Milkbone Biscuits? What's Your Opinion?

MissyBC

Experienced Member
Hello there.

I just bought the medium sized Milkbone biscuits for the first time tonight for Missy (and possibly for my neighbours' dogs as well), for times of: "just in case I run out of natural healthy biscuits and can't get to the pet store" (very rare!!).

What are your opinions on these treats?
Are they healthy?
How many of you feed your dogs "Milkbone" biscuits?

Anyone wondering what biscuits I usually feed Missy? I usually feed Missy biscuits by "Northern", "Zukes", and the " Three Dog Bakery".

Thanks for taking the time to read this and also to those who answer. :)
 

tigerlily46514

Honored Member
i don't know about the brands you mention, but, i think *most* milkbone biscuits are flour-based treats.
.
dogs don't need flour.
at all.
.
Flour is not toxic to dogs, and i don't know if those treats contain any toxic preservatives (soooooo common in dog foods)
and probably, somewhere,
there might be some brand of actually healthy biscuits.
.
I make most of my dog's treats. It's easy, healthy, low-cost, never get recalled after i've fed him some,
and kind of fun to make,
cuz he can lick off the beaters and the bowl, which is hugely entertaining to my dog.
Lol, NOW whenever my dog hears the beaters,
he comes running and looks at me approvingly,
and hangs around....
waiting........waiting......... as if EVERY time i use the beater,
he thinks he will get to lick the beaters, lol.
too funny.:ROFLMAO:
.
Here is my recipe for "Liver Cookies",
which have
NO FLOUR
NO SUGAR
NO SALT
NO ADDED FATS
NO SPICES
NO ARTIFICIAL ANYTHING
and only cost about $6 to make almost a month's worth of training treats!
http://www.dogtrickacademy.com/members/forums/threads/cool-easy-homade-dog-treats.4061/
.
but, i doubt an occasional flour biscuit now and then will hurt your dog.
and certainly some biscuits are better than others.
I probably wouldn't use biscuits for trick-training, though, if you train often.
 

karleee

Experienced Member
hmmm...i'm not sure,i have seen them in stores but havn't brought them...i usually buy natural dog treats or use ham cubes,cheese ect (anything that can be quickly eaten in training) :)
 

MissyBC

Experienced Member
@karleee: Usually I buy all natural dog treats as well. I will stick with all natural dog treats from now on. I always said to myself that I would never feed my dog, nor buy her Milkbone products, (even though I did this one time)... as I know they aren't the greatest. I much prefer all natural treats!

Thanks for your input. :D
 

MissyBC

Experienced Member
@tigerlily: I will keep your recipe on hand. Thanks for posting the link. I appreciate your input! ;)
 

laramie

Experienced Member
I'm guilty of feeding my dog Milkbone treats. I use the marrow bones, but I don't think they're much better than the biscuits. I try making up for it by using hot dogs, science diet, blue buffalo, and a variety of other treats. I also bought doggie cookbooks to make some meals and treats. The reason I use Milkbones is because one of my dogs won't chew on hard toys and her teeth are getting bad despite brushing, so I try feeding her hard treats to help. I also don't have the money to buy the more expensive or healthy treats because I'm working part time and in college, so money is tight. The only thing I would recommend is not to feed them too often if you do buy them. Milkbones don't seem to irritate my dogs' stomachs, so they get them in small amounts.
 

