Can Puppies Eat Chicken Feet?

It should be possible for your dog to crunch through those tasty chicken feet. Therefore puppies should not be given chicken feet. When puppies eat chicken feet they may damage their tiny baby teeth or swallow unchewed food.
Around 4 months puppies lose their baby teeth and then they get their big adult teeth. At around 7 months these should have grown enough to give your pup his first chicken trotter. Giving him chicken feet before this point could cause permanent damage to his teeth. We do not want to risk that.

What are Safe Alternatives To Chicken Feet?

Is your pup too young for chicken feet is allergic to chicken or just can not stand the sight of those feathered trotters? What do you do? You have a few safe alternatives to offer your pup.

Dental Chews

Dental chews are a great alternative to help your pup maintain a healthy mouth. These chews are not natural however. There are more ideas on the rest of the list if thats a major concern for you. Your veterinarian may also be able to help you. They’ll have plenty of options for your furry friend.

Duck Feet

The duck feet are still beneficial for your pups joint health even if he is allergic to chicken. Just like chicken feet these are packed with glucosamine and chondroitin. As a novel protein duck is usually well tolerated by furkids with food allergies. Unfortunately duck feet are much harder to find than

Chicken Feet

Pig Ears
Yes you read that right! It is great for cleaning your pets teeth with these floppy bits. Additionally since they’re mostly cartilage and skin they’re very safe to eat. However they’re much fattier and stinkier than the others.

Can I Feed My Puppy Chicken Necks?

Its pretty good for puppies to eat chicken necks. Their health benefits are similar to that of chicken feet and they’re reportedly tasty too. The puppies’ jaws are not very strong and their mouths are still small so they probably would not be able to bite chunks off the chicken neck.

The bigger dogs will likely chomp straight through the chickens neck creating chunks that could choke the dog. If you have a puppy or small dog you should feed them raw or dehydrated chicken necks. Instead of turkey necks use turkey necks if you have a large dog as they’re bigger and therefore less likely to choke.
Its a good idea to limit the amount of chicken neck you feed your teeny tiny furry child since chicken necks are high in fat.

When puppies are fed fatty diets they suffer from diarrhea and may eventually become obese. You should also wait until your puppy is at least three months old before giving him a chicken neck. Puppies at this age are usually capable of chewing and swallowing safely so even if he accidentally swallows a large chunk he would not suffer.

Can I Feed My Puppy Chicken Bones?

The answer is yes and no. I apologize its a bit complicated. As a first step make sure the bones are uncooked since cooked chicken bones can splinter potentially causing severe injuries to your beloved pet. You should wait until your fluff bundle is at least three months old. At this point his teeth will be strong enough to handle hard bones.

Begin by giving your puppy chew toys that are unlikely to splinter and pose choking hazards. Sticks are an excellent choice. After he gets used to this give him some large chicken bones to chew on such as drumsticks. You must ensure that all the pokey bits are removed since they can end up in his intestines and cause severe damage.

Watch to see how he handles it. If all goes well you can give him a bone each week depending on his size and overall health.

How Do I Serve Chicken Feet to My Puppy?

Almost all of the bones and cartilage in chicken feet are made up of skin. Your fur kid is perfectly safe and healthy when they’re properly prepared.
Chicken feet can be served to puppies in many ways mainly raw which allows the bone portion to crumble easily. Puffed Chicken feet are also available which are apparently quite tasty and safe for your dog.

You can easily find raw chicken feet. You can buy these straight from the butcher shop or Asian market or even from your local farmers market. You can get them fresh or frozen depending on your convenience.

Frozen ones can even be frozen at home when you purchase fresh ones.
It takes a bit of processing to dehydrate chicken feet. After cleaning and drying in a dehydrator they are packaged. The raw variety tends to be more expensive but they have a long shelf life of six months.

However your pup may want to finish it sooner than that. It is easy to recognize dehydrated chicken feet by their yellow color and slightly shriveled appearance.
You should air dry chicken feet to retain the cool vitamins and minerals that are great for your pups health. The puffed chicken feet are similar to the dehydrated ones but retain more nutrients. Thats a good thing right?

What are the Benefits of Chicken Feet for My Puppy?

Feeding your pet a tasty treat made from chicken feet has a number of benefits. Make sure it is served raw puffed or dehydrated not cooked. Dogs can benefit from it more than just health-wise. Oh no. Dental health benefits your pet and even the environment benefits from it. Doesnot that sound like a win-win situation?
Chicken feet contain a lot of vitamins protein and nutrients that your pup needs to thrive. Furthermore it contains fewer calories than processed meat so your pup can snack away without worrying about obesity

Also good for your dogs dental hygiene are these feathered trotters. While your puppy chews on these crunchy crumbly treats they act as tiny brushes for cleaning debris between the teeth and removing plaque and another dental buildup. Because they are entirely compostable they can be viewed as environmentally friendly toothbrushes that are digestible. Sounds good does not it? It may smell a bit afterward but its only a minor inconvenience when you think about it.

Another great benefit your pup receives from chewing on chicken feet is improved joint health. This product contains glucosamine and chondroitin essential ingredients for canine joint supplements.

You need them to build your fur kids joint cartilage which helps prevent arthritis hip dysplasia and other joint problems. They provide essential natural compounds to help prevent arthritis and joint problems.

How Many Chicken Feet Can I Feed My Puppy?

It has been established that chicken feet are super tasty for dogs and oh so tasty. What is the guilt-free amount of chicken feet you can give to your pet? Large dogs can have two chicken trotters per day while small dogs can eat one chicken trotter.

The chicken trotters will likely be consumed very quickly however. It would likely take a smaller dog around 15 minutes while a big dog like a St Bernard would likely gobble it up in a single gulp.

You should remember that healthy treats are also considered food for puppies and adults alike. You may want to decrease the number of treats you give your pup at mealtimes slightly so that he maintains his nutritional intake.

Chicken feet contain quite a bit of fat so if your pup suffers from pancreatitis or is at risk of being overweight you might want to consider a less fattening alternative.

Are Chicken Bones Dangerous for Puppies?

When chicken bones are cooked at high temperatures they harden and become brittle as if they were made of glass. This makes them extremely dangerous for puppies and dogs. Its likely that a cooked chicken bone will shatter or splinter when your pet bites into it. Those splinters are really sharp and can cause severe damage to his mouth and digestive system. Stay away from cooked chicken bones instead.

If your puppy is old enough to eat raw chicken bones or bones prepared in any way that does not involve high heat they are safe for him. Here the bone hasnot been subjected to the process that makes it brittle so it crumbles easily when your dog bites into it. Raw chicken bones are completely digestible so they’re a great snack for your pet.

You should keep in mind that chicken feet can have extremely sharp nails when serving them to your puppy. Give them a snip before you feed them to your furkid if they are not already trimmed.

Relevant Resources:

Amanda (Author)

With over a decade of experience, Amanda is a distinguished dog trainer. Her expertise in canine behavior has transformed countless lives, fostering harmonious human-canine connections. Through compassionate and personalized approaches, she empowers owners to understand and connect with their furry companions, creating a legacy of joyful tails and transformed lives.

Osvaldo Maciel (Content Reviewer)

Osvaldo Maciel, a stalwart in the field with 14 years of experience, is a revered dog trainer. His journey is defined by a profound understanding of canine behavior, shaping unbreakable human-canine bonds. Osvaldo guides owners to connect with their beloved pets, leaving an indelible mark of happiness and transformation. His legacy shines through the countless lives he has touched.