Catering for Canines

MORE owners seem to be returning to natural fresh food and bone diets for their dogs, in spite of the huge range of commercial foods now available. Perhaps the increasing incidence of allergies has led many owners back to fresh foods, no doubt assisted by the wealth of information available via the Internet. There are also a number of books on natural, fresh food or Barf diets, though unfortunately in New Zealand these books are often available only through specialist book suppliers or by ordering on the Internet. Hopefully as demand increases, some of these books will appear in our bookshops.

Why feed bones?
Whatever we call the fresh food or Barf diet, many owners who use it have found that it can maximise a dog's health and vitality and improve or eliminate health problems, with very little extra expense or effort. But many owners are reluctant to try this diet because it includes bones. However, the possible long-term health risks and accompanying misery for your dog, if not feeding bones, may be greater than the small risk associated with feeding them:

• Bones are a natural fresh raw food for dogs and carnivores.
• They can improve dog health.
• They are a doggy toothbrush, preventing tartar build-up and the need to descale.
• They complement the meat in the dog's diet by adding calcium and minerals.
• They supply other nutrients including protein, fat and vitamins for health and energy.
• They provide natural exercise for jaw and neck muscles.
• They provide satisfaction. Dogs LIKE bones.

Bone safety
If you have never fed bones before and have been warned about the horrors of feeding bones to dogs, feeding bones can be nerve wracking. Supposing he gets a bit of bone stuck in his bowel? Supposing a splinter pierces his gut? Supposing he breaks a tooth? Even though bones are the natural food of dogs, there is a small chance that any of these may happen, but dogs have also been known to choke on commercial food and break teeth chewing the wire on dog runs or suffer a blocked bowel from some other cause. Life itself is full of risk! But most risk can be minimised by using your common sense.

Bone safety is all about ensuring that the dog eats bones safely, as well as keeping the stress levels down for owners, especially those who are just starting out with raw meaty bones. Let's take a look at various aspects of bone safety, considering first the dog, then the bones.

The bone eating dog
Size and age of dog - From a few weeks of age when the puppy's first teeth appear, through to old age, all dogs of all shapes, sizes and breeds can eat bones. Because all dogs are unique individuals, some dogs will not cope with as much bone as others, but they all benefit from some bones in the diet. Think about the size and jaw strength of your dog when selecting bones.

We do not want to give bigger, tougher bones to smaller dogs or pups who do not have the jaw strength to crunch a big, relatively dense bone and may simply resort to gulping larger bits of bone - or give up in despair!

Match the choice of bone to the size of the dog and the strength of his jaws.

Teeth or dentures?
His ability to chew bones obviously depends on the condition of his teeth. The condition of the teeth should be clean, white, with no tartar, with healthy firm gums. If he has some tartar, the front teeth worn down a bit or perhaps a missing tooth, he can still chew bones. A dog with more advanced signs of decaying teeth and red gums should visit your vet, as well as having a change to a fresh food and bone diet! Decayed teeth place a big strain on his entire system, reducing his general health and immunity levels. Providing he has a few sound teeth remaining, this dog should still be able to eat chicken bones that will help to clean up his teeth naturally while providing excellent nutrition and immune support. Eating bones also gives your dog some healthy exercise for his jaw muscles.

Obviously we cannot expect an older dog without teeth to actually eat bones, except as ground bone, though even these dogs may enjoy gumming and sucking a recreational bone.

Chewers and gulpers
Some dogs settle down quietly and spend time chewing bones, but others do not! Don't worry if the dog seems to swallow the bones quickly with little chewing - most, though not all dogs, know instinctively how to deal with bones and they tend to swallow their food in pieces or chunks anyway. If you want to encourage him to chew bones, rather than swallowing them whole, give pieces of carcase that are too large to swallow without some chewing. Pieces of carcase may mean a chicken frame rather than a smaller neck or wing, a section of lamb ribs rather than a single chop bone. You can of course, give a single larger bone instead of a chunk of carcase, but remember to match the size and density of the bone to the size and jaw strength of the dog.

