Hi all!
Perhaps this is obvious but I need an opinion.

We have a Labrador male, now 6,5 months and he has been feed BARF since start. We feed pork-meat, liver, heart, chicken stomach and necks and of course vegetables and such. But we have never fed him with chicken quarter or backs because I am taught since childhood that chicken bones can be dangerous. Now I see in many plces on Internet and on the Leerburg site that chicken is a good food. We have access to chicken close by so I hope that you forum members also agree that chicken is ok

Regards

Anders Yuran, Cyprus

I'm not one of the food experts, but I am old-school and have heard the same wives tales about dogs and chicken bones.

JMO. Old folk always advised against chicken bones because they splinter. However, they should have been more specific; The long bones (leg, thigh, upper arm) of a cooked chicken splinter when dogs eat them. Also, large breeds are better suited to devouring large pieces than are most housedog breeds.

I feed my GSD large pieces of chicken and cooked bones, especially the softer backs, hips, and breastplates, and she has no problem with them. I do watch very closely until she swallows and resumes her normal activities.

I would be MUCH more cautious with a 6.5mo pup.

Raw bones are an ESSENTIAL part of a raw (BARF) diet unless you are supplementing this diet with some other form of calcium and know what you're doing. A growing large-breed puppy that is eating an essentially boneless raw diet is a VERY BAD idea.

Yes--your Labrador puppy can eat any part of a chicken, bones and all, as long as the bones are RAW. Duane is correct that the carcass bones (backs and breast bones) are easiest and softest to eat, especially for puppies or small breeds. But leg and thigh bones of a chicken are also consumable for most dogs.

So are RAW turkey bones, rabbit bones, lamb bones, some pork bones---any raw bones from a small animal.

It is unsafe to feed your dog any cooked bones. (Duane and I disagree on this point, if I am reading his post correctly.) Cooking changes the chemical composition of the bones and makes them harder and more brittle than raw bones. Once again: do not feed your dog any cooked bones ever.

Raw bones: Yes. You must feed them or understand how to substitute with something else.

Anders, please keep reading about how to correctly feed a raw diet to your puppy. This site has good information.

 Quote: Anders Yuran

Hi all!
Perhaps this is obvious but I need an opinion.

We have a Labrador male, now 6,5 months and he has been feed BARF since start. We feed pork-meat, liver, heart, chicken stomach and necks and of course vegetables and such. But we have never fed him with chicken quarter or backs because I am taught since childhood that chicken bones can be dangerous. Now I see in many plces on Internet and on the Leerburg site that chicken is a good food. We have access to chicken close by so I hope that you forum members also agree that chicken is ok

Regards

Anders Yuran, Cyprus

Here's some chicken RMB info:

http://leerburg.com/feedingarawdiet.htm#chickenbones

Most raw feeders I know (almost all of them, actually) base the RMB portion of the raw diet on poultry.

I have a related question about your puppy's diet. I see two sources of calcium in what you listed (chicken necks and pork necks). Do you know that about half of the dog's bowl should be RMBs? (Just checking, because for me, a whole lot of that RMB portion is chicken backs.)

I don't even see pork necks listed. Just chicken necks.

Yes I keep on reading. And of course, Rocky has free access to raw bones, mostly pork or beef. He also love dry beef tripe and bully sticks as treats.

Anders

Are the pork and beef bones ones that he can totally consume in a few minutes? Or are they toys that he chews on for long periods of time?

These are different things.

Half the contents of his food bowl should consist of "raw meaty bones" (such as pieces of raw chicken with bones in it.)

"Recreational bones" are the kind from cows and pigs that he plays with as a toy. Those are not food. Although some pork rib or neck bones can actually be soft enough to consider as food.

 Quote: Tracy Collins

I don't even see pork necks listed. Just chicken necks.

You are right. I mis-read it.

 Quote: Anders Yuran

Yes I keep on reading. And of course, Rocky has free access to raw bones, mostly pork or beef. He also love dry beef tripe and bully sticks as treats.

Anders

Like Tracy, I'm concerned that you are talking about recreational bones. Recreational bones are not even part of the raw diet. They are treats. Please see the difference here:

http://leerburg.com/feedingarawdiet.htm#RMB



You MUST give appropriate RMBs to balance a raw diet, and when you are feeding a growing puppy it's even more crucial. (If you don't, you MUST find out immediately how to supplement with calcium. This requires exactness; neither too much nor too little is OK when we are talking about growing pups and calcium.)



I agree about no cooked bones ..... only canned bones and other pressure-cooked (overcooked) bones (like those in canned salmon or canned sardines) are safe coked bones.


Please tell us how much RMB the pup gets. Are the chicken necks a third to a half of the dog's meal?

Anders, please see this explanation:

http://leerburg.com/webboard/thread.php?topic_id=32656&page=1#366439



And please tell us how much RMB the pup gets. Are the chicken necks a third to a half of the dog's meal?