Does your dog love to chew bones, but you are not sure if it is good for him? Let’s find out how long should dog chew on the bone and how many times a week.
Table of Contents
Most dog owners think that giving chunky, bulky, and thick bones to their canine friend is one of the best ways to make him happy. We often see pictures of dogs holding a bone, but does that mean you should give bones to your dog to chew every day?
So, how long should dog chew on bone? You can let your dog chew small raw bones for 15 -20 minutes two days a week.
But not all bones are good for your dogs. Read on to know what kind of bones you should give, how long you should let them chew the bones, how long you should boil the bones, which types of bones are good for dogs, and why processed bone treats available in the market are bad for your dog!
How Long Do You Boil a Bone For a Dog?
You should boil bones for about 12-24 hours.
Sometimes veterinary doctors recommend giving soft bones to your dog. You can give soft raw bones or boil the hard raw bones on a slow flame for 12 to 24 hours, or else if you are doing it in an instant pot, you should boil it for 3-4 hours.
Secondly, you don’t need to add bones daily to your dog’s diet. You can offer two to three times a week. Allow your dog to chew for 15-20 minutes, and then take the bone from your dog, wrap it, and put it in the refrigerator.
How Long to Let Dog Chew on Bone?
Not more than 15-20minutes a day for two days a week.
Dogs love to chew bones. You can give small raw bones to your dog as they are a rich source of vitamins and minerals. But you don’t need to provide bones daily to your dog.
You can allow your dog to chew small raw bones for 15 -20 minutes two days a week. However, I suggest you not give hard bones because they increase the risk of dental problems and digestive issues.
Risks of dog bones
Remember, if you allow your dog to chew bones regularly, he is at risk of many health problems like constipation, digestive issues, and other problems. The bones may even break your dog’s teeth. So make sure that you should be there with your canine while feeding bones.
In this way, you can immediately react if you observe blood in bones or break his teeth. Moreover, don’t allow your dog to chew the bones into small chunks; otherwise, he will swallow them, which can be stuck to his windpipe or intestine.
Never give cooked bones to dogs.
Lastly, never give cooked bones or processed bone treats to your dog as they increase the risk of many health problems. Recreational bones are also ok for dogs, but always be careful while feeding processed bones.
The article discusses more questions related to dogs chewing on bones. So keep on reading the article for more information.
Which Raw Bones Should I Give My Dog?
If the bones are not cooked, then they fall into the category of raw bones. These bones have marrow and have good flavor. So they are the favorite of many dogs.
Raw bones are usually soft compared to cooked bones. So you can give raw bones to your dog. Again feeding raw bones reduces the risk of breaking teeth and other digestive problems. Your dog will consume raw bones very fast. So there is no limiting time for chewing raw bones.
However, some raw bones are pretty large and do not value much. For instance, knucklebones and neck bones are pretty hard when they are raw and have the possibility of digestive problems.
These bones may even break the teeth of your canine. So you should limit the time to about 20 minutes a day, two to three times a week, for chewing these bones.
What Are The Dangers Of Cooked Bones?
When you cook bones, they lose their nutritional value and become brittle. The U.S Food and Drug Administration lists the following risks associated with giving cooked bones to the dog.
#1. Broken teeth
Your canine can break his teeth by chewing cooked bones.
#2. Injuries In Mouth And Tongue
Your dog has had severe injuries in the mouth and tongue, and that may require a trip to a veterinary doctor.
#3. Bones May Loop Around The Lower Jaw
The bones can get looped on the lower jaw of your dog. It s extremely painful for your pet and requires a call to a veterinary doctor.
#4. Bones Can Get Stuck In Windpipe
Your canine may accidentally swallow a small piece of bone, which can be stuck in the windpipe. It might have difficulty in breathing. So, take your dog to the veterinary doctor immediately.
#5. Bones May Stuck In Stomach And Intestines
The bones can get stuck in the stomach and intestines of your dog and requires surgery.
#6. Constipation
Your dog will have a tough time ingesting the bone fragments because it has a chance of scraping the internal organs.
It causes severe pain in your dog and may require a call to a veterinary doctor. Additionally, the bone fragments may firm the stool, leading to constipation.
#7. Bleeding From Rectum
Bleeding from the rectum is quite painful for your dog and may require a trip to the veterinary doctor.
