Dog Community

Alright, tell me about RMBs for small dogs

Posted : 9/12/2009 7:13:27 PM

Well as you know Lexi and Darby struggle a lot with allergies, I'm going to take the plunge here and do a billinghurst type feeding plan. I watched a video of him on a tv show talking about a maltese who had terrible health problems and now is completely healthy. He said feed 60% rmbs and 40% healthy scraps from the dinner table, meats, veggies, etc.

Lexi's itching is much improved since I took her off Volhard NDF2 and Darby is not chewing her feet either since I started the turkey/potato diet.

So I want to be sure (once I get the allergy test results) what sort of RMBs are good for small dogs. They're all pretty good bone chewers, as they have had recreational bones before and plenty of chicken wings. But what else? I have not see chicken or turkey necks around my area. I"ve seen lamb chops but they are quite expensive.

I eat a very good balanced diet with no grains/starches myself so they will get plenty of variety and they plead for fruits and fresh veggies as treats. I've been giving a fish oil tab with each meal and 250mg vit C 1x a day to support their immune systems. I have a few barf type books at home I'm reviewing, one of my favorites is _The Encylopedia of Natural Pet Care_ which has a good summary of what to feed as well.

Thanks for thehelp!

EDIT to add; spoke with my 84 yr old grandmother and asked what their dogs (farm dogs) ate. She said granpa would often shoot a rabbit and throw it to them whole and then also whatever they were eating, the dogs would get the leftovers and whatever the kids didn't eat on their plates.She recalls the dogs lived 10 or so years but said they had a 'hard farm life' and worked for their food.

AgileGSD

Posted : 9/13/2009 10:12:26 AM

I have seen dogs with chronic ear infections, hotspots, allergies become totally healthy when switched to raw. Some dogs though, still have allergy probelms on raw, although often to a lesser degree - just depends on the dog.

You can feed your dogs just about any RMB but would be good to start small if they aren't used to eating them. I think turkey necks or wings would be too big for them, even once they are switched but they could certainly eat all parts of chicken (they may not end up eating the leg bones though), rabbit and many pork/lamb/goat cuts. I would probably suggest starting with chicken wings - easy to find, small and pretty flexible and then chicken backs once they are used to the wings. My baby puppies can eat most of a back by time they are 8 weeks old, so an adult Bichon shouldn't have a problem.

4mutts

Posted : 9/13/2009 4:03:31 PM

I'd say turkey/chicken wingss, necks, ribs and backs are pretty managable. Pork or beef short ribs are good, too, but they wouldn't be able to consume the bone itself.

shamrockmommy

Posted : 9/13/2009 7:09:33 PM

One of my bichons is oversized and a very aggressive chewer. She has consumed an entire grapefruit sized beef knuckle bone.

Is it ok to do pork ribs and beef ribs for them? Is it ok for them to eat this type of bone?

The dogs had a chicken wing this morning, even though I don't have the allergy test results yet. They are supposed to be here this week sometime.

jennie_c_d

Posted : 9/13/2009 7:41:35 PM

As far as I know, it's fine. Teenie Weenie (11 lbs Dachshund, and OLD as the hills, with terrible teeth) ate beef and pork ribs, with no issues.

grab01

Posted : 9/13/2009 9:24:28 PM

Three of my four eat beef, pork and lamb rib bones with no issue (Ginger doesn't have the jaw strength to eat the bone, but she eats the meat off of them)

AgileGSD

Posted : 9/13/2009 11:25:38 PM

I would still stay away from Turkey necks, unless you can get them ground because even a lot of larger dogs have issues with them.

As for the pork and beef ribs, they are about the only type of recreational bone I suggest for dogs with adult teeth. Even at that I would limit the number you offer if your dogs are the sort who will chew them to nothing in short order. A couple of my older dogs teeth are extremely worn from being given large recreational bones that they would totally eat and I have known multiple dogs who have cracked or broken teeth on harder recreational bones. The rib bones aren't quite as hard as the weight bearing bones but I'd still be careful. Pork neck bones might be a better alternative (still would use caution though that they aren't wearing their teeth down on them).

BEVOLASVEGAS

Posted : 9/15/2009 6:03:35 PM

dogfan

why

Don't we have a rule against "meaningless posting" such as "one word, "smiley" only, & non-sense" posts???

miranadobe

Posted : 9/15/2009 9:55:33 PM

We do indeed, and this poster has been sufficiently warned.