The truth about dog bones as dog treats, & which ones are healthy for dogs.

Over the past fifteen thousand years, man has massively modified the domestic dogs shape and behavior however the internal configuration and function of organ systems has remained essentially unchanged. The general pattern of teeth, stomach, intestines, liver, kidneys, heart and other mammalian organs has remained the same as there was no evolutionary need to change. It has only been in the last one hundred years since the rise of corporations providing highly inadequate grain based manufactured ‘dog food’ in the shape of cans and pellets, that the average domestic dog has had many of the natural benefits of a raw diet, and bones, removed from their diet.

A true raw diet places the daily consumption of bones atsomewhere between 10 and 15 percent per weight of a dog’s total diet. But the reality is that the health benefits are very much more complex than this. I will now provide you with the nutritional benefits of bones then the specific value of feeding dogs bones.

Anti –raw / anti-bone groups have cited the reason for not feeding dogs any form of raw food is because of the chance of Salmonella and E.coli ingestion. In the wild dogs don’t make this snap judgement, but then again they will take a fresh healthy kill where they can. Dogs also bury theirmeat as a way of storing food for lean times and to soften the bone structure which you might think could lead to poisoning. But as they have a high acid stomach and short intestinal tract, meat and bones in many forms can easily be processed quite fast, by the vast majority of dogs.

To keep your domestic dog healthy, it is best feeding it a variety of healthy meat from different sources (i.e. a quality that you would also eat), offal AND bones. As an extra precaution, it is recommended that if you are not sure of the quality or source of your offal, that you should freeze it for 48 hours before defrosting and feeding it to your dog.

The only other main issue seems to be the question of bone impaction (in the mouth) or intestinal perforation. However, as will later be discussed, the chances of this can also be greatly reduced by feeding your dog the RIGHT bones.