Hi everyone,
Sonny is five months old now - doesn't time fly?!
I know I've asked many questions about raw feeding etc but I'm just wondering if Sonny would be able to cope with chicken carcasses?
He does well with wings, etc and I'm sure he'd love the challenge of a carcass but any tips would be welcome. Oh, For those that don't know Sonny, he's a Golden Retriever.

Thanks

Ruth

MMmmm. Well I know of two hounds that have died from eating chicken carcasses. :(

Good point Sam,
Was that cooked or raw? Do you know if a meat grinder would grind up the bones? I've been thinking about geting one but I'm not sure if they're good for bones.
Ruth

A 5 month old golden should have no trouble eating RAW chicken carcasses one of my girld started on these at about 6 months and hasn't looked back.
But as I am sure you know with any food not to leave the dog alone.

Hi Ruth I think he would be fine at his age now. I always stay with my dogs when they are feeding as well.
Christine, Spain.

Hi Emma and Christine,
I'm a worry guts, aren't I?:)
I'm always around when Sonny's eating so that's no problem.
He's doing really well on his diet - I'm so glad we switched.
Do you just give the whole chicken carcass as it is or chop it up at all?
Ruth

Hi Ruth, no we all worry don`t we! :) I give them whole but you might want to cut them in half maybe till he gets used to them. Glad he`s doing so well on the raw :)
Christine, Spain.

Hi Christine,

Just to say that Sonny enjoyed his chicken carcass although he had to eat most of it outside as he growled at one of the children! He sees them as a threat no matter how much I tell him they don't like raw chicken!
I looked in his mouth this evening and he's got two back teeth coming through so I might give the carcasses a miss or grind them until his teeth are through. Am I mollycoddling him or what?!!:): Well, his 'poor' little gums must be sore!:)

TTFN
Ruth

Hi Ruth, glad he enjoyed it but if any of mine growl thats it!!!!! Take it off him & tell him no very angrily, make him wait & give it back. Every time he growls when foods around take it away, an angry no, make him wait & then give it back until he never ever growls. If he continues then he doesn`t get fed till he stops even if it takes ages And even sometimes now I will take bones out their mouth & then give them back. Don`t ever let him growl at you or anyone & it`s easier to stop it now than later. He`ll get fed up before you :)
Christine, Spain.

The growl is the only warning a dog has, take away that and you might find yourself in the same situation I found myself in with a rescue - a dog who attacks with no warning. If you want your dog to not react negatively when humans are around food, try feeding half ration, then ADDING food to the bowl by hand a little at a time - then on the odd occasion when you do *have* to remove anything you'll have minimal problems - by the time you've got the bowl/food the dog will still be looking for the stuff it was expecting to be added........

Hi Digger, we all have our own way of dealing with things. That is the way I dealt with it with my lot & I am as confident as anyone can be that any one could take their food away/out of their mouths etc. for any reason & my dogs wouldn`t growl or snap at anyone for doing it. I am talking of dogs we know, our family pets, not rescue dogs who`s temperament is unknown.
Christine, Spain.

I agree, but why should a dog we know be handled with any less respect than a rescue?

Hi Digger, I didn`t say they should be. I would not go up to a dog unknown to me while it had a bone or food & try & take it away, but there may be a time when I have to with my own or the kids might get too close & I need to know my dogs would not growl or attack if that happened & thats what I have taught them. Although when I put their food down I won`t allow them to be disturbed by anyone, but if for any reason I had to pick their food up, I could do without them retaliating.
Christine, Spain.

No-one is suggesting we do Digger, however respect goes both ways & I expect MY dogs & hounds to respect me. I do not expect a stray or rescue dog to know this as its unknown if their previous owner had taught them to respect humans.

I agree Christine.

Yep, Christine,

The growling, I hope, is a puppy thing.
He's much better than he was and very 'teachable' so we'll take to heed what you say. I don't want the boys to be afraid of him in anyway 'cos they love rough and tumble with him and then his behavious is perfect.
We'll get there, I'm sure.....this is a learning process

Ruth

er....live Ruth!

Sorry, Sam,

Did I miss something???

Ruth

So are you saying that eating 'live' chicken backs is what killed your Hounds Sam? ;-)

I didn't say it was my hound Digger. All I said was that I know of hounds that have died from eating chicken carcasses....and in answer to Ruths question..."were they cooked or raw?"...the answer was "live" (so raw I guess!!!)

I used to get chicken carcasses ready minced up and very cheap. A meat grinder should easily cope with chicken bones as they are quite soft.

I have a butchers mincer that does the job very well,
it just looks like butchers mince with no trace of a bone whatsoever.
Carole

I raised my last litter totally on raw and bar one they are still on it. By the time they were six weeks they could eat chicken wings, frames and backs with no problem.

Sam: I have had cocks in the past that would do their best to kill the dogs if they went near them but so far no dogs have been killed by chickens. I might be a bit concerned if the dogs tried to eat the older birds as their bones must now be so hard unlike the young ones I get and feed deliberately. :)

Christine

I feel I must post here seen as we're talking about dogs dying from bones...

I know this is a bit different anyway...

We had a dog that snatched a lamb bone off a plate and no one could get near him to remove it... the end result was he was sick all night and all day by the time we got him to the vets he was xrayed and he had ground the bone to nothing, the bone had released toxins into his body which killed him... there was no obstruction but we have always been advised by the vets never to give bones of any kind to dogs because of this...

At the end of the day we all have differnt experiences and I just wanted to tell you mine.

Hi Emily, *We had a dog that snatched a lamb bone off a plate*. I take it was cooked? Cooked bones are dangerous for dogs, but even so, I have never heard of any bones releasing poisonous toxins that could cause death. What kind of toxins, did the vet say?
Christine, Spain.

Hi Emily,

Sorry to hear about your dog and I do appreciate every bit of input that I receive on this site - both for and against.
It's good to hear from all sides. It's really quite difficult at times knowing what to do for the best for your pet but at the end of the day, that's all you can do - your best.
I've heard a few unhappy stories of dogs choking, etc, on bones and am really careful about what I give to Sonny. He never, never eats a cooked bone. Only ones that he can crunch up and chew, i.e. chicken bones.
Ruth