I saw that post about feeding chicken bones. Perhaps I'm mis-informed, but everything I have ever heard and been told by my vet is "no chicken bones" because they can splinter and choke the dog.

Perhaps you should consult your vet before you give them the bones.

I have always used boiled beef bones, and they work fine,,,,

SG

My book says raw is fine, no cooked chicken bones - those are the ones that will splinter.

Correct - it is cooked chicken bones that are brittle and splinter. Cooked beef bones are also brittle, and while they usually don't splinter, they get very sharp parts if the dog is successful chomping them. They are also hard enough to break teeth sometimes.

Share oh, I would start with chicken wings rather than drumsticks. Dogs have to learn how to eat raw, and sometimes they are SO excited to get this wonderful thing, they try to swallow them whole. See how they do with the wings, then graduate to drumsticks. But I would still watch them.

I stopped feeding my dogs turkey necks because one of them is a 'gulper', and several times got a big hunk of neck stuck in her throat. She was able to hork it up, but it scared me enough to stop with them. I feed totally raw, and use only chicken necks.

Raw chicken necks or chicken wings are only suposed to be given to your pets. The rest of the bones are harder & not recomended. Cooked bones splinter too easily.

My dogs are also totally raw fed. I too would start with chicken wings or necks, rather than drumsticks (you can work up to those). You know your dogs, so separating them sounds like a good idea for treats. Chicken necks and wings certainly play a part in my dogs' diets, but they also eat every other part of the chicken (and sometimes even whole chickens). My dogs eat as varied a diet as I can find; chicken is just a part of that.
My dogs mostly eat outside, but in bad weather they are confined to the kitchen or crates, for easy clean up.
A book you might want to look for is Switching to Raw, by Susan K. Johnson. It's a really simple, easy intro to raw feeding.
Good luck and let us know how you and your dogs do.

Here is a link that might be useful: Switching to Raw

Thank you all - I'm glad I asked! I never thought about the drumsticks being too big to start off with. I'll get either wings or necks on my next trip to the store.

Now what to do with those drumsticks?! lol

Sher

Depends if the raw chunks are large enough the dog will go off somewhere to eat, or if it is ground up so the dog snarfs it out of the bowl.

where to feed raw chunks - on a hard floor easy to clean or outside. The dogs do not seem to mind if the raw chunks get covered with leaves.

Some people get their dogs to chew quietly over a towel - we have not been so fortunate or perhaps we are not determined trainers.

Can someone post what the benefits of raw diet would be?

Besides being a disgusting mess to feed, I can't see that the dogs will get enough vitamins, or do you supplement? How are you sure they are getting all the nutrients, minerals, etc. that are needed for healthy development and general health?

I see a referral to a doctor, is that the person who has written a book about this type of feeding?

I see raw food diets developing as local grass-root type movements by various people (veteranians included) who are trying to improve pet nutrion. Or they simply are trying to steer clear of the processed foods, preservatives, dyes and genetically modified grains that are in commercially available foods.

The main philosophy is that dogs (and cats) evolved primarily eating raw meats and bones. Commercial foods containing cooked animal by-products and grains are unnatural for the carnivores, and can create health problems for many pets.

People find solutions in the raw food diets as they look for alternatives for their pets with chronic health problems like allergies, digestive disorders, immune system malfunctions.

Much of the evidence that the raw diets are effective is anecdotal. Because there isn't alot of money in it, there is no one to fund a large massive scientific study that would be needed to prove or disprove the raw natural theories.

Several books are available on the benefits of feeding raw.
There is a pretty good list available on the nature's menu website.

Here is a link that might be useful: list of books about feeding raw

share oh, wondering what size/ breed your dogs are

labmomma,
a search on raw here brought up a ton of results for starters.
Regular suitable raw bones work fine for us (Dalmatians). Aged 6 and 13, they have different requirements so we use some of these: chicken necks and whole carcases, turkey necks, beef brisket bones, lamb ribs when the price drops. Mouths are in good condition, breath sweet, poos satisfactory, evacuation easy and complete. We also use ground minced chicken carcases as part of several meals a week.

rose - do they get veggies or only protein? How do you know they are getting all the vitamins they need. Do you give supplements. Is this the diet recommended by your vet?