The habitual gulper bolts his food as soon as the bowl hits the ground. Some breeds, eg. Labrador retrievers, are worse than others but sometimes it is the individual dog rather than the breed. They seem to cope perfectly well, but you may feel happier if he eats more slowly!

Feed him in a quiet place with no distractions and where he feels safe. If you have other dogs, separate him from the others, so he is not anxious about another dog stealing his food. Feed away from small children, who can be a distraction.

Some owners hold one end of the bone to encourage the dog to chew. Apart from the fact that the dog may also chew your fingers, this method of getting him to chew is ok when you are supervising. The dog who gulps whole unchewed hunks may obediently chew them when you are present, but will probably revert to gulping when you are not around watching him.

Each dog is different and what suits one does not suit another - you as owner know best what works for your dog. Think about different strategies to slow down the gulper, if the speed of his gulping bones worries you. Maybe he will do best if fed two smaller meals a day, so he does not think he is near starvation by teatime. Try feeding some veggies with a little meat first, to take the edge of his appetite. Remember to use larger chunks of carcase or larger bones that he cannot swallow without chewing into smaller pieces.

It is a good idea to keep the dog resting quietly for a short time before and after his meal. This applies to all dogs, especially the larger deep-chested breeds that are prone to bloat.

Regurgitation
The dog who has eaten too quickly sometimes regurgitates his meal a few minutes later, then eats it again. This is his own built-in safety mechanism operating and providing it only occurs occasionally, is nothing to worry about.

When your dog has digested as much of the bone as he can, he may regurgitate any remaining pieces. He may not do this until next day, sometimes shortly before his next meal, as if completing the final emptying of the stomach in readiness for more food. Don't regard this as a reason to stop feeding bones. This perfectly natural process is nature's way of protecting the dog's stomach, as he simply returns the last small undigested morsels of bone that are surplus to requirements. He may also graze on some grass to assist the regurgitating process.

Raw and meaty bones
There are two aspects to raw and meaty bones: Firstly remember that raw bones are easier for him to digest. Cooked bones splinter more readily and are relatively indigestible. Sure he may cope okay most of the time with cooked bone but the risk is much greater.

Secondly, bones scraped bare of meat are not as safe as those with a reasonable covering of meat. This is sometimes the case with lamb or beef bones. They start to dry out during storage and are not as digestible as bones with a reasonable meat covering to keep them fresh and moist. Chicken necks, wings, frames, lamb neck chops or rib flaps are good examples of bones with a reasonable covering of meat.

Age of bones and size of animal
The bones of young animals or fowls are softer, more pliable and easier to digest. The size of the animal or fowl also makes a difference. The larger and heavier the animal - or fowl - the more thick or dense the bone must be, to support the greater weight. Not only are the bones of younger animals and smaller species easier to digest, they also cause less wear on the teeth. Your dog needs his teeth for a lifetime's chewing of raw meaty bones so it's worth taking a little care with the bones that you select.

If feeding bones worries you, start with the bones of young animals, small animals and small fowls, eg. lamb rather than mutton, chicken rather than turkey, rabbit if you can get it.

Recreational bones
The long leg (cannon) bones of cattle are dense tough bones designed to support a heavy beast and are not recommended as actual food for dogs. For very small dogs, the same could probably be said of sheep leg (knuckle) bones. These bones are sometimes referred to as "recreational" or simply "rec" bones because they are extremely hard to break and will keep a dog occupied gnawing on them for a considerable time. If using recreational bones, give a whole one, in proportion to the dog's size and jaw strength, so he can safely gnaw away at the softer rounded ends of the bone.

Sawn bones
Whole leg bones are safer than sawn or cut pieces of bone. Dogs tend to gnaw the softer ends of the long bones, which they can grate into small pieces. Sawing the bone through may encourage them to chew the unnatural cut end of the dense shaft of the bone. This puts more stress on the dog's teeth and if he breaks and eats this shaft part of the bone, it is hard to digest because of its density.

