Raw Bones For Dogs

The Raw is very important when it comes to bones for dogs. The biggest reason being that cooked bones can splinter which is what gets caught in their throat/esophagus.

A friend of mine was just telling me about how her parents dog got into the garbage and ate a chicken bone. It stuck in the back of her throat and she spent hours trying to dislodge it without a whole heck of a lot of noise or gagging. Finally they checked to see what was going on and her dad pulled out a chicken bone that had splintered and lodged itself into her throat...I guess thankfully instead of going down any further.

We have been feeding raw bones to our dogs forever. They are a part of the raw diet and an essential part for their overall health. The thing is we feed bison or elk bones that are larger than their mouths and studier bones overall. Our border collie used to be able to break the bones apart but they never splintered.

If you get a pre-made raw diet, most companies will grind bone up in their raw food. At a health pet store I worked at we would get a lot of people complaining about finding large chunks of bone in the food. This is worrisome and dangerous because it could get caught in their throat if the piece is too large.

That's why you need to make sure it's ground up really good or is a large enough bone for them to chew on.

Bones are a source of calcium and phosphorus and the marrow contains some high quality nutrients.

Are they a huge factor into the diet? Maybe not as much as the meat and vegetables etc... but they do offer some nutritional benefits as well as a natural toothbrush for dogs.

Grainy food can stick to your dogs teeth just like it does to ours and if you feed kibble than it's most likely got grain in it.

A bone can clean that up. That's why there are all these preservative filled 'bones' that are not bones that are marketed as good for cleaning teeth. Why do they have to look like bones?

It's another form of what I call 'Our kibble is full of real meat and vegetables BUT don't feed your dog REAL meat and vegetables cause it's not good for them.' ... Whatever that means.

They are also a good way to expel energy and keep your dog busy.

But my caution here is that always supervise your dog. That way if you hear something that doesn't sound good you are there.

We always know what's happening our dogs and they don't get to chew bones alone.

So raw bones are left to the dogs owner discretion but keep in mind the rules:

1. NEVER COOKED BONES only raw
2. Supervised bone chewing only
3. Bone should be big and sturdy. Our favorite is elk or bison bones. Our little min pin can tackle a pretty big bone.
4. If they are pre-ground into a meal make sure there are no big bits in there.
5. Freeze bones that are for future use to keep them as fresh as possible.

How To Switch To The Raw Food Diet For Dogs Who Are Picky Eaters

Some dogs are harder then others to switch to a raw food diet. Well really some cats are harder then others but there are a few dogs who take a little longer to switch over. Don't stop trying because they will not eat it the first day. Remember that it's beneficial to them to get them to switch and they will have a healthier and happier life with you.

My puppy just got weaned over to raw and didn't even hesitate. His bowel movements are fine and he's feeling really good about himself and looking good too!

Here are some ideas that will help you help your dog adjust to this new and healthier diet.

Here are 7 tips from Maggie Rhines' “Going Rawr! Dog Lover's Compendium” to help you encourage your pick eater onto raw food:

1. Adjust your feeding schedule.

Some dogs are more open to trying new food when they are on a set feeding schedule. Other than being used to being fed and eating at a certain time, you are also certain that they are hungry by the time you give them food.

Another way to improve your dog’s reception of raw food is to schedule his feeding after a vigorous routine activity – say after his morning walk or a jog around the block. A good run will help him work up an appetite.

2. Watch and know how much food your dog is getting.

If your problem is getting your dog to finish his serving of food, you may want to re-examine how much food you are actually giving him. It may be too much for him to consume. Every dog is different and while there are recommended pounds of food to give per pound of dog it does not always mean that exactly the number pounds that will satisfy them.

But if your dog decided to walk around then come back for a bite you need to hurry up the eating process. One way to help your dog finish his food and finish it quickly is to set a certain amount of time for him to eat. Say you only give him 10 minutes to finish his food. After that, take away his food bowl. That way, he’ll be encouraged to eat his food and to finish it quickly.

Another reason why you want to do this is because with a raw food diet, you don’t want to leave food lying around for a long period of time. This will allow bacteria to grow on your dog’s food, which could cause stomach upset when your dog consumes the contaminated food.

3. Take it easy on the 'good boy' treats

Sometimes a treat here and a treat there that doesn't seem like much can add up to too much food for your pet. Does he get a few nibbles of something when he comes to you while you are preparing his food? What about when the family sits down for dinner, does he get a bite as well?

