rawhide treats

[Luigi23]

Hello,

My shorkie, Luigi, just loves to chew on rawhide treats. I buy other chew toys, but he just doesn't like them as much. Is it ok for a shorkie to chew on them all day long? He chews one for about an hour at a time and then comes back to it later and chews on it some more. Is this bad for his health, his teeth, or anything else? Does anyone know of any other chew treats that may be good for doggies?

Thanks.. =)

[Ann]

I used to give Toby pigs ears when he was a pup and like your pup he loved them and would chew on them all day. He seems to have got sick of them now, as I do give him them still but he doesn't want to chew on them so much. He likes bones better now. I dont think there is anything wrong with raw hide. Although I believe that you do have to watch that he doesn't choke on any little bits that he might chew off. Hve you tried giving him chicken thighs or wings as a treat. You must give them raw. I have given Toby them but he has a sensitive stomach and raw chicken doesn't agree with him. Also I give Toby denta bones every couple of days he loves them and it also give him better breath.

I hope this helps.   

[rowan_mommy]

Does giving them the rawhide treats help with the chewing on me issue??? lol I have this issue with Rowan chewing on me even when she has tons of toys. She could have a toy in her mouth n its like if she sees my fingers or toes she will drop her toy n start biting me. I was considering getting her some of these treats to see if I can get her to get kinda tired of chewing on things.  I was just scared that they might hurt her.

[eepuni]

if your pup keeps chewing on you try getting "bitter apple"  it's a spray that has a very bitter, unpleasant taste to it.  you're supposed to use it to spray on things (i.e. shoes, cords, furniture, etc) that you don't want your dog to chew on, but my roommates will sometimes spray it on their hands when sadie begins nipping too much. 

[Luigi23]

I heard that bitter apple works really well. I was thinking about spraying it on his poop because my doggie kept eating it up.. but he finally grew out of that, thank god! My puppy loves the rawhide treats and definitely prefers that to chewing on my fingers and toes. Try to stay away from the ones that have red dye #40 though.. because I heard that shorkies may have an allergic reaction to them. But my Luigi chews on the treats for awhile and that gives me time to eat my own dinner and other things. =)

As for the chicken thighs and wings.. do I just give a regular piece like from the supermarket? Should I be afraid of salmonella or anything by giving it to him raw?

thanks for all your help... I think this site is great and very helpful!! =)

Shorkies rock!!

[stacy15]

I used to give chewy rawhide treats and he used to love them.  But then i started to notice that he started gagging because of them.  I asked the vet and he told me not to give him any while he's a puppy. Also, with bones you have to watch out for bone splinters. They can choke and suffer from intestinal blockages.

[Ann]

Chicken bones are ok as long as they are raw and only the chicken thighs or wings as the bones are small and easy to digest. 

[Mai Tai]

I thought you were never supposed to give chicken bones to a dog as they could choke, and/or the bones can get lodged in the intestines and lacerate them. 

[Ann]

Yeh I thought that too but I have since found out that it is raw bones that you give them not cooked if you give them cooked bones they will splinter. When I say that you give them bones I don't mean all the time either just 2 to 3 times a week. I will try and find some documentation that explains it more. 

[Ann]

Well Here is a document I found on the net about giving your dogs raw bones I hope it helps everyone understand about feeding dogs bones.
Raw Meaty Bones for Dogs (and even cats)     
Open Printable PDF

   
   

Raw, meaty bones can improve the health and well-being of your dog or cat! Many holistic veterinarians, including Ian Billinghurst, author of the popular books, Give Your Dog A Bone and The BARF Diet, advise feeding uncooked bony parts of chicken (such as necks, wings, and backs), turkey necks, beef knuckles, marrow bones, and lamb ribs as a significant part of your dog’s diet. These meaty parts provide good nutrition, teeth cleaning, psychological well-being, and full body exercise.

If you’ve ever watched a dog (or a wolf or lion, for that matter) tear the meat from a bone, you’ll see every muscle in the body working as the animal braces his prize with his paws while pulling the meat away with his teeth. Cats will tackle smaller bones such as chicken necks, whole quail, or game hen pieces with gusto. Anitra Frazier, author of The New Natural Cat, advises giving a whole neck in the bathtub to watch your cat stalk it before eating. Our little carnivores instinctively know how to crush, rip, and chew bones!

