Bone meal is harmful to eat in large amounts because it can form obstructions in the stomach/intestines. -edit- This was actually taken care of from the link posted before http://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/poison/bone-meal/ Also, on the N content of bone meal...if it's steamed it's nearly bare of N (though some claim values of 2-3 N (NPK)). If it's dried/crushed it can contain a 4-5 N (NPK) value of N. That said, almost all commercial bone meal is steamed and personally I'd ignore it's N content given it's lack of quick availability anyway. This post was edited by nc-crn on Tue, Dec 17, 13 at 20:15

I have a new 1 year old GSP. He can destroy a tennis ball (reinforced Tuff Ball for dogs) in 9 seconds - yes, I timed him. My latest experiences into the world of chew toys: I don't give things like bully sticks, pig ears, Greenies, rawhides etc. the foster dogs tend to like them too much and either gulp or guard - both are things I don't encourage. Nylabones - None of my dogs have ever liked the classic hard nylabones. They are extremly hard plastic and he won't even use them as a throw toy. Softer versions such as gumabones last less than 10 minutes. Nylabone dental chews last 20 minutes. Kong - Classic Kongs are good. I have both red and black (exteme) versions in Xl and King sizes and have not had a dog destroy them. The dental stick and dental jack are worthless - both broke into large pieces within minutes and they are only available in red. Kong treat balls (stuff-a-ball) were also quickly destroyed. The biscuit ball lasts longer, but still wasn't suitable. Air Kongs are glorified tennis balls and met the same fate as their cheaper brethren. Kong balls are nice and the dogs seem to especially enjoy the bounzer ball. Kongs supposedly have a replacement guarantee, but I wasn't particularly impressed with Kong's customer service after contacting them about the dental stix. Puptreads are made from recycled tires and have the advantage of being available at Walmart, etc. Vigorous chewing did rough them up, but only small rice-sized pieces are missing. Chuck-It Ultra balls last much longer than any other ball except Kong balls. The advantage of the Ultra balls is that they bounce better and are great for indoors as they are light. I've heard that raquetballs are similiar, but don't have personal experience. Rope toys are no longer an option as he untied the knots and shredded the strands within minutes. I just bought goughnuts to try and after a week, they are still whole. They're a little heavy for indoor play, but the dogs enjoy carrying them and chewing. So far I'm impressed. They do come with a replacement guarantee and, should the need arise, I hope I'll have a better experience with them than i did with Kong. Here is a link that might be useful: goughnuts

Ok guys.....I really have no clue here. My Dog gets a bowl of Purina dry and a can of Pedrigree. Am I doing something wrong? She gets her Xango every day too. She is a loved member of our family, not one of those poor things left outside all of the time (really irks me)She is never out unless I am right here and I have the door cracked even in the winter so I can hear if she even sneezes. I just thought the OP was a little anol about cleanliness......I am by no means a pig or dirty....but a dog bone on the floor causing so much concern baffles me. I am sure the kids are dirtier than the dog bone. Everybody is entitled to their own standards, but this seems a little overboard.

I do not advocate giving raw meat products, including bones, to dogs. Softer bones or ends of bones, like the joints, that don't splinter are fine as long as they don't upset your dog's stomach. They do to my dog's. One thing I've noticed with dogs that are regularly given natural bones (as in not rawhide or chews) is that a lot of them have broken off teeth tips. To me, this type of injury is not worth giving bones. I stick with pork hide chews, pig ears, lamb ears, and ostrich and emu tendons, as well as dental kongs, but used to give rawhide up until finding that my dog is allergic to beef. I would never advocate giving rawhide to dogs that gulp and/or swallow large pieces though, only to dogs that thoroughly chew bitten off pieces. Anyways, giving my dog the chews that I have has kept her teeth in prime and clean condition. She's going to be 10 and her doctor remarked that she has better teeth than many of the much younger dogs that he sees.