# Chicken wings?



## TinyTails (Jun 24, 2011)

Hello I've heard such great things on here about how raw helps clean our pups teeth and was hoping to get some suggestions on how I can incorporate some raw just for that purpose. I feed a mix of ziwipeak and acana Pacifica in the am to cut down the cost of the ziwipeak  then for dinner honest kitchen. I rotate some raw pre made for morning meals as well but due to budget I have to keep some acana in the picture for now. What would be a good snack for my pups a once or twice a week to help clean teeth ? One is 11lbs and the other is 13lbs. I saw some suggestions of chicken wings. Thanks


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## Brodysmom (Jan 8, 2009)

Chicken wings are fine! Use in place of a meal. I usually try to cut off most of the fat if they are really fatty. Check the sodium level and keep the sodium at 100mg or less per 4 ounce serving. Lots of chicken (and pork too) is enhanced with sodium. 

You can also do a pork rib or even a beef rib. They might just chew the ends, but that's OK. They can be a good workout. 

Chicken or even turkey necks can be good for teeth as well. Use your own judgement as you want them to gnaw and really work on it, not just try to gobble it down. There's no tooth benefits to a greedy gus that just wants to gulp it. Some people will throw a towel on their lap and then hold the meaty bone and let the dog lie on your lap and work on it. That can help teach them how to gnaw/work on the bone and get the dental benefits. Again, this is a case of knowing your dog, as some will become possessive of the bone and think that you holding it means they better grab and run. 

I will throw this out also - the soup bones sold in grocery stores, raw of course, can be a good workout. IF your dog isn't a power chewer. This is also a case of knowing your dog as weight bearing bones (soup bones are femurs, so they are very dense as they are the leg bones of cows) can break teeth! Having said that, Brody will lay on a towel and gnaw on a soup bone for hours. He gets off every bit of meat/gristle and chews/gnaws like crazy. (I poke out the marrow/fat in the middle first). So they are an occasional treat.

Bully sticks are also an awesome chew. They can be good for dental health as well, depending on the dog.


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## TinyTails (Jun 24, 2011)

I think my dogs are gulpers  We used to do bully sticks and I still do once in a while but I have to take them away when they are halfway done because we have had a few gulping - trying to swallow the whole bully stick incidents. Now we stick mostly to Himalayan dog chews. I have given Deuce a duck neck before and that did not end well - when the other pup walked by he swallowed it whole and was gasping for air for a few minutes. I think I would need something they can't swallow whole since they are greedy little chihuahuas lol. He does like when I sit with him and hold his himalayan chew though so maybe that would be a good idea with the meat as well. The chicken wing might be good since they can't really swallow the whole thing.


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