Are Filled Bones Safe For Dogs?

Redbarn January 28, 2016
Are Filled Bones Safe For Dogs?

Since we introduced them in 1996, Redbarn Filled Bones have been a best-selling chew that dogs love, protected by a patented filling process. As one of the largest manufacturers of bones in the United States, Redbarn is committed to educating our customers about bone safety, and our many different chews, like Filled Bones and how filled bones are safe for dogs. We want to help you find the right chew for your pet.

As a company, we take the quality and safety of our products seriously. We take pride in sourcing our products from trusted suppliers and requiring a certificate of analysis verifying the purity of every shipment. Simply put, we’ve invested in the necessary equipment and people to make the best pet products, including our treats and chews, on the market.  

With our filled bones, we define “best” as having the best filling. For us, this means that the filling is shelf-stable, stays adhered to the interior walls of the bone for a longer and more durable chew-time, and has a tasty flavor to entice picky eaters that wouldn’t otherwise enjoy our bones.

Whether you’ve never given your dog a bone or regularly give your dog a classic White Bone or Meaty Bone, it can feel like a huge leap to try out a Filled Bone. We completely understand! We’ve heard every question you can think of from curious pet parents: “Are Filled Bones safe for dogs?”, “Are Filled Bones good for dogs?”, “How are Filled Bones made?”, etc.

We wanted to answer a few of those Frequently Asked Questions below and list some benefits as well.

“Are Filled Bones Safe for Dogs?”

We do our best to make sure that every Redbarn Bone is as safe as possible for your dog. We take steps to minimize the risk of breaking or splintering, but it’s important to keep in mind that no natural bone can come with a guarantee against breaking or splintering.

We always recommend that you supervise your dog when any dog bone treat is given. If your dog starts breaking off large pieces or the bone gets too small to chew safely, be sure to take the bone away for their safety.

“How are Filled Bones Made?”

We source our Filled Bones from USDA / FDA approved facilities and they are made in the USA. We start with all-natural beef femur or tibia bones that are a natural source of calcium and phosphorus. We then clean and boil them, using a human food-grade solution to help sanitize and sterilize them. That’s how they get their white or off-white color. We go through this process for quality assurance reasons to ensure that they will stay fresh for customers. We never add chemicals, preservatives, flavors, or colors to our bones.

After they are cleaned, they are then cut to the appropriate size using a saw. This is true for all of our White Bones as well!

To make it a Filled Bone, we then use our patented technology to fill them with one of our five delicious flavors: Lamb, Cheese & Bacon, Beef, Peanut Butter, and Peanut Butter & Jelly DuoWith regards to the ingredients in our filling, all of them serve a specific purpose to make the product better for our canine customers. The ingredients help the filling stay adhered to the interior walls of the bone and stay semi-moist. This filling provides a fun challenge for dogs as they work to get it out from the bone. 

“Are Filled Bones Good for Dogs?”

Long Lasting

Dogs naturally want to chew, and our Filled Bones are an excellent way to satisfy that natural desire. Your dog will love the taste of the filling and work hard to get every last bit of it, adding to the chew time it takes to get through the treat. The benefit of a two-part treat is that there is still an all-natural bone to chew on after the filling is all gone!

Dental Health Benefits

Hard dog chews are great for aiding dental health because of the required mechanical action of chewing. As they chew, they help strengthen their teeth and reduce plaque and tartar build-up. The time spent engaging with the chew is stress-relieving and boredom-busting. Also, the chewing and gnawing help to move the saliva around the mouth aiding in the prevention of dental issues. At Redbarn we view filled bones, like all of our tough chews, as products to help supplement teeth cleaning and part of a good dental health routine. Redbarn Filled Bones are meant to be used as a dental treat. While it won’t replace regular visits to the vet or teeth cleanings, they can help support doggie dental health maintenance.

Natural Filled Bones

Redbarn’s Natural Filled Bones come in three flavors: Cheese N’ Bacon, Peanut Butter, and Chicken & Apple. Crafted in the same way as our original line, we’ve eliminated the corn syrup in these recipes in response to our pet parents wanting all-natural options to their dog’s favorite treats.

New to feeding your dog Filled Bones or other hard chews? Want to talk about why Filled Bones are good for your dogs? Our friendly customer service team is here to answer all of your questions! Either fill out the form here or call us at 1 (800) 775-3849, Monday-Friday between 8 am and 5 pm PST.


All data and information provided on this site is for informational purposes only and reflect the views of the authors alone, and do not necessarily reflect those of the organization. Redbarn.com makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, timeliness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis. Please note that each situation is different, and you should always consult your veterinarian should you have any questions about your pet’s health.