Is it ok to feed Dry food all the time + which bones?

[kbreese]

I will be picking up my new girl next week (a gorgeous 2yr old female pit with very unique piercing blue eyes that I am rescuing from a local shelter), and want to plan her diet. I had 2 other pits in the past and always fed them Nutro Natural which I never had any complaints about-coats were always shiny and stools were good, but after reading up on it a bit more, I am going to try the Wellness brand dog food this time around.

My questions is if it is ok to just feed the straight dry food all the time. Someone posted something about how this can lead to problems? Should I supplement with wet food, or maybe just add water to the dry food half the time? The reason I like to feed dry is to keep their teeth clean, but I don't want to do that at the expense of their health down the road...

Also, could someone recommend good Bones.

Thanks,
Kevin

[mydogroxy]

i've never heard about any problems arising feeding just straight dry food. that's what most people do (it seems) and most don't have problems.

adding water or some canned food may make the food a little more appetizing to the dog. make sure the canned food, of course, is as high quality as the dry.

good bones for chewing/exercise are marrow or soup bones, as well as rib bones. i always use marrow bones as they come with a little meat on them and roxy has a good time getting the marrow out and chewing on the bone. the pieces are usually quite big and don't break off in little pieces that could be swallowed. and they last a looong time.

[kbreese]

thanks for the info, but what are marrow bones?

[jmann4]

thanks for the info, but what are marrow bones?

I call them soup bones. Most grocery stores have them. They have the marrow still in them.

[kbreese]

But what are they? Beef bones? Do you have to go in the meat department and ask for them or do they sell them already packed in the meat section or something? I have never seen or noticed Bones for sale in my supermarket... ??

[concreterose]

They are beef bones usually. That's what you can ask for. Beef marrow bones, or beef soup bones.

[kbreese]

ok thanks guys.

Any more input on whether or not its ok to just feed dry food all the time? As Long as its ok to do and my dog likes the food and doesnt get bored with it i see no reason to add any wet food, especially since the dry is better for their teeth.

[concreterose]

The dry being better for their teeth is not an absolute. Wet is also good for the added water in their diets. My dogs eat wet and dry. When they eat just dry, I still add water to their food, so it's not really totally dry. What helps their teeth is regular brushing and chewing on raw bones, bully sticks, nylabones and things of that nature. I would stay away from rawhide, it can be pretty dangerous for bulldogs as they bite off large chunks, and the chemicals in it are pretty harmful too.

[mnp13]

I don't put water on Ruby's food, she drinks plenty of it on her own.

The bones all depend on your dog. You can get knuckle bones from any butcher, the messier and meater the better, your dog will love them. I never give pork bones, raw or cooked, they shatter pretty easily. I only gave the dogs rib bones once, they turned them into splinters in minuntes, I don't recommend them.

I agree 100% that raw hide is bad stuff. It's really nasty when they puke it up on the couch right next to your friend...

Michelle

[kbreese]

I can't imagine that there is not a danger to feeding these Raw bones... What about all the bacteria and salmanella (sp?) etc etc...??

Michelle, your dog looks very shiny

[mnp13]

Thank you, Ruby is doing quite well on Canadae. Her dandruff is gone, her coat is shiney and her breath smells like something died yesterday (instead of a week ago.)

Have you ever seen a wolf cooking its meat?

Keep the bones in the fridge until you give them to the dog, and then if there is any left rinse them in cold water and put them back in the fridge until next time. I would not give them a meaty bone in the house of course (though both Ruby and Connor have tried to bring them in from the yard!!!), but I woudn't worry about the dog getting sick.

Michelle

[barbponys]

Dry dog food doesn't clean teeth, sure wish that fallacy would prove out.
Feeding raw beef knuckles or femurs or whatever doesn't really present a health risk as far as bacteria. Rib bones splinter and can cause perferations and such but e Coli and salmonella aren't much of a concern. They can eat weeks dead carcasses, fresh bones won't cause any harm. The Benefit to their teeth is enormous. My 8 year old hasn't had to have a dental yet, her teeth aren't pearly white but they sure don't have tartar either. The peace and quiet you get out of them chewing on the bones is priceless.

[elegy]

it's weird- luce always has fresh raw bones to chew (and chew she does!) but i still have to brush her canines because they get tarter buildup along the gumline.

i feed her kibble (canidae) but usually something else mixed in - sometimes egg, sometimes yogurt, sometimes a bit of ricotta cheese, sometimes tuna juice, sometimes apple cidar vinegar. she gets the occasional raw meal, too.

[mnp13]

Dry dog food doesn't clean teeth, sure wish that fallacy would prove out.

I have had two foster dogs who ate nothing but wet food, they had the most disgusting teeth and breath I have EVER experienced. The Keeshond was 8 years old and his teeth were BLACK. I switched him to dry food and gave him a bone and his teeth were noticeably better in a week. Yes, the bone had a lot to do with it, but I can't imagine the dry food didn't.

Dry food may not 'clean' teeth, but it sure helps to keep them in condition and looking nice.

My parent's dogs only get dry and they don't have bones or chew toys (to prevent arguements) and they have beautiful teeth.

Michelel

[kbreese]

I live in an apartment and its not all that feasible for me to feed a messy raw bone that will get all over the carpet. Maybe occasionally I could give one outside and have to take it away before coming back in or something.

What about Synthetic bones. i remember giving my dogs years ago these fake bones from petco-I think they were Nylabones.... Any other good ones? My biggest priority is to help keep her teeth clean and to keep her occupied too...