If feeding beef shin steak on the bone that contains very short lengths of sawn, marrow-filled leg bone, match the size of the bone pieces to the size of your dog. It is safer not to feed the smaller mid-shaft bone pieces, though the marrow can be removed from the bone and added to the meal. If a large dog swallows a small, short circle of dense leg bone, it will cause some discomfort and difficulty in passing through the gut.

The bottom line is: feed only those raw meaty bones that you feel comfortable with.

Recommended bones
Having fed various bones to various sizes and ages of dogs over the years, these are the ones that I now prefer. Please remember that the final choice is up to you, because you know your dog best!

Chicken is a popular choice because it is soft and easy to digest. Chicken necks and frames (the boned-out carcase, with or without leg bones) are relatively cheap. Wings are often well priced and have a good meat-to-bone ratio. Thighs and drumsticks are meatier. Chicken is quite a fatty meat and can be fed skinless for overweight dogs or those that do not tolerate much fat.

Turkey necks are sometimes available and provide the dog with a bigger challenge. Rabbit is great if you can get it.

Lamb off-cuts are cheap, readily obtainable from many butchers and offer a real lucky dip! Anything from brisket, ribs and necks, to sinewy joints and knuckles, shoulder blades etc. Again, quite a high fat content, but a lot of the excess fat can easily be trimmed off, unless your dog is very active and can utilise lots of fat. Take care to trim well for those couch potatoes. Discard the bones that you are not happy to feed, or boil up to make a nice tasty broth before throwing the bones away. I prefer to feed ribs (flaps) and neck chops and prefer not to feed knuckles (leg bones) because they can splinter into sharp shards, but other people feed them with little trouble. Shoulder blades are usually trimmed of all meat and the rather thin bone dries out quickly, so I prefer to discard them too. Take care to dispose of unused bone to prevent the dog gaining access to it.

A word for Kiwi dog owners about feeding sheep or goat meat and bones: MAF asks that all sheep meat or goat meat is frozen for at least seven days (-10C minimum) before feeding raw to dogs. This applies regardless of the source of the meat and is a safeguard against the spread of sheep measles. It is easy enough to do and does not make the bones harder for the dog to digest.

Beef meat is not as fatty as lamb, though the bones may well have a similar fat content. Beef brisket or soup bones are tolerated, but my personal preference is for lamb. Pork is not as widely used, but my dogs love a pork trotter occasionally.

Bones such as venison necks and even ostrich necks are sometimes offered at specialist pet food suppliers such as Pet Essentials and Four Paws Pantry. I have used both with no trouble, but again, match bone size to dog size.

Each type of meat and bone has slightly different levels of nutrients, so use bones from more than just a single animal or fowl. For example, if you feed mostly chicken bone, use some lamb or beef bone maybe once a week. The dog needs a variety of meats and bones to achieve balance in the diet.

Ground bone
Fresh or frozen pet chicken mince contains plenty of minced bone and is available from some supermarkets, vet clinics or pet suppliers. If you want to feed bone to your dog but for whatever reason do not wish to use whole raw meaty bones, this is a good alternative. Some owners grind their own bones, but this requires a heavy-duty grinder. Using only ground bone does not give him the same chance to clean his teeth as he chews, though chewing hunks of tough sinewy meat will help with teeth cleaning.

Minced lamb carcases are also available for dogs but sheep meat is quite fatty and the mince may be quite high in fat. This is great for working dogs, but it is possibly too fatty for the average pet dog, except in quite small quantities. Too much fat can cause digestive problems in some dogs and lamb mince is not recommended when first starting a dog on raw food, but may be introduced later.

How much bone?
How much meaty bone to feed may be your next concern and asking around reveals a wide variety of answers.

