Marrow Bones....

[Brooke&Ryan]

Hi everyone----

We've been giving Julius marrow bones every once in awhile & the supermarket where we get them at usually sells three in a pack. We stuff the others in the freezer. Actually, we were just at the supermarket buying them & Ryan & I got into a discussion about how long they'll last in the freezer. I said quite awhile (like 3-4 months at least) while he likes to use them up & not let them be in the freezer that long. What would you say is a max. freezer time for the marrow bones???

Thanks everyone!
Brooke

[rottnkidd]

Hi Brooke - I'm not sure exactly what your concern is about the marrow bones, but I would think the only problem with extended freezing would be freezer burns.
kathy

[Brooke&Ryan]

I really don't have a concern about them. I just know that many things that you freeze have a certain amount of time they're supposed to be in the freezer before they get the freezer burns, etc.....& I wanted to know how long they typically last in the freezer.

:)
Brooke

[Carina43]

Probably decades. :)

I feed my dogs freezerburned meat fairly often because I'm sloppy about wrapping it securely. They don't seem to mind one bit.

[Brooke&Ryan]

Originally posted by Carina43
Probably decades. :)

I feed my dogs freezerburned meat fairly often because I'm sloppy about wrapping it securely. They don't seem to mind one bit.

Thanks Carina. I'll show Ryan this post & say Nyah, Nyah!!!!!:p :p Julius is hanging out in the living room right now munching on one.....

Brooke

[Rott-Wiley]

I never gave this much thought, I did give Bailey a bone tonight and I couldn't even begin to guess how long it was in the back of the freezer but I don't think I bought that bone in '03 because it is one of those long bones I don't normally buy anymore.

[samanthac]

With two (and soon to be three) who get one every night, they are never around long enough for me to find out! ;) :D

[moondog]

I'd say when Julius sticks his nose up at it, that's when it's been in the freezer too long! :D

[Brooke&Ryan]

Originally posted by moondog
I'd say when Julius sticks his nose up at it, that's when it's been in the freezer too long! :D

HAHAHA! Thanks moondog! I guess that'll be our rule of thumb from now on!!! :D

Samanthac----So it's okay to give them every night??? I was wondering about that also. Julius LOVES them & sat & munched his last night for about three hours. I know he wouldn't mind chewing away every night.....;)

:)
Brooke

[samanthac]

Let me tell you...if I even think about not giving them I am followed, stalked and hounded until I do.:D

I give them each one every night after we've finished eating. Athena gets her bone in leui of her dinner as she is less active. If Disel has an active day he gets 1/2 his normal evening kibble and then the bone. Otherwise he just gets bone as well.

Their teeth look awesome. Their coats look awesome and they are quite content. They often simply chew themselves right to sleep.

When people come over we proudly refer to it as the Carnivore Hour. The looks on their faces are pretty amusing! ;)

[Brooke&Ryan]

So Julius gets 4 c. of Canidae a day & if he really doesn't have an active day we should give maybe one cup of food & then the bone???

Or today we took a walk & then hiked a mountain w/ him.....so he should get his regular food amount & then marrow bone???


:)
Brooke

[Rott-Wiley]

A lot of that is going to depend on a few things. Do you want him to loose weight? One cup less would be 25% less food -- that's quite a bit. I think I'd try to reduce by maybe 10%.

Is there much meat on the bones you're giving or are they primarily grizzle and marrow? If it were me, unless he is starting to get heavy (and you want to keep him lean for agility) I'd just reduce his kibble by a quarter cup when he's getting a bone.

[Brooke&Ryan]

Okay, thanks for the info. We don't want him to lose weight at all. He's at a healthy weight & can feel his ribs easily. We'll try reducing the food by half a cup or so if we're going to give him a bone. We were thinking about giving a marrow bone maybe 3 times a week or so. Oh, & the bones that we get for him don't have barely any meat left one them. Just grizzle & bone (& marrow).

:)
Brooke

[Rott-Wiley]

That's what I do is give a marrow bone 3 or 4 times a week. Two nights a week are training so not much time for a new bone those nights and I don't want her to think she has to get a bone every night. And I don't even bother changing her food intake. If she starts putting on weight I just give a little less food. I mainly watch her tuck up for that gauge and keep her trim.

[rottnkidd]

The marrow bones are alright occasionally, but I wouldn't allow the dogs to have them for continuous gnawing day afer day. These are weight-bearing bones and they're very hard. In time they will cause tooth wear and they can cause fractures. A friend of ours has been giving his 7 yr old Rottie marrow bones for years now, and the dogs incisors are flat and the canines show wear. Just something to think about. Best wishes -
kathy