Soaking Dry Kibble
- Thread starter simplymisty
- Start date
Both of my dogs get powders in their food (Ilsa gets turmeric, Ronin gets K9 Superfuel) so I add just enough hot water for the powders to stick, stir it up, and give it to the dogs. They seem to eat slower with water, and they never leave food in their bowls.
It's just how I've always fed, so I'm not going to stop anytime soon!
It's just how I've always fed, so I'm not going to stop anytime soon!
Yeah I add food to Elwood's food or he pukes it right back up. I add the water to canidae. I don't add too much though because when the kibble was swimming in water he got really stinky breathe. I just put enough to get all the kibbles wet and his breath is a little better now (still not the greatest though).
It is a myth that dogs need to eat dry kibble to clean their teeth. A high quality canned food will not cause any more tartar build up than a high quality dry food. If this theory is true, then as humans all we'd need to do is eat a few crackers a day and we'd have no need to brush our teeth.
The thing is, starches cause plaque buildup. Low quality foods are filled with sugars, corn, and other starches. This plaque will then turn to tartar, which is the hardened substance you see on some dogs' teeth. Eventually, if this tartar is not removed, it will turn to infection. It's caused by starches... not textures of foods.
My dogs get raw bones to chew on which removes the tartar, and I also brush their teeth.
The thing is, starches cause plaque buildup. Low quality foods are filled with sugars, corn, and other starches. This plaque will then turn to tartar, which is the hardened substance you see on some dogs' teeth. Eventually, if this tartar is not removed, it will turn to infection. It's caused by starches... not textures of foods.
My dogs get raw bones to chew on which removes the tartar, and I also brush their teeth.
Jessie,
I wonder why more people don't feed canned food, since I would think most dogs would much prefer this? Is it the expense? I just always was under the impression that dry food, although it might not totally clean their teeth, was much better for their teeth.
What do you mean by 'raw bones'?? Do you mean REAL bones, like from the meat dept. at the grocery store? I must be really behind the times! Last I heard (from a vet, no less, years ago, i admit), don't even bring your dog to me if you feed him real bones! Something about slivers and something else I can't remember. I have an 8 lb dog that loves to chew on rawhide bones, and would most likely go nuts over a real bone, so please let me know what kind of a bone would be safe for her to have. Doesn't a real bone get all full of bacteria laying around for days being chewed on?
How long do you let them have the bone? Do they actually eat it, as in edible? Sorry for all the questions, but this is all new to me and I am curious for answers... thanks so much for replies.
I wonder why more people don't feed canned food, since I would think most dogs would much prefer this? Is it the expense? I just always was under the impression that dry food, although it might not totally clean their teeth, was much better for their teeth.
What do you mean by 'raw bones'?? Do you mean REAL bones, like from the meat dept. at the grocery store? I must be really behind the times! Last I heard (from a vet, no less, years ago, i admit), don't even bring your dog to me if you feed him real bones! Something about slivers and something else I can't remember. I have an 8 lb dog that loves to chew on rawhide bones, and would most likely go nuts over a real bone, so please let me know what kind of a bone would be safe for her to have. Doesn't a real bone get all full of bacteria laying around for days being chewed on?
How long do you let them have the bone? Do they actually eat it, as in edible? Sorry for all the questions, but this is all new to me and I am curious for answers... thanks so much for replies. Yes we are talking about real bones from the butcher shop What your vet is talking about is COOKED bones. Cooked bones can splinter very easily especially cooked poultry bones. Raw bones however are softer and dont splinter so a dog can crunch them up (provided they are small enough). I give my guys raw beef soup bones all the time. They clean out the marrow from it but dont eat the actual bone. If I give them a raw chicken wing though, then they will eat everything meat and bone.
If it is summer time I only leave the bone out for a few hours and then I throw it out. If I leave out for too long then flies lay their eggs on it and it becomes maggoty. *gross* If it is winter time though, I will leave the bone out for a week or even longer sometimes.
