Can I give bones to my dog?

Can I give my dog bones? The answer is YES, but take precautions and use common sense.   

Bones are essential to a dog’s diet, providing important nutrients such as phosphorus and calcium. By giving your dog a bone, you are helping them consume a complete and balanced diet.

A lot of people are concerned about giving bones to their dogs, as they can be a choking risk or cause damage to a dog’s teeth. These are of course possibilities, but largely preventable if you feed the right bones. 

Bone types

Raw bones are categorised as edible and recreational bones. Edible bones consist of smaller, soft and more pliable bones that are often found in your dog’s pre-made meals if your dog is eating a raw diet. They are often hollow, non-weight bearing bones that don’t pose much risk to your dog’s teeth. These include turkey and chicken necks, chicken wings, duck frames and chicken feet. 

Recreational bones are larger hip or femur bones that are often filled with marrow. They typically don’t offer too much nutritional value as they are more for gnawing, rather than consuming. However, recreational bones with some soft tissue attached are important for providing great oral ‘floss-like’ benefits, providing the bone isn’t too dense and wears down the dog’s canines. Bone marrow can be quite fatty and can irritate dogs with sensitive stomachs, so it’s best to be aware of this when choosing the ideal bone for your dog.

What to consider when giving your dog a bone

Some things to remember include considering what bone is right for your dog. Don’t choose bones that are too small or too big for your dog, but instead one that matches the size of your dog’s head. Bones that are too small can be a choking hazard, especially if your dog has a tendency to swallow them whole. Always remove bones that may splinter and never give your dog cooked bones. Always supervise your dogs when giving them bones and if you have a multi-dog household, separate your dogs in case of food aggression. Also, slowly introduce bones to your dog’s diet, in order to avoid any GI upset. It’s best to allow your dog’s gut and microbiome to adjust to the new changes.

If you’re unsure about introducing whole bones into your dog’s diet, you can also look for a powdered alternative, such as Replace-A-Bone from Canine Ceuticals, though it won’t replace the dental benefits of a whole bone.

For more information on what bones you can feed your dogs, check out Fresh Food Tribe and Healthy Pets with Dr Karen Becker. If you'd like more dog enrichment ideas, visit our blog post on Keeping Your Dog Entertained Outside the Food Bowl.

 We recommend always consulting your local veterinarian if you have any concerns or questions on what bones to give your dog.