Raw Bones Are Not Dangerous
We have been told so often that bones can splinter and cause internal damage that it is hard embrace the fact that bones are safe when given raw. Cooking a bone can cause it to become brittle and splinter, but raw bones are pliable and resilient, breaking off without sharp edges. Poultry bones are soft enough to be completely chewed up and digested. Harder bones, such as beef, lamb, or buffalo are considered recreational bones and are mainly for chewing, not eating. They have marrow, gristle, and connective tissue that contribute valuable nutrients and roughage.

Raw Bones Are Nature’s Toothbrushes
Dogs raised on raw bones have clean, white teeth that never need scaling, while those raised on commercial food alone frequently develop tartar, gum disease, infected mouths, and bad breath. Despite food companies’ claim to the contrary, dry kibble does not clean teeth! Raw bones act like floss in the mouth, polishing and scraping away tartar as the animal crunches and gnaws. In addition, raw meat creates a somewhat acidic oral environment to retard plaque formation and freshen your pet’s breath.

Raw Bones Provide the Perfect Mineral Balance
A prey animal’s bones contain minerals in the proper balance for a carnivore’s growth and development. For eons, Nature’s plan was that wild canines and felines obtain needed calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and other minerals from consuming the bones of their prey, and that is still the preferred source. Bones contain the proper mineral balance, eliminating concern about oversupplementing any single mineral. If your dog consumes more bones than he needs, the excess is excreted in the stool. Don’t be surprised by some chalky, crumbly stools -- this is normal.

The Nutritional Value of Raw Bones
Besides contributing calcium and other minerals, raw bony parts provide essential fatty acids (poultry is higher than beef or lamb), fat-soluble vitamins, blood-forming factors found in the marrow, including iron and copper, cartilage and collagen (arthritis preventing), proteins and valuable amino acids, especially lysine. Meaty bones can constitute an entire meal, keeping in mind that vegetables and other foods should be consumed at other times.

Ground Poultry Bones for Reluctant Animals
Some dogs and cats are not enthusiastic about bones, or have poor teeth and don’t like to chew. For these animals, finely ground or hacked-up chicken backs, necks, or wings are a good substitute. Although they don’t clean the teeth as well, they provide the same nutritional value, and can result in a gradual transition to larger pieces.

[Mai Tai]

Ann, thanks for the info.  I guess we do forget that our pups are carnivores and that they would eat bones in the wild.  I guess it is the cooking of them that causes the problems. 

[Luigi23]

I have my Luigi a drumstick bone yesterday and he loved it... Thanks for all the advice and info... =)

[rowan_mommy]

  i'm kinda embarrassed to ask this cuz is sounds kinda stupid but i would really love to give Rowan a bones especially since they seems to be soooooo good for her BUT this is my not so smart question-do i take the chicken meat off the bone first? i know i need to give her the bone raw (thanks for the clarification on that  ) but i'm still a lil lost, i have a package of drumsticks in the freezer that i plan on thawing to give to Rowan but do i take the meat off the bones or do i give her the entire drumstick with the meat on it and all? if i take the meat off what about the lil grisly ends on the drumsticks?  ok now i just feel really silly for asking but i would rather feel silly than have my baby get sick 

[Ann]

Don't feel silly as this is not a silly question. A drumstick is a meaty bone that is why they usually tell you to give them the smaller bone such as wings or thighs but it is still ok. It does depend on the size I suppose. I think if it is a big drumstick you could give it as their meal for the day and suppliment with a small amount of dry. Just make sure you give your dog something to provide vitamins and nutrients such as veggies and fruit. If you checkout some of the other posts they mention books about feeding your dog. If you check with your local library you may even find a book on it there.
Please never feel silly we all need to know things that might seem silly but you must always ask, if you don't ask you will never know.

Thanks for your question lol

[Luigi23]

I definitely had that same question about leaving the meat on the bone as well. Most of the articles that I've read say that a good meaty bone is good for our dogs, but I kinda thought that the drumstick was a little too meaty. So i did scrap off about 90% of it and took off all the skin on the ends. Luigi definitely loves it because he cleans up everything off that bone.