BEST BONES FOR DOODLES

[Lynne - North Carolina]

I have given my doodles both raw marrow bones and bully sticks. The raw are pretty messy, and unfortunately, they bully sticks end up being swallowed when they get down to a couple of inches long. I worry about these pieces being in the stomach and not digested easily. Looking for something SAFE and really enticing for the doods. Pigs ears and rawhide seem to harbor stuff that makes them sick, so don't want to use those. Any suggestions are welcome!

[Diane Dolphin Rocker]

Red Barn Filled bones are my all-time favorite: http://www.petedge.com/Filled-Bones-ZX413.pro . This is the best price I have seen on them too. Normally I pick one up at the pet store and pay a lot more. I normally get the smaller size (Ruby is 33 lbs.) because if I get the longer ones then they generally can't get all the filling out. The shorter bones are not any thicker or stronger, just shorter. One advantage to buying in person (as opposed to on-line) would be that you can look at all of them and choose the ones that have the thickest bone mass at the end. I say this because your dog will chew on them LONG after the stuffing is gone. If there is a thin edge they will eventually break through it and then I would throw it away. My dogs have never gotten hurt or cut on them, but I don't take a chance. Also, if I know that I will be gone from the house for a while, I will smear some PB or cream cheese inside the empty bone to give them something to do for a while :)).

[Richard Crowe]

I use the non-odorous free range Bully sticks that I buy in quantity from Bullysticks online. They don't smell and Holly just loves them. However, we monitor the sticks and take them away from Holly when they become small and are choking hazards. We will recycle them when they get about 4 inches or so in length and give them to our Maltese. A Maltese can work days on a 4 inch Bully Stick before it is reduced in size to become a choking hazard for them.

Every once in a while we spread an old beach towel over her bed in the family room and give Holly a bone. She loves them and the old beach towel keeps the bed clean. We use both smoked commercial bones and raw bones from out butcher.

We also give Holly non-smoked hooves. The smoked variety stinks and Holly seems to enjoy the non-smoked types just fine.

[Lynne - North Carolina]

Thank you for your reply. I went to Bullysticks online and found the odor-free bones are a lot less expensive by ordering through them. I guess since all 3 dogs love them, I can just keep a closer eye - give them to our two doodles and then when they have gnawed them down to a few inches, pass them along to our Shih Tzu! Thanks for the great idea I had been throwing the stubs away.

[9pavxfihcp80]

Since Calli is an AVID chewer, we've tried everything! The bully sticks last the longest, and we choose the thickest ones we can find. They do smell, but I'm intrigued about the odor-free ones. Another thing we've tried and lasts a decent amount of time are beef tendons. They break up far better than rawhide and digest easier.

We often buy butcher bones and bake them to take care of the mess. This works really well and the dogs love them just as much.

The other things that I can't say enough about are the Busy Buddies and treat jar buddies. You put their kibble or other treats in them and they have to work to get them out. Our dogs LOVE THAT! We buy the sample bags of dog food (I just bought the Orijen sample bags of puppy food for $1.99 each!) and use them. It's not something they normally get so they think it's a real treat!

Lastly, we take hollow bones or kong toys, smear peanut butter inside, and freeze them. It takes the dogs longer to get it out and they love it.

[Lynne - North Carolina]

Thank you Jen. My only concern with baking bones is that our vet said cooking the bones makes them soft and likely to splinter - he suggests only giving them the raw bones.

[2hl9mp3c2fuam]

I personally only like the shin bone - maybe this is what you are calling the marrow bone? (I attached a picture of what it looks like) My biggest issue is that the "slimy stuff" gets all caught in their hair. Gets nasty and smells. My girl gets them all stuck in her legs and in her beard and on the carpet!! The shin bones they LOVE. I do sometimes give them a nylabone...but whew...that lasts MAYBE 5 minutes!!!!

[Adina P]

We only use sterilized hollow real bones...sometimes we buy the filled kind, but our doodles will gnaw away on those things WAY past their emptying time. We have a few nylabones...but they prefer the real ones and at age 2 and 3 they haven't gotten bored of them yet!

[Lynne - North Carolina]

Where do you find these bones?
THANKS!

[Diane Dolphin Rocker]

These are the filled bones in my post up above with a link to pet edge :))

[Adina P]

You can also click on the photo above in my post and it will take you directly to the Dr Foster's and Smith store online. The filled ones are cheaper at Diane's link for PetEdge, but the hollow big ones are cheaper at Dr. Foster's and Smith. The Dr. Foster's & Smith ones seem sturdier but I only have one of those and even the cheapo ones at PetSmart/PetCo hold up fine. Some dogs are strong enough to break off tiny chips of the bone...mine don't ever eat those chips..they just leave them on the floor. Other dogs might swallow them.

[2hl9mp3c2fuam]

YES - THESE ARE THE ONES I MEAN!! I'VE GOTTEN THEM AT WAL MART.... OR MY LOCAL DOG FEED STORE. I'M CAREFUL NOT TO GET THE REAL SMALL ONES!!

[Jackie]

I've bought the hollow one. Beckett loves it. But my only concern was it wore down his teeth alittle. I've been concerned about it now that he has most of his adult teeth. Would it be best just to give it to him for alittle while and then take it away? I've given it to him filled too.