I was picking up a new bag of food at PetCo today and while I was there I stopped to look for some good chew treats for Molly. They didn't have any Bully sticks, but they did have lots of various beef bones (not rawhide) - knees, ribs, knuckle, tibia, etc.

Now, I have learned from you knowledgeable folks that cooked bones are dangerous. So are the beef bones sold in stores raw? Or are they cooked, and therefore a no-no like rawhides?

Some of them are smoked, yes. However, I have seen some that are natural (they're usually white or slightly off white) too, so perhaps those are better. I also occassionally give compressed hide bones and mine do fine with those- as long as they're of good quality and not hollow in the middle (like the ones at Target).

Erin, go to Publix. You can get marrow bones there. If they are not out in the meat section, ask they butcher. They usually have them in the freezer in the back. I also order COWs Ears from Jeffers Pets online.

Ooh, cool!! My BIL works at Publix, I'll have to have him hook me up with some. Awesome! :)

I bought one of those meat bones from Petco also (I can't remeber the brand but it was made in the USA) and he devoured it i a couple of hours. He loved it but his stomache did not. 30 minutes later it became a nice pile on my carpet. He threw it up and it was not pretty. I have also noticed most treats that are made of meat dont sit well with his stomache either. I have had good luck with raw hyde but have also heard alot of people tell me to stay away from it so I have. Tread lightly on what you give your dogs for treats. I have switched to Milk Bones for special treats and my big boy loves them. Good luck!!!

[QUOTE=mrs_mike98;1963339711]I was picking up a new bag of food at PetCo today and while I was there I stopped to look for some good chew treats for Molly. They didn't have any Bully sticks, but they did have lots of various beef bones (not rawhide) - knees, ribs, knuckle, tibia, etc.
QUOTE]

As an employee of Petco, I got suckered into buying some "ham bones" that were on sale. Never again. My dogs ate the whole thing in a matter of an hour and their poops were not good. I stick with the marrow bones from the butcher. An occasional bully stick as a special treat. Rawhide- my guys get in moderation- and only when supervised. I bought them those huge candy cane ones at Christmas- and they've only had then a few times for a half hour or so. They may last till May.

I have heard if you limit the time on rawhide so that its totaly dry when the dog gets it they ingest less at a time so it is not as bad, I will avoid it however. I am gonna try to stick to kongs and the nylon bones as long as I don't see a problem with the things gettign destroyed too fast (i worry about choke hazards lol)

The smoked bones splinter, occasionally a dog would come in with one at work, we finally stopped allowing them when I found really sharp shards in one of the kennels. The white ones are terribly hard, your dog can break teeth on them. I'd stick to raw ones from the grocery store. When you first start, limit the time chewing or scoop some marrow out, it's really rich and can upset tummies at first.

my dog can't digest those "commercial" bones. the runs! so RUN!

i just get raw beef marrow bones for her and even then sometimes it doesn't sit well.

I'm scared to give my bones. The last time I did, he bit off a piece, and I though he swallowed it whole. Apparently he must have chewed it up good, but I was freakin out.

I only give him bully sticks, because it's almost impossible for him to break a piece off...it has to be gnawed down from the end.