tigerlily46514

Honored Member
lol, Laramie, i used to believe Milkbone biscuits "cleaned" a dog's teeth, too, til i read up on it, turns out, it cleans their teeth about the same way eating hard crackers would clean your teeth, or, in other words, not much at all.
.
I so understand about budgets! oh i do! THAT is one reason i started making my own dog treats. I get several weeks worth of top-quality dog treats for about $6. The treat recipe i make is not hard enough to clean a tooth, though, but, it has zero sugars to add to dental decay, either, and DOES work great for tricks training.:D
.
I hear that chewing pig ears, which are usually low cost, is better at cleaning their teeth, than milkbones. Pig ears aren't something they can have every day, though, i don't think. AND i could be misinformed on the dental benefits of chewing up a pig ear...:rolleyes:
I've been told to stay away from rawhide bones, as i hear those are not good for dogs, often coated with toxic preservatives, and can REhydrate inside of the dog's body and cause a colon blockage, but, i don't know if that is true or not. I fed my last dog rawhides, and he was always fine.
.
"Bully sticks" (which have tons of look-a-likes) are also good, and come in many shapes,
although, they are more expensive and DO stink a bit. I don't know if the look-a-likes are healthy or not, so i stay away from them, but, i wish i DID know if they are okay, as they cost so much less.
.
i think if we try hard, we can get our dogs to accept:rolleyes: having their teeth cleaned/brushed/rubbed by one of those finger thingies, if we try hard and go slow and keep it very very brief, sloooooowly building up slowly to longer amts of time, and reward and praise:D heavily.
.
also, consumer beware, not all bags of treats labelled "all natural" are actually anywhere near "natural" nor healthy. Lol, even Science Diet dog food,:poop: one of the most toxic and worst dog foods in the world, labels itself "natural" and "healthy".:ROFLMAO:
So sadly, we DO have to read those labels, and study up on what IS and IS NOT supposed to be in dog treats...sigh.
.
but, i dont' think an occasional flour-based treat is that bad for dogs. but, not the best thing to use for TRICKS training, imo.
.
also, i do think giving dogs RAW i repeat RAW bones to chew on now and then,
is very very good for the dog's teeth.
MY dog------------ sooooooo unaccustomed to raw meaty bones, had to be coaxed to chew it, and praised when he did show interest in it..... which he did not at first. Buddy's first impression of raw meat, was "eeeough, gross.."
.
I also had to run hot water over it to get him interested in it, and even slapped a dab of peanut butter on that first one, to get him started.:ROFLMAO:
that was back then, when Buddy first met his first raw bones. lol, he seemed baffledO_o by the whole idea, but, i did not give up, and kept coaxing him to eat it.
.
NOW he much enjoys chewing up a RAW bone now and then.
.
Anyone who wants to know more about RAW bones should contact "Charmed Wolf" a member here, who knows a LOT about RAW feeding, and doesn't seem to mind sharing her knowledge on that topic. She is the one who convinced me it was a good idea, and safe, and healthy and natural for dogs,
and she is the one who got me started tossing my dog the occasional RAW bone to my dog.
Here is a GREAT link Cwolf posted here once:
http://www.rawlearning.com/rawfaq.html
http://www.rawlearning.com/
.
I'd love to raw feed,
but,
i can't truly afford it all the time, AND my guy thinks it is 'wrong':rolleyes:
but, i do give Buddy the occasional raw piece of meat,
or RAW bone. (not cooked bones, cooked bones are dangerous, but, RAW bones are fine)
 

laramie

Experienced Member
I do not feed my dogs rawhides because I've heard of the swelling back up in the stomach. I'm one of those "what if" people who freak out about something that might happen (If I mu stomach hurts, I have internal bleeding. lol.)

Tigerlily do you know of any recipes that are good for cleaning teeth? I have some doggie cookbooks and they have some recipes for teeth cleaning treats, but they contain charcoal and I'm afraid I'm going to buy the wrong type of charcoal. :eek:But, I'll do some searching and see if I can come up with anything and I'll post what I find.

Before I moved, my family always had either deer meat or fresh vegetables. But now I have none of that. :cry: When I go back home to visit this Christmas, I might try getting some deer legs and meat to bring back and use.

My dogs LOVE having their teeth cleaned, but I can't constantly brush them. It's also hard for me to do it as often as I should because of work and college homework, so I need all the help I can get.

