# Butcher bones



## Mich (Jan 28, 2014)

I'm desperately trying to reduce the anxiety our newly adopted 1yr old has. She has gotten way better in the evenings but she is home alone all day for the most part. We really kill ourselves to come home each day at lunch to be with her for a bit but can't keep it up forever. Today I'm home with my sick son and realize now how anxious she really is during the day. We bought tons of toys, tried stuffing a classic Kong with taste things like peanut butter, cheese and wet food but she shows very little interest. After a week has started getting into the garbage which us new and even worse she is chewing things. The chewing is natural I know, I'm just having a hard time finding something she likes to chew (and not my favorite track pants or kids socks). I priced out large fresh butcher bones thinking maybe she'd prefer that over dirty socks. There seems to be a lot of online debate over raw or cooked bones, pork vs beef etc and I'm really new to owning a big dog so I'm looking for advice please 

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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

I've gotten bones for my two before, but stopped because they always had upset stomachs. 

I buy antlers from Michigan Antler Art-
Michigan Antler Art - Home

They have a good variety of sizes, medium, hard, etc. Great Customer Service. 
They also have a Ebay store, sometimes they run specials on there. 

Are you crating your girl while you're gone? Might be a good idea to do so if you aren't. It will prevent her from getting into the garbage and other things. 
It will also keep her safe. 


Or you can shut her off into an area such as a laundry room and put a baby gate up to keep her from getting out.


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## Brave (Oct 26, 2012)

I second what Carolina Mom says. We also get our antlers from Terry @ Michigan Antler Art. 

If you want to give bones, we get raw knuckle bones (beef) from the butcher at the local chain store. It's about $3.00 per package and they last Bear a couple hours. He gets really firm stools the next day (and they turn white overnight, b/c of all the calcium, I believe). 

No cooked bones... ever! Only raw.


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## Rileysmomma (Feb 6, 2014)

How early is too early for raw bones? My pups have always loved them....the nice ones with the yummy marrow in them. But, they can be too much for puppy tummies. I can't remember when I started giving them.


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

I'm a big fan of marrow bones. I get them from a local butcher who cuts them to size for me. But I don't give them unless I'm with the dogs. The only thing I leave for my dogs to chew on unattended is a Kong. 

Re: the bones--I keep them in the freezer, and parcel one out once in a while. It is their most favorite treat and very high value to them. Once the marrow is gone they aren't as interested, but I keep a few of the empty bones in their toy box and they will pull it out once in a while to chew on. The bones are really good for their teeth, too. They get them in the kitchen or outdoors so the blood and marrow don't get onto the carpet.


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## goldensrbest (Dec 20, 2007)

I also like marrow bones, I would not want to give knuckle bones, at least the ones I have saw.


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## Mich (Jan 28, 2014)

Interesting, I have a friend who insists they have to be boiled to avoid bacterial build up? And the big beef bones she gets from the butcher don't splinter? Prior to adopting the golden our previous dog I had for 14yrs was a mini yorkie who couldn't even eat the marrow bone treats unless u smashed them up for her much less a real bone of any kind so I'm totally new to it all lol The butcher here offered to cut them to any size, what would be appropriate?

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## CarolinaCasey (Jun 1, 2007)

Beef marrow bones are ideal-raw only. Boiling will cause them to splinter. Never do that. 

I'd recommend giving the marrow bone frozen solid and for only about 15 minutes. Put it back in the freezer, repeat. You need to build up the time they have it, longer each time. Otherwise, they may get diarrhea if you do it too quickly.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Mich*



Mich said:


> I'm desperately trying to reduce the anxiety our newly adopted 1yr old has. She has gotten way better in the evenings but she is home alone all day for the most part. We really kill ourselves to come home each day at lunch to be with her for a bit but can't keep it up forever. Today I'm home with my sick son and realize now how anxious she really is during the day. We bought tons of toys, tried stuffing a classic Kong with taste things like peanut butter, cheese and wet food but she shows very little interest. After a week has started getting into the garbage which us new and even worse she is chewing things. The chewing is natural I know, I'm just having a hard time finding something she likes to chew (and not my favorite track pants or kids socks). I priced out large fresh butcher bones thinking maybe she'd prefer that over dirty socks. There seems to be a lot of online debate over raw or cooked bones, pork vs beef etc and I'm really new to owning a big dog so I'm looking for advice please
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Mich

If you can afford it, please check with your vet and get a reliable, bonded, person to walk her mid day. My next door neighbors have a dog walker walk their two dogs everyday while they are at work.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Bones*

As far as bones go, we buy RED BARN BONES, you can buy them coated or uncoated at Petco - we used to let our Smooch and Snobear have them all the time and Smooch actually wore her front teeth (bottom) down on them.
We just let Tonka and Tucker have one the other day. I think they are real bones, but I never checked to see if they should be boiled.
Red Barn White Bones at PETCO


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## Mich (Jan 28, 2014)

I have a friend who is only 2 blocks away and home during the day. She LOVES dogs and offered to walk Maggie for me on nice days (obviously I'm not going to ask her to walk her when its like -20 to -40f, um in Canada and its the middle of winter lol). I also take Maggie there for play dates with her dogs which Maggie enjoys greatly! My kids are home early from school 2 days a week and I'm still rushing home at lunch to walk her So ...its slowly getting worked out. Here's Mags with my friends blood hound and poodle  

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## Mich (Jan 28, 2014)

I bought her some marrow bones and gave her one raw last night (supervised). Omg, she lost her mind over that thing!! LOL After awhile I put it back in the freezer with the rest. 

