Healthy Bones for Dogs: Here's What to Look For

A few weeks back, I volunteered for the annual community cleanup at the local park our family loves so much. As we spent the day bagging litter, it reminded me of some absolute garbage that passes for a dog bone. Plastic, rubber, rawhide—why are these treated as safe and healthy bones for dogs? It's pretty easy to recognize what I don't want my dogs eating. But with all of the sales gimmicks and long lists of questionable ingredients, it's much harder to figure out what's in healthy bones for dogs.

So, I decided to crack the code. I looked closely at everything from nutrition to general safety to outright health benefits in my search for the healthiest dog bones. Here's what I found.

Is it Healthy for Dogs to Eat Bones?

Yes, dog bones can be very healthy. The healthiest bones are filled with hard-to-get nutrients, so they supplement a healthy diet. They're great for promoting dental health because they act as natural toothbrushes.

And they're good for mental health because dog bones feed a dog's instinct to chew on things.

I go into more detail about the health benefits of dog bones in my recent article: Marrow Bones for the Win!

Bone to Avoid and Why

Rawhide bones are made from the chemically-treated skin of a food animal like a cow, sheep or goat. They use harmful chemicals in the process, including formaldehyde, which is a known carcinogen.

Plastic bones are made from petroleum (motor oil) with added dyes and polymers. These are colorful and fun. But as we've learned more about the dangers of microplastics, these don't seem as FUN as they used to, especially when I consider how dogs destroy these eventually, consuming a lot of that plastic in the process. And by the way, "rubber" toys aren't made of rubber. That's just more plastic called "Thermo Plastic Elastomer (TPE)."

Dog bone treats are crunchy treats for dogs that are usually pretty hard and often shaped like flat bones for effect. They often proclaim teeth-cleaning benefits. But they are not much better than kibble, according to veterinarians. And that's sad because teeth cleaning is one of the reasons you should find a healthy bone for your dog to chew on.

These dog bone treats are also ultra-processed. So, they have a lot of questionable ingredients, including GMO white flour, added sugar, dairy byproducts, and a long list of unnatural emulsifiers and preservatives.

You'll notice a trend here. These are all very unnatural. No ancestral wolf would grab a squeaky toy piece or dried animal skin and start chewing on it.

That wouldn't taste very good.

What to Look for in Health Bones for Dogs

1. All-Natural, Single Ingredient

Healthy dog bones are all-natural, preferably just one ingredient. So you don't have to read the ingredient list and wonder why it takes up a whole page.

2. Super Nutritious

Healthy bones should also have significant nutrition and preferably be lower calorie. Now, dogs are omnivores. So they will eat just about anything you put in front of them within reason. But the most nutritious ingredient they can eat will generally come from an animal because they're already getting a lot of grain, sweet potato, and similar plant foods from kibble.

So, organ meats, real marrow bones for dogs, and chewy cartilage are great additions. These animal-based foods are packed with nutrition like collagen, healthy fats, iron, calcium, and a lot more. They're also relatively low in fat and calories when consumed as directed.

3. Digestibility

Your dog needs to be able to access the nutrition. So, it must be digestible.

4. Prepared for Safety

First of all, the American Veterinary Medical Association recommends against raw animal food because of the risk of pathogens. But, cooked bones can also be risky if cooked for too long or at too high a temperature. Dinner bones and used bone broth bones—those are out.

It's important to choose a dog bone vendor who understands this fine balance.

5. Right Type of Animal Bone

Chicken and turkey bones can shatter. Pork bones are too soft. Smaller animals not only have shatter-prone bones. They're also too small for large dogs who need BIG bones. That causes a safety issue as my dog could swallow the bone, leading to a blockage or choking.

But you probably already knew about these animal bone risks. What about cow bones? Are they safe? Well, it depends.

Dairy cow dog bones come from retired dairy cows. A dairy cow can produce milk for several years. This is naturally depleting their body because cows aren't supposed to produce milk for their whole adult life. When they can no longer produce, dairy farmers can't afford to keep them, so they can become dog bones. However, because the cow is older and its bones are mineral-depleted from continual production, it has weaker bones.

So, instead, you want marrow bones that come from beef cattle. Beef cattle are processed at 29 months for their beef. That's much younger than the average dairy cow. And you're doing a good thing in helping ranchers use the whole animal.

6. Grass-fed

Now, this one may seem a little picky. But hear me out. Products from grass-fed beef herds are higher in several key nutrients, including anti-inflammatory omega 3. Plus, they have less saturated fat, which can be extra irritating to the stomach and pancreas.

Since finding a healthy bone is a top priority for me, I am willing to take this extra step. Plus, I buy in bulk and save.

7. Long Shelf Life

I also look for bones packaged to last for a while without refrigeration. This ensures that the bones don't expire and pose a safety risk.

8. Repeat Use

The healthiest bones for dogs should last a long time. This is where buying quality comes in. Real marrow bones for dogs can stand up to aggressive chewing, so you can give your dog a bone over and over until the marrow is gone. One dog bone can last for a month or two this way.

This is important because marrow bones are nutrient-dense. And it's better to spread that nutrition out to get the most health benefits. The American Kennel Club recommends that treats (including dog bones) be no more than 10% of the diet. That comes out to around 2-3 times a week for 15-20 minutes.

So, here's what I do. I open up one of the individually wrapped marrow bones. It's covered in meaty bits and filled with naturally-occurring marrow, which is sweet and buttery. Dogs love it. After 20 minutes, I take the bone away.

Now, I realize this would be a no-go for some dogs who would fight to keep their bone. So, I like you trade them a beef lung bite for the bone. They drop it. And I can freeze it for a couple of days. Then, when I bring it back out, they're ready for more.

When the bone marrow is gone, I can still get a couple more uses out of the bone by refilling it with tasty, dog-approved, healthy treats for dogs like peanut butter or canned pumpkin. You can see how I do it in this free, downloadable recipe guide.

And there you have it. That's what I look for in healthy bones.

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