The connection between dogs and bones goes back to ancient times. In some translations of Aesop’s The Dog and Its Reflection, written over two and a half thousand years ago, the dog is carrying a bone. In Terentius Varro’s Rerum rusticarum libri tres he advises: ‘Provide dogs with meat and bones’, and Psalm 37 in the Bible includes the words: ‘Righteous chews on wisdom like a dog on a bone.’ Literature is full of dog/bone references, too, from Chaucer’s Knight’s Tale, which includes a line about two dogs fighting for a bone (‘We stryve as dide the houndes for the boon…’) to Enid Blyton’s Bones and Biscuits: Letter from a Dog Named Bobs (‘But bones and biscuits! If a cheeky bird didn’t fly down to my nose and eat a crumb off my left whiskers!’). The theme also appears in art: the fifteenth-century illustrated manuscript Très Riches Heures shows a dog being fed a bone, Landseer was forever painting dogs with bones and Hergé’s famous cartoon dog, Snowy, is frequently pictured carrying an enormous bone.
The practice of giving bones to dogs probably dates back to when wolves were domesticated tens of thousands of years ago. At some point our human ancestors started selective breeding to produce dogs that could hunt, guard, provide companionship and ruin our upholstery. However, although we may have managed to alter the way dogs look (and, to a certain extent, think), physiologically, they haven’t changed. There is absolutely no difference (apart from size) between the internal organs and digestive process of my late Norfolk terrier Edward (aka, with good reason, Edward Scissormouth) and that of a grey wolf. Dogs, like wolves, are carnivores or, to be strictly accurate, mesocarnivores. Anatomically, they have evolved to catch, kill and eat prey. Like other predatory animals, they have powerful muscles relative to their size, fused wrist bones and a cardiovascular system that supports both sprinting and endurance – as anyone trying to catch a runaway dog knows only too well. The insides of their mouths are like a sort of Swiss Army knife with different types of teeth to tear off meat, cut sinew and muscle, crush bones, and so forth. This is a family magazine so I will save you a detailed description of a dog’s digestive process. The two key points are that they have incredibly strong teeth and jaws and extremely corrosive (more corrosive than sulfuric acid) stomach acids. In short, raw (clever as dogs are, I have never come across one capable of cooking) bones are part of their natural diet.
Actually, I would go so far as to say that bones are the most vital part of a dog’s natural diet, providing as they do a third or more of their nutritional requirements. This is because they are packed full of minerals (including calcium, magnesium and phosphorous), protein containing essential amino acids (glycine, for example), essential fatty acids, fat soluble vitamins (such as A, D and E) and blood-forming nutrients (copper, for instance, and iron). Thanks to the enzymes and antioxidants they contain, they help to boost health and fight ageing. Best of all, unlike the supplements used in processed dog food, all the minerals and vitamins are completely bio-available – meaning your dog will be able to absorb and utilise them.
Another equally important reason why raw bones should be part of a dog’s diet is that they are nature’s toothbrush. They keep your dog’s teeth clean and gums healthy, stopping the build-up of plaque and preventing decay. As a result, your dog shouldn’t develop any of the nasty oral diseases to which many of those on ultra-processed food are prone. It will also mean they have sweeter breath. There are other benefits. Gnawing on bones keeps dogs fit and strengthens their jaws and upper body. It also keeps them occupied – there isn’t a pair of shoes in the world as desirable or calming as a marrow bone.
Bone feeding tips
Bones must always be raw. Cooked or smoked bones – which are harder and can splinter – should never, ever be given to a dog.
Dogs should generally be supervised when they have a bone – particularly to begin with. I tend to limit bone time to 20 or 30 minutes a session.
Marrow bones (yum, yum) can be a complete meal in themselves but too many aren’t ideal for dogs trying to come down a collar size or two…
Licking/chewing (and gnawing) bones helps to keep teeth clean and gums healthy. Into this group fall marrow bones (although they also contain a good deal of nutrition) and knuckle end bones.
Eating/swallowing bones can be part of a dog’s daily nutrition. Into this group fall chicken or duck wings, poultry carcasses and necks, as well as lamb ribs, lamb necks, pork ribs and tails.
The type of bone that is suitable for your dog will depend on your dog’s breed, size and personality. Some dogs are ‘hard’ chewers. Once they get their paws on a bone their main objective is to finish the whole bone as quickly as possible. These dogs are better served softer eating/swallowing bones. Other dogs are ‘soft’ chewers and can (happily for them) be given any sort of bone.
As a general rule of thumb, the bigger the bone, the better; it should be at least the size of the dog’s head and longer than the width of the dog’s mouth.
There are a few instances where bones should be fed with caution or not at all. If a dog has just had stomach or anal gland surgery, you should give bones a miss. Some dogs just can’t get on with bones, and this needs to be taken into account.
By Jonathan Self