What your vet is talking about is COOKED bones. Cooked bones can splinter very easily especially cooked poultry bones. Raw bones however are softer and dont splinter so a dog can crunch them up (provided they are small enough). I give my guys raw beef soup bones all the time. They clean out the marrow from it but dont eat the actual bone. If I give them a raw chicken wing though, then they will eat everything meat and bone.If it is summer time I only leave the bone out for a few hours and then I throw it out. If I leave out for too long then flies lay their eggs on it and it becomes maggoty. *gross* If it is winter time though, I will leave the bone out for a week or even longer sometimes.
How do they get the marrow out of the bone without eating the bone itself? How long would you let a dog chew on this bone in an a/c'd house?
Raw chicken wings?! I can't even imagine giving my dog chicken bones! I thought they were the worst thing in the world to give a dog??!!!... I don't think I would ever trust doing that.... :yikes: I guess some of you just know alot more than I do!....
Raw chicken wings?! I can't even imagine giving my dog chicken bones! I thought they were the worst thing in the world to give a dog??!!!... I don't think I would ever trust doing that.... :yikes: I guess some of you just know alot more than I do!....
The soup bones OC was referring to are 'open' on the ends, like a long tube. The dogs can work the marrow out with their tongues and teeth. With smaller bones (I feed chicken wings, chicken and turkey necks, and occasionally duck wings), they just crunch it all up.
Many people, and still some vets, feel as you do; that bones are dangerous in any form. But if you think about it, there are an awful lot of wild animals (including canines) that do just fine eating their kill, bones and all. Feeding bones and raw food is a personal decision and everyone should do plenty of their own research and come to their own conclusions. I (and many others here and in the dog world) have made the decision to feed raw meat and bones based on what we've read/seen. My dog does fantastic on it, and I'm very comfortable with the raw diet (as is my vet, fortunately). You may want to do some reading on dog diets and foods - it's very interesting!
Many people, and still some vets, feel as you do; that bones are dangerous in any form. But if you think about it, there are an awful lot of wild animals (including canines) that do just fine eating their kill, bones and all. Feeding bones and raw food is a personal decision and everyone should do plenty of their own research and come to their own conclusions. I (and many others here and in the dog world) have made the decision to feed raw meat and bones based on what we've read/seen. My dog does fantastic on it, and I'm very comfortable with the raw diet (as is my vet, fortunately). You may want to do some reading on dog diets and foods - it's very interesting!
They clean out the marrow from it but dont eat the actual bone.
/QUOTE]
I asked about eating the bone because of spirits comments. Couldn't imagine how the dog got the marrow without eating the bone??
At the butcher/grocery store, when looking for a bone for my 8 lb, 6 month old, what size/weight am I looking for? Is this like a curved bone or one with a big knuckle on each end? Or does it not matter? Should you freeze it first?
/QUOTE]
I asked about eating the bone because of spirits comments. Couldn't imagine how the dog got the marrow without eating the bone??
At the butcher/grocery store, when looking for a bone for my 8 lb, 6 month old, what size/weight am I looking for? Is this like a curved bone or one with a big knuckle on each end? Or does it not matter? Should you freeze it first?
How do they get the marrow out of the bone without eating the bone itself? How long would you let a dog chew on this bone in an a/c'd house?
Raw chicken wings?! I can't even imagine giving my dog chicken bones! I thought they were the worst thing in the world to give a dog??!!!... I don't think I would ever trust doing that.... :yikes: I guess some of you just know alot more than I do!....
Raw chicken wings?! I can't even imagine giving my dog chicken bones! I thought they were the worst thing in the world to give a dog??!!!... I don't think I would ever trust doing that.... :yikes: I guess some of you just know alot more than I do!....
We give our dogs the bones indoors. We either put them in their crates, or enclose them in the bathroom. It probably takes them a couple of hours to rip all of the meat off and eat the marrow. Sometimes I'll take the bones when they are halfway done and put them back in the fridge for the next day. If I let them eat the bones straight through, they can spend hours doing it without getting bored.
They really go nuts over them.
The bones are a cylindrical shape, and they are filled with marrow in the middle. The dogs eat the marrow out of the middle, and then the bone becomes hollow in the middle.