We like big bones and we cannot lie, you other dogs can’t deny. That when your mom walks in with a juicy, natural bone, waving in your face you get…SUPER EXCITED (and start drooling)!

Geesh, as you might already be able to tell, the boys get pretty excited when the topic of bones comes up. Sure we know that dogs love to chew bones, but do you know why?

Give the Dog a Bone: Top reasons they need ‘em

Bones…

help to keep a dog’s teeth clean

satisfy a dog’s natural urge to chew

provide mental stimulation

relieve teething pain in puppies.

Today we are very excited to share with you one of our favorite brands, and our top choice when shopping for dog bones and other chews: Jones Natural Chews!

About Jones Natural Chews

The Jones family has a loooong track record in the meat industry. Believe it or not, this history spans 16 decades! The company as it is known today was founded in 1970 and throughout the 1980’s began to develop a reputation for their naturally baked dog chews. As a younger generation entered the family business in 1988, they looked to expand and focus solely on their popular dog chews. Fast forward to present day and Jones Natural Chews is industry leader, well known for their quality, consistency and innovation.

JNC manufactures a large variety of meat products for dogs, but they all have one thing in common: their products are sourced and processed right here in the United States of America.

A quick glance at their product line and you will be amazed with the variety! A full array of items awaits you including: pork, beef, lamb and chicken, in the form of bones, knuckles, jerky, hooves and more! Harley and Charlie’s mouths were watering at first sight!

Click Here to Shop Jones on Amazon

It’s Good to Have Friends!

Our good friend Flea is the resident blogger for Jones. Last fall we met Flea at Backer’s Total Pet Expo and had the chance to say hello again at BlogPaws 2015 in May.

Harley and Charlie must have done a pretty good job charming her because recently she sought their “professional opinion”, sending one of their most popular bones, The Slammer, for product review. Hey, I guess treating her BlogPaws booth as a pig ear buffet wasn’t such a bad idea after all!

Introducing the Slammer Bone from Jones Natural Chews

The Slammer bone is a 10-12 inch long USA Beef Leg Bone that includes one knuckle. As Jones puts it, “your dog will have a slamming good time working on this bone.” This Slammer is meaty and your dog will have a great time ripping and tearing the meat off of it. Because of its large size, this bone is best for medium to large dogs and competent chewers. This bone is naturally baked which may have some pet parents worrying, but fear not. Jones Natural Chews are slowly baked and pressure tested, allowing them to retain a moisture level that is consistent with raw bones and ensure that they are not at risk of splintering or breaking. This bone is not designed to be consumed, rather it is meant to provide chewing, gnawing, and tearing of muscle meat!

But I heard…

Despite the fact that people have been giving dogs bones since the beginning of time, you likely have heard lots of dissenting opinions about whether dogs can/should chew on them. We all want to keep our beloved pets safe so MyDogLikes has provided some easy steps you can take to decide what is right for you/your dog! Want more information right from the manufacturer? Check out this great resource from Jones Natural Chews: Selecting the Right Chew.

Bone Safety Tips

Ask, should my dog eat bones?

Before giving your dog a bone of any kind you must ask yourself an important question: Can my dog handle it? Unsure? Ask yourself ” Am I able to take the bone away from my dog without putting myself or my dog at risk? Dogs can become territorial over bones and if you do not think you can take the bone away should it splinter, become too small, or pose a choking hazard, the answer is NO, it is not safe! If your dog resource guards or becomes aggressive, it puts you and him in an unsafe situation. It is important to keep dogs away from each other (we find separate corners of the room works OK for our two boys) and away from children who sometimes struggles with boundary issues. If this makes you feel uneasy, no worries, try an edible chew from Jones and steer clear of the gnaw bones.

Not all dogs are built to eat bones, some jaws are not formed for it and others have soft teeth. If this is the case consider softer chews, rubber/nylon bones, or antlers as a safer option.

Select the Right Bone

Type: Consider how strong of a chewer your dog is and select a bone that is appropriate for them. If your dog is a strong chewer, he/she may cause splintering or break off pieces of softer bones like lamb and pig.

Size: Bones should be larger than the muzzle so that they cannot be swallowed whole. It is important that any pieces that are small enough to be swallowed are taken away immediately.

Still not sure? Consult the experts, Jones has a great guide for choosing the right chew for your dog.

Supervise

We (naively and stupidly) used to consider bones a great snack for “busy time” when we needed to get stuff done. As we’ve grown wiser older, we’ve realized the err in our thinking and now know that this practice is really dangerous for our boys. Dogs need to be closely monitored while chewing bones so that small pieces that break off can be taken away. Wonder why? Small pieces can easily pose a swallowing/choking hazard and put them at risk for intestinal blockages!

Looking for other helpful tips? Try these: Be sure to inspect the bone before giving it to them, take it away intermittently to give them a rest, and examine their gums/teeth afterward. Dogs love to chew and it’s good for them to do, but like all things – they need your help to keep them safe while doing so!

Plenty of Wa ter

ating bones can expend a lot of energy (and saliva). Be sure to provide plenty of fresh water during and after chewing sessions.

Taste Test

Well, to say that the boys had a good time eating these bones would be an understatement. From the moment the box arrived in our house the boys were pawing at it and asking to break in! We made them wait knowing that the day would come when really needed them to expend some energy. That day came when the boys were antsy but it was too hot for a mid-day walk. A perfect opportunity for some supervised chew time!

These bones are big and heavy which means my antsy pants puppies settled right down for some serious chew time. While I was not the one chewing the bones, it was really cool to see how the boys problem solved in order to rip and tear the meat away.

One important thing to note is that the cartilage knuckles from this bone will likely break off and should be taken away. As expert chewers, this occurred fairly quickly for our boys. Since we were prepared and supervising, it was no big deal.

As you can see by their very satisfied faces, they loved doing a nice slow gnaw on the main bone as well. Even after several chew sessions, the boys remained excited to see the bones come out. They always wanted more!

Why MyDogLikes: Jones Natural Chews

Jones Natural Chews is a family company that has built its reputation as an innovator in USA sourced and produced dog chews. The safety and satisfaction of your dog is their top priority; perfecting their baking process to produce bones that are resistant to splintering AND providing resources that help customers select the right bone for the chew strength and size of their dog. JNC also provides excellent resources so that pet parents know how to keep their dog safe and supervised with bones. To put it simply, we love the company and we love the product. Jones Natural Chews knows how to keep things simple, while providing a high quality product that meets the instinctual chewing needs of dogs. No matter the size, chew strength, or breed, Jones Natural Chews has something that your dog will love, and you will love to give him!

Click Here to Shop Jones on Amazon

Check out our other Jones Natural Chew Reviews!