Bad To The Bone

My dogs might be bad to the bone but they're usually quite good for bones. At least until someone steals a second bone and then someone else is left without and then, well, you get the idea. Bones are a great way to keep your dogs entertained, out of trouble and burn off extra energy that they might have. That being said there are a few things to keep in mind:

1. Do NOT, under any circumstances, feed your dog cooked bones. They have a much higher rate of splintering and causing severe problems.

2. Chicken necks are great for smaller dogs and cats but larger dogs may swallow them whole. Not necessarily a bad thing but it also renders the whole chewing goal useless.

3. If this is your first time giving your dog a bone, take it slow as there are two potential problems. Firstly, bone guarding, if your dog REALLY likes it he may become very possessive towards people over the bone. If this is the case he needs some work on his behavior before he can safely have bones. Problem number two is just a matter of tummy training, marrow is very rich and can cause diarrhea if your dog is not used to it. The first few times you give your dog a bone make it 15-20mins tops and then you can add 5mins at a time until your dog's digestive tract can safely handle the bone without you having to worry about the back end. Some dogs are simply not able to tolerate bones in their diet, if you are unsure due to a pre-existing health condition in your dog, contact your vet to be sure.

4. A word on bone chewing locations - my favorite places are outside or in a crate with a washable blanket or bed. You can also train your dog to always chew on a specific bed or blanket or if you have a bare floor that you are comfortable washing after bone chewing that can work as well. The floor here in the store is concrete, we chew a lot of bones at work.