Smoked Bones?

[Gary Spo]

I have read a lot in the forums not to feed your dog cooked bones, but what about smoked bones? Are they the same thing as cooked bones? It seams most of the pet stores here have just smoked bones.
Are the smoked bones OK for a 4 month old female pup?

[Jo Ellen]

If they're sold in pet stores, they're probably okay. As with any bone, supervision is a good idea :)

[marshab1]

My puppy is 6 months old and we couldn't live with out the smoked bones. She gets a new one about every week and a throw an old one out about every week. We always have a couple laying around the house. It's been great for her teething. It's the only thing that she will chew on for any length of time.

Make sure you get large ones so that she can't swallow it whole or choke on it. We started with some of the smoked ham bones and then tried a huge knuckle bone. She loves those best and there is really nothing to break off so it seems pretty safe. She also really likes the femur bones. They look a little messy but I've never had it stain anything. even when she carried one into my room and chewed it on my white down comforter.

Sometiem s the grocery stores are cheaper than the pet stores. I can usually find them in the meat department or pet area of my local grocery stores.

[goldenpaws]

I would just go with raw marrow bones if I were you, you can probably get them free from your butchers...definitely the safest way to go, as in my experience smoked bones still splinter. If a bone is totally raw then the bone is softer and will not splinter like cooked ones will.

I actually just found out that roast bones are actually not roasted at all but are 'deep fried' YUK!!!

Just because it is in a pet shop I wouldnt assume it is safe. In our local big chain pet shop they have a whole host of roasted, fried, smoked bones...all of which I would not say were particularly safe.