Are chicken necks safe for dogs? What to know before you feed them

Chicken necks can be a good chew for the right dog, fed the right way. They're also a bone-in cut, and bone-in comes with rules that matter more than anything we could say about calcium.

The short version: necks suit dogs that chew rather than gulp, sized so the neck can't be swallowed whole, with you in the room. They don't suit dogs with dental problems, puppies on baby teeth, or the dog that inhales food and asks questions later.

What's in a naturally dried chicken neck?

Exactly what it sounds like: the neck of an Australian chicken, meat, skin, cartilage and the small vertebrae through the middle, naturally dried at low heat. Nothing added. Bone naturally contains calcium and phosphorus; the cartilage is where glucosamine and chondroitin occur. We won't put numbers on a single neck, because we'd be guessing. It's a chew with some food value, not a meal — treats stay under about 10% of the day's food, and a neck counts.

Can dried chicken bones splinter?

Yes, they can. Small poultry bones, dried or raw or cooked, can break into sharp pieces, and any bone can be swallowed in a lump too big to pass. Neck vertebrae are small and relatively soft, which is why necks are a common chew, but "less likely" isn't "never". The RSPCA's advice on bones comes down to the same three things: size it to the dog, supervise, know your dog.

One more thing, because we'd rather you heard it from us: a 2018 University of Melbourne study found an association between feeding raw chicken and a rare nerve condition in dogs (Martinez-Anton et al., 2018). Our necks are naturally dried, not raw. If that study worries you, it's a fair question for your vet.

How to feed them

Start with one, on a day you're home. For small dogs a whole neck is a proper chew; for big dogs it's a quick one and the gulping risk goes up, so watch closely or pick a longer chew like a kangaroo tendon. Hold off for puppies until the adult teeth are in, around six to seven months. Our chicken necks sit at the small, crunchy end of the chews and bones range.

Chew safely. Size it so it can't be swallowed whole, supervise, and take it away once it's small. Very hard chews can crack teeth — not for puppies, seniors or dogs with dental issues. Fresh water always. A treat, not a meal.

Every dog is different. For an ongoing issue, your vet is the first call — this is general information, not veterinary advice.

Keep reading: Best natural chews for dogs: how to match the chew to the dog · Can chewing help a dog's teeth? What chews do, and what they don't

Sources

• RSPCA Australia Knowledgebase. Should I feed bones to my dog? kb.rspca.org.au
• Martinez-Anton L et al. (2018). Campylobacter infection and acute polyradiculoneuritis in dogs. J Vet Intern Med 32(1). doi.org

Pudel · Reviewed September 2026 · Single-protein, naturally dried dog treats, made in Australia. General information, not veterinary advice.