raffikki Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 Hi all :rolleyes: I am hoping someone can give me an alternative product for RMB. I just can't get the courage up to feed bones to my pups At the moment they are getting minced chicken carcasses with veggies and egg for breakfast, and for dinner SuperCoat puppy biscuits. I have just tried chicken wings this morning but I was constantly on edge while watching them, scared that they will swallow a not quite chewed bone and it'll get stuck/do damage I realize the majority feed RMB, BUT I just can't bring myself to feed it again. Even with my last dog I had the same fears So is there a healthy alternative, that I can give them, that will let them use their jaws and teeth? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 An Answer to your question... No. Dogs are made to eat bones and flesh. If you give your dogs bones too big to fit in their mouths- bones they need to chomp& chew... there should not be a problem. Try turkey necks/wings - they are still soft enough to not cause problems.. but large enough to be chewed feed the pups seperately- so they don't feel a need to gulp...and don't 'hover' and make them anxious . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raffikki Posted July 5, 2009 Author Share Posted July 5, 2009 Thanks for the fast reply persephone :rolleyes: I understand what you are saying and believe me I really want to do the right thing for these pups. This is going to sound like I'm being difficult BUT the fear is still there even if I do go bigger I worry that that last bit left will get swallowed, the bit that is just a little to large and has a bit of bone sticking out. feed the pups seperately- so they don't feel a need to gulp...and don't 'hover' and make them anxious . When I fed them this morning I fed them at different ends of the yard, and tried to supervise from a reasonable distance so they didn't feel anxious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teebs Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 Try freezing the bones, i give Atlas (Bull Terrier) frozen wings and frames because he is a pig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wylie Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 If you are so worried about giving them bones why then are you feeding them minced chicken carcasses. Some of the mincing can be questionable at the best of times. Try a lamb flap for them. Turkey necks are brilliant. If you want to try something different try a lambs heart or ox heart instead of the chicken mince. They have to chew them and then work your way up to meat encased in bone. You are anxious so your dogs will be anxious. Go inside and have a cup of coffee and watch them from a window. I guarantee they will be thanking you. Do you give them things like biscuits or pigs ears cos exactly the same thing could happen. Basically if they can swallow it it ends up in one of two places, chucked up or in their stomachs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoemonster Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 I know how you feel, I fed my boy brisket when he was a pup (which at the time I had been told was fine) and he spent the night throwing up little pieces, took me years to be game to give him a bone again and I gave him a big leg bone, cos I figured that would be safe, he chomped off a big piece off the knobly bit of the end and threw that up in the middle of the night Now I only give whole carcasses, as they have to chew them up pretty well to be able to swallow them, the bones get crushed up and cos the skin holds it all together they cant swallow til it is crushed. I dont give necks or wings, as they chomp once then swallow (Or just swallow and dont chew at all) My boy could be the last dog in the universe with a mountain of bones in front of him and he would still gulp and inhale his food Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oscar (AmBull) Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 Are your puppies gulpers? I was very scared of the RMB as well when I first got Oscar and started him off with one neck, while I watched sitting on a chair rather nervous. He was fine and to do this day I have never had any problems. Plus being amstaff's they are quite good with their teeth as I am sure you know, I have lots of little puncture marks on my hands as he is not one for getting a treat gently, but imporving. But I have found that I don't have a gulper, he quite likes to chew and savor his food for a while. He doesn't have necks anymore as he is to big for them and not much left to chew, however I do give him wings, because of the shape he takes quite a while to chew one of them, and he also gets frozen carcasses, which he spends the whole day on, going back and forth when he is peckish. Maybe try and find something you are comfortable with them having, I tried the chicken necks as it was small and I felt it would be fine and it was. Hope you find something. Oscar loves nothing more than a couple of wings for lunch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 Chicken pet mince will contain the nutrition of bone but will not exercise developing jaws. You can continue to feed the mince but I would add some 'recreational' large bones for them to munch on. If the bone is too big to be swallowed whole, that will prevent choking. Try quartered lamb necks, lamb flaps or beef soup bones. Raw hide chews are a much greater choking risk that bones will ever be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KitKat Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 (edited) Also remember that your anxiousness will feed to the pups - So try to get yourself into a relaxed state when you are feeding them something different. Easier said then done - but the more worried you are the more that will feed to the pups. Try turkey necks - they are a great size but it's all meat and soft bone that will be fully digested by the pups tummies. Also look at lamb flaps they have a thin rib bone through lots of meat - again soft bone that will be fully digested. A whole chicken frame is also very good - and with the others, soft bone, fully digestable. But these will give the pups jaws a good work out which is also great for their ear set ETA - also try beef tongue, my guys love it as a treat and it's just a big lump of meat...they have to chew it but there is no bone...beef heart can be fed the same...perhaps wean yourself up to feeding them bone? Edited July 5, 2009 by KitKat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wish_4_cockerspaniel Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 I'm still scared of chicken wings - they seem so spikey when the bones break - but chicken necks are just fantastic... sometimes he eats them in one, not even chewing, sometimes chews away happily - either way he has been TOTALLY fine on them. He also gets the odd lamb neck rosette, which he'll get most of the way through before I bin the little bit at the end - he's great on these though, although smells of raw lamb afterwards which is rough! Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raffikki Posted July 5, 2009 Author Share Posted July 5, 2009 Thank you everyone for the replies and suggestions I don't give them pigs ears, raw hide chews or large biscuits, for the same reason I'm nervous about bones, but would probably feel better feeding those as they don't have the sharp bits Rhino is a gulper with his normal meals but with the wing this morning he seemed to chew very slowly and carefully Electra on the other hand normally eats slowly but with the wing she had earlier she seemed to want to get it down as fast as she could! Though did chew a fair bit. After reading you responses ,it was more than likely because I was closer to her. I know it's me and I'm trying to get over this fear, I really am, maybe I will try lamb flaps as they aren't hollow like the bones in the wings and wont be able to chew chunks off those? Plus being amstaff's they are quite good with their teeth as I am sure you know, I have lots of little puncture marks on my hands as he is not one for getting a treat gently NewAmstaffOwner, I actually have no problem with them chewing me, I always have a toy handy and am really careful where my fingers are lol b/f on the other hand still hasn't worked it out yet and complains every time they chew him(wont take my advise though :rolleyes: ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oscar (AmBull) Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 You are very lucky then, Oscar is a snatcher, but is doing very well learning gentle. We had figured out a way to give him treats so he could't accidently get us with his teeth, they are razor sharp. How are the pups going anyway, they look great in your signiture! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dog_Horse_Girl Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 I don't understand what you're afraid of? Dogs have evolved to eat raw meaty bones as a good proportion of their food intake. As long as you feed the RAW, and as long as it's from a reputable source, what's the problem? Some dogs will throw up bits of bone, others won't. It doesn't mean anything except perhaps the dog which throws up *may* have a slight allergy to that particular animal or animal part. Ruby is allergic to chicken. She threw up her chicken dinner more than once so we then went back to the start with the food trial - she's on an elimination diet for food allergies. It's a slow and painful process but we will get there. Can I suggest you buy one of Ian Billinghurst's books on the BARF diet? He explains everything really clearly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoemonster Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 Some dogs will throw up bits of bone, others will die from obstructions, at a guess I would say that is the fear. I know it is with me, especially since I know that my dogs do not chew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alpha bet Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 You dont have to get too worried about not feeding bones. There are alternatives. I had a GSD who had 'telescope bowel' as a pup and had to have a section of bowel removed. We never fed him bones but occassionally he would get hold of an old bone when visiting friends and we would notice he would be constipated. The vet felt his system couldnt cope and he ended up with slight compaction. He lived till he was over 11 years old and had great teeth right till the end. He was regularly fed 'charcole' biscuits. The charcole is good for keeping their teeth clean as well as good for their indigestion. The only side effect was that you can end up with some interesting coloured poo. Sometimes a greenish colour or sometimes black, but always solid. We did occasionally feed him with lamb flaps when they were available. I use the charcol biscuits in the kennels with the boarding dogs, initially some arent sure but then once they try them they love them. Best wishes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wylie Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 If a dog doesnt chew them hand them an even bigger piece so they do chew. Cut up a whole chicken and hand them half. Easy!! A large dog then hand them a whole chicken. They soon learn to start chewing properly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raffikki Posted July 5, 2009 Author Share Posted July 5, 2009 I don't understand what you're afraid of? I'm still scared of chicken wings - they seem so spikey when the bones break I'm scared of the sharp bits too, scared of them doing damage or choking them Can I suggest you buy one of Ian Billinghurst's books on the BARF diet? He explains everything really clearly. Thanks lillysmum, I will get that and give it a good read How are the pups going anyway, they look great in your signiture! Thanks NewAmstaffOwner, they are doing great They are learning the basics eg: sit, lay, stand etc They play with each other a fair bit and this tires them out pretty good :rolleyes: We have a trainer/behaviorist coming over next week just to give us a hand/teach us general stuff and are looking forward to venturing out and about next Saturday(10 days after their vacc) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KitKat Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 I guess the difference between natures way of feeding and the domestic way of feeding is we might give 6 wings rather then a whole bird - eg crunch and swallow rather then stop chew bits off, swallow, chew more bits etc. I could easily tell bad stories re dogs eating bones, and there are a number of vets out there that will tell you not to feed bones due to possible issues. But i feel it's a trial and error thing - eg I discovered i can't feed sliced beef rib bones to my GSD's because one of them always manages to get the bone caught down along his teeth following the jawbone - and then i have to go in and pry it off...lol - not pleasant for either of us! The other dog never has this issue with he has them - but now i just don't buy them for the boys, no biggie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purpley Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 Pigs ears scare the beejeezus out of me, so do chicken necks. Some people fear things - others don't. Its human nature. I feed frames also, but I am there until they finish. Having said that my dog choked on a sausage roll (he pinched), so it doesn't matter what it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 (edited) Life is not without risk. It's up to each of us to determine what risks are acceptable to us with regard to our dogs and what aren't. All we can do is learn from the experience of others and decide whether the benefit makes the risk worthwhile. You could also feed BARF patties if you can't come at bones. Edited July 5, 2009 by poodlefan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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