Okay this may sound really daft

Whenever I get raw bones for the doglets I only usually get 2 so they have one each. Today the butcher very kindly gave me a huge bag - about 10 raw bones in all. I've given them 1 each for now but I'm a bit amiss as what to do with the others.

I've put them in the fridge, is that ok?

Also how long do they last? And I know Cotton is not a dog but will she be able to have a bone? She's 3 months old and I'm not sure if it's too much for her - she might choke etc. would she be ok if I supervised her?

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I freeze marrow bones, they get them for about an hour, and then I bag them and freeze them again.

I've got a freezer that's for dog food only though, which means none of the half chewed bones ever come into contact with anything I want to eat

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Brilliant idea, thanks! I have an empty drawer which I will designate 'dog food only' for now

Sky's just munched her way through 2 bones, do you think I should give her any more?

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Freezing bones is fine, provided they're fresh. I'd usually allow about 30mins to an hour and then take it away again. Dogs not used to bones should be supervised, and the bone should be bigger than the dog's mouth. You should also practice taking it away every now and then so the dog doesn't try and wolf it down. Substitute one instead of usual food once or twice a week. Some people even say a dog should fast one day a week but I think that's a bit harsh!

Thanks! They both loved them and polished them off within an hour I kept them in the living room and supervised both, neither had problems and after the initial "omg omg omg I love it!!!" they both settled down and did not attempt to wolf it down in one go.

I will make this a regular thing now as I only used to do it as a treat x

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You may find a whole marrow bone bungs them up a bit, it might not, but if it does then just gauge how long to leave them with bones without this particular effect. If you can give them oily fish, this will help any passage way problems (so to speak) just add a bit to their normal meal

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Countryside Alliance



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Brilliant, thank you! God they're so spoilt

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I used to give my Dobermann big cow femur bones, but swapped over to the meaty knuckle bones instead. The best bit is that even from a puppy, he'd share his bones with the kittens in front of the fire place. Wee lil puppy with a miniscule kitten on either end of a bone bigger than the both of em!! lol

I would recommend giving the cat the option of a bone, they wont go so far as to actually eat the bone, but they do like sharpening their teeth on em and chewing off the bits of tissue that might be left over

Thanks I tried her on a bone earlier, she ate some of the meat and then batted it about the living room

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My friend gets me 4 big marrow bones each week when she gets bones for her whippets. Her butcher gives them to her for free so she always asks for the extra 4 and tells him they are for her big dogs. I only have 3 big dogs but Zoe has 1 Button is shut in the garden with 1 and William has 1 but buries it in his bed and then guards it.The 4th goes into the fridge. The next day Button has a fresh bone William has his bone back and Zoe then has Button's old bone. Button wont have the old bone again. Zoe normally ends up with all 4 in her crate and will chew on the for hours. Buttton just strips the meat of them but doesn't bother with the marrow Zoe loves the marrow and will not eat her tea for a couple of days. She just has her bones.

Unfortunately I don't have room in my freezer to freeze the bones to save them until later in the week.

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Sammy you may be gone but your sprit will always live on in the sunbeams R I P Sammy

William- 6/11/03 - 24/3/10
Midge - 8/2/11 - 10-2-11