#8. Peritonitis
Sometimes your dog may even get a bacterial infection in the abdomen because the fragments of bones have been able to pierce the inner wall of the stomach and intestine. It requires a quick visit to a veterinary doctor; otherwise, this disease can be fatal.
Are There Are Any Bones Which Are Safe For My Canine?
Dogs love to eat raw bones because they are good to taste. Additionally, it stimulates mental health and is a good exercise for the muscles in the jaws of a dog. There are mainly two types of raw bones. I am describing them below.
#1. Edible Bones
The edible bones are hollow and contain all the necessary nutrition like calcium, phosphorous, and others, which is quite beneficial for your pet’s health.
For instance, you can give your dog a neck of chicken and turkey. They are soft and do not contain marrow. So your dog will not have any health problems feeding the edible raw bones (not cooked)
You can offer fresh raw bones to your dog or place them on any clean surface. However, these bones can become messy until your dog chews on them. So make sure to protect your floor and furniture.
Again don’t give edible raw bones to your dog if he has a problem in his pancreas. The raw bone marrow is rich in fat and can cause diarrhea.
#2. Recreational Bones
Recreational bones are a good way to maintain the dental hygiene of your dog. It will help keep the teeth brushed and flossed. Additionally, chewing recreational bones lessens your dog’s risk of gum diseases.
Make sure to supervise your dog while chewing recreational bones so that you can immediately react if you find your dog in trouble.
How Long Should My Dog Chew A Marrow Bone?
Avoid giving marrow bones, but if you want, give them for 20-30 minutes under supervision.
Marrow bones have marrow in their center naturally. So as a dog owner, you may think that marrow bones are suitable for your canine. They will provide essential nutrients to your pet.
But veterinary doctors say that marrow bones can put your dogs at risk of danger. Below are some of the risks caused by chewing marrow bones.
- The marrow bones have the possibility of breaking the teeth of your dog.
- Marrow bones can lead to serious digestive issues in your dog.
- Raw marrow bones can become infected with germs and other harmful bacteria, which can cause infection in your dog.
If you choose to give raw marrow bone to your dog, then make sure that you or someone else is present to supervise your dog. You can immediately react if you find any discomfort in your dog.
Additionally, allow your dog to chew the raw marrow bone only for 20-30 minutes a day for two to three times a week. Try to limit their chewing time to reduce the risk of breaking teeth and other digestive issues.
Do marrow bones go bad?
Yes, fresh marrow bones can go bad, especially if you keep them in a warm environment.
If your canine has not eaten the bone marrow in one day, please throw it away. Keeping such bones has a greater risk of fragmenting, or flies may lay eggs on them. If you allow your dog to eat such bones, then it will cause severe bacterial infection in your dog, which may require a visit to a veterinary doctor.
How Long Should My Dog Chew On Raw Hide Bone?
Rawhide bones consist of the skin of animals like cows, pigs, and others.
Rawhide bones do not have any nutritional value. When your dog overeats rawhide bones, he doesn’t feel good eating other food.
Additionally, there are some other risks, like it can block the windpipe or stomach if your canine swallows large chunks of a rawhide bone.
But if you are giving rawhide bone for pleasure or improving dental health, they allow only 20 minutes in a day for two to three times a week. It will limit the risk of any digestive issues or teeth breaking in your dog.
Can I Give Bones To My Dog Every day?
No, you should not give bones to your dog every day. Giving too many bones can lead to constipation and digestive problems in your dog.
You should remember that bones are supplements, and they should make up 10 percent of the diet of your canine. So, there is no need to give bones every day to a canine, except he needs nutritional requirements.
A Few Final Words
Dogs love to chew naturally. Soft raw bones are an excellent source of vitamins and minerals and prevent your dog from having digestive health conditions like bloating poor bowel movement, and others.
You can also give recreational bones to your dog. It helps clean and brush your canine teeth, but it does not provide any nutritional benefits. Allow your canine to chew the recreational bones for 20 minutes two days a week. It will limit the risk of breaking teeth in your dog.
But never give cooked bones to your canine as they increase the risk of injuries in the mouth and tongue. It can even block the stomach and intestine of your dog.
We thank you for reading this article, and you can ask us any questions related to dog chewing bones in the comment section. We will be glad to answer all your queries. You can even share this article on social media so that many dog owners can read this article.
We have written about other things that dogs love to chew on, such as rawhide, turkey necks, and leather you should read about them and stay informed on whether they are good or bad for your dog.