# Puppies and Necks



## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

How safe are chicken necks for puppies under 12 weks of age? Understanding SUPERVISION is a key to everything...


----------



## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Howard Gaines III said:


> How safe are chicken necks for puppies under 12 weks of age? Understanding SUPERVISION is a key to everything...



Backs are a better beginner RMB, if you can get them.

If you mean as a snack for puppies fed kibble, I have to say that mixed-raw-and-kibble is not something I'd recommend. (Yes, many people do it. I know, I know.)

Either necks or backs are best to peel the skin/fat the first couple of times and avoid a surprise-to-the-gut emergency squat.


----------



## Guest (Aug 14, 2009)

I start em off with pulverized wings and a knuckle bone. IMO the necks and backs have too many sharp irritating protrusions and are better saved until you know your dog will chew and then digest his meals well enough. I stick the wing in a bag and smash it up, leaving some nice bone to gnaw on,with a meat tenderizer or the spine of a cleaver. It takes 5 seconds. After a few meals like that, I'll go to intact wings and feed the pup while holding onto the meaty end of the wing so I know its being chewed up. When they get the hang of it we're off to the races. The knuckle also helps them to get coordinated so their whole body is into it and is so huge they can really only shave off the sinew and meat and some bone but can't get anything big enough to cause an intestinal blockage or choke. Better safe than sorry.


----------



## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

I'm not a big fan of wings for a first-time RMB, but it's because of the mainly-bone-and-fatty-skin reason. It does make a nice "sack" for containing pulverized bone, though ... :lol:

Still ... I'd rather start with small RMB meals, start with a cartilage-y part, and peel off the extra fat/skin just until I see the first poop. But it sounds like your way works for you.


----------



## Laura Bollschweiler (Apr 25, 2008)

For my last GSD puppy, Crazy Hagen, I got some skinned chicken necks, thinking they would be perfect for a puppy. Started him on raw around 10 weeks or so. He swallowed the smaller chicken necks whole and the others with just a chomp or two. Scared me but he was fine with it. Didn't feed chicken necks after that box was gone.

Laura


----------



## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

Thanks Connie. Just thinking about newer foods for this Bouv litter coming up and wanted to explore other ideas. Pulling the skin and fat off was something that I thought of too, choking puppies isn't something that I want to see. Maybe a live chicken would be better; they could get a feel for some early prey drive building. :mrgreen:


----------



## Michele Fleury (Jun 4, 2009)

I fed my latest puppy skinless chicken necks that I smashed with a rubber mallet until she was about 6 months old. She had no problems at all.


----------



## Terrasita Cuffie (Jun 8, 2008)

I wouldn't feed puppies chicken necks. Our male bouv also had a problem with swallowing things whole. I wean puppies to food I make and its the same food I make for the mom. My raw of choice is turkey necks. A couple of corgis died after perforations from raw chicken bones. I've done turkey necks for years. I like them big enoughthat they barely fit in their mouths and they have to knaw on them. I'm sure Khira had her adult teeth or most of them before I gave her the first one. Up until then, she got occasional raw turkey.

Terrasita


----------



## Curtis McHail (Nov 7, 2009)

My puppy has been eating chicken necks and thighs since 7 weeks no problems. He couldn't eat pork neck until recently though.


----------



## Lynn Cheffins (Jul 11, 2006)

I feed chicken and turkey necks from about 8 weeks on without problems (huskies)


----------



## Rachel Schumacher (Oct 11, 2006)

I had mine on chicken necks and backs within the first week after I got them. I also introduced soft bones in the first week. Depending on the pup I had to skip chicken necks when I saw him swallowing them whole.
Howard a friend of mine breeds working Bouviers in Switzerland and raises them raw only. If you like send me a PM. I believe she speaks English.


----------



## Louise Jollyman (Jun 2, 2009)

I have fed chopped up chicken necks and wings to pups from 5 weeks onwards, with no problems. 

I loosely follow this - http://www.b-naturals.com/newsletter/puppy-raw-diet/

Louise


----------

