Are you just starting to explore the world of dog bones? Stumbled upon a few articles about marrow bones and you don’t know the difference between a raw marrow bone and a filled marrow bone?
If this is you, welcome along.
In this post, I will take you on a whistle stop tour of all the types of marrow bones that you can buy for your dog.
All in all, there are broadly seven different products available to buy.
To help you, let’s start off with a list:
- Frozen marrow bones
- raw / fresh marrow bones
- Organic marrow bones
- Bone marrow broth
- Roasted bone marrows
- Filled marrow bones
- Marrow Bone dog treats
For each variety I provide a definition, a quick list of pros and cons, a great example of a product to buy, some top websites to buy from and approximate prices,
Frozen marrow bones for dogs
Definition
These are marrow bones (usually from the legs of cows) that have just been cut up into 4-8 inch sections and they are delivered to your door frozen.
Other than being cleaned up a little as part of the butchering process, these bones are as pure as you can get.
They come in two different cuts- pipe cut and half cut.
Pipe cuts are circular bones, which are sausage shaped- the marrow can be seen at either end of the bone.
Half cut marrow bones are bones that have been cut in half lengthways. The bone is semi circular in shape and the marrow is exposed along the entire length of the bone.
Pros
No additives or preservatives
Buy in bulk
Bones won’t go off
A great way to feed them
Cons
Need to buy and have space for extra freezer
Delivery charges
What happens if your dog stops liking them?
Top Product
Top Sites
Raw/ fresh marrow bones for dogs
Definition
These bones are exactly the same as the frozen marrow bones above, but they aren’t frozen!
Pros
No additives or preservatives
Get them from your local butcher or meat market
No delivery charges
Cons
A time limit on freshness
Where to store them? Your own fridge
Top Sites
Organic marrow for dogs
Definition
This is a bit of a vague term because it is hard to find an organic marrow bone.
It seems that the phrase “grass fed” is used instead to indicate that a cow has been raised in a kinder and more healthy environment than the majority of cattle.
If you like to eat organic food and you want the same for your dog, then these are for you.
Or if you want to support farms that are raising their cattle in a more sustainable way, you can also choose these.
Pros
Very pure product
High standard of ethics
Cons
Expensive
A time limit on freshness
Where to store them?
Top Product
Top Sites
Bone marrow broth for dogs
Definition
Bone marrow broth is a super powered gravy which is made by simmering marrow bones in water and apple cider vinegar for hours on end.
If you buy your own marrow bones and you have a slow cooker, it is easy to make at home but you can also buy packs of it online.
Pros
Packed full of vitamins and minerals
Can be used with very fussy eaters
Cons
Because it is easy to make at home, if you buy it in packs it is expensive
Top Sites
Roasted Marrow Bones
Definition
Roasted Marrow Bones are raw and fresh marrow bones that have been slow roasted.
Pros
Easy to store because they won’t go off as quickly as raw marrow bones
Cons
Most experts would urge dog owners not to feed their dogs any cooked bones because cooked bones will splinter more easily than raw or frozen bones.
These bone splinters can then get stuck in your dog’s throat or cut your dog’s throat or stomach.
Filled marrow bones
Definition
Filled marrow bones are marrow bones that have been chemically cleaned and had all the marrow emptied out.
In place of the marrow all kinds of meat substitutes are available or peanut butter.
Filled marrow bones to me are fast food for dogs.
Pros
Cheap
Easy to store because they won’t go off
Refillable
Cons
Lots of additives and preservatives
These marrow bones aren’t fresh and so the bone tends to be much harder and therefore more dangerous to dogs than the bones in the fresh or frozen marrow bones.
Marrow Bone Dog treats
Definition
Marrow bone dog treats are the many types of bone shaped dog biscuits which are available to buy and sold by the truck load I would think.
Unlike all of the other types of marrow bones mentioned above, these are a completely different product which are used in a completely different way.
Pros
Cheap
Easy to store
Buy in bulk
Cons
No bone
No marrow
