Novel proteins
Ostrich for Dogs
south africa's biggest bird
Ostrich for dogs comes out of one of the oldest commercial ostrich industries on the planet. South Africa has raised these birds since the nineteenth century, and hardly any of that output has ever reached an American dog bowl.
Where it comes from
The industry started in the dry inland Karoo and the Eastern Cape in the 1800s, and it started for feathers. The fashion died. The industry did not, and today it sends meat, leather, feathers, eggs and bone to domestic and export markets.
South Africa raises a large share of the world's ostriches. The South African Ostrich Business Chamber holds producers and processors to international standards that cover how the birds are raised, how they are slaughtered, what crosses a border and how disease is kept out.
Why it works as a novel protein
Ostrich meat is lean and it is classed as a red meat, despite coming from a bird. Few North American dogs have eaten it, so it can act as a novel protein for a dog reacting to something more common.
We use hypoallergenic to mean one novel protein with nothing else on the panel, and our single ingredient ostrich jerky is exactly that. The word describes the formula. It says nothing about how your particular dog will respond, and ostrich becomes an allergen like anything else once a dog has eaten enough of it. Our guide to novel proteins explains how that plays out in an elimination trial.
What we can prove about ostrich
What we say
Why we can say it
Ostrich may be suitable for dogs with food sensitivities.
Novel-protein reasoning, specific to the individual dog.
Single ingredient, on our jerky.
The panel lists ostrich and nothing else.
A naturally lean red meat.
Ostrich is classed as red meat on composition, not on the animal it came from.
Sourced in South Africa.
Registered abattoirs, cold chain and export controls.
Long lasting chews, on the bones.
Structural. Density and size, not a printed chew time.
Jerky and bones do different jobs
This is where ostrich splits from the other proteins we carry, because the same animal gives us two products with almost nothing in common.
Single ingredient ostrich treats, meaning our jerky, are a reward. They get eaten. You use them in training or to add interest to a bowl and they are gone in seconds.
Ostrich bones for dogs, meaning the knuckles and the marrow bones, are enrichment. They are selected for density and for how long a dog can work at one. Nutrition is beside the point.
Confusing the two leads to the wrong purchase. An owner wanting to occupy a bored dog for half an hour buys jerky and is disappointed in ninety seconds.
| Product | Purpose | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Ostrich jerky strips | Reward and training | Eaten quickly, high value |
| Ostrich knuckle | Extended chewing | Dense, worked at over a long session |
| Ostrich marrow bone | Extended chewing | Dense, marrow adds interest |
Ostrich, from jerky to bones
Single ingredient jerky for training and dense natural bones for the dogs that need a longer job.
Shop South African ostrichCommon questions
Is ostrich a novel protein for dogs?
For most North American dogs, yes. Ostrich rarely appears in commercial pet food, so prior exposure is uncommon. Your own dog's history is what settles it.
Is ostrich hypoallergenic?
Our single ingredient ostrich jerky is, by the definition we use: one novel protein and nothing else on the panel. The boosted ostrich products carry a short list of plant ingredients alongside the meat, so they are limited ingredient rather than single ingredient. Neither is a guarantee against a reaction.
Are ostrich bones safe for dogs?
Natural bones carry real risks and need supervision. Size the bone to the dog, watch the whole session and remove it once it is small enough to swallow or once an edge turns sharp. Ask your vet if your dog has dental problems or a history of gut obstruction.
Are ostrich bones for dogs better than cooked bones from the kitchen?
Cooked kitchen bones splinter and should never be given. Prepared chews are selected and processed for the job, which is a different product entirely.
How long does an ostrich knuckle last?
It depends on the dog. A determined chewer gets through one far faster than a gentle one. We publish no hour figure because we have no finished-product testing to support it.
Is ostrich sustainable?
South African ostrich uses close to the whole animal across five markets, which is part of why the industry has lasted more than a century.