Bones as a percentage of total diet
Some owners say they feed as little as 30percent meaty bone, others feed as much as 80percent meaty bone as a percentage of the total diet. This would be a helpful guide if we knew the amount of meat on the bone, but as it stands, it does not indicate the total amount of actual bone in the diet. For example, a well-trimmed chicken frame has a lot less meat-to-bone than a chicken thigh and trimmed lamb ribs have a lot less meat than a leg of lamb. But considering all these variations, aiming for approximately 50percent reasonably covered meaty bone as a percentage of the total diet should supply the dog's needs.

Meat/bone ratio
Chicken wings and carcases are considered to have a good meat to bone ratio and some owners use this as a rule of thumb when selecting meaty bones. Others aim for two parts meat to one part bone as a minimum meat-to-bone ratio. It's okay to feed occasional meat meals without bone.

Calcium/phosphorus ratios
Keep in mind that one of the most important reasons for feeding bones is to provide sufficient calcium to balance the phosphorus in the meat. There are ratios and equations that you may like to ponder if you wish, but this will not necessarily help, unless you are a scientist with a laboratory instead of a kitchen and make a habit of chemically analysing your own diet!

Even if we calculate calcium/phosphorus ratios of meat and bone, each dog is an individual and we do not know each dog's exact requirements or absorption and storage capabilities. Certainly the more meat the dog eats, the greater the need for bone. In a varied meat and bone diet, the calcium/phosphorus balance will be achieved naturally by the dog as his system digests and metabolises these two elements, together with others, including Vitamin C, D, zinc, magnesium, iron etc. Just feed plenty of bones and have some faith in nature!

Bones can be fed every day if you wish - its up to you and your dog to decide, but do give meaty bones at least three times a week. Just remember that the need for bone must relate to the amount of meat fed.

Low bone or no bone diets
If you are not happy about feeding bones but want to feed a fresh food diet, your dog's calcium needs must be met in some other form. This can be achieved by using pet meat with ground bone, or by adding a calcium supplement.

Pet food chicken mince has plenty of ground bone, but if you feed some of this chicken mince together with other boneless meats, you still need to balance the other meats with a little calcium.

If you are not feeding any bones at all, you need to add enough calcium to balance all the meat in the diet. This can be done by adding some bonemeal according to the directions on the packet, or simply using eggshells, which have an amazing amount of calcium, very little phosphorus and cost nothing. One teaspoon of ground, dried eggshell (approx. half a large fresh shell) is considered to supply enough calcium for approx 500 grams of meat. Mix the dry shell or bone meal with the food rather than just sprinkling on top - the dog does not want to inhale fine dry bone dust!

Dry the egg shells naturally on the kitchen window sill and either give them a quick whirl in a coffee grinder or use a mortar and pestle to crush them to grit, then store in a clean jar.

As with most foods - fresh is best! I prefer to use them fresh and just scrunch them to a fine grit between my fingers (good protein tonic for finger nails) before mixing with food, though I very seldom use this method of supplying calcium, unless there is some reason a dog cannot eat enough bone.

Though you can use supplements instead of bones, I still believe it is best to feed some bones and let Mother Nature balance the calcium phosphorus ratio for you. Bones supply calcium and minerals without all the guesswork and provide the best natural method of feeding the dog.

Following the bone safety rules minimises the small risk, protects your dog and gives you peace of mind.

Dog books available by mail order in NZ
Dog Imprint specializes in dog and cat books and has both new and pre-loved books, including books on natural feeding for dogs. E-mail J Hall at jacqui.h@xtra.co.nz Ph: (04) 298-5131.

The Canine Bookstore has a small selection of pre-loved dog books but currently has no dog diet books available. Always buying old or unusual dog books for collectors. E-mail: shughes@ihug.co.nz

Stella Hughes is a former nurse, small block farmer and dog enthusiast, having owned various breeds, in particular the Pyrenean Mountain Dog. She has a special interest in canine nutrition and has fed a Fresh Food and Bone diet for several years.