Mary Allen
Chicken bones, beef bones, rabbit bones, raw bones, cooked bones – are dogs allowed to eat bones at all or is it limited to chewing on them with relish?
Would you like to know which parts of the animal you can feed your dog without hesitation and what you should pay particular attention to when feeding bones?
Then we hope you enjoy reading this article!
In a nutshell: Can my dog eat bones?
Yes, dogs can eat bones! Basically, dogs are only allowed to eat raw bones. Cooked bones should not be fed to any kind of animal, as they splinter very quickly and pose a serious danger to your four-legged friend.
Dog & Bone General
In general, bones are suitable for feeding your dog as they are an important source of calcium and support dental health.
Chewing on raw, meaty bones cleans teeth and strengthens chewing muscles. They also offer a varied and species-appropriate activity for your dog.
Since bones solidify the stool, you should always portion them carefully and keep an eye on your dog’s output. Too many bones can lead to constipation.
In general, many bones and types of meat are suitable for feeding your dog. Such as beef and veal breastbone, marrow bones, lamb and goat ribs, chicken and turkey necks and joints.
How many bones can my dog eat?
When feeding bones, make sure that a daily amount of 10 grams of bones per 10 kilograms of body weight is not exceeded!
Too much bone can clog your dog’s intestines, while too much cartilage is more likely to cause diarrhea. Neither are desirable side effects.
Tip:
If you would like to give your dog a larger piece, for example in the form of goat ribs, you should adjust the rations in the following days. If your dog has never eaten bones, you should definitely start with a small portion and see if he can digest it well.
Which bones are suitable for feeding my dog?
Below is a list of bones and cartilage that your dog can eat without hesitation:
| Beef Bone & Veal Bone | Beef and veal sternum Beef spatulas Beef larynx Beef cheek Beef leg slice Beef neck bone Beef scalp Beef sand bone Beef marrow bone |
| Goat Bone & Lamb Bone | Lamb and goat ribs Lamb legs Rack of lamb |
| Rabbit Bone & Bunny Bone | rabbit ears (with and without fur) hare legs |
| Hirschknochen & Rehknochen | Venison and venison ribs venison legs |
| poultry bones | Chicken, turkey, and goose necks Chicken, turkey, and goose feet Chicken saddle and carcass |
| horse bones | Horse neck bones Horse ears (with and without fur) Horse sternum bones Horse scalp |
| pork bone | Pig ears (are checked for Aujeszky virus in the animal feed industry) |
Tip:
Of course, which bone you give your dog also depends on its body size. A Great Pyrenees will be happy to crack a hard beef neck bone, while your Chihuahua might prefer to chew on the chicken neck.
Can my dog have a piece of the grilled chicken?
You had a rotisserie chicken for dinner tonight and are wondering if your dog can eat the leftover bones?
A very exemplary and sustainable thought! However, the answer is NO!
Once the bones – from any animal – have been boiled, grilled or otherwise heated, they are no longer suitable for feeding your dog.
This applies to all bones, as they all become brittle after heating, and the sharp, pointy ends of the bones can cause fatal injuries to your dog’s digestive tract.
Are soup bones suitable for dogs?
No, soup bones are not suitable for dogs.
Why not?
Because once bones have been heated, they become brittle and splinter more easily. Therefore, cooked bones are generally taboo for dogs!
Can dogs eat chops?
Chops are mostly offered from pork, lamb or veal and are a cut from the rib of the animal.
In itself, the chop is also a tasty piece for your dog. However, you can only give it to him raw!
Attention danger!
Even if the controls are stricter and feeding seems less dangerous, we advise against feeding your four-legged friend pork. Here lurks the danger of infection with Aujeszky’s disease, which is life-threatening, especially for dogs.
Bones for Puppies & Seniors?
The babies and the grannys are only allowed to eat bones under supervision and to a lesser extent!
Puppies are only allowed to gnaw the first bone after the first six weeks of life, as their digestive tract cannot cope with the heavy food before then.
Of course, you can only offer the little ones small pieces of bone and cartilage – just like our seniors. With age, the teeth often wear off, which is why bones that are too large or too hard are not for old dogs.
Can dogs eat bones? Here is the most important thing at a glance
Yes, dogs can eat bones!
Bones provide our dogs with valuable calcium, which is very important for bone health and the skeleton in general.
Bones are only RAW suitable for feeding dogs. COOKED, the bones become brittle and splintering in the dog’s stomach is life-threatening!
A reasonable daily ration should not exceed 10 grams of bones per 10 kilograms of your dog’s body weight.
Still have questions about feeding bones? Then please write us a comment under this article.