To a dog, nothing can be as heavenly as chewing a bone. Contrary to popular myths, bones are good for dogs; and they all enjoy it to the hilt. If you are in the habit of leaving your dog unattended during the day, leave a raw bone out for him occasionally.
Advantages of bones to dogs:
- They are an excellent source of protein and minerals. Finely ground bone is a good source of calcium and phosphorus.
- Dental benefit: They perform the very useful function of keeping a dog's teeth free from the plaque which can cause bad breath and a number of serious dental problems. The action of the bone against the teeth scrapes away plaque and controls tartar buildup.
- An engrossing activity: A bone entertains a dog for hours and keeps his mind stimulated; which is good for dogs of all ages, especially older dogs that are not active.
- Satisfies the urge to chew: Dogs, and especially puppies, have an inborn urge to chew. Chewing bones is a much better alternative to satisfying your dog's urge to chew rather than your household items.
- For puppies, chewing a bone helps stimulate the growth of adult teeth and helps relieve any discomfort from the growing new teeth pushing through the gums.
How to choose the right bone for your dog:
Choose a bone that matches your dog's chewing rate and chewing habits. You need to take into account size, shape, hardness, and flavor.
Generally speaking, smaller dogs prefer smaller bones, but the reverse is not always true. Many bigger dogs ignore big bones.
Aggressive chewers can chew a good size bone very soon, that’s why its good to give them pressed rawhide which is harder and lasts longer. Synthetic bones such as Nylabones are a long-lasting chew.
The best type of bones to feed are the softer types. Raw bones are preferable to cooked ones, as raw bones can be digested more easily.
Problems with bones:
The wrong type of bones can cause problems.
- Bones such as 'T-Bones', chicken bones and fish bones should never be fed as they have a dangerous tendency to splinter into sharp fragments which, when swallowed can pose life-threatening consequences.
- When a dog crushes a bone, it can also wedge inside the dog's mouth and cause bad breath; and formation of bacteria inside the mouth.
- Constipation: The bone fragments tend to cement the dog's droppings and the resultant lumps are so hard that they cannot be passed. This problem is especially common with breeds with powerful jaws as they are easily able to crush a whole bone and to consume it in a matter of seconds.
If a day or so after feeding your dog a bone, your dog appears to be straining excessively without passing any motions, then a visit to your vet is necessary.
What is good for your dog? Cooked or raw bones:-
Cooked bones are harder to digest and give rise to constipation. If you are giving your dog cooked bones, boil them rather than roasting because dry heat makes bones more brittle.
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