- Avoid poultry leg bones (the drumstick). They are long, hollow, and brittle and some pets won't chew them up properly. They can splinter and not be digested properly.
- Choose bones that are larger than your pet's mouth capacity or 1 to 1 1/2 times the width and girth of the mouth.
- Supervise your pet while chewing on bones but don't hover or they will try to "wolf" the bone down.
- Don't panic if your pet regurgitates a bone. It may be too big or too small.
- Teach your pet to eat their bones slowly by initially holding them while they chew.
- Feed bones opposite or after the heaviest exercise period.
- For puppies, kittens, seniors or beginners choose softer more digestible bones like backs and necks.
- Bones can be messy. Feed them to your pet outdoors, if possible, or on a washable mat.
- If you have more than one pet feed them the bones separately to avoid squabbles.
- Exercise common sense and proper hygiene when handling raw bones.