Treats are meant to be rewards for good behavior and should not be something you routinely give your pet every time. That will turn treats into snacks, which will only ruin your dog’s appetite during meal time. So if your dog seems full during meal times, check if unscheduled snacking could be to blame.

4. Variety is the spice of life

When feeding your dog raw food you get to use variety instead of the same old kibble day after day. This makes them wonder what's going to be in their food today and if you thought the excitement for every meal was huge before...

Planning a varied meal doesn’t have to be complicated. You can rotate his meals every 3 days. Serve different kinds of meat or different kinds of fruits and vegetables to keep him excited during meal times. Add a blueberry here and a raspberry there and their taste buds will be excited every time.

5. Make it fun

Just like with little kids, sometimes dogs need a little stimulation to encourage them to try and to eat new food. You can experiment with various activities and different kinds of toys that dispense food. Although some dogs can go coo coo over this. Or you can take his food (for example, raw meaty bones) and dangle it a bit in front of him. That could work to get his attention to try the new food.

6. He may not be feeling well.

When you’ve tried different methods and your dog is still not eating, it could be a sign that your dog is not feeling well. If his lack of appetite is accompanied by a general lack of interest in any activity, you would do well to have him checked by a vet.

7. Do the slow switch method

Some dogs just need more time to adjust to raw food diet especially after being so used to a different type of food for a long time. To facilitate his adjustment, you might want to consider doing the slow switch method. What you do is you mix his old diet with the new diet, gradually increasing the proportion of the new diet, until such time when you are feeding him just raw food. This will allow him to acquire a taste for raw food at a less stressful pace.

Introducing the raw food diet to your dog isn’t always as easy as just giving him raw meaty bones to munch on. There are a lot of things to consider, especially if your dog is the sensitive/picky eater type.

A good resource to check out though would be Maggie Rhines’ “Going Rawr! Dog Lover's Compendium”. If you have a dog or a puppy that you want to raise on a raw food diet, her expert tips and guidance will go a long way in helping you make the transition as easy and as pleasant as possible for both you and your pet!

The Nutritional Value of a Raw Dog Food Diet

To ensure the best nutrition for your dog, put him on a raw dog food diet. In this diet, food is fed in its natural state, allowing it to provide the correct nutrients your dog needs. It is a great diet for growing dogs (puppies) and dogs that need to maintain good health (adult dogs, pregnant dogs, older dogs, dogs with diseases.) When fed in proper portions, raw food will give your dog the best diet it could possibly have. This means it will be healthier for longer.

A raw dog food diet which contains the proper nutrients for your dog should be comprised of raw meats, raw meaty bones, vegetables, and fruit. Raw meats provide protein, which is important for a dog's health and immune system. Raw meaty bones, on the other hand, provide calcium and phosphorous, which growing dogs need to help their bones develop and pregnant dogs need in order to help their developing pups build strong bones.

The nutrients and vitamins your dog derives from vegetables include Vitamins A, B, C, and K. These vitamins help your dog's sensory organs - eye sight is one example. Apart from this, however, a raw dog food diet which contains vegetables helps your dog digestion by providing it with lots of fiber.

Fiber helps clean out your dog's system by ensuring regular bowel movement. This is good because toxins are flushed out of your dog's body regularly, and it also prepares your dog's system for optimal digestion of the future foods it will ingest.

Two other foods that you should include in your raw dog food diet are fruit and liver. Fruit pumps your dog with lots of vitamin C which will help keep their immune system up. They also contain anti-oxidants, which will help your dog fight off free radicals which can cause cancer and aging. Berries are particularly good sources of anti-oxidants.

Liver, on the other hand, gives your dog essential nutrients like iron, omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, and vitamin B12, all of which your dog needs to maintain its strength, and keep it's body lean.

The raw dog food diet provides your dog with all the vitamins and minerals it needs at each stage of life. In fact, when fed in the right proportions, you won't need to give your dogs vitamin supplements.

But how do you determine how much of each type of food to feed your dog? How can you tell if your dog is indeed getting all the nutrients it needs? Are there signs that can confirm if your dog is thriving on a raw food diet?

This is the subject matter of the new book by Maggie Rhines called "Going RAWR! Dog Lovers Compendium". Find a complete list of the vitamins and minerals your dog needs, and learn how to spot deficiencies. This book also discusses the dog food pyramid, and tells you how much of each type of food to meet the various needs of growing and grown puppies, as well as big dogs and small dogs alike.

Read more about this book by clicking on this link, which will bring you to the book's website: http://www.deliciousdogdiet.com