Beef ribs

They are (as the bones of larger ruminants) a good bit harder to digest.  Observe Bugsy closely - if he chomps it down like a Scooby Snack it's not suitable for him.  If he gnaws at it like mine do, it's fine.   I'm amazed at how small mine get these things, but it takes them a couple hours and they are working hard at it.  Same with the raw cow hooves - there's a sizable bone in there but eventually those bones end up being about a quarter of the size.

If it doesn't make you too squeamish, examine the bone and try to guess at the marrow and "honeycomb structure" content of it.  Some bones that look and feel pretty solid actually have a lot of chew to them, because the honeycomb structure where marrow is manufactured, is crushable. 

This is only a rule for these less digestable bones, by the way.  I don't care when my guys swallow poultry and even pork and lamb whole, because these bones are softer (these animals are all slaughtered very young).  I've found that goat actually belongs more with deer, cow, elk, bison, by the way, unless you know for sure it was kid meat. 

Cherokee eats short ribs in a few minutes, but back ribs..not so much. She'll sometimes gnaw the ends off, but that's it.

Jaz can't digest beef bones very well, but before I knew that and gave him a back rib, he at it in like 5 seconds. He did not feel very good afterwards, dumb dog.

brookcove

They are (as the bones of larger ruminants) a good bit harder to digest.  Observe Bugsy closely - if he chomps it down like a Scooby Snack it's not suitable for him. 

If it doesn't make you too squeamish, examine the bone and try to guess at the marrow and "honeycomb structure" content of it.  Some bones that look and feel pretty solid actually have a lot of chew to them, because the honeycomb structure where marrow is manufactured, is crushable. 

Thanks Becca - these are back ribs the whole slab.  He tends to just crunch them - sometimes he eats everything clean and then goes to the bones but other times (like tonight) he puts an entire rib in his mouth or  two clustered together and goes to eat it like it is a pork neckbone.  however when the bone cracks it seems to splinter and I get nervous as hec*

if there is a lot of marrow is it OK if he eats it?

Bailey has been eating raw for about 2 years now I think, he does the same thing. He completly cleans the beef ribs off until only the bones are left, then trys to eat those. I think hes going for the marrow, he loves it. He chews on it for a while, I never really worry about him trying to eat the whole thing though. They sell beef marrow bones at the store near me just for dogs, they are really thick (I think its part of a cow leg) so there is no way they can eat the bone but they can lick all the marrow out.

Spazzy

o there is no way they can eat the bone but they can lick all the marrow out.

LOL he has cracked marrow bones trying to get to the marrow so he doesn't get those anymore

 Karen, if you can get grass fed beef bones.... The leg bone is *much* more thick. Evil Emma with her giant Terrier teeth has cracked open grocery store marrow bones, too. The grass fed ones we got from Blue Ridge Beef were totally different. Much heavier, the marrow was thicker, and they smelled different. I don't ever buy Publix marrow bones, now, LOL.

the problem with buying the much-harder beef bones for the hard chewing type dog, though, is that now the dog's teeth are at risk of cracking instead of the bone. I don't feel marrow bones offer much- lots of fat, not much teeth-cleaning-chewing going on, and risk of broken teeth. Licking stuff out of a stuffed kong simulates licking out a marrow bone but safer.

 yea I don't see why he needs them - he hasn't had one and I won't risk his teeth

he really doesn't go for the licking thing his method of kong destuffing is to crush it and make the insides squish/crumble/whatever out.  He will lick some but if it can't be removed from the kong via crushing it he will destroy the kong and eat it out that way 

He has his shoulder to eat and he gets frozen pig legs with hoof for a chew

It depends on the bones.  Grass fed bones are different because they grow much slower so the structure is not as brittle, if that makes sense.  The bones can usually still be ground and crushed but there's less risk of slab cracks.  However, I avoid weight-bearing bones in all large ruminants for the reason mudpuppy stated - those bones don't "give" and I've had friends whose dogs have lost teeth to such bones.

I think all dogs should eat lamb, and lots of it.  Hee!  We are getting ready to take Bugsy's sheep to the processor, Karen!  We'll talk about it Friday if you are still coming. 

brookcove

We are getting ready to take Bugsy's sheep to the processor, Karen!

Is it a particularly tough one? LOL

brookcove

We'll talk about it Friday if you are still coming. 

That's the plan - will send an email today

kpwlee

he really doesn't go for the licking thing his method of kong destuffing is to crush it and make the insides squish/crumble/whatever out.  He will lick some but if it can't be removed from the kong via crushing it he will destroy the kong and eat it out that way 

He has his shoulder to eat and he gets frozen pig legs with hoof for a chew

This is what Indie does too!  Either that or because I sometimes give him the Kong that holds dry treats and they fall out when he rolls it or plunks it down hard on the ground, he'll thump his stuffed Kongs on the floor.  It only took one time of having green tripe splashed on the walls and carpet to teach me that is only a crate treat.     Even there, he plops them on the floor and it splashes onto the walls.  Luckily, he's pretty good a licking everything clean.  I wish Indie could tolerate something like pig legs, but I don't dare risk it with his tummy.  He's getting way too good at cracking the rib bones lengthwise to get at the marrow and I have to watch him like a hawk.  What dumb dog thinks lying on his back is a great way to chew a bone (and choke!)  ???

kpwlee

brookcove

We are getting ready to take Bugsy's sheep to the processor, Karen!

 

Is it a particularly tough one? LOL

He's an "oops" ram with lovely young horns.  His sire was an oops ram also that I kept around too long and I'm not making the same mistake with his son!!  His sire also bred my best ewe and robbed me of a future flock sire.  So, I'm feeling a bit antsy to get him gone.    He's still just a baby so everything is very safe and munchable. 

Oooh.  I just thought of something else you might be able to help me find at Compare.  I'll write you.
 

his method of kong destuffing is to crush it and make the insides squish/crumble/whatever out.  He will lick some but if it can't be removed from the kong via crushing it he will destroy the kong and eat it out that way 

when he rolls it or plunks it down hard on the ground, he'll thump his stuffed Kongs on the floor.  It only took one time of having green tripe splashed on the walls and carpet to teach me that is only a crate treat.

I have two dogs who don't get kongs for these reasons: one simply rips chunks off the kong (indestructible toys hah) and eats the revealed contents and the other throws kongs against the wall or down the stairs spraying stuff everywhere. If it's frozen she patiently waits for it to thaw out so she can make a glorious mess. She gets her meals in a Busy Buddy outside where she happily throws the thing against trees and eats the food spraying out.

 I just don't give him 'filled' kongs because of the destruction of the kong, to save the walls, stairs etc.  He will squash the frozen stuff out and he isn't a great 'hoover' once it is all over so it is a disaster.  He gets food roll or beef lung usually.  The beef lung I cut into a triangle and have to work to wedge it in.  Even in the largest black kong he can crush the lung via crushing the kong. Unless he just feels like playing nothing last more than a minute.

His crate isn't in an area that feeding him there works.  He eats his raw stuff on a dedicated towel and he never leaves it.