As a raw feeder who's experienced the benefits of feeding my 4 Mini Schnauzers raw meaty bones (RMBs) on a regular basis, I believe dogs should be offered whole RMBs such as poultry necks several times per week. That is, of course, if the dogs have healthy teeth and gums.
Canine digestive systems are Highly Acidic and designed to effortlessly break down RMBs. So there's no need to worry about their digestibility.
Benefits of raw bones for dogs.
Chicken, turkey or duck necks fall into the category of raw meaty bones (RMBs). Without them, a raw diet cannot be considered a balanced one.
That's because raw bones:
Contain the calcium & phosphorus necessary for healthy bones and strong muscles.
Exercise the jaws
Clean the teeth
Poultry necks in particular are chock full of glucosamine and chondroitin, which are important for joint health and a wonderful means of preventing arthritis if feed on a regular basis.
A general rule of thumb when feeding your dog raw poultry necks:
Raw meaty bones shouldn't be much larger than a dogs mouth, especially if they have the tendency of gulping food, which is why different poultry necks are good for different size dogs.
Chicken necks are a good option for smaller dogs and puppies, while duck necks and turkey necks work well for medium to large dogs. Duck necks are about the same size and length as female turkey necks. male turkey necks are thicker, don't be surprised if a raw poultry neck disappears with only 3 to 4 crunches, that's really all it takes for a dog to eat one of those.
Do make sure though that a few crunches happen and that the neck isn't gulped down in one piece. If your dog has a tendency of swallowing food whole, hold on to the raw neck at one end, just like in the picture at the top of the page.
Doing so will prompt your dog to take several bits instead of one huge one. It also teaches polite behaviour around food in general.
Do you cook poultry necks for dogs?
NO !
Remember to always feed necks raw, NEVER COOKED.
Raw bones are soft and pliable meaning they won't splinter, whereas cooked bones become bristle and can break and splinter with the potential of causing injuries both in your dogs mouth and intestines.
If your dog isn't used to the taste and (lack) of smell of fresh meat compared to what they normally eat, you can try pouring some warm or even hot water over the raw meaty bones, it will help bring out the smell of the meat, but it wont cook it.
What about frozen poultry necks for dogs?
It's OK to feed frozen poultry necks to dogs as long as their teeth are in good health.
As a matter of fact, it's a great refreshing food on hot summer days, and it'll also last longer than just raw. Remember, chewing is a natural behaviour for dogs and promotes mental health as much as it keeps their teeth clean and gums healthy!
Since my dogs have been feed the frozen chicken necks, I haven't had to clean there teeth myself at all. My rescue dog Pipi had suffered with bad breath & I was always cleaning her teeth, well not anymore! I took her to the vet last week for her Vaccinations and my vet Heidi at VETCARE in Masterton said her teeth were wonderful, what was I feeding her differently?
I said frozen chicken necks. Heidi said keep up the good work, that Pipi was now so much heather in my care, than when she first got dumped outside the vets a year ago. I get a lot of good advise from my vet, she is a strong advocate for raw feeding.
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