Bones Only
Yesterday was a bones-only day for
the dogs. While they get plenty of raw meaty bones such as chicken
backs, lamb riblets, and ox tails, they don't spend as much time
with recreational bones as I would like.
To make up for that, once every week or two I buy a package of beef
soup bones. These are big knuckle and marrow bones that have just a
touch of meat and fat left on them--enough to add a bit of flavor,
but not enough to be a meal--that can stand up to hours of
gnawing.
Instead of breakfast, I feed the dogs a tiny snack--usually just
the size of a training treat or two. This is mostly to make sure
that Spencer has something in his tummy, because he's prone to
bilious
vomiting syndrome when his stomach is completely empty.
Around mid-morning, I toss the dogs outside, and give each one a
soup bone. They spend the rest of the day gnawing and stealing each
other's bones, and then taking turns burying and excavating the
bones all around the yard.
My back yard may look like the site of an archaeological dig, but
the dogs' teeth are clean, and it keeps them occupied all day long.
So, everybody wins--including the landscapers I pay to fill all the
holes back in. :)