Feeding Bones to Dogs: The All You Need To Know Guide

In less than 10 minutes you’ll know all you need to know as a dog owner to make sure your best friend receives the immense nutritional value bones offer, in a way that ensures wellbeing. This article covers the facts about the health benefits of bones, the common myths, bones to feed and how to feed safely.

Before we get into the what, why and how of feeding bones to your dog, let’s get something cleared up right away.

“Bones and bony material, when chosen and fed carefully and appropriately, are no more dangerous to the short and long-term health of dogs and cats than any other more common nutritional approach. On the contrary, they are good for general wellbeing, teeth, gut and stool health.”

Dr Nick Thompson, The Holistic Vet

Now we’ve got that out of the way, back to sharing all you need to know about safe bone feeding. 

After the perceived risk of bacteria in raw food, chewing bones is the subject that worries novice raw feeders and raw food critics the most. The unwarranted fear that their pet dog or cat could choke or get boney lumps stuck is ingrained in most people. Until they actually try it.

At ProDog, we hear frequent concerns on the subject of bones; yet to give your dog a bone as a treat used to be an accepted activity amongst dog owners, especially for those of us (how can I put this politely?) “in the slightly older age categories”.  So, where has the shift in perception and all of the worry come from?

Key points on feeding bones

1. Do not buy sawn leg bones and do not feed whole leg bones from meat animals (e.g beef, lamb, venison etc) – they are species inappropriate for pets.

2. Bone should make up about 10% of the overall diet; too much and your dog may suffer from constipation. Too little and stool quality might suffer. Bone weight should be included as part of the overall daily food weight allowance.

3. Bone can be incorporated as ground bone into food as well as recreational chewing meaty bones.

4. Offer meaty bones to chew on – at least twice weekly for emotional/mental stimulation, stool quality and teeth cleaning. 

5. Bones should always be raw – never cooked. Freeze all bones for a week before thawing and feeding. Avoid roasted, smoked or any type of processed bone. 

6. Source appropriate size and type bones from reputable sources.

7. Remember, recreational chewing bones are immensely calming and pleasurable to dogs.

Myths about feeding bones busted

Almost sixty years of tv adverts and veterinary advice implying that bones can kill may (understandably) explain the turn around in most dog owners feeding behaviours.

Here’s the truth –  certain bones are dangerous, such as cooked bones, sawn leg bones and whole leg bones from meat animals. All of which are species inappropriate and should never be fed to dogs. This does NOT mean ALL bones are hazardous. In fact, feeding the right bones in the right way is extremely beneficial to a dog’s health and wellbeing.

We don’t have the page space in this blog to go into the whys and wherefores of this ‘bone-danger’ messaging; that’s a topic for another day

Myth number  1 – Bones are dangerous to dogs. Bone fragments can be swallowed and may cause my dog internal damage.

Whilst this is an understandable fear, it is also easy to mitigate the risk. The only way to feed a dog bone is in a raw uncooked state. Raw bones are relatively soft and moist, so they have a good degree of flexibility.

In contrast to this, cooked bones harden, dry out, and become brittle, which can be extremely dangerous if ingested. To this end, one must never allow their dog access to cooked bones

Myth number 2 – Bones may wear my dog’s teeth down

Chewing is an innate behaviour in dogs. It is vital for the digestive process, emotional wellbeing and mental stimulation. Dogs (and humans) develop with more teeth visible than they need to survive; this is basic biology.

Teeth are designed to be worn down. As long as the tooth is not so worn as to expose sensitive tissue, it’s okay. As with all aspects of dog care, you can monitor this.

Whilst dogs only use their molars for kibble crunching, they employ all teeth for meaty bone chewing, exercising the whole mouth and jaw, promoting salivation and mastication. This kick starts the digestive process.  Without chewing, gnawing and seeing/smelling food, the dog’s gut is not prepared with the correct enzymes and acids to process it; gastro-intestinal processes can become compromised and could impact health over the long term.

Myth number 3 – My dog may choke on bone

Although this may be possible in theory, it’s important to acknowledge that this is also a risk for kibble, treats, rocks, golf balls, toys, coins, string, corn cobs , or any other things your dog may decide to put into his mouth. 

As a dog owner, you’ll know, depending on the dog, this could be anything and everything, yet we couldn’t eliminate all of these things from a dog’s environment ‘in case’ he chokes. 

The health benefits of bones far outweigh the risks. Providing you follow good practice guidelines bones can be perfectly safe; plus, doggo will undoubtedly thank you for it.

Why bones are great for dogs' health

Bones are a source of essential minerals

Bones are great for dogs’ dental hygiene

Bones provide oral stimulation and serve as a dog toothbrush. Chew, or ‘recreational’  bones play a key role in preventing the build-up of plaque, tartar and bacteria on teeth surfaces whilst allowing dogs to exercise and strengthen their jaw, neck and shoulders – vital for young puppies.

The standard advice from vets who advocate kibble/tinned foods is to brush pets’ teeth. Yet canine tooth decay is less common amongst populations with routine access to whole bones, i.e. wolves and dogs fed a good raw diet—a fact worth considering.

Plus, how easy do you find it to brush your dog’s teeth? The majority of dogs will not allow brushing of all angles of their teeth, resulting in around 40%, mainly on the inner surface of the teeth, not being reached at all.

Much easier and more satisfying for your dog is a meaty chew bone. Giving large hide chews helps clean the front incisors and canine teeth, too.

Bones support a healthy microbiome

Modern day research now gives us evidence that supports the ancient theory that the gut is the centre of all health. The microbiome plays a crucial role in this. 

For those of you thinking, “what is the microbiome?” here’s a super brief definition:

“The microbiome is the term used to refer to the 1000’s of microbes living within all living creatures and mainly located within the intestines and the skin. Some are harmful and some are beneficial. The aim for a ‘healthy microbiome’ is to achieve a balance between the good guys and the bad guys”

Taking care of the intestinal environment is a foundational aspect of better health and vitality for dogs (and their hoomans). There are a number of ways to look after the gut: one of which, for dogs, is incorporating bone into the diet. 

The nourishment bone delivers to the digestive system helps to promote beneficial bacteria within the gut. 

The mouth is an extension of the gut. Improved dental hygiene brought about through bone chewing encourages more of the microbial good guys to thrive. This is complemented by the sandpaper effect of bony fragments freshening the lining of the gut and thus creating an environment for a balanced microbiome. 

Bones are a great tool to stimulate your dog

Gnawing a bone is a healthy behavioural outlet. It is a natural and instinctive behaviour for dogs. The freedom to perform and express natural behaviours is key to mental wellbeing in dogs, and the provision of chew bones is an excellent way to encourage this.

Contrary to popular belief and widespread urban myths, allowing your dog access to chew bones does not make them more aggressive. Regular chewing actually has the opposite effect, often having a calming effect.

While it is true that a dog may appear somewhat possessive if he thinks his bone will be removed whilst he is enjoying chewing, this is not specific to bones and would likely be replicated if any food was perceived as being at risk. Bones are high-value commodities. The way to make them less valuable is to give them really frequently so they become ‘ordinary’. 

Now we’ve covered all the reasons why to feed dogs bones. Let’s talk about what bones to provide, when and how to offer them safely.

Whilst we advocate feeding bones, we also emphasise the importance of doing so in a SAFE way. As with all aspects of canine care, bone feeding doesn’t come without risk, so becoming educated in best practices is essential. 

What follows are the crucial points to consider when deciding on the perfect way to include bones into your four-legged friend’s diet: