Can Boston Terriers Eat Lamb Ear Chews?

As more and more Boston Terrier dog owner seek to feed fresh we are seeing more exotic animal parts on the market. Part of it is that ranchers are realizing that they can sell the parts of the animal that humans do not eat to dog treat and chew companies. Some items like lamb ears are a bizarre food item. Are they good for dogs to eat? I did some research to share with you.

So can dogs eat lamb ears? Yes. Lamb ears with fur are an important source of manganese which helps maintain strong joints and ligaments. The best known source of manganese are fur, feet and feathers which are rarely found in conventional dog food. As with anything moderation is advised and a lamb ear chew once a week is sufficient.

When you are looking at lamb ears to feed your dog make sure it’s been naturally air dried and still has the fur intact. The pale yellow ones have gone through a process to bleach the ear and strip the fur away which defeats the purpose in feeding your dog lamb ears.

Nutritional Analysis of Lamb Ears

We purchase our lamb ears through Real Dog Box. Their nutritional card states the following guaranteed analysis:

• Crude protein 80%
• Crude Fat 1%
• Crude Fiber 1%
• Moisture 10%

Lamb Ears and Traditional Chinese Medicine

Lamb falls in the hot category in Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Most dog owners try to stay in the neutral spectrum and feed hot proteins in moderation.

However if you’re only feeding lamb ears occasionally then this should not be a problem.

Is It Safe To Feed Lamb Ears That Have Fur on Them To My Dog?

Not only is it an important source of manganese the fur acts as nature’s pipe cleaner and it cleans your dog’s intestines from the inside out.

This is extremely beneficial to any dog that are known to have anal gland issues. This will naturally scrub them clean so that you don’t have that “seepage” that comes from when they are not clean.

Dental Health Benefits of Lamb Ear Chews

Next to manganese and acting as nature’s pipe cleaner, the other reason I love to feed my two dogs lamb ear chews is for the dental benefits.

The act of tearing and gnawing at the lamb ear rubs off any plaque build up.

My two, Maggie and Orbit have fantastic teeth. At their most recent annual check up they got high points from our vet.

Trust The Company You Buy Lamb Ears From

I don’t just buy my lamb ears from anyone. I buy them from Real Dog Box. We’re a subscribing member and the reasons why I love them is they have 100% transparency as to who they source from.

With all of the latest scares around salmonella it’s important to me that our ingredients are sourced from ranchers located in the US. So often dog companies will buy their raw product from South America or China. Not that I have anything against those countries I would just rather the product arrives fresh, is processed and sent out to my house.

Minimally Processed Lamb Ears

Our lamb ears have been gently air-dried. Real Dog Box uses their own system combined with an ozone system to ensure that bacteria is gone from our dog treats and chews.

Other things I like is that our lamb ears have
No bleach or chemicals
USDA inspected
Made fresh to order
Sourced in Colorado, USA and made in San Diego California
No preservatives or additives

How Often Should I Give My Boston Terrier a Lamb Ear Chew

I believe moderation is always the best policy. I rotate up to four different chews in any given month. And they get a chew every other day. So with the subscription I have from Real Dog Box during the months that lamb ears are in the box they are getting a lamb ear once a week which is sufficient.

Should I Feed Raw Lamb Ears?

My two dogs don’t do well on raw. We are on a home cooked diet and I prefer to feed them gently air-dried chews.

The difference with air drying and dehydrating is the temperature. Air drying is typically lower while dehydrating is at a higher temperature.

Will They Get Salmonella

No if you know you are getting them from. Also dogs have a higher capability in defending themselves against salmonella than we do.

The rule of thumb is know who you are buying your lamb ears from and know who they source from.

And wash your hands after handling any dog food, treats or chews.

Does the Lamb Ear Become a Meal Replacement?

Since lamb ears are edible, you need to factor that into your dog’s daily food intake. On the days you feed a lamb ear, feed your dog less of their meal.

Each dog is different so feed the dog in front of you.

Do Lamb Ear Chews Smell?

Yes when you buy the natural air dried variety. Those that have been bleached and processed will have no smell. Or smell like plastic.

The lamb ears from Real Dog Box are pungent but in a natural way. They do not use anything to mask the odor.

The good thing is your Boston Terrier will love it.

My Boston Terrier Plays With Her Lamb Ears. What Does That Mean?

Because the lamb ears we get are so pungent our Boston Terrier decided to play with it the first time. She did this funny wiggle to play bow in front of it, toss it up in the air and then catch it again before running into her crate to eat it.

Some dogs have been known to roll on their lamb ears before they eat it. Part of this goes back to a belief that ancients dogs want to smell like what they just caught and when its high value enough they roll on it to bring the scent back to their pack. That way they can lead the pack to where the prey is and they can feast on their meal.

How To Feed The Lamb Ear

With ALL chews I always recommend to supervise your dog. I have two types of chewers in my house. Maggie is very methodical. She takes the chew and she gnaws at it from one side to the other.

I never worry about her chocking on her chews.

Orbit doesn’t have the same finesse or patience. She acts like what I imagine a dog in the wild who hasn’t eaten for days. She bites to try to tear chunks away.

One way to slow your more aggressive chewer is to simply hold the chew. Since it’s smelly and tends to get stronger in odor as they eat it, I recommend wearing a glove or having windows open.

I also prefer to feed my two Boston Terriers in their own crates so that I eliminate their need to compete with each other.

What To Do If Your Boston Terrier Is Trying to Swallow A Big Piece of the Lamb Ear?

Sometimes Orbit succeeds in tearing off a fairly large chunk which she proceeds to try to swallow. Because of this she only gets the lamb ear for two to three minutes.

Since I still want her to get the benefits of the manganese and the fur, I will take the lamb ear and cut it into smaller pieces using my kitchen shears.

Another idea I saw from another dog parent is they attach the lamb ears to a hand vise. I haven’t tried this method as of yet but will probably try it in the near future.

What If My Dog Gets Sick From Their Lamb Ear?

Dogs with sensitive stomachs should be introduced slowly.

The first time we had a lamb ear, I would only let them chew on the chew for 10 minutes to start off with. I put t in the freezer on a plate and gave it back to them them two days later.

That said I always keep a small bottle of slippery elm on hand. You can find them on Amazon or your local pet store.

Final Tips To Remember When Feeding Your Dogs Lamb Ears

• Purchase them from a company you trust.  We get ours from Real Dog Box.   If you sign up with our referral link you get an extra bag of treats. 
• Supervise your dogs while they are eating their chews
• For multiple dog homes, feed the lamb ears in their crates
• Feed lamb ears no more than once a week / occasionally. For example our lamb ears rotate on the Real Dog Box menu every quarter so once a quarter they get a lamb ear chew once a week for that month

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Hello my name is Hannah and I dance with my dogs.  A self proclaimed Boston Terrier addict, (aka breed advocate) I started this blog because there isn’t enough space to write on our Instagram.  Maggie is my socially awkward one; which I find highly relatable because I am completely out of place in large groups myself.  And Orbit is my sensitive flower.  Blow on her skin wrong (ok I might be exaggerating) and she breaks out in a rash.

You won’t read about cats here… but you will get a fairly large dosage of articles dedicated to the Boston Terrier.    Read more about us.