[TD111]

Things are still going great with Onyx, a 13 week old lab -collie mix but I am going nuts with all the conflicting opinions on bones. She wants to bite all day, shes teething. I bought her a rawhide bone. As she is having a ball with it for a LONG time I am reading on the PC how they can be dangorous, they can choke, get bloat, etc. etc. So many opinions...

What can I give her under supervision that will occupy her time and keep her happy? I don't want a sick pup or chipped teeth.

EDIT: Forgot to mention the first time she barked was today...when I tried to take it away she became a different dog so I did take it away I am not going to let her get food agression like that.


Thanks

 

[BoxMeIn21]

Raw soup or marrow bones work great. Knuckle bones are also an option and provide hours of chewing happiness. Is there a butcher nearby that could maybe set these aside for you?

 

[TD111]

Well, not sure, but I will find one. To be honest, I don't know what any of this is. Are these natural bones you can only get from a butcher?

"Few" more questions

Is the agression when taking away common for bones? Advice to correct this?
How much are they?
Do I freeze them?
Is there meat on them, or just bone?
And sorry for so many questions! How often is ok to give her one?

Thank You

 

[Xeph]

You can go to the store and buy some soup bones for your pup

If you go to a pet store, you can buy sterilized bones, and stuff them with things, or give them out plain.

Is the agression when taking away common for bones? Advice to correct this?

Relatively so. It's a high value item. To correct this, I simply present the dog with something of equal value, tell the dog to "Give" the other item while I replace it with the new item, and praise the dog.

After a couple minutes of them chewing on the other item, I approach the dog say, "Give" and trade back the original item. Lather rinse repeat over a couple of days, the problem will diminish quickly.

How much are they?

Depends on where you're located and the size of the bone

Do I freeze them?

You can, but I generally don't recommend it.

Is there meat on them, or just bone?

The good ones have meat, blood, and gristle xD

And sorry for so many questions! How often is ok to give her one?

Never be sorry for trying to educate yourself

I don't even know how often my dogs get them....generally they chew all the meat off and are allowed to keep the bone (and it is clean, clean, CLEAN) until a piece splinters, and then I chuck it.

 

[peppy264]

We went thru various types of bones with our lab. He would demolish anything rawhide in no time, and I didn't really like him consuming that stuff. We use real bones sometimes but not much as we have been told (not sure) that they can be damaging to the dogs teeth. We now use Nylabones (the hard chewer variety) and are happy with them; expensive but last quite a while.

You may also want to try soft rubbery type toys, including squeakies, on occasion. We thought the dog would rip the thing to shreds but he just mouths them. Then you give him a nylabone and you can practically feel the floor vibrate as he grinds away. Go figure. Maybe its a lab thing (soft toy = bird don't chew it?)

 

[skelaki]

If your dog is an aggressive chewer it's generally best to stay away from the weight bearing bones of large animals (i.e. cows) bur non-weight bearing meaty bones such as rib bones or bones from smaller, lighter animals such as turkeys or chickens are good.

 

[Xeph]

Why's that skelaki?

 

[skelaki]

Why's that skelaki?

Although I doubt a puppy would chew hard enough to do so, some very aggressive chewers have been known to break teeth on harder (primarily beef) bones, which happen to be the weight-bearing bones. Just wanted to mention it as a general precaution.

 

[BoxMeIn21]

Although I doubt a puppy would chew hard enough to do so, some very aggressive chewers have been known to break teeth on harder (primarily beef) bones, which happen to be the weight-bearing bones. Just wanted to mention it as a general precaution.

This is good advice.

 

[HORSEandHOUND]

I use the non basted, sterilized "beefy knuckles" in my house. They last forever and they help with tartar AND keep your dog satisfied for hours. I dont let them have them when i am not around, as on very rare occasions they'll chew a hook on one and they'll bite it off. I also use a dremmel on the hooks they create so that they dont have the opportunity to break pieces off.

Also i love 7 in 1 denta sticks. I get mine at petsmart. They are kind of like greenies but without the allergens of corn, wheat or soy. My adult dog chews one in about 20 minutes, but my pup makes his last a good 2 hours. they are also WAY cheaper than greenies.

 

[Xeph]

Indeed I did not know that Skelaki

My dogs get the smaller soup bones when we go raw, otherwise I buy sterilized bones and flavored Nylabones.

If I get knuckle bones they HAVE to be fresh from the butcher....pet store ones are HORRIBLY greasy and make my dogs very sick.

 

[HORSEandHOUND]

I use the non basted, sterilized "beefy knuckles" in my house. They last forever and they help with tartar AND keep your dog satisfied for hours. I dont let them have them when i am not around, as on very rare occasions they'll chew a hook on one and they'll bite it off. I also use a dremmel on the hooks they create so that they dont have the opportunity to break pieces off.

Also i love 7 in 1 denta sticks. I get mine at petsmart. They are kind of like greenies but without the allergens of corn, wheat or soy. My adult dog chews one in about 20 minutes, but my pup makes his last a good 2 hours. they are also WAY cheaper than greenies.

I am SOOOO SOOO mad right now! I just bought a new back of the 7 in 1 dental sticks made by Denta Green and i'm going to have to return them.

Original ingredients:
rice flour, glycerine, water, cellulose fiber, dried poultry digest, ....

New ingredients (no indication of formula change on packaging AT ALL):
Chicken, SOYBEAN MEAL, CORN STARCH, sorbitol, calgon, sodium tripolyphosphate
oh, and now instead of "made in the USA" they are "Produced in China"

Please do not buy this product!!!!
Even better? Their website (which i got off the packaging) doesnt even list this product!!!!

So, does anyone have any suggestions on what to feed as a chewie that doesnt contain corn, wheat, soy, or carcinogens?

 

[rosemaryninja]

If you want your dog to actually *eat* the thing... raw bones are the only thing I would give. If you just want something for your dog to chew on, get a Kong, a Nylabone or some deer antlers.

 

[Kina_A]

How about Bully sticks. Kina loves her bully stick!