Where do you let your doodles eat marrow bones?

[jenn D]

I have to be very careful with what my doodles can snack on do to what they chew and what seems to cause problems. So far the only safe treats I can give them are frozen stuffed kongs, extra large antlers and large marrow bones. They love the marrow bones and I give them sparingly but I have yet to Find a good place for them to snack with them. I always want to be around just in case. I cook the bones so that it's not completely raw but I don't want bacteria and grease all over my house. When I let them eat them outside, I find that we get mouse dropping where they were chewing on them. Thoughts? Once all the marrow is out I dishwasher them and then I can stuff them and leave them inside without issue. I just keep throwing them in dishwasher after snack time.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Jenn, we have a LOT of very detailed discussions about preparing and using marrow bones in The Food Group. You may want to search the FG discussions for lots of great tips. 

I boiled or microwaved the bones until the marrow was soft enough to push out of the bones into his food dish. Then I rinsed them thoroughly, wiped them off, and let them cool. Very little grease left at that point. JD was allowed to chew on them (they can't really "eat" them) just about anywhere indoors, but on the floor, not the furniture. I've also seen people place a towel on the floor and train the dogs to keep them there, although I think that would be hard with four of them, lol. 

[jenn D]

Thanks Karen. Good idea to separate it out. Perfect solution! Believe it or not our dogs have 4 pillows and they all eat snacks on their own pillow. I don't think it would be too hard to throw down old towels on top of them. I'm going to try it. I've had to really be careful of snacks as Mac has gotten two things stuck in his mouth and he can only chew on very large things. I've never had a dog like that but it's happened twice so I have to be careful. Maybe it's because he has more of a poodle snout.

[Jen, Buddy, & Kevin]

We use a rag rug when the boys get marrow bones. And since they don't always finish the marrow, we just leave the rug down and the bones on it. And then it goes into the washing machine once a week.

I think it's helpful to have some kind of "go to your place" type training and then the dogs will understand to stay on the rug or towel when they eat a bone. Plus, knowing that they're not "chompers" is the only reason we continue to give them bones. My BIL has a dog that will chomp bones down to nothing, gums bleeding and a total mess - I cannot figure out why he continues to allow bones.

It's also a must that our butcher cuts the bones to a minimum of 4". Maybe that would help Mac?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Yes, they do have to be longer, to avoid them getting caught around the jaw or lodged anywhere. The ones I used look like this: 

The problem with giving them the uncooked bones with the marrow still in them is that the marrow will go rancid. With the longer bones, the dog will never be able to get to the marrow in the middle of the bone. 

If you cook them and give the bones and the marrow separately, the bones themselves will last forever, and can even be run through the dishwasher periodically to sterilize them. :)

 

[Jen, Buddy, & Kevin]

I had no idea that anyone would take the marrow out of the bone! And I think Buddy would think that's crazy! Like peanut butter but no jelly. Why remove the marrow?

We've been giving Buddy bones since he was 6 mos and Kevin has had them since he came home (little licks to start so his puppy tummy didn't get upset). We get the bones frozen from the butcher, then store in the freezer, and then from the freezer straight to the bone rug. They either finish them in one sitting or revisit them in the morning - first scraping the outside and then licking out the marrow.

[Silvia Römer]

We also handle it like this. :)

[Sheila & Finnley]

Finnley loves marrow bones ! I boil or bake mine, and then remove the marrow and dispose of it, it doesn't settle well in Finnley's stomach.

I shake it out, and then like Karen, I rinse out the bone. Finnley likes to start out under the dining-room table. I put papers down. After her initial cleaning it her way, she just carries it to the next spot. By then it is pretty darn clean, and we have no mess !

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

Boiling bones is a no no here as both boys can break them even if they are very lightly boiled. I have to give them raw so if they get them I scoop out as much marrow as I can and give them to them either in the garden or on newspaper which they stay on. If they move them I just direct them back to the paper. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Nicky, are you talking about beef femurs? The weight-bearing leg bones of a cow, as in my photo above? I've heard of many a dog breaking a tooth on a beef femur, but rarely of the teeth breaking the bone, even after they've been boiled for hours. And the marrow in those bones can't be "scooped", in an uncooked state, it's almost as hard as the bones themselves. I've even tried getting it out with a knife, and no go. 

[Anne & Mr. Haley]

Karen, I am confused.  What is the soft stuff in the bones when not frozen.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I've never seen soft stuff in them before they are cooked, lol. But mine are never at room temperature raw, maybe that's why.

[Anne & Mr. Haley]

I defrost in the refrigerator overnight and then remove the soft stuff