We know our dogs love bones, but beyond that …

Ø  What benefits are there for our dogs?

Ø  Why should we include bones in their diets? 

Ø  What role do bones have to play in our dog's health and wellbeing?

Let’s look at the list of benefits of including bones in your dog's diet.  Once you’ve read this blog our hope is that you will include this easy addition to your dogs meal plan or substitute an alternative so your dog doesn’t become deficient in calcium and phosphorous.

Nutrition the natural way

You may not be aware, but bones provide essential nutrients that your dog needs for their overall health. It’s important to note that your dog should be eating raw (not cooked) bones.  These raw bones are rich in calcium and phosphorus, two of the minerals that work together to maintain strong bones and teeth – very important for our dogs. The ratio of calcium to phosphorous in bones is perfectly aligned with what our dogs need.

Another important source of nutrients in bones comes from the bone marrow.  The best bones for this would be beef knuckle bones and beef marrow bones, as well as large lamb bones. The marrow is packed with healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. It also provides essential fatty acids which support your dogs skin and coat.

On top of this, bones also contain collagen and glucosamine.  These are compounds that support joint health and cartilage maintenance. As our dogs get older, these nutrients become more and more important for maintaining mobility and reducing the risk of arthritis and other joint-related issues.

There’s also 23 nutrients required to build healthy bone, hence why it’s important if you are raw feeding to rotate at least 4 different protein options that include the fat, muscle meat, organs and bones.

Dental health benefits of bones

Bones are hugely beneficial for our dogs dental hygiene. The simple act of chewing the bones helps to remove plaque and tartar buildup on their teeth, in essence acting as a natural toothbrush. The scraping action from the chewing can help to prevent gum disease (read our blog on dental hygiene)

Chewing bones also stimulates saliva production, which helps neutralize harmful bacteria in the mouth and maintains a healthier oral environment. The increased saliva flow can reduce bad breath and lower the risk of tooth decay and gum disease.

Regularly chewing on bones can help your dog maintain strong jaw muscles.  It also helps with proper dental alignment, which is particularly important for growing puppies.  Chewing helps with the natural teething process and the healthy development of their adult teeth.

Mental Stimulation and Behavioural Benefits

Chewing is more than just a natural part of daily life for dogs.  Chewing provides mental stimulation and stress relief as well as it’s digestive uses. Chewing on bones provides our dogs with an outlet for their natural instincts.  And, where domesticated dogs come in, it also helps prevent destructive behaviour such as chewing on furniture, shoes, or other household items.

For our dogs, the process of chewing to get through to the marrow and the meat gives them the mental stimulation they need to reduce anxiety or boredom. High-energy dogs or those who spend time alone during the day benefit the most from this as the concentrated effort used during chewing can act as a form of ‘doggy meditation’ and provide a calming effect for your dog.

Bones safety

It is very important to know which bones are safe and appropriate, and which ones aren’t.  No, not ALL bones are safe for your dog.  The reason why you need to feed raw bones is cooking makes bones brittle, and this means they are prone to splintering, which can be dangerous for your dogs digestive system.

Opt for raw, meaty bones instead.  These can include lamb ribs, or beef marrow bones, or chicken necks. These are all soft enough to be consumed safely while still providing the benefits of chewing.

When it comes to recreational bones meant for chewing and not eating, the size of the bone should be appropriate for the size of your dog to prevent choking hazards.  The rule of thumb is a bone should be larger than your dogs head for it to be safe.  Chewing for recreational purposes is good for your dogs teeth and serves to clean them naturally.

Risks and Precautions

Besides choking hazards if your dog has a bone that is too small for it, chewing on bones can also cause dental damage if your dog chews too hard on a weight bearing bone.  There’s a risk of their teeth cracking or even breaking.  This will result in pain and possibly expensive dental procedures, so be cautious when giving your dog bones.

Too much of anything is a bad thing and the same applies to bones for your dog.  Some of the risks of too much bone (or your dog not being used to bones) include vomiting and diarrhoea.  Best practise is to introduce bones slowly and in moderation at first meaning one bone a day and if your dog is not used to bones try sitting with them and holding one end of it while they play with you for it.  Usually once they have the taste for it they will really enjoy it, and we know there’s nothing we love more than seeing our dogs happy!

Some dogs can suffer from constipation from consuming too many bones.  This is because the high calcium content in the bones lead to hard, chalky stools. Keep an eye on your dogs bowel movements and adjust accordingly.

Next steps

Finding a natural, easy way to help keep your dogs teeth clean is a no-brainer, I’m sure you’d agree!  And, for us, bones are the most obvious (and best suited) option for our dogs.  If, for some reason, you are not that keen on giving your dog bones, there are other options out there.  Dental chews are a tricky one because sadly not all are as healthy as you might think, but there are good ones on the market.  So, make sure you’re reading your ingredients lists!  Choose natural, choose wisely.  Here is a very informative video by Rachel Fusaro on the kinds of dental chews to look out for: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apNF0BggWYk

Whichever option you decide to go for, make it a regular part of your dogs diet to consider both the health of their teeth, their mental stimulation AND the benefits for their diet!

If you can’t or don’t want to make bones a regular part of your dogs diet then supplement their diet with a superfood form of calcium.  We can’t give specific brand recommendations in our blog however if you search on the internet for ‘calcium supplement using a sea vegetable’ you’ll find our favourites!