I also leave my dogs kenneled in an 8 x 10 pen when I'm at work and school. I know something to chew on would help their boredom and clean their teeth at the same time, but I'm worried about leaving toys with them. My BC will chew pieces off and eat them. Any suggestions there?
 

Chloe and Buddy

Experienced Member
Like above, laramie, I would NEVER feed Buddy rawhides. My friend told me that once, a rawhide got stuck in this dog's throat, and, well, you can figure out what happened... :(
And, I love milkbones. They are great. (For me) In the morning, when my dad lets Buddy in from outside, he always gives him a medium milkbone. (I hate that, and it is my pet peeve. :)) That is a little extreme, so I don't recommend giving your dog one every second of the day, (dad ^-^) But one every once in a while wouldn't hurt...
And I have never heard of anything saying that the flour in the bones are hazardous...
Now I'm gonna go play with Bud. Hope that helped!
 

tigerlily46514

Honored Member
//"Tigerlily do you know of any recipes that are good for cleaning teeth?//'
.
YES!! get a RAW bone with some meat on it, and give it to your dog.
This is easy recipe,:)
economical,;)
and TRULY TRULY TRULY "all natural" and "healthy".:p
.
Nothing cleans a dog's teeth better than a RAW bone. It's also very entertaining to the dog, ;)and provides nutrients he needs, as well. Can't be beat, not even with a whole tube of doggie toothpaste. Its wayyyy easier to get your dog used to gnawing up a RAW bone,:D
than it is to get your dog to like having his teeth brushed:mad:, if he wasn't already raised to like tooth brushes all along.
,
KUDOS TO YOU LARAMIE for getting your dog to LOVE having his teeth brushed!! whooot!!
.
.
and RAW bones are exactly what your dog has been designed to eat and exactly what your dog WOULD be eating, if humans didn't exist. (well, not "JUST bones",:ROFLMAO:sorry,)
but,
a dog, if left to his own to feed himself, in a natural state and free,
would indeed be eating some raw bones along with the raw meat.
 

tigerlily46514

Honored Member
Laramie writes, talking about finding toys to leave her dogs home alone with
//" My BC will chew pieces off and eat them. Any suggestions there?"//
.
dang, that is a good question, anybody know if you CAN train a dog to not eat toys up?
.
(My dog does not eat toys. He just never did.)
.
Buddy WILL pull off all plastic eyes or noses, etc, apparently Buddy feels plastic eyes are contraband :ROFLMAO: and should not be allowed into his toy box...but, Buddy spits the plastic eyes out, doesn't swallow them.
.
Buddy DID occasionally show interest in eating the fuzzy stuffing that falls out of bedraggled toys,
but, i did train him to leave it, and no longer eats that stuffing.
.
My dog only "kills" toys(tears them up a bit)
if he is left home alone wayyyyy too long.
and i do not leave bean-filled toys home alone with Buddy, as he can even just accidentally punch a hole in those, and his tongue can get coated with lil beanies which he will swallow then, as he has no thumbs to work a tongue-scraper. (joke). I keep an eye on bean or plastic-bead filled toys and Buddy, and grab 'em up if a hole gets made. He only gets THOSE if i am around to see how it's going.
.
Anybody know if or how to train a dog to not eat toys?
Obviously, you'd have to test this before leaving dog home along with a toy all day long, IF it can even be done...not sure. no clue.
.
and there are kongs, and very durable toys, that you can fill with peanut butter, etc.
.
and there are stuffing=free toys as well, might be worth a try.
.
hmmm.
Laramie, does your dog eat plastic? LIke, if you give him a plastic tub, like a washed out yogurt or butter tub,
or a plastic water bottle,
with holes punched in it,
with treats inside the tub,-------------------- will your dog eat(swallow) bits of the tub itself?
.
 

laramie

Experienced Member
I would love to be able to trust Fairley with stuff and her not eating it. I do give her kongs that are filled with peanut butter, but I haven't been putting them into the kennel with them. I'm going to start stuffing them at night and giving it to them in the morning before I leave, that way I save time. But, when there is no peanut butter, they have no interest. I do have a nylabone for Fairley, but it's getting ragged and she'll chew tiny pieces off, so I'm worried that if I get her a new one the same thing will happen in just a day.

