Raw Bones - Page 1

I am not asking for help or advice, but just interested to know, are there any other dogs out there that flatly refuse to eat raw bones?

Neither of my dogs will touch them, I have a GSD and a Border Collie, the GSD has a quick sniff and then walks away, the collie will sit about 2 or 3 ft away from a bone for over 20 mins grumbling and growling at it before walking away.

I feed them both raw... minced tripe, beef, lamb, minced chicken & offal, neither will touch a wing/leg/carcass of chicken, they get raw veg with their food but because of not having bones, I am having to give them a calcium supplement. They will chomp for ages on the high baked roasted knuckle bones though.

Artificial selection had taken-over natural selection. Man had so bastardised the GSD that some are so confused on their own instinct. Imagine a gsd returning to it's pooh, something i've never seen or heard of with our african local champions like the basengi. Over interferance's causing some, especially gsds to be inbesiles.

I have been feeding raw for almost 14 years... including my own dogs (my current two are 2nd and 3rd generation raw fed) as well as various other dogs who have been to my house over the years.  I do not keep kibble here so a dog is switched to raw the day the arrive.  I have never had a dog who wouldnt eat whatever I fed them.  Some are a bit pickier at first, but it is easy to fix.  In addition to GSDs, that also includes our Pug who eats raw too.  Took him a few days to get used to the raw food, but he came around and does just as well on the diet. 

FWIW, I dont let my dogs choose what they want to eat... I choose what they will eat.  A healthy dog will not starve themselves. 

Raw bones have more than calcium to offer - but the perfect ratios of calcium, magnesium, and a host of other minerals needed for the body to utilize the calcium properly, in addition to the iron-rich benefits of the marrow.  

To try and get your dogs to eat bones, there are a couple of things you could try: get a heavy-duty grinder and grind the bones along with the meat yourself or buy premade raw that already has ground bones included.  Also Chicken bones are very soft since Chickens are butchered very young, and the bones are easy to crush with a hammer or meat mallet.
You might try giving your dogs a nice meaty piece of chicken with a bone inside that has been pounded and crushed so that they don't need to chew it much. If they accept that, then over time you could gradually pound/crush the bones less and less as they get used to chewing and crunching.

I strongly feel that just supplementing with Calcium when feeding raw is a poor substitute for feeding bones, but I understand that some dogs are just picky and there is nothing one can do to change that.
 

Spooks, glad to hear your dogs are doing well!  To answer your question... yes I think they are in the minority.  Some dogs are hesitant to eat raw right at first, but usually get over that quickly and enjoy it.  All dogs are different.  As I said, if you really wanted to I have no doubt you could get your dogs to happily eat the bones.  But if they are happy and healthy and you are happy and feel you are feeding the best for them, do what you are doing. 

FWIW, I also do not feel that calcium supplement is nearly as good as real bones.  However, it does sound like your dogs are getting some ground up bone...  it is ok that it isnt every day, they do not need it every day.  They should also be getting some calcium from the tripe you are feeding, green tripe is said to be a "complete food". 

Good luck! 
Valerie

If they are getting ground bone and ground eggshells in their diet then they don't need calcium suppliments, it could do more harm than good. 

Only time I would give calcium supplement is to a dam in whelp if she looks like she needs it. 

If you can't get bone into their diet (which it sounds like you are anyways) I would feed food-grade diatomaceous earth, it also has a perfect balance of calcium and other trace minerals.  It's excellent for joint health. 

I've only had one dog who was confused about raw meat and bones, took her about 6 months or so to really get the hang of em, now she loves them just as much as any of my other dogs. 

Thanks guys for your replies, it's interesting to know that the green tripe contains all the necessary nutritional benefits, I wasn't fully aware of that. I have been looking on the t'inernet about it and this site http://www.thewholedog.org/artTripe.html gives all the breakdowns.

I particularly like this quote...

Except for the rather pungent odor that we humans often have a hard time “stomaching”, (our carnivore companions go silly over some pretty strong and rotting smells), Raw, green tripe is a nearly perfect food in every way

Rather pungent is not how I would describe it especially in the summer, it bl00dy stinks!