Hi - from reading various posts on the forum - i'm getting the impression that raw chicken wings are safe.  At the risk of causing offence or sounding like a neurotic mother, can i just ask - are they definitely, definitely ok to feed to larger pups - i.e 5 month ridgeback?  I do give him large marrow bones which he adores however my vet did advise no bones of any sort.  He believes that it can encourage food guarding behaviour and also he has seen more health issues from dogs eating bones than anything.  At puppy training hower , the instructor (recommended to us by the same vet) encouraged the feeding of marrow bones as it gives them a mental and physical workout which doesn't damages joints etc.  I made the decision to feed bones however only large marrow bones - my pup adores them but shows no agression towards us when we give him bones and is happy to give them up (as fair exchange with a bonio!!).  I would love to give my pup chicken wings but am a bit nervous - he would almost certainly swallow them whole!  Any advice anyone?

If you do a search for chicken wings or bones on here you will find loads of threads about it.

I have fed raw bones to my dog since he was 8 months old, including chicken wings, lamb ribs, pigs trotters, chicken carcasses, necks, quarters etc. There is a lot of conflicting evidence about but in the end you have to make up your own mind. I have a Golden Retriever who sometimes eats them whole and other times will gnaw them a bit before swallowing them. My vet does not agree with raw feeding but I, myself, am happy with my decision to feed raw. Bones should only ever be fed raw - never feed cooked bones as they will splinter.

Marrow bones are great for all ages and sizes - the marrow is very rich so you may want to scoop some out to begin with until your dog is used to the marrow or he may end up with a dire rear :D

My dog does not guard his food and will happily exchange it for something of greater value if the need arises and I can't see any reason why a bone would be guarded any more than any other source of food.

Try googling BritBarf and you will find answers to your questions :)

I have only just plucked up the courage to feed chicken wings after feeding everything else raw and other bones for a while. I am so glad I did because my lot love them. I feed them to the youngest too who was 4 months old when I started. I am definately glad I started with them....had a bag of frozen ones in my freezer for weeks before I plucked up the courage!! :-D :-D

I use them on both my dobes and they have had them from 3 months old onwards. I just gave them in their crates so not to be running around with them and left them alone to eat although watching from a distance. Mine have both been fine. But My boy will tend to swallow them whole if I get close to him whilst he is eating them. Apart from that they are fine.

Winston have a look at this site http://rawfed.com/myths/ ,also check out the myth about "vets dispensing nutritional advice".

Apart from the authors degree in Zoology and Biology which is the least that any vet will have the only other claim I can possibly see the author making on being a competent judge of a profession that she does not belong to is belonging to the Yahoo Rawfeeding list :)

People dont even need degree's in these things,or any other, to figure out most vets should stick with treating and diagnosing illness,and leave feeding recommendations,and selling of foods to the people who really know what they are talking about...
Ofcourse there will always be the exception,there are vets out there ,who wholly recommend raw chicken wings and natural feeding and will help their clients in any way they can to achieve a healthy home made diet for their pets,or help them to seek out the most appropriate commercial food for their little carnivor's,and not just automatically push science plan or the most popular and/or convenient supermarket food.

>leave feeding recommendations,and selling of foods to the people who really know what they are talking about...

That rules out all the pet shops and feed stores I've been to! The staff there just sell the stuff, they don't know anything about it! :D

I've never managed to have a vet that sold food but I would not have any problem if they did.  I am sure some people find it very convenient and any profits will help maintain the the business to the advantage of all who use it maybe even keep costs down on other essential services.
How can vets stick to treating and diagnosing illness without using their knowledge of the ralationship between nutrition and  aetiology (something I am sure you will heartily agree with) and even the mechanics of eating certain foods?
My point is your piece quoted above appears to have been writen by someone with rather less qualification than a vet and I therefore question why their opinion might be greater or indeed if she is in any position to judge their opinion.  Professionals are generally reviewed by their peers for obvious reasons.
Of course she is entitled to her opinion, as we all are, but I don't think hers has any more authority that ours.

The person in the link has only looked at journal articles herself.  How can we know that her research is entirely objective? Problem with many researchers is that they only quote from material that supports their own opinions ;)

Opinions are all well and good so long as people are aware that opinions vary and if you want a more balanced view you need to speak to a professional, such as a vet, who has access to constantly reviewed research and who is better placed to know whether it is objective or not.  This is not to say that vets are top of the tree when it comes to nutrition but certainly next best thing to a nutritionist when you consider they have to make diagnoses re allergies, stomach disorders and a whole host of breed related disorders.

I have fed them to four week old pups of a breed that only is 45 pounds adult and around 20 inches tall.  It is of course better if they have had them as pups as they learn to chew them rather than swallow them which the size yours is might be a chance.  Usually if that happens they bring them up again to chew properly when reacquainted with them.

Nothing in life is TOTALLY safe.  Dogs (and people) die, get ill and have accidents every day of the week.

Dogs die from inhaling kibble, tennis balls, sticks.

Dogs get ill from eating kibble, poop etc.

Dogs coped for thousands of years without reaching for the can opener.  They generally had to go out and hunt prey, kill it and eat it without the benefit of plucking, skinning, gutting and cooking.

Marrow bones are recreational bones, designed to occupy the dog rather than being consumed (although my dogs do consume them); raw meaty bones such as chicken wings, legs, thighs, carcases are there to provide nutrition.

Most dogs view raw meaty bones as far more valuable to them than dry food that comes out of a bag.  I can relate to this. My chocolate is far more valuable to me than cabbage, so do not try to nick it.

Food guarding is something that needs to be considered and trained for, the same as anything else.

If he does swallow them whole he will either cope or regurgitate them, and reconsume them.  This may or may not teach him to eat more slowly, time will tell.  In the wild it is natural for dogs etc to eat quickly otherwise they would go hungry; this behaviour is hardwired into a lot of dogs.

If you do not feel comfortable feeding raw, don't.  It is after all a choice not a necessity.

.....Dogs die from inhaling kibble.....

This happened to soemoens new puppy in my breed.

My cocker pups have raw chicken wings from 3 weeks old.