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## Kaseyanne (Jan 17, 2014)

I recently gave my 3 month old a marrow bone and she loved it without any tummy trouble.

I think they really need to be watched though. I had a wonderful black lab who loved her marrow bones. Once, and I don't know how she managed to do it - poor thing had the empty round bone stuck firmly behind her lower teeth and around her chin!!
She was such a good girl that she just laid there thumping her tail as we sawed it off..
Then she was happy with 2 bones.


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

Mich said:


> Interesting, I have a friend who insists they have to be boiled to avoid bacterial build up? And the big beef bones she gets from the butcher don't splinter? Prior to adopting the golden our previous dog I had for 14yrs was a mini yorkie who couldn't even eat the marrow bone treats unless u smashed them up for her much less a real bone of any kind so I'm totally new to it all lol The butcher here offered to cut them to any size, what would be appropriate?
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


I have mine cut to about three inches. Some like them bigger than that but that size works great with mine. Never give dogs cooked bones. The cooking weakens them and then they splinter. Don't worry about bacteria. If they are fresh frozen from the butcher they will be fine. Dogs' stomachs are fine with raw meat. Many, many people only feed raw food to their dogs.


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

Mich said:


> I have a friend who is only 2 blocks away and home during the day. She LOVES dogs and offered to walk Maggie for me on nice days (obviously I'm not going to ask her to walk her when its like -20 to -40f, um in Canada and its the middle of winter lol). I also take Maggie there for play dates with her dogs which Maggie enjoys greatly! My kids are home early from school 2 days a week and I'm still rushing home at lunch to walk her So ...its slowly getting worked out. Here's Mags with my friends blood hound and poodle
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


Great picture! It sounds like Mags is settling in very well. Since she seems to relax around other dogs, have you considered getting her a canine housemate? I know you've only just gotten her and you are all settling in, but down the road that might be a solution to her home alone anxiety.


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## Mich (Jan 28, 2014)

We adopted a cat from the shelter about 5yrs ago and within the past 2 yrs I've taken in and rehabilitated an iguana and an African tortoise..now our dog. If I suggest adopting another dog right now I think my husband may have me finding a new home LOL 

The bones I bought are the exact same size, about 3-4" each and frozen  She can't crack the bone, but she chews the heck out of it and is able to get most of the marrow out. I bought several large all beef rawhide bones and she loves those too. She chews on them a surprising amount! So long as its not my track pants or socks I don't care lol 

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## randomBvR (Dec 26, 2013)

Kaseyanne said:


> I recently gave my 3 month old a marrow bone and she loved it without any tummy trouble.
> 
> I think they really need to be watched though. I had a wonderful black lab who loved her marrow bones. Once, and I don't know how she managed to do it - poor thing had the empty round bone stuck firmly behind her lower teeth and around her chin!!
> She was such a good girl that she just laid there thumping her tail as we sawed it off..
> Then she was happy with 2 bones.


HA this happens to my dog too. Fortunately I've always been able to wiggle it out of her mouth, no need for a saw... yet (knocks on wood).

Can you take your puppy to work with you? I didn't think my company would allow a puppy but I talked to HR and they were all for it. Now my baby never has to be alone.


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## Mich (Jan 28, 2014)

No, there is NO way they'd ever allow that  
Ooohhh maybe I can change jobs?? LOL 

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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Mich*

Mich

Love the pic of the three dogs together. I think in time Maggie will distress.


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## Mich (Jan 28, 2014)

Starting to de-stress lol She's getting use to our weekly schedule now  no more pacing, whimpering or any of that 

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## Mich (Jan 28, 2014)

I've given her lots of 3" raw marrow bones, she LOVES them.

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## GoldenMum (Mar 15, 2010)

Mich said:


> Starting to de-stress lol She's getting use to our weekly schedule now  no more pacing, whimpering or any of that
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App



No stress in that picture! She is a cutie!


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## anniesMum (Feb 21, 2013)

Hi,
Thank you for the advice on marrow bones. I see some suggest 3".
what size would be safe so as not to get stuck around her teeth.
My golden is small, weighs 22 kg 

NEW question re: meals
I feed her after the first morning and the long evening walks, approximately 9-10 hrs apart.(8 am and 6pm)
She gets really hungry by 5, or actually even in mid day. 
Does anyone feed their golden 3 times, dividing their portion 3 ways?
What do your think of that idea?
thanks!


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## Cowtown (Sep 23, 2009)

It sounds to me like she needs more exercise.


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