Dog Bones?

[Cynthia and Magic]

My pup (20 months old) needs something to chew on and keep him busy when I just can't throw one more ball!

I have seen those dog bones in the pet store - the ones that look like they have been roasted - but they look a little scary! Any suggestions for something that is healthy, safe...and will keep him busy for a while??

thanks....

:O)

[Sally loves Maple & Lucky]

We have also tried these with success. No problems digesting the PB filling.
We also have tried the plain ones and they enjoy them also - no splitters. Much like the shin bones I cook for them but bigger.
As for rawhide, I was introduced to these flip chips at my Vet and have found them lots cheaper on Amazon. No shocker there. I've had no digestive issues and my girls are TOUCHY! They are wide and stay wide so no swallowing if you get the large size. They are very stiff and last a long time.
C.E.T. Enzymatic Oral Hygiene Chews

[Frannie & Callie]

Callie uses these to "brush" her teeth. I hate how they smell, but her teeth look great!

[Taylor & Huff]

Good idea:) I just checked and they do have some added coloring but the rest of the ingredients seem pretty good, but then again, I don't know much about the preservatives.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Actually, there is almost nothing worse you could give your dog than these Red Barn bones. Here is the ingredient list:
Meat by-product, corn syrup, chicken meal, water, sugar, beef, poultry fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), modified food starch, vegetable glycerin, salt, potassium sorbate (a preservative), citric acid, monocalcium phosphate, choline chloride, ferrous sulfate, dl-alpha tocopherol acetate (source of vitamin E), zinc oxide, sodium selenite, manganous oxide, riboflavin, iron proteinate, copper proteinate, cobalt proteinate, niacin, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin A supplement, calcium pantothenate, d-biotin supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), calcium iodate, thiamine mononitrate, folic acid, vitamin D3 supplement.
Here is some info from the Dog food Project on some of these ingredients::
Corn Syrup:
A syrup prepared from cornstarch, used in industry and in numerous food products as a sweetener.

Sugar or sweetener is an absolutely unnecessary ingredient in pet foods, added to make the product more attractive. Continuous intake can promote hypoglycemia, obesity, nervousness, cataracts, tooth decay, arthritis and allergies. Pets also get addicted to foods that contain sugars, so it can be a tough piece of work to make them eat something healthier.
Poultry Fat:
AAFCO: Obtained from the tissue of poultry in the commercial process of rendering or extracting. It shall contain only the fatty matter natural to the product produced under good manufacturing practices and shall contain no added free fatty acids or other materials obtained from fat. It must contain not less than 90 percent total fatty acids and not more than 3 percent of unsaponifiables and impurities. It shall have a minimum titer of 33 degrees Celsius. If an antioxidant is used, the common name or names must be indicated, followed by the word "preservative(s)".

Note how in this product the source is not defined as "slaughtered poultry". The rendered fowl can be obtained from any source, so there is no control over quality or contamination. Any kind of animal can be included: "4-D animals" (dead, diseased, disabled, or dying prior to slaughter), turkey, chicken, geese, buzzard, seagulls, misc. roadkill, birds euthanized at shelters and so on.
Sugar:
Can include sucrose, cane sugar, caramel, corn syrup and others.
Sugar or sweetener is an absolutely unnecessary ingredient in pet foods, added to make the product more attractive. Continuous intake can promote hypoglycemia, obesity, nervousness, cataracts, tooth decay, arthritis and allergies. Pets also get addicted to foods that contain sugars, so it can be a tough piece of work to make them eat something healthier.
Meat By-product:
Byproducts are much less expensive and less digestible than the muscle meat.The ingredients of each batch can vary drastically in ingredients (heads, feet, bones etc.) as well as quality, thus the nutritional value is also not consistent. Don't forget that byproducts consist of any parts of the animal OTHER than meat. If there is any use for any part of the animal that brings more profit than selling it as "byproduct", rest assured it will appear in such a product rather than in the "byproduct" dumpster.
A byproduct made from beef parts which are not suitable for human consumption. It can incorporate the entire cow, including the bones, but the quality cuts of meat are always removed. This is an inexpensive, low quality ingredient used to boost the protein percentage.

Also, all Red Barn products are NOT made in the U.S. The distributor and offices are in the U.S. The only Red Barn products which are actually made in the U.S. are wrapped in cellophane and clearly labelled as containing only U. S. ingredients. All others are imported.
There is no reason to give your dog treats with this kind of junk in them, especiallty marrow bones, which are cheap, available at the grocery store, and easily filled yourself. We do not recommend this product. The whole point of this group is to identify high quality prodcuts and ingredients. It hardly makes sense to spend time & money identifying and buying dog food that doesn't include by-products and junk and then feed these as treats. There are hundreds of better products out there.

[Sally loves Maple & Lucky]

When I bought this bone, I was so intent on finding "made in USA" that I trusted too much. It's important to remember that even though it's made in America that's NOT a guarantee that's it's a healthy food product.
Thanks for the details, Karen.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I have trouble finding Made in the USA bones and chew products, or any kind of acceptable treats, at the big box stores like Petsmart and Petco. Pet Supplies Plus has a nice selection, if there's one near you. Otherwise, small pet boutique type stores are usually your best bet.

[Kim]

I just went to the Pet Supplies Plus website and found one 15 miles from me - I've been here for 4 years and never knew about that!!!! We never go that way!!! I guess we will be taking a 15 mile trip this weekend!!!! Allie will be SO excited!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Also, for those who don't want to be bothered buying raw marrow bones from the butcher, there are plain sterilized marrow bones available in the pet supply stores that you can fill yourself, using some of the suggestions FG members have made in this and many other discussions here.

[Sally loves Maple & Lucky]

yep, and they're usually longer than what I can get from the butcher without a special order.

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

I called the Fresh Market who said that they don't get in the shin bones but told my to call Publix. So I spoke to the butcher there and they have them frozen in the freezer isle. I asked to make sure that they had nothing done, no preservatives, coloring etc and they said no. Has anyone gotten the frozen shin bones? I'm assuming that I would boil them the same as a "fresh" one.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

When I buy marrow bones, I freeze the ones I'm not using immediately, and boil them the same way when I do use them.
Any large grocery store that has a butcher on duty should be able to cut marrow bones to size for you on the spot. They don't always have them, but they do most of the time, at least at my local Safeway stores.