Are Bones Safe for Dogs?

Dogs love bones, and you love your dog. It just makes sense to give a dog a bone, right? Bones provide nutrients for your dog, they give your dog something to do, and dogs just love chewing on bones! Chewing even helps keep your dog’s teeth and gums healthy. While many bones are safe for dogs, that doesn’t mean that all bones are safe for dogs. Be mindful of what you give your pet to make sure that she stays safe.

Which bones are unsafe for dogs?

You shouldn’t give your dog poultry bones. This includes chicken, turkey, and duck bones. Don’t give your dog pork bones, either.

Pork and poultry bones aren’t as dense or compact as bones of larger animals. This means that they splinter relatively easily, which can lead to choking or cause harm to your dog’s mouth, throat, or intestines.

Bones that have been cooked shouldn’t be given to your dog. Bones may become weak or brittle as they cook, which means that they can splinter and break apart easily.

Rib bones can crack easily, and shouldn’t be given to your dog.

Avoid any bones that are smaller than your dogs mouth.

Which bones are safe for dogs?

Raw meat bones are typically safe to give to your dog. They are sturdy and tend to hold up better while your dog chews on them.

The American Kennel Club recommends giving your dog a bone after a meal and take it away after 15 minutes. The idea is that you don’t want your dog to be hungry and eat a lot of the bone.

You can store the bone in a large resealable bag in the refrigerator and give it to your dog after her next meal. Depending on the size of the bone – and how much your dog can chew – you want to get rid of the bone after three or four days.

You may want to keep an eye on your dog while she is enjoying her bone to make sure that she doesn’t choke or swallow large pieces.

Not everyone agrees about which bones are safe for dogs and which bones aren’t. Your vet may oppose giving your dog a bone altogether, and recommend chew toys or synthetic bones instead.