Can German Shepherds Chew On Bones

Taking care of a dog, as a pet requires lots of knowledge, experience, and pre-caution. You need to follow various steps to ensure the proper growth of the dog. One of the steps of healthy growth is to focus on the jaws of the dog. Have you ever wondered why the puppy tries to chew anything?

Well, there is a logical reason for that. Puppies and dogs, love to chew, as it is similar to an exercise for their jaws. It strengthens the jaw and makes them capable of tearing anything. Another reason for chewing is the growth of new teeth. Whenever new teeth are grown in the jaw, dogs have an instinct to chew, as it makes the tooth strong and healthy.

Chewing becomes more important among the strongest breeds of dogs like German Shepherd. These dogs are one of the most aggressive breeds in the world. That is one of the reasons why you will see them among police squats, and many more. In this blog, we will discuss whether or not you should let German Shepherds chew bones. To be precise, you can let the dog chew bones. However, there are certain things that you must keep in mind before giving a bone. Let us discuss each of them.

German shepherd

These dogs are counted in one of the strongest and smartest dogs on the planet. They are extremely energetic and have perfect sniffing power. In the majority of the countries, they are considered as the best house protector.

They are easy to train, as they are also used in police, secret services, and military police. Due to their, highly energetic nature, they require lots of exercise. This includes walking, running, and even chewing. The only exercise for the jaws of the dog is chewing.

When to let the dog chew?

You must let the dog chew something, especially when they are in puppyhood. Moreover, the right time is when their teeth have started to grow. You need to open the mouth of the puppy and observe whether the teeth have started to grow or not. If they have, then you must immediately bring a thing for chewing like bones.

Moreover, you need to make sure that the dog does not chew anything that can lead to disease. What are those things? Well, some of them are wood, shoes, cloth, and many more. These things usually contain hundreds of bacteria that can affect the health of the dog severely.

When to stop the dog from chewing?

You would surely not want the dog to develop a habit of chewing. If they develop this habit, then they will keep chewing things in the house for a long time. That is why it is necessary to know the correct time to stop the dog from chewing.

Usually, the main objective of chewing is to strengthen the jaw. Strengthening is extremely important for puppies, especially when their teeth start to grow. However, should you let the dog chew even after the full growth of the teeth? Yes, but for a limited time frame. You must let the dog chew a bone for at least a few weeks after the full growth of the jaw.

Moreover, you need to stop the dog from chewing, if they have broken teeth or any digestive issue. Why? Well, let us say that you allow the dog to chew a bone, while it is having some digestive problem.

In that case, there are chances that the dog may break a small fragment of the bone, and gulp it down. This can sometimes lead to some digestive problems, if this happens, then you take the dog to a vet immediately. However, you can avoid this situation by not letting the dog chew anything.

Things to avoid

There are certain things that you must not give the dog to chew. First of all, you should not give a cooked bone to a dog. Maybe you have just cooked a chicken or turkey. In that case, there will be surely some bones in it. Moreover, if the dog is inside the house, then it will surely try to chew the bones. Make sure that this does not happen. Why?

Well, if you allow the dog to chew cooked bones, then their teeth can break. It can also lead to internal injury, choking, and serious vomiting. This is even applicable to other types of bones you buy from a supermarket. It includes pork ribs and many more.

Moreover, you should also avoid giving any other item from the house like a wooden stick or a metal rod. They can be highly harmful in the long run, as they will weaken the teeth rather than strengthening them.

Things you can give the dog to chew

Let us start with the bones you can give to the dog. First of all, you need to make sure that the bone is raw. It should not be cooked. Moreover, the bone should be soft to chew and easy to digest.

Which animal has these bones? Well, it is usually a lamb, turkey, and chicken. To find these bones, you need to go to the nearest butcher and buy them. These bones are highly beneficial for the dog, as they offer a high amount of nutrition to their body. They are also easy to digest, which avoids situations like an internal injury.

Secondly, you can give a recreational bone or rubber toy to the dog. These items are not edible. Therefore, you need to make sure that the dog does not choke on them. Let us say that you have a rubber toy for the dog. In that case, there are high chances that the toy will be full of bacteria in a few days.

You need to make sure that you clean the rubber toy with water, at least once a week. By doing so, the dog will not suffer from any serious disease. If we talk about a recreational bone, then they are full of fat and contain nothing else.

Some things to do

There are a few steps that you need to do before giving the dog a bone to chew. Before you try something new for the dog, it is always recommended to refer to a vet. They are highly experienced with dogs, and they know whether or not it is the right time for a particular thing.

Secondly, you must be aware of the eating style of your dog. If it eats quickly, then there are high chances that it will try to swallow the whole bone. This can lead to choking, which can get serious. Therefore, you must not give the dog a bone, if there are chances of swallowing.

Thirdly, you need to be present with the dog, when it is chewing a bone. Never leave the dog alone with the bone. Why? Well, anything above the limit is harmful. This is even applicable to chewing bones for dogs. By over chewing, the dog can hurt its teeth, which will affect the strength of the jaw in the long run. Let the dog chew the bone for at max 15 minutes.

Fourthly, you have to fix the time for giving a bone. Usually, most dog owners prefer giving bone after the food. Why? Well, a dog with a full stomach will automatically avoid over chewing of the bone.

Fifthly, you need to protect the bone from contamination. You can put the bone in the fridge to do so.

Lastly, you must make sure that you give the correct bone to the dog. Not every bone is recommended for chewing purposes. Some of them are easy to break and swallow, which can lead to serious conditions.

Wrap up

In conclusion, yes, German Shepherds can chew a bone. It is highly beneficial to strengthen its jaw. However, you need to make sure that you choose a soft bone, which cannot be swallowed by the dog. One way to do so is to choose a large bone for the dog. You can also buy a rubber toy, which is specifically designed for chewing. You can find them at any pet store around you.

In this blog, we have discussed various things you must keep in mind regarding chewing habits in dogs. Now, you know why dogs have an instinct of chewing. Moreover, we have shared some things that can prevent mishappening effectively.