What Size Bones Should my Dog Eat?

The first time I fed my dog a bone I had no idea what I was doing. I didn’t know there were certain types of bones that I shouldn’t offer, I didn’t think about the different fat content and I didn’t think I would need to teach my dog how to eat a bone!

I hope that this table helps you to determine safe bone options for your dog, based on their size and my experience feeding dogs. This is particularly important if you’ve been sticking with one type of bone and you’re unsure what else you can offer.

There is a handy “fatty or lean” guide at the bottom to make sure you’re not always offering fatty bones – a problem if your dog is relatively sedentary, overweight or prone to pancreatitis.

Click here to view my Supplier of Bones and get a discount on your first order.

There are many more bones your dog can safely eat, so please don’t ONLY feed those listed here. Use this as a handy size guide to help you determine if a bone is safe or not. When in doubt, speak with a Canine Nutritionist.

As long as your dog eats their bones properly, larger breeds are able to eat smaller bones, and smaller dogs are fine to gnaw the meat off larger bones. If your individual dog is prone to swallowing bones, opt for larger bones and hold them in your hand to keep control.

*If you have never fed your dog a bone before, or need more help, please contact a Canine Nutritionist for the correct way to introduce your dog to eating bones.

Are There Any Bones I Shouldn’t Feed?

Often referred to as “Recreational Bones,” the leg bones of cows, sheep, deer, and other ruminant animals are very dense. Chewing through these bones (in capable dogs) can lead to premature tooth wear, cracked teeth, and sore jaws. These bones are not “no-go” bones, but they require more careful feeding than those I’ve recommended above.

These recreational bones are better offered to dogs, who will gnaw the meat off and leave the rest. This is a great pastime activity and a great way for your dog to clean their teeth. If your dog is the type to try to chew through the bone, I’d suggest holding it and/or removing it once the majority of the flesh has been removed to prevent this “over-chewing”.

Where do I Find These Bones?

Many of the options above can be found from local butchers, game meat suppliers or pet food suppliers (ideally, human grade).

I personally buy my dog’s meat and bones from Rogue Raw in Australia. I have included links to their products above as I really think they have great produce and ethical values for both the dog and their prey. If you choose to click on any of their links, I may earn a commission, which helps me feed my dog and supports a really awesome business.

If you can, always buy human-grade meat and bones for your dog. Unfortunately, in Australia, meat and bones intended for animal feed are not treated the same as meat and bones intended for human consumption. This lack in quality leads to a lack or drop in nutrients and we want ot be feeding nutrient dense food.

Why do I Want to Feed Bones?

Bones contain an abundance of minerals in the correct ratios for dogs, meaning there is no need to worry about over- or under-supplying certain nutrients, such as Calcium.

Bones provide mental enrichment and the release of “feel-good” hormones that can create a calming effect in your dog. It is common for a dog to take a nap after a good 30 minutes of chewing on a suitable bone.

Bones are your dog’s and their ancestor’s best way of removing plaque buildup on their teeth. Despite what any commercial dog food or treat packets will tell you, wild dogs have relied on bones for their dental health for thousands of years.

Fat Content Considerations

When choosing a bone to feed with your dog’s meal or as an entire meal, take into consideration the animal it’s come from and what part of the animal. The below may help you to choose a suitable pairing to avoid feeding too much or too little fat. Fat is a necessary nutrient, but overdoing it can cause weight gain in less active dogs and Pancreatitis from the digestive system needing to unnecessarily process large amounts of fat.

In general, feeding a fatty meat portion with a leaner meaty bone and vice versa is good practice.

**Please note these are general guidelines and not intended as complete nutrition advice for your individual dog. If you are unsure, you should consult a Canine Nutritionist.

Please Feed Your Dog Bones…

Once I had finally learned how to feed my dog bones, the changes in his demeanour were incredible. I didn’t realise how much of a change it would have, I had never seen him so satisfied after a meal. He focused in on the bone and chomped away at it as he lay on the grass under a tree. When he was done, he came inside and napped for the rest of the afternoon. I truly felt horrible for depriving him of bones for the first 9 years of his life.

Your dog’s digestive system still mirrors that of their wild ancestors. Eating meaty bones is a completley normal part of a dogs diet and has many phsyiological benefits other than being “food”. Don’t let modern feeding habits take this away from them.