good deal | merrick's hungry dog

Our former foster dog was a seriously aggressive chewer.... he could get through most bones within an hour.


So, I thought I'd try Merrick's Hungry Dog grab bag to see if it would last us longer than investing in a handful of bully sticks/rawhides/chews.

It is considered a "grab bag" so you'll never get the same mix twice. Our bag was a pretty good mix of one snoozle, tons of texas toothpicks, one small flossie, two corporal caps, and what looked to be ears  :


It wasn't a great deal, but it was a good deal at $9 via heartypet. Bestbullysticks also has them at $10.

chews | nylabone alternatives

I'm always looking for alternatives to edible chews like nylabone.
Sample Ingredients (Roast Beef flavor):
Wheat starch, glycerin, Powdered Cellulose, lecithin, potato starch, chicken powder, roast beef flavor, natural bacon flavor, natural flavor, oat fiber, calcium carbonate, soy flour and rosemary oil. Vitamins: Thiamin, Riboflavin, Pantothenic Acid, Vitamin B-6, Folic Acid, Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Biotin, Choline, Inositol and PABA. Minerals: Calcium Carbonate, Ferrous Carbonate, Magnesium Oxide, Dicalcium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Chloride, Zinc Oxide, Copper Oxide, Manganese Oxide and Sodium Molybdate. 

Two of my (aka my foster dog's) favorites:
Zukes Z Ridge

We've tried two varieties, Original Fresh Breath and Cranberry Fresh Breath
Ingredients (original):
Potato Starch, Vegetable Glycerin, Cellulose Fiber, Alfalfa Concentrate (a source of Chlorophyll), Natural Flavor, Lecithin, Whey, Vanilla Extract, Clove Powder, Parsley Powder, Nutmeg Powder and Fennel Seed Powder.
It takes about 10 minutes for pibble Vander to get through a medium Z Ridge


Health Bone Mixed Berry

I actually found these at Petco and was delighted by how great a product this is!
Vander tried the Mixed Berry... ingredients:
Quinoa flour, rice, rice protein concentrate, mixed berries (blueberry, cranberry, cherry), ground flax seed, calcium carbonate, natural flavor, canola oil, mixed tocopherols, rosemary extract, green tea extract.

It took Vander over 45 minutes to get through this bone!!

Worst smelling tripe treat EVER!

Congratulations, Canine Caviar! You have officially created the WORST smelling tripe experience EVER with your Buffalo Green Tripe Hormone and Antibiotic Free Compressed Bone! But, that must mean they are good, because my dogs were only gasping for air as they sucked them down, while I gasped for air out the open window.

Luckily, this only lasted about an hour until they consumed the thing.

From Canine Caviar:

Buffalo have 70% to 90% less fat compared to beef, on average it has 50% less cholesterol. Buffalo graze on open grassland & natural grass. Because they are not fed manufactured feed, there is no concern about mad cow disease at this time. Canine Caviar Buffalo Tripe Bones are extra delicious to give your dogs a long-lasting, satisfying chew (helping to reduce tarter and maintain your dogs teeth and gums). Canine Caviar Buffalo Tripe Bones come from premium quality 100% free range grass fed buffalo. Ingredients Dehydrated Buffalo tripe

Guaranteed Analysis

Crude Protein 70.0 % min. Crude Fiber 1.0 % max. Crude Fat 7.0 % min. Moisture 10.0 % max.

Thoughts on Beef Marrow Bones

Most dog owners have come across the beef marrow (aka soup) bone dilemma... to feed or not to feed?

Following the "know thy dog" mantra, there is no way I could safely answer the beef marrow bone dilemma for you, but I will share what I know and let you make the educated decision for your dog. Again, my two dogs are both under 25lbs. Also, please keep in mind I am only discussing RAW beef marrow bones.

Shown below is a great example of a decent, raw, frozen, beef marrow bone. A better example would be a slightly longer marrow bone covered in globs of tissue and meat filled with marrow:


To most exclusive raw feeders (esp. prey model raw), beef marrow bones are given three names:
1. Wreck Bones
2. Rec Bones
3. No

The first represents the major risk factor associated with this type of bone - they are weight bearing bones from the originating animal and therefore are designed to withstand a great deal of pressure and trauma. If your dog is a power chewer (goes through anything and tries to go through anything) than using this type of bone will make the risk of tooth breakage that much higher because "jaws of steel" doesn't mean "teeth of steel."

The second represents the concept of 'treat' designed for dental health (not unlike the concept of rawhides). Rec[reactional] bones are given sometimes (also depends on who you ask.. sometimes can mean nightly, weekly, monthly..) and the purpose is not to devour the entire bone, but to gnaw the tissues and meat from the outside of the bone, and to clean out the marrow from the inside of the bone. Therefore, finding the right sized raw beef marrow bone with substantial meat and tissue to gnaw off is key.
And the price! Most times, it can't be beat... I can find a pack of 6 'soup bones', raw with globs of the goodies from a local butcher for under $3. Cheaper than rawhide!

Coinciding with the 'wreck' theory, when the bones look like this:

It is safer to just throw them away.

And "No" means no means no. In a balanced raw diet, there is no need for raw beef marrow bones. Why? Because there are a plethora of SAFER non weight bearing bones available to cover the necessary 10% bone ratio (raw chicken, duck, fish, turkey, rabbit, goat, lamb bones). And while raw meaty bones are absolutely essential in a balanced raw diet, weight bearing bones of larger animals (cow, deer, lamb) are non-essential.


To answer my own question, to feed or not to feed, I do in fact choose to feed as once weekly recreational bones. The second image above is what the bones look like when I take them away. My dogs are never unattended while eating these bones and my ears are in superpower mode to hear any bone scraping or gnawing.. as that is the time to remove the bone.