Recreational RMBs

[Ninso]

So, on Sunday I decided, why not skip the rawhides and give the dogs some frozen RMBs (marrow bones, to be specific) to chew on instead. Monday morning at 4:30 I cleaned up copious amounts of diarrhea (thankfully not on the carpet), then I came home from work to find two dogs marinating in their own poo in their crates. Well, the rest of my night consisted of cleaning crates, washing bedding, bathing dogs, making them all rice for dinner, and cleaning up one more round of diarrhea on the carpet. How do you guys do it? Can you not feed recreational RMBs if your dogs are kibble fed? The RMBs are cheaper and supposedly healthier than rawhides, but with rawhides I don't have messes to clean up. Any suggestions?

[Lenajo]

There is nothing wrong with your choice of raw bones, just a little, well a lot, too much at one time. Raw meaty bones with lots of marrow are rich food. When dogs aren't used to it I recommend giving it to them for no more than 30 minutes (15 if a strong chewer or the bone is thawed out before eating), then put the bone back in the freezer until the next day.

 

Your dogs just did what you would have done (well, not in a crate or on the carpet LOL) if you'd eaten a few pounds of steak tar tar after living for months on a diet of rice and cereals. Just too much, to fast!

[Ninso]

Ok, so they had them for about 45 minutes too long then! I think there was quite a bit of meat on the bones too. Will I have to give them on a regular basis in order for their guts to get used to them or if I just give them a little bit occasionally will it be ok?

[Lenajo]

It will get better with regular use, but rich food is still rich. You will find what each dog's limit is over time.

 

You might also try providing the bones frozen. There is less mess, it takes longer to get the meat off (more chewing time).

[Chesney's Girl]

You can also try giving them knuckle bones. I find that there is WAY less of the marrow in them and are soft enough for the dogs to make progress on them. The knuckle bones are the ends of the femur that your marrow bones come from

[haleigh]

Joy used to be like this with marrow bones, but I found a little trick that works.

 

I scooped out most of the marrow (about 90%) and formed it into little balls and stuck 'em in the freezer. Joy got the bone and was allowed to munch on it however long she felt like. With each meal, I popped in a marrow ball or two. As time went on, I'd add more marrow to her food. Just like adding a new kibble, or as raw feeders know, adding a new organ like kidneys or liver.

[sweet_ceana]

Ceana and Poke have this problem as well. I will have to limmet their time with knuckle bones for now on. LOL, until we get our timing right they only get their bones on the weekend, when we are home to let them out if the HAVE to go. Poke just doesn't get why no one will snuggle him after he has had diahrea in his crate...EWWWWWWW