And, yes, Fairley does eat plastic. Their doghouses in the kennel have the little overhangs chewed off. And the plastic is gone. Not laying around on the floor (it's concrete), just gone.:eek: The thing I'm worried about is her actually eating the pieces of the bottle when I can't stop it. I'm a little too afraid to risk it.

Maybe I should start a new post on these topics. I feel bad for hijacking Missy's post. :oops::oops:
 

tigerlily46514

Honored Member
Yeah, i kinda hijacked Missy's post, too. SORRY MISSY!
Is not a bad idea to post a new thread devoted to your dilemma of what you CAN safely leave to occupy your beloved dogs when they are home alone.
Me, i say,
THROW A RAW MEATY BONE in there, but, others may have other ideas. You can even ask your local butcher if he has any RAW bones you can have at super low cost or sometimes free, as he is just going to throw them away anyway.
 

tigerlily46514

Honored Member
ps, IF you do give kongs,
stuff them the night before,
and FREEZE them all night long
with the peanut butter or whatever inside,
so it lasts longer.
 

laramie

Experienced Member
I'll post a new thread on it tomorrow. I do work at Food Lion (a southern grocery store), so maybe I can get some bones or something from the meat department. :D I'm super excited now! I just hope I don't forget by the time I wake up. :ROFLMAO:
 

karleee

Experienced Member
For dazzles teeth,we give her 100% natural beef bones (We have cows on our farm...so,i guess thats all i have to say :p )
Also,i find chicken wings and necks are good for teeth (MAKE SURE THERE RAW!) and dazzle just LOVES them to death :love:

I've tried the pedigree dental sticks....but dazzle just gives them a l;ittle sniff and then digs a whole and puts it in...and never gets dug up again (n)
 

sara

Moderator
Staff member
Mouse and Boo get RAW chicken drumsticks, or turkey necks, or wings, as well as raw oxtails. Raw chicken bones are perfectly safe, they're soft and spongy, and are great at cleaning their teeth! Oliver still get's sick off of any raw meat but fish, so that doesn't help him much, however he get's raw elk antler chunks (hasn't been dried) velvet attached, so his teeth stay great with those. Scout and Zoe will get raw oxtails, but as Scout cant have poultry, that's all they get... and Oxtails are seriously cheap!!! I feed all the raw meat and raw bones 1/2 frozen to give them something even harder to chew on... they LOVE IT! I wish I had the space for a big freezer, so I could feed raw all the time, but they make do with 5 or 6 different types of kibble and canned food, and the occasional raw bone and egg
 

Bosun

Well-Known Member
Milkbone ingredients: Wheat flour, beef meal and beef bone meal, milk, wheat bran, beef fat preserved with tocopherols, salt, dicalcium phosphate, wheat germ, natural flavor, calcium carbonate, brewers dried yeast, malted barley flour, vitamins (choline chloride, dl-alpha tocopheryl ecetate [vitamin e], vitamin a acetate, calcium pantothenate, riboflavin, vitamin b12 supplement, d-activated animal sterol [source of vitamin d3]), sodium metabisulfite (dough conditioner), minerals (zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, ethylenediamine dihydriodide [source of iodine]).

I had horrid plaque issues with dogs in the past. I had them eating Denta - Bones (high in calories) daily... nothing... the raw bones cleaned their teeth perfectly within 3 months. I buy marrow bones (raw) in the freezer section at the grocery store. For about $2 I get 3 bones that Bosun will chew on for days. I could re-charge the interest by smearing peanut butter on the inside, but I usually just toss them and give him another every 10 days or so.

So, I agree with the others, if the purpose is for teeth cleaning... I give MilkBone two thumbs down.
 
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