Bone Safety Tips

Elk	Bison	Beef

 

 

Why are Blackwing for Pets FIVE STAR BONES™ the Best Bones in the Business™?

Blackwing for Pets only sells USDA Certified Organic or 100% Certified All Natural meaty marrow bones from the USA and Canada. Sources are raised on free range open prairie and pasture lands, unsprayed by pesticides or other chemicals, and guaranteed to be free of steroids, added growth hormones, or antibiotics.  Blackwing Five Star Bones™ do NOT use any chemical preservatives, artificial colors, or flavors on our healthy dog bones. This strict sourcing is your assurance of a healthy, pure bone for your dog- after all, meaty bones are a food!  So we handle them frozen exactly as if they were to be used to make soup or stew for human consumption, until the moment they enter the smokehouse.  They are then slowly heat smoked at moderate temperatures, with natural wood chips, the old fashioned way! This is the same cooking method used for natural hams, bacon, and sausages. This process cooks the bone, the meat clinging to the bones, and the delicious and nutritious marrow in the center of the bone.

 

REAL BONE SAFETY: FAQs and HEALTHY CHEWING GUIDELINES

 

Why should you give Real Five Star Bones™ to your dog?

Real bones are as natural as can be for dogs to chew; all wild canines chew bones, and that is one of the reasons that they have such powerful jaws and teeth!  Real bones have proven dental benefits for our domestic canine companions as well. The scraping action removes plaque from the teeth like a dental tool, bone chewing massages the gums, and bone chewing stimulates oral enzymes that also help remove plaque and tartar. Tooth cleaning results from real bones far exceed the results from baked biscuits, hard kibble, or so-called “dental chews.” Bones are “Nature’s toothbrush” for dogs and in the days when it was common for most families to share bones with their dogs, there were far fewer dental problems in dogs. Bone chewing should not be substituted for proper veterinary dental care when needed, but it will help to keep teeth cleaner and whiter, and discourage plaque formation when chewed regularly.

 

 And of course, what makes a dog happier and more content than sinking their teeth into a real meaty bone? Real Bones are the ultimate in providing natural canine contentment!  Therefore, the benefits of real bones are hard to beat.

 

How often should I give my dog real bones?

Once a week is a good target frequency to keep teeth cleaner. But you may give your dogs bones more often as you prefer.  

 

How do I handle real bones for maximum food safety?

1- Five Star Bones™ are naturally heat smoked which kills bacteria, but washing hands thoroughly before and after handling real bones gives added sanitary protection both to you and your dogs.

2- Very young children should not handle real bones, and adult supervision is always a must when young children and dogs interact, especially around food or treats.

 

 

Safe Chewing Tips

 

Every dog is different in their chewing style and capabilities.

 

We cook the bones through smoking at the right temperature, and for the right amount of time to give them just the right texture.  But no cooking method can prevent all breakage.

 

Bigger dogs naturally have more power and can more easily break bones than smaller dogs.  Some dogs are naturally more aggressive chewers than others.  By observing the following bone safety guidelines, you can help your dog to enjoy the satisfaction and dental health benefits of chewing real bones, while helping prevent any problems associated with real bone chewing.

 

1- Only give real bones to dogs when you are willing to spend the time to supervise them while chewing.  You will then see how much they enjoy and are actually calmed by this instinctively "wired" behavior while also providing the key safety factor of human supervision. 

2- Only give bones to dogs that are willing to let you remove food from their mouths or around them without aggression. If you can't train your dog to accept gentle removal of a bone from the dog's mouth or the area around them, they may not be the best candidates for bones.       

3- When pieces break off, remove them and discard. 

4- If in rare circumstances, a bone breaks into pieces, that bone is no longer suitable for chewing and should be discarded.

5- Dogs can typically consume very small pieces of bone, but sharp and larger pieces should be removed as soon as they split from the bone.

 

By following these guidelines, you and your dog will have a positive and safer chewing experience. Your dog’e health, safety, and enjoyment are our top priorities at Blackwing for Pets.