My dog Lottie loves raw frozen marrow bones. And I love how healthy they are for her! These bones clean your dog’s teeth in addition to providing them with a nice oral workout – not to mention a healthy dose of natural calcium.
It takes Lottie about 3 or 4 hours to scrape all the marrow out of one of these frozen bones – she’s working on a Nature’s Variety raw beef bone in these photos. Lottie stays quietly in one place, completely entertained, allowing my husband and I to enjoy a few uninterrupted hours when we have dinner guests or just want to watch some TV. On Sundays, a raw frozen bone is the perfect dog occupier while we watch the Bears game!
Plaque and tartar can build up on a dog’s teeth offsetting the balance of good bacteria in the mouth which leaves way for infection and disease to spread. Whether you brush your dog’s teeth or let them chew on raw bones, what’s important is removing that plaque and tartar regularly. Proper tooth and gum health also prevents bad breath! When given raw bones, dogs will scrape food and tartar from their teeth as their ancestors did in the wild. The small amounts of meat tissue typically left on raw bones allows for a separate type of chewing, which is natural and necessary for your dog. This nibbling and pulling action really cleans a dog’s front teeth.
Raw bones can definitely be a little messy. You will want to keep your dog on a doggy blanket or towel that can be easily washed (see Lottie above on her doggy towel). They’re obviously great treats outside and also work well in a crate that can be easily washed out. Once the bone has been chewed down, it is actually quite clean. As with most chews, supervising your dogs while they enjoy a bone is the way to go.
When you’re ready to give your dog a raw frozen bone, give it to them frozen, right out of the freezer. Dogs love an ice cold bone on a summer day! Never heat or cook a raw frozen bone prior to serving. At my house, once the bone is completely clean (about 3 or 4 hours after giving it to Lottie) I throw the bone away. Especially when I’m giving it to her indoors. Lottie really has no interest in them once they are hollowed out and clean. Bravo! brand recommends discarding the cleaned bone after 1 or 2 days stating that these bones are not to be completely consumed.
Nature’s Variety Raw Frozen Bones are made in the USA, and are an excellent source of minerals, essential fatty acids, proteins, and enzymes. They are also a natural, balanced source of calcium and phosphorus. Feed a raw bone as a natural source of chondroitin for joint health or a natural source of fiber. If you’re feeding a raw bone for the first time, Nature’s Variety recommends starting with a Raw Beef Bone.
Bravo! offers both a buffalo and a beef marrow and knuckle bones. Bravo! Bones are uncooked, fresh cut, individually wrapped and flash frozen to preserve their natural goodness. Bravo! Bones are made from human grade beef bones and premium grade, ranch raised, grass-fed, buffalo from Montana. The same bones sold fresh in the grocery store for human consumption.
We recommend raw bones versus cooked or sterilized bones. Cooked bones are more likely to splinter and both cooked bones and white sterilized bones are deprived of beneficial nutrients which raw bones are full of.
