Hi!

This morning I gave Rumo a Barkworthies beef rib bone.
It was about 1/2" thick and 6" long.
My vision was that he would hold it between his front paws and gnaw off the meat...

But instead, I heard cracking and splintering sounds!
I went to check and I saw this:



He finished it without a problem, but I was very nervous watching him.
So is this normal/ok, or this is not OK?

I usually give him bully sticks/rings.

I just picked up the beef rib bone because it was on sale (very inexpensive, like less than $2)
Should I avoid giving him such bones in future?!

Is there a kind of bone where dogs can just gnaw, and not crack/break the bone?


Thanks!

As long as it wasn't cooked, he should be okay. I by scrap bones from a Mennonite butcher and keep them in freezer. Usually they are beef and are a variety of rib, neck, blade and marrow bones.

Chicken feet are a good easy option that's good for cleaning teeth and healthy.

Thanks, making notes!

That beef Rib bone did not look raw to me...
it was shrinkwrapped and labeled, and looked brownish.
So I don’t think I will buy another one! Those pieces looked sharp.
I think intended for a small dog, maybe.

I also offered an elk antler, but it has been lying around unchewed for months!

The “fake rawhide”was enjoyed, but gave him yellow watery poop.

The bully sticks disappear in under 15 minutes.

So...onward in my quest for the perfect Bone!

My pups get raw frozen beef marrow bones several times per week. They keep them busy, and also help clean their teeth. I get them free from my local butcher, as they are normally thrown away.

Shrink wrapped kind are baked. Opt for raw ribs. Mine get a raw pork rib sometimes,. Kills my husband when I buy a rack of pork ribs for the dogs. You may have more luck with moose antlers if you think elk might be too hard. Moose slices are softer. Mine love hymalayan chews. They last fairly well for them.

Thanks, will look into those!
My regular grocery has a butcher counter, so that would be convenient.

I was just reading online and it says that those shrinkwrapped commercial ‘bones’ are smoked.
They are actually dry and prone to splinter (scary!)
There are so many of these chew products out there, and I think it’s even harder if you have a big dog. Something a little dog will chew for hours, just breaks in half in their jaws!

Avoid weight bearing bones of livestock as they can be too dense and can put your pup at risk at breaking a tooth. Sometimes pork and beef ribs can be too tough for some pups. Lamb ribs or chicken feet may be better if you want raw bones.

I give my pup antlers, bully sticks, Himalayan chews, and even buffalo antlers. I prefer these just because I know my guy can handle it and it won't crack any teeth. He's had the same antler for about a month now and hasn't cracked it, only dug out the insides! They're pricey but they definitely won't go through them in like 10 mins LOL.

Maybe a Himalayan Yak Chew? They're great cause when your pup is near the end of the chew, you can put them in some water and microwave them to make them like a puffed treat so they don't cut themselves on the leftover bits.

Also some specialty pet stores may have some raw bones to look into, it's just that some you may need to take away once they get the meat off of them. There's tripe sticks your boy may like? Just because he isn't into antlers as much, could be that he wants more flavor

I just wanted to update that I did give him a Himalayan Yak chew. I watched him to see how it would go...he laid down with it, calmly bit off the top 2 inches of it, chewed and swallowed it!? Then the next 2 inches...in a few minutes, gone. I must have bought the wrong kind! Or wrong size! He ate the thing like a cheese stick...?

Anyway I did find that a Kong smeared with a bit of peanut butter on the inside, will keep him busy for a LONG time. He becomes obsessive about licking out every bit of peanut butter on the inside. Thicker bully sticks last longer too (i.e. he might actually abandon after a while, and take a nap for a while without finishing it)

I'm curious about "water buffalo" antler? I saw one in the pet section of our grocery store yesterday.

Every once in a while I will get a himalayan that seems over cooked or something and they will go down like that. Just kinda crumble. I always make sure I buy the name brand and the XL chews and don't usually have that issue, but have seen it in off brands and the smaller size chews.

Horns and hooves, like goat hooves, can last a long time. They can get a smell about them. Especially hooves, so look out for that.

You risk your dog choking or getting pieces lodged in his stomach. You can buy bones designed specifically for this from Primal or give your dog bully sticks. Anything but Raw hide which is also difficult for dogs to disgust. Just because they like it and chew it doesn't mean it's safe for them. You have to be your dog's advocate and do the research.

TwisterII wrote:

Every once in a while I will get a himalayan that seems over cooked or something and they will go down like that. Just kinda crumble. I always make sure I buy the name brand and the XL chews and don't usually have that issue, but have seen it in off brands and the smaller size chews.

Just a quick update -

We gave him a name-brand Original Himalyan chew this weekend and you are right!! This one, he chewed for like 20 minutes...I looked over and he had only gnawed off a small corner! I think this is the way they are supposed to work...

That cheaper non-name-brand version, he just bit off large chunks of it and finished in minutes.