A guide to raw bones.....

There is a lot of controversy over giving your dog a raw bone, so in summary:

the pros are:

The meat on the bone provides a good source of proteins and essential nutrients.

The action of tearing the meat off bones naturally cleans the dog’s teeth and helps prevent gum disease, bad breath and is purported to prevent problems with anal glands. 

Chewing bones occupies and stimulates your dog.

 

the cons are:

risk of chipped or cracked teeth.

risk of bones splintering and lodging in your dog’s throat.

risk of bone splinters being swallowed and tearing intestinal tract.

 

If you are giving raw bones the types recommended are:

Chicken (wholes or halves)

Chicken wings (for very small dogs only)

Turkey (wholes, halves, or quarters)

Rabbit

Lamb necks, shoulder or shanks

Pigs trotters

(these are basically bones that do not splinter)

 

 

And the rules of thumb are:

• Bones should never be cooked, they should always be raw.

• Bones should always be meaty, not bare.

• Always supervise when your dog is eating a bone.
• Don’t let your dog swallow a bone, and immediately throw away bones that have become small enough to be swallowed, or bones that are too bare
• Never get a bone from a butcher that has been thrown away, or has been chopped into small pieces.
• Make sure that children don’t come close to possessive dogs while they are chewing.

 

Here are the local butchers where you can buy raw organic bones:

Lidgate:                                               110 Holland Park Avenue. W11 4UA. 0207 727 8243

Kingsland:                                         140 Portobello Road. W11 2DZ. 0207 727 6067

Daylesford Farmshop and Café:     208-212 Westbourne Grove. W11 2RH. 0207 313 8050

 

And online from:

www.naturalinstinct.com

www.higherhacknell.co.uk

www.honeysrealdogfood.com/