Dog Bones

[Nina Vantschip]

What are the safest kinds of dog bones to give my large doodles. I sometimes buy these cured bones or knuckles from our local pet store, but always worry that they shouldn't be chewing them as they seem to eat them as well. Any suggestions?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Beef marrow bones are the exception to the "no cooked bones" rule. Even after 6 hours in a stew pot, they are like petrified wood.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

I have tried them all. Peri can bite chunks out of those sterolized bones. Threw one out last night and am now calling it quits on those. Surprisingly, she does not tear up nylabones, however I don't leave her alone with them.
I do leave her alone with elk antlers - I just don't get the really long pointy ones. They come shorter and are safer to leave with her. They are pricey but last forever.

[F, Calla & Luca]

I just received mine and I'm listening to happy chewing as I type.

[Leslie J]

Karen- does that mean that cooked marrow bones are okay? I sometimes add one which is about 3" in diameter and 1" wide into my stew pot. Does that sound safe?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

That sounds too small to me. It might be fine for a small dog or puppy, but I would hate to give bad advice that might hurt a dog.
The bones I give Jack are big- about 5-6 inches long and about 3 inches in diameter. (6 inches measruing around.) He can't get to the center of the opening. I used to give much smaller ones to my miniature poodle.

[T. Byrne]

Ruezy is now an 11 month old Goldendoodle who weighs about 50 pounds.
I started out with a resolve to NEVER give my dog anything but non-edible nylabones and treats. Then I gave into a present from a young friend of mine for some organic pressed rawhide and realized that my dog is one of those dogs that a rawhide lasts a week at minimum..she is not a powerful chewer and cannot get large pieces off. Nevertheless, rawhide is something she gets when she is around me and nylabones are things she always has to play with. I find she has kept an interest in both.
Someone recently gave her a huge rawhide bone 24" and instead of chewing it, Ruezy has been 'unwrapping it' and shredding it...and leaving the rawhide strips everywhere. I guess my point is that it depends on your dog. I have a Poodle terrier mix also and even at 10 she can chew off a 2" piece of rawhide, so she doesn't get rawhide.
I think all owners should first figure out what kind of chewer their dog is, then pick the safe type of chew for that level of chew power. A safer way to go if you have a more powerful chewer than I do is those huge bones with the meat still on them. I get the big ones because she's less likely to drag it everywhere. Also, I have found with nylabones that my dog will ONLY eat the ones that have texture to them, like the ones with nubs on them. The smooth ones she has no interest for.