Give your dog a bone.
A raw one.
Cooked meat & poultry bones are dangerous because they will splinter. Uncooked ones are wHOLly safe.
I admit. I was totes skeptical. Grossed out. Hesitant because I didn’t want anybody to choke.
My trusty book says they’re ok. So, I stepped out of my comfort zone once again. Offered Pearl & Truman each a raw chicken bone for the first time.
O.M.G. !!!! LUV. For real. Amaze-balls.
Bones provide some essential nutrients that dogs need. They are chocked full of concentrated protein, amino acids, and some vitamins & minerals. (good stuff). Chocked full, yo.
Marrow is not bone (duh), but is inside of a bone and contains mostly fat and some blood components. (ew). (more good stuff, tho).
There’s some cartilage up in there, which is mostly collagen. (again. good)
Bones themselves are calcium and phosphorus. (convinced yet?)
Check the back of your dog food bag. Betcha see bone meal, don’t you? Bones are good for dogs. That’s why they put it in there.
A raw bone has GOT to be better than a processed, ground up, powdered one. (Word to your mother).
Plus, truth? I don’t care for brushing my dogs’ teeth. They don’t like it either. Bones will keep them clean. (clean teeth = fresh breath. Am I right?)
You can feed chicken, turkey, beef, lamb, and venison bones, among others. Pork, according to the book I’m reading, The Encyclopedia of Natural Pet Care by CJ Puotinen, is not recommended. Also, my dogs have a tendency to puke pork when I’ve let them have it. (I’m a quick learner. No more pork.)
I trimmed the meat from the bone & cut the meat. I laid the bone along beside it in their bowls full of luscious pureed pumpkin & sweet potato. They nudged past the meat & veggies, pulled that bone out and WENT. TO. TOWN. Both of them. While I sat in utter amazement. They crunched & gnawed, gnawed & crunched till it was all gone. Nobody puked. Nobody choked.
My bestest brother-in-law gave me a freezer full of quail & pheasant (bone in) last night and we are SET. Free food is always in budget!
pugs & kisses,
The HOL Dog 