Thanks.

My sister in law and her daughter fed their dogs a raw diet and besides it being expensive as compared to dog food(kibble) the dogs (separate homes) both died of cancer. I don't believe that the raw diet "caused" the cancer but it sure was not a preventative either. I personally don't see anything wrong with feeding raw except for the expense and I am not convinced it is necessary. I have had dogs for many years now and they seem to do very well on quality dog food. I also feel a little more assured that they are getting everything they need vitamin wise with dog food more so than raw.

labmomma
bones' role in health are what resonated with me, coinciding with the arrival of the first two Dallies (6 and 7 yo) coming into the household in 1993. There was time to work on their tartar and bad breath, change of diet was all that was used. I haven't been feeding raw vegies, though don't rule out making patties some time in the future. Cooked vegies, yes; mainly greens and yellows. Old girl will pick through the residue after making the humans vegetable juice, and she loves fruit. They get kelp when it's on hand, and freshly ground flaxseed. Also have plain yoghurt, unpasteurised honey, cottage cheese, eggs, canned tuna etc. Variety helps ensure all the goodies are there IMO. I'm happy with their overall condition, energy, and enthusiasm for life. The 6 yo has always eaten like this and the old girl has for the last 9 years.

A raw diet is not just meat, it should include raw bones, organs and veggies for dogs.

I don't think a raw diet is going to "cure" all ailments like some of the claims that are out there. But I certainly can understand how it can help animals who have allergy and digestive tract problems.

I have fed raw. But we generally feed the more premium commerical dog food and mix in some raw bones and raw meat on occaison.

And I think feeding a complete raw diet would be less expensive than feeding some of the premium dog food brands.

Rose, my dogs are all mutts except one toy poodle. She weighs 10 lbs, then we have 16, 23, 62 and 94 lbs (they all just went to the vet so I know their weights).

I was interested in supplementing their diets with a weekly raw meat/bone to see if it helped with cleaning their teeth.

Kudos for starting your dogs out. If they are not used to this, then start with wings or necks.

If they are gulpers (pet food is gulper-material), you may try to train the dog to chew the bone by holding one end of a wing (wrapped in a towel for slippage) while the dog chaws on the other end. Get the whole wings - not the pieced ones. Taking more time to eat is better for their health, just as ours. The digestive process has time to take place. Also - gulping without gnawing won't do anything to clean their teeth obviously.

Dogs don't actually chew. What they do is break the bones and shear the skin/fat with their back shearing teeth so the meat can be swallowed comfortably.

Older dogs and some dogs with smaller mouths and teeth may have problems biting the raw bones. With these dogs, chicken necks should be doable. Doggy "newbies" may try to swallow pieces that are too large, resulting in the "horking". Supervise all raw newbies until they get the hang of it.

I feed necks, wings and legs and some beef bones like T-bones. I use bigger beef bones for the dog's "recreational" chewing - these are particularly good for cleaning teeth. (They have to be big enough that the dog CAN'T eat them). No thighs as the meat/bone ratio is not optimal and they tend to be too fatty.

My dog is trained to stay on his "mat" to eat, and he's a small dachshund, so no mess. For larger dogs you may want to train them to eat in a certain area in a garage or patio.

For many dogs, feeding is always challenging. Feed the "food-aggressive" ones alone. If your dogs are new to this, they may put a high "value" on this food and may be more apt to fight or become possessive over it. Make sure that you can take their food at any time without any growling or snatching.

If you are just looking to clean your dog's teeth - use the "recreational" (raw) bones. Ask your butcher for bones. Use them immediately, and throw them away after a few days as they do dry out and get hard.

Linked below are some previous discussions on raw feeding.

Here is a link that might be useful: Clicky