My father had, among his many sweet but moronic Bull Terriers, one who was clever and used to sit at the top of a small flight of stone steps every time he got a lovely marrow-bone, throwing it down them repeatedly to knock the delicious marrow out so he could scoff it.
1 Like
Yes, and I think the thing about chicken bones was because back in ye olden days chickens had proper bones but now they aren’t as likely to splinter. I was always told raw bones only and specially not rabbit or chicken, but my dog the chickencarcasedevourer also enjoyed catching and crunching up rabbits, I suppose the fur wraps around the bones and provides antisplinter protection. My cats crunch up rabbits too and eat everything, bones and all.
2 Likes
I always save all chicken carcasses, bones and veg peel / trimmings. They go in the freezer and then when I have enough, into a huge cauldron which simmers for hours. Once I have my stock the dogs get the rest and eat the lot, carrot peel and all. The only thing they turn their noses up is onion skin. They scoff the lot and I have never had any issues.
1 Like
I had a lab cross as a teenager and also religiously never allowed her bones. Until the day we were out walking and she dragged me into the gutter and before I could stop her, wolfed most of a family size bucket of KFC which had been chucked out by a passing motorist.
I think she ate a fair amount of the ´bucket’ as well as the bones…
4 Likes
The problem was the bone was cooked. Dogs should only ever eat RAW bones and large ones that they can gnaw at
2 Likes
That would have helped. Given plenty of bulk round the bones. 
I didn’t know this, so my bad, thanks for that, uncooked good, cooked bad,
My vet also said never to give my dog raw meat (oops steak tata a fortnight ago) as it could trigger a violent inbuilt reaction, which reminds me I haven’t seen the cat for a week or 2
That is odd but what is the violent inbuilt reaction? My dog loved the viande pour animaux from the supermarket butcher’s counter (scraps from the meat for people) and I never cooked it, I mean dogs are fairly omnivorous but they never got the hang of cooking, lack of opposable thumbs probably, so they can just eat raw stuff.
1 Like
We used to give our dog raw, chunky, marrow bones which he loved . They would be buried, dug up, chewed and reburied endlessly. Until the day that the internal diameter of a specific bone meant he somehow managed to get the bone jammed over his lower jaw.
Thankfully we have a wonderful vet. He spent over an hour sitting on the floor with a tiny wire saw which was all that could fit, and finally managed to cut it off. He was dripping in sweat, well we all were as we had to hang onto dog from other side. And the surgery still laughs when they see our dog!
So, no more bones cooked or raw! Just the stock…and what he finds in the forest
I have always known that raw bones, preferably large ones, were good for dogs and that cooked ones could be fatal due to splintering. and I am very surprised that there are vets who think otherwise.
When we used to foster 3 or more dogs, our neighbour who worked as a butcher for Intermarche, used to save all the meat that was to be thrown away for us. Free. After due diligence to discard little bones we weighed them out for the freezer to be fed later to the dogs. The only reason I stopped the practice was because it was so labour intensive, cutting, weighing and bagging. But during that period the dogs thrived on the diet. Now they get cooked chicken haunches minus the bones and sardines from tins, plus a measure of croquettes with veg and a small amount of meat contained within.
3 Likes
Sounds healthy and balanced, 
my dog eats anything from table legs to nuts and bolts (yes she’s a Boxer) still she’s fit and healthy and apart from rattling when she runs (nuts and bolts) she’s fine 
1 Like
Mixed breeds were meant! aka Heinz57
Just want to piggy back another question onto the bone saga. What about mustard? I have a tin of mackeral in mustard which we for the moment don’t fancy. Ok for the dog, or not?
No, mustard seed are toxic to dogs, they contain glucosinolates, which are toxic to dogs, they can cause diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.
We always have activated carbon tablets in the house - useful for when they eat the wrong kind of stuff. Alternatively if you think it’s more serious, just get your dog straight to the vets and ask for “faire vomiter” - I’ve had to to that before now.
Thanks both, I had my doubts, it was just that the chicken thighs I usually buy for all of us have been out of stock for a couple of weeks and, although he scoffs them eagerly enough, I just thought he’d like a change from sardines. 
Please don’t be offended, it’s ‘vomir’ 
1 Like
Thanks Vero, absolutely no offence - I learn better when I make mistakes - I won’t forget that one now!
1 Like