[harrkim120]

OK, so I just ripped apart my first turkey. I removed the wings, drumsticks, and thighs. Then I cut the bird in half, basically...splitting the back and the breasts. I noticed that the ribs coming from the back are quite long, pointy, and sharp.

Now my dog isn't the best chewer of his food, generally regurgitating it one or two times before actually getting it down. I'm just wondering if this could pose an issue. And did I do the right thing, cutting it like that?

Thanks in advance. :biggrin:

 

[DaneMama]

Considering that he isn't the best chewer...I would take a hammer to it a bit first and give him some help with the bones. Our dogs eat through turkey bones like no body's business but your's might have some trouble. The bones in the wings and thighs are pretty darn tough and require a lot of chewing as well, so you might give him a hand with those as well.

Sounds to me like you have butchering a turkey down pretty well!

 

[harrkim120]

Considering that he isn't the best chewer...I would take a hammer to it a bit first and give him some help with the bones. Our dogs eat through turkey bones like no body's business but your's might have some trouble. The bones in the wings and thighs are pretty darn tough and require a lot of chewing as well, so you might give him a hand with those as well.

Haha...well it's not so much the bones that he has the hard time with, it's the meat. He basically chews the meat just enough to fit it down his throat, and in doing so, creates something like a "string" of meat from his mouth to his stomach. lol He's a strong chewer and can get through bone no problem, he's just lazy when it comes down to having to chew the meat more...it won't just crunch and break like bone will.

I'm just concerned with him not chewing up the ribs bones sufficiently enough to not stab his esophagus. They're pretty thin and pointy...should I just take a hammer to those?

 

[DaneMama]

I guess you can just see how he does on his own and go from there...

 

[RawFedDogs]

Haha...well it's not so much the bones that he has the hard time with, it's the meat. He basically chews the meat just enough to fit it down his throat, and in doing so, creates something like a "string" of meat from his mouth to his stomach.

Thats pretty much the way both my dogs eat. :smile: Don't expect dogs to chew the way humans do. They aren't humans. Just enough to get down throat is all they are working towards and they can get some amazingly large pieces down their throat.

 

[doggoody]

That’s a problem at my house. Sometimes we hold the food for them like “dead weight” because we are afraid of them chocking. How do your dogs eat? Are they gulpers or chewers?

 

[spookychick13]

I never really realized how lucky I am that my dogs are such good chewers.

Sometimes my cavalier gulps, but that's only when I give him gizzards. He loves those (which is awesome for him for meat meals because they are super duper cheap).

 

[harrkim120]

So I figured it out...it's the skin that he struggles with!!!

He gets through the bone no problem, through the meat with a little work, but the skin he just has no patience for. I noticed today when I gave him a turkey wing...I had to cut the skin for him.

 

[harrkim120]

Considering that he isn't the best chewer...I would take a hammer to it a bit first and give him some help with the bones. Our dogs eat through turkey bones like no body's business but your's might have some trouble. The bones in the wings and thighs are pretty darn tough and require a lot of chewing as well, so you might give him a hand with those as well.

I did have to start hammering it up actually...he was having a hard time crunching up the joints. Thanks for the tip...I probably wouldn't have thought to do that, as obvious as it is.

 

[DaneMama]

I did have to start hammering it up actually...he was having a hard time crunching up the joints. Thanks for the tip...I probably wouldn't have thought to do that, as obvious as it is.

That's what we are all here for. Sharing the information and knowledge and experience we gain through our own endeavors! Glad to have been able to help!