Best Bone For A German Shepherd Dog & Puppy: Raw, & Toys

What is the best done for your German Shepherd dog or puppy?

Is it a raw meaty bone or perhaps a dog toy type chew bone? Or both?

It’s important to note that you should work with your dog’s vet to determine the answer to those questions and follow their advice.

However, we’ve put together an info guide with some general information in attempt to provide some general feedback on the best bones and why.

Let’s take a look at them!

(NOTE: this is a general information guide only, and is not professional advice, or a substitute for professional advice. A qualified vet or animal expert is the only person qualified to give you expert advice in regards to your pet/s)

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Best Bone For A German Shepherd Dog or Puppy

Some of the bones we list in this guide are:

Natural Bones

Clean raw meaty bones

[Note – natural and raw bones should be vet approved, and not cooked or prone to breaking in your dog’s mouth]

Toy Bones

KONG

KONG Goodie Bone Dog Toy (on Chewy)

Nylabone

Nylabone DuraChew Original Flavor Bone Dog Toy (on Chewy), or Nylabone DuraChew Peanut Butter Flavor Souper Dog Chew Toy (on Chewy)

Nylabone Original Dura Chew Dog Chew (on Amazon) (for dogs over 50lbs)
Nylabone DuraChew Barbell Peanut Butter Flavor Dog Chewy Toy (on Chewy)
Nylabone Barbell Power Chew Durable Dog Toy (on Amazon) (3 sizes available for different sized dogs

Nylabone Power Chew Wishbone Dog Chew Toy (on Chewy)
Nylabone Power Chew Extreme Wishbone Dog Chew Toy (on Amazon) (for dogs 35 lbs and under)

Benebone

An alternative to a bone can also be a wooden stick (these are a cheap and eco friendly option if your dog enjoys chewing on wood).

Make sure they aren’t pointy, are reasonably solid, but aren’t hard enough that they will damage your dog’s teeth.

Benefits Of Dog Bones For German Shepherds

Some bones can help clean a dog’s teeth and keep a dog mentally mentally stimulated.

A Warning With Bones

It’s wise to always supervise your dog when they are chewing a bone in case there is a breakage or your dog manages to swallow part of the bone.

If you notice your dog has swallowed the bone or part of it, or is have a negative reaction to the bone, take them to see a vet immediately.

If your dog has teeth problems, or weak teeth, you may also want to be careful with bones because they might break or damage their teeth further.

Size Of The Bone You Give Your German Shepherd

Pick a bone that isn’t too small that your dog can swallow it, or swallow part of it.

A good rule of thumb might be to pick a bone that is about the size of your dog’s head

Bones For German Shepherd Puppies

Speak to your vet about giving bones to puppies.

Generally raw meaty bones and flavorless chew bones are OK as long as they are the right size and you supervise chewing.

Raw Meat & Marrow Bones For German Shepherds

Raw meat bones are generally good for your dog.

In addition to mental stimulation, they can also provide nutritional benefits from the soft tissues and marrow attached to them such as meat, cartilage, fat, and connective tissue (according to petmd.com)

With raw bones you do have to be careful to pay attention to the following:

Pick a bone that is the right size

Prepare the bone with good hygiene so you are not presenting your dog a bone contaminated with harmful bacteria on it

Once you give your dog the bone, make sure it doesn’t come inside anywhere where it can develop and spread bacteria to your food or to children’s play toys and items

Dog Toy Chew Bones For German Shepherds

Dog chew toys are also generally seen as good for your dog.

They obviously don’t have the meaty benefits that raw bones have, but they can certainly provide physical and mental stimulation for your dog.

The same rules apply to dog toy chew bones as raw bones – make sure the bone is big enough that your dog can’t swallow it

It also helps to make sure toy chew bones aren’t treated with any harmful chemicals or made of harmful materials.

Some of the more popular chew toy bones are:

X Large Nylabone Dura Chew (on Amazon)

If you’re interested in looking at some of the other dog toys on the market, you can do so here: We’ve listed the best overall dog toys across different categories in this guide.

Rawhide Bones For German Shepherds

Rawhide bones are bones made from the inners of cows and horses.

Some rawhide bones are flavorless, whilst others contain chicken, beef and other flavorings on the bone.

They are generally ok for most dogs.

The same rules apply to rawhide bones in that you want a bone to suit the size of your dog’s mouth, and you don’t want the bone getting contaminated in any way.

Some dogs may be specifically allergic to rawhide bones so keep an eye on whether your dog has any negative reactions to them.

One of the more popular rawhide bones are Pet Magasin Rawhide Bones Chewing Dog Treats (on Amazon).

There’s also Rawhide alternatives like SmartBones Rawhide-Free Dog Chews, Made With Real Peanut Butter (on Amazon)

Cooked, Smoked and Baked Bones For German Shepherds

Feeding your dog cooked, smoked and baked bones is generally not a good idea.

These bones tend to be more brittle and less prone to stay together during your dog’s chewing than raw whole bones.

Cooked, smoked and baked bones can break apart, and your dog can either swallow large parts of the bone and choke, or sharp parts of the bone can be swallowed and cause damage internally.

Dogs can become sick and die eating cooked, smoked and baked bones – both bones you cook yourself, and the commercially available smoked or baked ones.

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