Chicken wings

[suki1964]

Alfie had his first chicken wing today.

After pouncing around and barking at it, he dragged it off into the garden under the ferns and demolished it in one      

I have tried everywhere to find a marrow bone for him as he's teething already and really needs to work his teeth. Im giving him one cold carrot a day cut into three which so far he loves but a bone is needed. Anyone had any luck finding a supplier of bones? Would pork ribs be ok? Or does anyone recommend giving him one of those roasted bones from the pet shop?

Caroline and Alfie                    

[Silver Surfer (indiesnan)]

Hi Caroline we gave Nell the roasted marrow  bones from the pet shop, and it gave her the runs.  :? they also splinter very easily,  :shock:                    

[Laura]

I managed to get a marrowbone for Brogan's birthday but yes it was a tall order :? Our local butcher only gives these out to his regular customers.  In the end I flicked through the yellow pages and phoned around - a bone really is a must for a dogs birthday!    Kwik-save butcher department had some - they relocated to Perth the following week though  :x  :roll:  Back to the yellow book for my next lot I think!!  Bribery for a big batch for the freezer next time!!  A carrot although good - doesn't quite match up does it

My friend gave Brogan one of those cooked bones from pet shops the other week.  Her dogs nibbles gently at it for days so she gave Brogan the second in the pack - I had to take it off him - he chomped big chunks off it in seconds.  The size of the chunks - they could quite easily have got stuck in his throat and I'm not usually a worrier - couldn't rest while he had  that.  Sorry Broggie :roll:  Bailey would have been ok with it - hasn't the same power in his jaws.    It went in the bin though.                    

[suki1964]

Ive rung every butcher in the yellow pages with no joy Trouble is that there are no old type butchers around here any more, just Halal who import their meat so its not on the bone or the type that just sell big packs of meat cheap. And none of the supermarkets actually butcher, its already boned and rolled

Ive now asked my mum to try her farm shop so fingers crossed.

I remember Gunnar always had the runs after a cooked bone so I shall be giving them a wide birth especially if they are prone to splintering

What I am finding is that people look at me if Im mad saying I want a raw bone to give to my dog as everyone is under the impression that bones are not good for them. Hubby nearly had kittens when I gave Aflie his wing and is still wandering around muttering about the runs and salmonella  :roll:

Caroline and Alfie                    

[Cob-Web]

I have tried everywhere to find a marrow bone for him as he's teething already and really needs to work his teeth.

Caroline, sorry to sound *thick*, but what exactly is a marrow bone? We have a wholesale butchers near us, but I don't want to look an idiot by asking for the *wrong* thing :oops:
Thanks                    

[Pipers Mummy]

Rachel, if you just ask your butcher for a marrow bone they will know what you mean  :wink:   Our local butcher used to do them raw but frozen and that was perfect, but now they only do them cooked which as other's have said splinter very easily and personally I would not give them to Piper.

I have just changed Piper's diet to a totally raw meat and bone diet (and cereal for breakfast) and I felt stupid going to buy the meat because I didn't know what I was looking for.  I had to wander around the market until I found someone selling breast of lamb with a sign on it  - all in an effort not to look daft :roll:

You may find that it makes Molo a bit runny for a day or so afterwards.  Also, don't give too many as knawing at the bone itself can, as well as being good for cleaning the teeth, actually wear them down if given too frequently.  Mmmmm, might come in handy with the puppy teeth though :wink:

Just my two penneth for what it's worth!

Louise                    

[Laura]

Bailey gets diarrhoea if he eats too much of the marrow from inside the beef bone - so I tend to scrape some of it out.

Brogan doesn't get diarrhoea anymore as the bone itself can cause constipation!  :roll:   Suppose he balances himself out by eating both   Mother nature is very clever thinking about my dogs tummy like that                        

[suki1964]

I have just changed Piper's diet to a totally raw meat and bone diet (and cereal for breakfast)

Louise, have you tried raw fish? I was reading on site that someone gave their dogs whole raw fish as they were feeding a raw and bone diet. I was wondering if there was any problems with this or whether the fish is actually ground down first or what.

Any ideas?

Caroline and Alfie                    

[Pipers Mummy]

Louise, have you tried raw fish? I was reading on site that someone gave their dogs whole raw fish as they were feeding a raw and bone diet. I was wondering if there was any problems with this or whether the fish is actually ground down first or what.

Hi Caroline,

I'm following a diet by Juliette de Bairacli Levy (the complete herbal handbook for the dog and cat) - this is also followed by Bluegirl (Karen).

Fish can be included as follows:  Mackerel and Herring are best as they are extra rich in fats, nerve vitamin B and minerals.  They should be fed raw with only the heads removed (innards left in)  with a sprinkle of flaked oats - fed once or twice a week.  Cut the fish up into large chunks. Canned tuna is also nutritious as it's only preservatives are salt and oil.  For an invalid diet, lightly steamed white fish such as cod or plaice is an ideal 'first' protein.

Hope this helps

Love the photo of Alfie by-the-way on the homepage  

Louise                    

[suki1964]

Love the photo of Alfie by-the-way on the homepage

Thanks, I happen to think hes rather cute in that one myself

I will give the fish a try. I was doing some trout for me and hubby the other night and gave some to Alfie raw and he wolfed it down. However I did chicken out of giving him a bit without boneing it . I guess Im just a tad nervous around bones even though I know it makes sense that dogs can handle them. The more I look at a raw diet, the more sense it makes. I try not to eat any processed foods myself so it follows that I should be watching what Im feeding my dog.

More research me thinks

Caroline and Alfie                    

[Pipers Mummy]

It's taken me quite some time to research raw feeding diets - you can purchase the book above from Amazon.com or WHSmiths.  There's also the BARF diet.  There are several people on this forum who raw feed so there is lots of information available.

I am really pleased that I have finally made the move and Piper seems to really enjoy the variety.

It all started with a chicken wing.............

Good luck.

Louise                    

[Pipers Mummy]

Just re-read my reply from last night and I missed off something very important :shock:

If you follow Juliette's method, you always give bones after a meal - ie. you would take the flesh off of the breast of lamb and feed that first to line the stomach and then feed the rib's after.  Juliette does not recommend fish bones so I would remove the flesh from the mackerel etc. and feed that only in large chunks.  

Hope this is clear

Louise                    

[suki1964]

Thanks for getting back about the fish bones - good job Im becoming a dab hand at fileting

Alfie adores the chicken wings. Ive been giving him one after his midday meal and he wolfs it. Trouble is now hes not interested in his normal meals and is just grazing - Im so used to free feeding that I keep forgetting to pick uneaten food up after 10 mins. So I think for the next few days wings are out untill he gets back into eating (typical mum, I worry when a child picks) and just start them of again as the "odd" treat.

Thanks for all your advice

Caroline and Alfie