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About Bones
Bones are one of the most talked about and often feared aspects of feeding a raw food diet, but this fear is unwarranted.
There are many misconceptions & myths about giving dogs bones and we encourage you not to let these misconceptions & myths - or your own fear - prevent your dog from enjoying the pleasures and benefits of raw bones. Ask yourself this: how have dogs - and all their wild cousins, such as wolves, foxes and coyotes - survived for many thousands of years if their diet has consisted primarily of meaty bones? The answer is simple - canines are purpose-built to chew and consume bones. Their strong teeth and jaws break and crush bone into pieces that can be swallowed, then their stomach acid breaks these pieces down further, the calcium and other minerals are absorbed and any remaining waste is quickly passed.
It's important to remember that there are always risks in life. However, risks can be minimised with some simple precautions. In the case of bones, always feed raw bones; don't leave them out for days to bake in the sun and become brittle; make them size appropriate and throw them away when your dog has finished with them.
The benefits of bones
Chewing on a bone is an instinctual and stimulating activity for a dog. It keeps them amused while you're absent and can stop them from chewing on things you'd rather they didn't - such as furniture, remote controls, books, shoes etc. Chewing also releases endorphines which creates a feeling of well being.
Imagine being born to eat wild prey, including bones, and never being able to satisfy that hunger.
Regular gnawing on bones and consumption of the calcium contained in bones can prevent tartar build up, gum disease and tooth loss, and helps strengthen your dog's own bones. If you regularly give your dog bones, it should never need vet treatments such as flossing, brushing or vaccines against periodontal disease. Bones are also a fantastic 'enrichment' activity which satisfies your dog's inherent need to chew.
Raw bones are safe to feed and they are an important part of a dog's natural diet and behaviour.
Always raw, NEVER cooked!
You might recall a biology experiment at high school with chicken bones. When a bone was heated over the Bunsen burner it became brittle and would splinter when force was applied. When a raw bone was immersed in acid it became soft and pliable.
Apply those insights to a dog with a bone: if the bone is cooked it could easily splinter and puncture the dog's abdomen. If it's raw, it will partially dissolve (thanks to the dog's stomach acid) and pass through without a hitch - just as nature intended.
Recommended types of bones
We recommend beef bones, lamb bones, pork bones (including pig’s trotters) and venison bones. Chicken carcasses, wings and necks can also be fed in complete confidence (as an example, foxes frequently eat whole chickens and ducks).
Turkey necks may be one of the only bones that requires caution. Although we haven't experienced any problems with them, dogs who choose to swallow chicken necks whole may struggle with a turkey neck.
Our K9 Natural Bones may include a mix of beef, lamb and venison bones in various shapes and sizes to reflect the natural variety a dog would have in the wild. K9 Natural Bones are available from selected stockists, but all butchers and many supermarket butchery departments also sell bones for dogs. Try to avoid fatty bones, or at least cut off any obvious fat before feeding.
Puppies and Bones
All dogs including puppies require bones for calcium. The amount varies with age, just like humans: growing children require more calcium than adults, and then in our later years we again need an increased amount of calcium in our diets.
K9 Natural has an in-built supply of calcium in the form of crushed bone, but for teething, jaw strength and gums, puppies need bones to chew on. For this purpose, chicken wings and necks are ideal - these bones are lean and soft and easy to feed a young growing pup.
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