Buying the first RMB *PlEaSe read!

[MafiaPrincess]

I just bought 60 pounds of raw.. I consider the pork necks and turkey necks RMBs as there is nothing left when my two are done.

I have chicken drumsticks in my freezer.. but I was super paro the first few times my guys ate one.. and then decided not to use them again for a long time. Now they chew them properly.. Was afraid at first though.

Also can matter what your supplier can get. Lady Dekka goes to and I went this morning can get tom and hen turkey necks. HUGE size variation there..

 

[AllieMackie]

Those are rec bones not RMB.. the whole thing must be edible for it to be a RMB.. and should be a decent amount meat (turkey necks are far more meat than they are bone.. backs and frames are only a little more meat that bone.) If your dog isn't eating the bone then you will have to be supplementing like crazy which to me defeats the purpose of going raw in the first place.

That's why I put "RMB" in quotes... I couldn't remember the name for them. That's why I mentioned it as an occasional feeder. Finn is a kibble dog, but gets raw bones for teeth cleaning and the enjoyment of it.

 

[AGonzalez]

I do the same Allie...mine get all the bones I cut out of meat (including chicken wing tips when you make hotwings) and bones from the store where the butcher cuts them...but are mainly fed kibble. They do seem to inhale the wing tips and the other smaller bones so I try to give them bigger pieces so they'll actually chew. I can definitely see how a femur (drumsticks are femurs) would be dangerous for a dog that isn't experienced.

 

[Gypsydals]

Knowing the size of the dog, I would not feed drumsticks as a first time feeding. Because you don't know how he will eat it. Just because he doesn't normally crunch and gulp his food doesn't mean he wont those.

 

[AgilityKrazii]

Thanks for all the replys guys!

Ok so I went out last night and got a chicken leg quarter for him, froze it for 24hrs and give it to him tonight. I held onto it while he ate it and he did wonderfull, at first he licked it and then he started to bite it and chew on it and he chewed it up like a pro! I still have the drumsticks and plan on still giving them to him because he did so awesome his first time and was no way inhaleing it or in anyway going to choke and even if he was getting to big of a peice off that I was worried about I can just tell him to drop it or leave it and out of his mouth it will come.

He is a kibble dog and I dont plan on going raw for awhile I just want to give him the RMBs because they are good for him, great for the teeth and great chewing pleasure. He eats Innova EVO dog food.

How many times a week do you reccommend he gets a RMB?

 

[GreenFireflyGirl]

How many times a week do you recommend he gets a RMB?

Every meal! Ditch the doom nuggets!! (sorry, couldn't help myself, you left yourself wide open for that one.)

The Australian Vet Governing Body actually recommends that it's vets promote feeding of RMBs at least three times a week, to promote tooth health. If that's all you want to feed for, then go for the three times a week. If you want more health benefits, look into a time when you can actually go raw for good.

aside- aren't chicken wings far too bony to make a meal out of? I would never recommend them as a first time starter meal, especially of a dog the size of a lab. I will occasionally let my dog eat drumsticks, as sometimes there's lots in the box when I buy my supplies, but wings are so small and bony, I never feed them. I even find backs and frames to be too bony, I normally just give her a whole chicken, the parts are all attached, and there's lots more meat.

 

[Dekka]

LOL @ doom nuggets.. but Innova is a good food. Not doom nuggets!

I think it depends on where you get your backs from. If you are trying to promote a 'natural' diet a whole chicken is as far off as kibble. Wild game has MUCH MUCH less meat and fat proportionately. Much more bone and organ per muscle meat than any domestic meat animal.

I would feed a good RMB for a meal a day if you can... if not aim for every other day.

 

[fillyone]

I give Dante a turkey neck every 3rd day or so, and it replaces a meal since they're HUGE.

He LOVES freezer day :lol-sign: (Fed frozen to slow him down)

 

[ihartgonzo]

Duhhh.

I agree with Redyre completely! Drumstick + Lab is the perfect recipe for gulping/choking/pooping out whole bones or big fragments. I don't feed them to my boys, who are clearly much smaller and much more experienced. A good general rule is to feed pieces that are roughly the size of the dog's head.

Buy chicken backs/carcasses instead. Whole quarters are safer, but not c : p balanced, and they're still weight bearing bones. You can also get a whole chicken and split it in half or into quarters, not tiny gulpable pieces.

 

[Lizmo]

I don't freeze before a meal if I have just bought it and it's fresh (usually from the grocery store). I will freeze if I have bought in bulk, but I usually thaw before I give any frozen raw.

I, too, wouldn't start with drum sticks. Even for a small dog it would be easy to choke if they were very excited about it. MY guys like chicken quarters and turkey necks (about 10+ inches long)

 

[Pam111]

well, now I feel bad because I mostly ONLY feed drumsticks to the dogs. I've never had an issue...is it ok because they are small dogs?

 

[Dekka]

if your dogs have been ok with it.. then likely its ok for them

 

[Lizmo]

Yup, Jake got them when he was a puppy.

 

[AgilityKrazii]

So I actually gave Rosco a drumstick lastnight because I know my dog and he did awesome, handled it like a pro, chewed it into nice peices and is doing fine a day after!

I would love to be able to give him a RMB once a day but i'm not sure if that will happen but Im going to try I know its really good for him.

 

[Lizmo]

You gave your Lab a drum stick?!