Most likely, most of us have a question about how to occupy our dog while we are at work? What would our four-legged friends make happy and pampered? Along with a healthy and tasty dinner and supper, give them recreational bones!

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF RECREATIONAL BONES?

• Bones are a source of calcium. They also contain proteins and fats.
• Strengthen muscles. Tearing and biting bones strengthens the jaw and spinal muscle of your pet.
• Healthy teeth. Bones for dogs are like a toothbrush - chewing removes plaque and tartar from the teeth, and also helps to eliminate the unpleasant smell from the mouth. Untreated bones contain natural enzymes, which break down the biofilm.
• In this way, when the pet gnaws a bone, plaque is gently cleaned off the teeth.

• Psychological health. Gnawing is a natural instinct for dogs. It is better to cherish it with quality raw bone rather than a factory-made plastic substitute that has no nutritional value. The taste of raw bone for dogs is naturally tasty and positively stimulates their mental health.

SO, LET'S TAKE SOME TIME AND CHOOSE THE SAFEST (AND MOST DELICIOUS) BONE FOR YOUR DOG...

There are two main types of recreational bones: elongated bones and flat bones.

Long bones. Most often found in the legs and wings of animals. These bones are designed to hold weight and as a result, they have a hard, smooth surface, as well as a center filled with bone marrow. The ends of these bones are soft and include a great amount of cartilage.

Flat bones. These are the bones of the spine, ribs, pelvis, and shoulder blade. They are softer than long bones and do not contain so much bone marrow. They also have more curved surfaces.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT BONE SIZE

The sizes of the dog and the edible bone must be proportional.

Large dogs. The bones of oxen, elk, and other large animals are usually a good choice for large, aggressive biters. Some good choices are beef neck bones, beef rib bone, and pelvic bones.

Small and medium-sized dogs. The bones of smaller animals, such as deer, goats, pigs, and lambs, can be eaten by smaller dogs, but not by four-legged ones of a larger breed. Safe choices include beef ribs bones of the neck of the lamb (which are very fleshy) and ribs of pork or lamb.

WELL, NOW LET'S TALK A LITTLE MORE ABOUT SAFETY...

Bones, even safe ones, can cause problems for your dog if your choice of bones is inappropriate. Here are some tips to help you increase the safety of your dog's favorite pastime.

#1 STRICT NO TO COOKED BONES

Bones should always be fed raw. Cooking changes the chemical structure of the bone. Cooked bones are brittle and sharp when broken and incredibly hard to digest. Feeding your pet cooked bones can have unpleasant consequences for your pet including vomiting, diarrhea, impaction, or perforation of the digestive tract. Bones naturally contain the perfect mineral make-up for all life stages of dogs and cats. Cooking removes these minerals and other nutrients from the bone. The same applies to mixed meals that contain ground bone. Do not cook these formulas.

#2 CONSTIPATION

Long bones have soft ends, which contain a large amount of cartilaginous substance. This type of bone may not be an appropriate choice for large, aggressive chewers, as they can tear off a large piece of cartilage.

Cartilage can accumulate in the intestines, and if your dog is not used to the bones or he has eaten too much of them, he can get to the veterinary clinic (an enema procedure or even surgery is often used in such cases), to eliminate clogging.

Signs of such inability can be bloating, altered posture, and frequent unsuccessful attempts to defecate or vomit. Just be aware of these signs or, better yet, do not give these types of bones (for example, femoral bones) to big dogs.

#3 SPLITTING OF TEETH

The long bones are quite hard and can break your dog's teeth. Flat bones are a better option for dogs of medium and large sizes, as they are much softer and there is less chance of choking.

Flat bones will also last longer, as they have interesting, fragile surfaces that hide meat better than long bones, which makes them much more interesting to play with.

When the bones dry out, they can also become brittle, so do not leave the dog's bones for days. Let your dog chew them for a day or two, then throw them in the trash or compost.

#4 DIARRHEA

Dogs that rarely eat bones, or dogs that eat more bones than usual, may face diarrhea.

As a rule, it is caused by nutritious and fatty bones. Long bones have more bone marrow than flat bones, so flatter bones can be a better option if your dog has diarrhea problems.

#5 INDIGESTION

After eating too many bones, dogs can face indigestion. You can see white or yellowish, powdered feces or even yellowish, watery stools.

It is important to make sure that the dog eats meat, but does not gnaw too much bone. In general, if your dog eats more recreational bones than you planned, give a few bristles more meat and fewer bones (if it’s a RAW nutrition). It will balance his minerals, including calcium and phosphorus.

#6 TOXINS

Stay away from the bones of older animals ... They are more likely to be filled with toxins and contaminants. It is best to collect bones from young, ideally, grass-fed animals (this is exactly what we use in ZENOO food).

Organically bred animals are also a safer option for the same reasons.

So, if you want your dog not to get bored and his mental and physical condition would be perfect, grab a recreational bone and let your dog enjoy it!