16Paws Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 I've spent a few hours reading about which bones you should and shouldn't feed your dogs. I'd like to be giving our 7mo lab an occasional bone but I'm cautious what to give her after she had an obstruction from something else last year (she puts absolutely anything and everything in her mouth! ;) ) I've narrowed it down to raw chicken bones of some kind as these appear to be the safest, but the general opinion seems to be the bigger the dog, the bigger the bone. She is a chewer and not a gulper. Advice would be much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuffles Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 I'd try chicken frames ;) Our big dog loves them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrs tornsocks Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 (edited) Our lab's had chicken frames since he was about 5 months old. Loves 'em (he's now 9 months). When he was younger, I had a few minor freak outs with chook necks and wings (tried to gobble them) so tried frames to help him 'learn' to chew them up, it was the best thing I ever did. I also occasionally feed him turkey legs. I chop off a decent amount of the meet and freeze it for very special treats, and give him the leg, he loves that too, they're about $6-7 for two @ woolies. Other than that, brisket bones are good and nice and soft. Edited January 23, 2010 by mrs tornsocks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 Turkey necks/wings and chicken frames ;) Also kangaroo tails Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rose of tralee Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 Some follow a rule which says the meaty bone should be bigger than her head to prevent rash attempts at swallowing pieces that may choke. Another way of saying what you said ;) Complicated cartilage-y, meaty bones, maybe with skin still on (e.g. unsmoked pigs' trotters) will provide chewing interest and take time, be of some nutritional value. Putting 'everything' in her mouth may be reduced somewhat by your providing suitable bones. Please avoid so-called recreational bones, usually well-stripped beef thigh bones...too dense and hard. Chicken frames are popular tho' quickly disposed of. A whole chicken maryland/ half small chicken could double as a meal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsdog2 Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 Turkey necks/wings and chicken frames Also kangaroo tails I wouldn't recommend necks/wings for a Labrador as they're small enough for her to swallow whole. I've got a Goldie that did this (only once ;) ), so now I give him frames which he can't eat in one gulp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 Sorry - I thought turkey wings/necks were a bit big to swallow whole ;) Hamlet can't..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrs tornsocks Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 Turkey necks/wings and chicken frames ;) Also kangaroo tails I wouldn't recommend necks/wings for a Labrador as they're small enough for her to swallow whole. I've got a Goldie that did this (only once ), so now I give him frames which he can't eat in one gulp. agree. Although they look big enough (bigger than chook equivalent), Archie our lab tried to swallow turkey neck whole. He didn't get a chance to succeed as I took it away and gave the bag to my friend with swf, who takes days to get through them ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
16Paws Posted January 23, 2010 Author Share Posted January 23, 2010 Thanks everyone. We've bought a couple of chicken frames to try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsdog2 Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 (edited) Sorry - I thought turkey wings/necks were a bit big to swallow whole :D Hamlet can't..... Persephone my two GSD's would take their time (and enjoy ) turkey wings/necks, but to the Goldie it's always a race to see how quick he can finish (and that's on his own, without other dogs around). I can't see where the enjoyment is, so sometimes we make him wait with it in his mouth (yes in his mouth :D ) for a few seconds before he's allowed to eat/swallow - just to register the taste before it's gone!!! Edited January 23, 2010 by gsdog2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulp Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 I give my labs chuck bones, these are sections of the spinal column split down the middle. There are usually seven or so half vertebrae in each. Butchers will often ask if you want them cut into pieces but I prefer to cut them into individual vertebrae myself with a filleting knife. I like these bones because they are not as hard as marrow bones, they are not full of fattening marrow (a big plus for labs!), any flesh left on them is usually meat rather than fat (unlike brisket bones) and they give the teeth a good scrub because of thier irregular shape (my two have lovely white teeth). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyra20007 Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 Chicken Frames are great and left whole can be entertaining for a minute or two LOL Lamb necks cut up the middle length ways are great and take a while to chew up. Also Lamb brisket and beef brisket can be great as they can be totally consumed. If you have a good butcher you can ask for lamb chine bone which is very low fat and as mentioned a beef chuck bone is like a toothbrush for dogs. I think daily feeding of bones is very important from a young age as it helps to strengthen the jaw and teeth and keep the teeth very clean and strong. I don't understand why people are so afraid of feeding bones and a natural diet rather than 'pet poison - processed dog foods' it isn't hard to feed a dog well, after all we humans wouldn't like a diet of dry biscuits - would we? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tilly Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 I give my boys their chicken necks as a frozen block ... so they have to chew it. They also get chicken wings, turkey necks, whole fish (gutted & scaled), rabbit (skinned and gutted), kangaroo tails, brisket bones, lamb flaps and chicken frames. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
16Paws Posted January 23, 2010 Author Share Posted January 23, 2010 Gave pup her chicken frame tonight. I think she was a bit confused at first but after a few tentative licks and nibbles she got the idea. By the end I felt a bit more confident that she wasn't going to start choking and she was running around holding it up like she does her fave toys It took her a good 10 minutes to polish it off which was about 9 minutes longer than I thought it would last. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rose of tralee Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 That's a happy image! Sounds as though she savoured her frame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
APBT Posted January 24, 2010 Share Posted January 24, 2010 frames, wings, legs and anything really is all fine, just not really the big heavy bones to much, the rest are more then fine tho Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twodoggies2001 Posted January 24, 2010 Share Posted January 24, 2010 Gave pup her chicken frame tonight. I think she was a bit confused at first but after a few tentative licks and nibbles she got the idea. By the end I felt a bit more confident that she wasn't going to start choking and she was running around holding it up like she does her fave toys It took her a good 10 minutes to polish it off which was about 9 minutes longer than I thought it would last. Good for you, not to mention for you pup too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandgrubber Posted January 24, 2010 Share Posted January 24, 2010 Turkey necks/wings and chicken frames Also kangaroo tails I wouldn't recommend necks/wings for a Labrador as they're small enough for her to swallow whole. I've got a Goldie that did this (only once ), so now I give him frames which he can't eat in one gulp. i've raised a few dozen labs on 60%+ chicken frames with no ill effect, and generally good health results. They're a great food, and generally cheap . . . much better that they go to a dog than end up as something needing 'sanitary disposal'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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