay. Supervise for a while to see how your dog eats any particular bone to make sure that they are coping well with it.
Cooked or dried bones are okay for chewing pleasure, not as a diet ingredient, as long as your dog can’t break and eat them. They are for chewing action only.
If you’re starting a raw food diet, drop the cooked bones altogether, you don’t need them any more. A nice big raw femur or a knuckle bone with marrow and some meat left on it is a good new choice. The dog won’t eat the bone itself, most dogs can’t bite through it, but they get the good stuff and the mental exercise they need.
You are so smart to start a raw food diet for your dog. Your dog will love you for it.
We have several raw food diet books at SitStay.com to help you get started. You can’t go wrong, they are all good.
Darcie
