# Pigs ears?



## eirepup (Apr 14, 2010)

I was looking at the threads on rawhide and bully sticks (I don't think we have Bully sticks in Ireland) and I was wondering what peoples opinions are on pigs ears? I presumed they are safe to feed and Finn loves them but after reading about rawhide I guess I can't just presume all treats from a pet shop are safe.


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## missmarstar (Jul 22, 2007)

My dogs love them but I don't ever really buy them. They are VERY fatty so just be careful and give them in moderation or you may find yourself with a chubby pup  Also, as with any chewie, always supervise chewing sessions and make sure he's chewing it properly and not swallowing down large chunks.


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

I will never again give anything like this to any of my dogs - I had two dogs who blew up like hot air balloons within a very short time of eating a pig ear. These things are animal parts that generally sit around a warehouse for unknown lengths of time, and especially with such high fat products, they become rancid.


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## Bender (Dec 30, 2008)

I have never had luck with them, my dogs all threw them up after eating them. Anything that's smoked/processed like that is off the list here. If it was a raw pig's ear I'd consider it, but once it's sprayed with who knows what and smoked.... just not worth it. Smoked food isn't all that healthy for humans either...

Lana


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## Willow52 (Aug 14, 2009)

I've never given one to Hank but Maggie would throw up after eating them.


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## goldensrbest (Dec 20, 2007)

NO, do not give to your dog, not good for them.


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## Jo Ellen (Feb 25, 2007)

Daisy's had a few pig ears, never had a problem with them.


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## eirepup (Apr 14, 2010)

Thanks for the advise I just presumed they were safe :doh: he never had them that often but I don't think I'll give them to him again. He doesn't like bones and we wouldn't have antlers or bully sticks here so I'll probably just stick to meat and kongs for treats and biscuit type treats. :thanks:


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## Sophie_Mom (Jan 21, 2009)

We don't feed them to Sophie. We've always had the best luck giving her bones from the meat department with marrow in them. She loves them!


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## eirepup (Apr 14, 2010)

Finn's a bit of a wierd dog when it comes to bones I've tried differrent kinds but the reaction has always been the same . . he gets really excited when I give them to him runs out to the garden gives them a few licks and then just leaves them there and shows no more interest. Strange dog! I brush his teeth though so meat, biscuit and kong treats are enough for him! Thanks!


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## jwemt81 (Aug 20, 2008)

We don't buy them, although we used to several years for our GSD ago before we knew better. I consider them to be in the same category as rawhide. Dogs can ingest sharp little pieces and you never know how fresh they are or where they came from. They're also really greasy and fatty and just plain gross. We stick with marrow bones and Nylabones.


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## GoldenMum (Mar 15, 2010)

What about lamb ears, they are much easier to digest, not greasy, and not smoked...what are your thoughts on them? My dogs love them as an occasional treat! Are they harmful like pig ears?


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## Lisa_and_Willow. (Dec 18, 2007)

You can get Bully sticks in the UK. I have seen them in farm stores but they are called Pizzles over here.


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## CarolinaCasey (Jun 1, 2007)

We've never had much luck with them. They were always a 'high value' item and would elicit the only resource guarding behavior that our dogs ever exhibited. It was easier to just simply not offer them. Besides, they're pretty fatty.

A nice alternative that we've found that the dogs just LOVE is the marrow bone. 
http://www.merrickpetcare.com/store/treats_detail.php?c=22&s=16012


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## MillysMom (Nov 5, 2008)

CarolinaCasey said:


> We've never had much luck with them. They were always a 'high value' item and would elicit the only resource guarding behavior that our dogs ever exhibited. It was easier to just simply not offer them. Besides, they're pretty fatty.
> 
> A nice alternative that we've found that the dogs just LOVE is the marrow bone.
> http://www.merrickpetcare.com/store/treats_detail.php?c=22&s=16012


Do you find those break at all like a cooked bone can be prone to? I only feed raw marrow bones when it comes to bones, so I'm not sure. Might be nice to have another chewing option.


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## kaysy (Jan 9, 2010)

So, with rawhide they can get chunks and have to be watched. Sorry, but bully sticks are out of the picture in our house...the ick factor. Marty gets flexible nylabones, large rope toys, Kongs, rawhide (for a few hours a week) and a whole carrot on Sat nights. Aren't bones in general really hard on the enamel of their teeth? I think of marrow bones as being like chewing on a rock. And what about antlers, I was going to check into them, but they're not good either? I don't want the "resourse guarding" and am working on it with current chews.


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## eirepup (Apr 14, 2010)

I think I'll pick up a nylabone tomorro haven't tried them. I know whet people mean when they say pigs ears can cause resource gaurding Finn was very bad with them when he was a puppy but I just used them to train him not to do it. I would take them off him and if he didn't growl give them straight back and if he did growl wait a few minutes before giving them back he stopped resource gaurded with people after practising this for a few days he still does it with dogs though.


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## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

Ranger loves the smoked marrow bones from the petstore but when I gave him a frozen, raw one from the grocery store...he went nuts!! Like he'd never seen a bone before! 

It was probably the closest he's come to "resource guarding" a bone. He wasn't comfortable chewing it anywhere near my mom or I and would keep getting up and going somewhere else, only to eventually come back again. I had no problem taking it from him and did it a few times to get him used to it. Actually, I'd take it from him, add peanut butter and give it back. When the pb was gone, I'd take it again and do the same thing so he learned that giving it up was a good thing.


No pigs ears for him though. He just ends up throwing them up in the middle of the night.


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## PatrickPhimr (8 mo ago)

Ranger said:


> Ranger loves the smoked marrow bones from the petstore but when I gave him a frozen, raw one from the grocery store...he went nuts!! Like he'd never seen a bone before!
> 
> It was probably the closest he's come to "resource guarding" a bone. He wasn't comfortable chewing it anywhere near my mom or I and would keep getting up and going somewhere else, only to eventually come back again. I had no problem taking it from him and did it a few times to get him used to it. Actually, I'd take it from him, add peanut butter and give it back. When the pb was gone, I'd take it again and do the same thing so he learned that giving it up was a good thing.
> 
> ...


just wondered if pigs ears or cows ears are good for dogs?? a friend of mine came to see millie the other day and brought a pigs ear and give it to her  i dont no if these are good or bad ??


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## Clipper's mom (Apr 27, 2019)

Gave my first dog a pig’s ear and a corner scratched her throat. We had to take her to the vet. No more for this household ever since (25 years).


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