Which Bones

[Guest GreytLulu]

First off I just wanted to say thanks to this forum, I've slowly started to come to terms with what being a greyhound owner means, and I'm really falling in love with my lil one, she's becoming a fantastic companion and it's thanks to the advice I got on this forum that helped the most, more so than my adoption group!

 

My question now is, what bones can I give to her? I clean her teeth daily but her teeth are not in amazing condition (or particularly bad) and I'd like to give her something to chew on that will last a while and help keep her teeth clean, I've read loads of contrasting things about giving greyhounds certain bones and I'm a little bit confused! I would ideally like one that I can give to her for half an hour or so to keep her occupied whilst I'm cooking or doing chores around the kitchen, obviously the longer lasting the better. I'd like to know aswell how often they can be given bones and for how long in a session etc.

[Time4ANap]

There are as many opinions as there are options. If the teeth aren't in the greatest shape, you may want to ask your vet if she can handle something like CET dental chews.

 

Rawhide is definitely out as it causes lots of stomach issues and other problems. You will get some other options from people here, but bones can and do splinter. That being said, I used to give Rocket bones that I had cut at the butcher shop. Others here give them, while still others say they are bad. I understand why you are confused. It comes down to what your dog can handle based on his teeth and dental health. Also, no smoked, cooked or dried bones as these DO splinter and will cause injury. I now give him bully sticks instead of bones because they agree with his stomach better, but only give certain brands and sizes to that they don't splinter.

 

Raw chicken necks or turkey necks are also a great option for tooth cleaning. On a day when you feed these, you need to cut back on food and use the neck as part of the total food amount for the day. Unfortunately, Rocket's sensitive stomach doesn't handle these well.

 

Regardless which item you use, it is imperative that you monitor the hound the entire time. You can;t go off and run the vacuum since you won't be able to hear if the dog is choking. They can and do sometimes bite off bigger pieces than will go down, so it is imperative to monitor the dog the entire time. No running to the garage for something or being out of view in case the dog can't make noise to indicate there's a problem. Also, make sure that you learn Doggy CPR. There are YouTube videos that will show how to do it.

 

Chewing is part of good dental health for your dog and can be done safely, so don't let the above scare you. You just have to be vigilant.

[smurfette]

Chewing also has a calming effect in dogs.

I feed rips - sheep or calf because they are kind of soft and my pack is a little older these days.

[Houndtime]

I use Milk Bone Dental Chews. I have had my dogs 2 and 3 years, and neither one has had a dental nor do they need one. I usually give one when we leave the house and crate them, so, they don't get one every day. The bones have worked well as dental supplements. When I can get them, we feed raw turkey necks. They are so hard to get down here, though.

[EllenEveBaz]

Another worry is teeth getting broken while chewing. I figure that as an acceptable risk since Milo is such a determined chewer. If I don't provide something, he'll take whatever furniture is most convenient. I give him the giant Nylabone fake bones. He's still working on one from his Secret Santa from last Christmas, and that's with several 10-minute chew sessions every day. He could probably go 30 minutes if he didn't have such a short attention span.

[Guest bayhound]

Time4ANap is right on the money with everything they said.

 

Because the results are so great, I just have to mention that chicken and turkey necks are indeed awesome for teeth (if you can deal with them being raw)! Same goes for bully sticks and springs.

 

I would also look into the larger sizes of Whimzees for something that'll last a while. They have all natural ingredients and can be more gentle on the stomach than Greenies/the Milkbone variety, so I prefer them.

 

Green tripe is also one of the best raw items for teeth! The smell is pretty bad, but you can also get canned, frozen, and freeze-dried versions. Just make sure it's labeled as "green" - you can't have anything cooked!

 

Good luck!

[sobesmom]

I'll be the one that throws out the "not for every dog" thing. Soup bones. They're pieces of cow's legs that you can buy in the grocery store. Some dogs shouldn't have them because they chew so hard they splinter them. They're also filled with marrow that can be too rich for some dogs' digestion. I personally gave them to several dogs with great results. They weren't agresive chewers, though. They just gnawed and licked at them. I always gave raw chicken bones to the dogs. I'd buy bone-in chicken breast, de-bone it for dinner, and the dogs got the carcass. No issues at all because they're such small, soft bones. I've also given dogs deer bones when my hunting friends gave them to me, and the dogs loved them.

[Guest Roboken]

Hello all. New Greyhound owner here! Really enjoying learning about my girl's needs and personality. I have been wondering about different things to give her to chew and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I expect to find a lot of great info in this forum.