[pugmomsandy]

I’ve been mixing kibble and raw since 2011. Now it’s kibble, canned, freeze dried, or raw in any combo.

[lori]

Thank you for answering my question! I really appreciate it and I learned so much from all of you reading the threads – cheers!

[theBCnut]

I mix raw in kibble all the time and have had no problems with any of my dogs.

[NectarMom]

My 4 dogs have been on Darwin’s Raw turkey for a week now and we mix some kibble in with it plus probiotics and enzymes and some pumpkin at times and have not had an issue by mixing the two.

[NectarMom]

But if you are feeding just raw or mostly Raw such as I am feeding 1/4 Brothers and 3/4 Darwin’s Raw turkey so where are my dogs vitamins and minerals coming from? I wonder if that is why they are trying to eat grass and now dirt? They’re stools are firm and they gobble down the Darwin’s without any issue now besides the trying to eat grass and dirt. They get enzymes on the food in the morning and probiotics on they’re food in the evening. IMO for them to do this there is something missing that they are not getting. Darwin’s claims they put ACV in the Raw. I don’t know but just trying to learn and understand more so my dogs get everything they need. I am lovin the Darwin’s with my dogs because they are eating it so well and the stools are like they should be. My last beloved dog died from cancer and I believe it was from some ingredient in kibble so I do not want this to happen again if I can prevent it.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi lori –

Sounds like you’ve got a good feeding plan going! There’s no such thing as too much variety. 🙂

As long as your dog doesn’t seem to have any issues eating kibble and raw in the same meal it’s fine to combine the two. Many people combine kibble and raw with no issues. I’ve read some websites that advise not mixing kibble and raw due to potential stomach upset but I’ve never actually heard of a dog having issues with mixing the two.

[lori]

I would like to know if there is a problem/your experience with feeding 1/2 kibble 1/2 raw in a single meal. I also add a Tbsp of yogurt, fish oil and probiotics, I am currently using Great Life Probiotic & Enzyme. Their other meal is kibble with veggies, yogurt, coconut oil and probiotics. I use commercial raw like Vital Essentials or Small Batch Pet or K9 Natural. They expect something on the top of their food that is why I don’t do veggie and raw as one meal. I do also feed freeze dry raw instead of raw a couple times per week so they get variety. Maybe too much variety? I have one dog with a gurgly stomach the younger one is fine.

[Hound Dog Mom]

If you’re referring to brands of raw, I make my own for my crew so I can be in complete control of quality. If I were to feed a commercial product Answer’s and Aunt Jeni’s would be my top picks.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi nectarmom –

Some brands perform what’s called “high pressure processing” on their “raw” food to eliminate bacteria. Darwin’s doesn’t do this and – IMO – that’s a good thing. I wouldn’t feed HPP “raw” and would only recommend it in the case of an extremely immune-compromised dog. HPP is just one more process – processing should be limited and food should be kept as close to its natural state as possible. HPP has been shown to cause denaturing of proteins. It’s also speculated that it may affect the fats and enzymes as well. A normal bacteria load present in raw meat is not a concern for a healthy dog. My dogs have been eating raw for almost 2 years, in which they’ve likely been exposed to salmonella numerous times, and have never gotten sick. If bacteria is a concern I’d recommend supplementing with quality probiotics (a healthy population of “good” bacteria will help your dog to keep “bad” bacteria in check) and adding foods that have natural anti-bacterial properties (such as unfiltered apple cider vinegar and coconut oil).

[Hound Dog Mom]

I don’t have dobermans, but I have “large active dogs” (3 bloodhounds). I’ve found they do best on a high protein, moderate/high fat, low carb raw diet without grains or starches. Their meals average around 50% protein and 35% fat. They seem to maintain their weight better with higher fat levels.

[NectarMom]

What about giving them Raw Goats Milk? Darwin’s told me to mix some Tripe in with the Raw but I didn’t want to make matters worse by introducing something else into the mixture.

[NectarMom]

I was at the store today picking up some can pumpkin and I was telling the Nutritionist there that my dogs were on partial raw and the reason I was asking him is because my vet claimed that I was so worried about salmonella poison from kibble and now here I am feeding RAW…He didn’t get it. Now the nutritionalist there at the store said that the raw they carry has been prepared against salmonella? Does Darwins also do this? I have found that my shihtzu has been puking in the futon where I couldn’t see it so I called Darwin’s and they are suppose to call me back tomorrow with some suggestions.

[theBCnut]

Mine are also half Brothers Allergy and half Darwin’s, except that I’m finally going to get to try Micah on Brothers Red Meat and see how he does!!! And I also do some homemade raw.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi JillMcN –

Please be aware that using a pre-mix will not necessarily ensure that your dog is getting all the nutrients it needs. There are a few pre-mixes available that meet AAFCO nutrient profiles when prepared per instructions (The Honest Kitchen’s Preference, U-Stew, Urban Wolf, See Spot Live Longer Dinner Mix), but many have no claim of meeting the AAFCO’s nutrient standards and many of these – like Sojo’s, for example – don’t appear to be conplete and balanced when prepared according to the instructions. These unbalanced pre-mixes would be fine to use intermittently, but to feed long term you would need to know what supplements to add in order to balance the recipe. So if you’re planning on using a pre-mix long term, please make sure it meets the AAFCO’s nutrient standards.

The recipe you posted actually appears to be quite balanced, only a few things that I’d tweak. I’d cut the liver from 8 oz. to 4 oz. and give 4 oz. of another organ (kidney, lungs, spleen, etc.) I’d add another whole food supplement (such as alfalfa or wheatgrass) in addition to the kelp. I’d also highly recommend rotating in red meat for the poultry 50% of the time – this will help balance the fats as poultry is high in polyunsaturated fats (particularly linoleic acid) while red meat is high in saturated fats and low in polyunsaturated fats. Red meat is also much higher in iron and many micronutrients than poultry. There are several books available that contain complete and balanced recipes that are AAFCO compliant. “Unlocking the Canine Ancestral Diet” by Steve Brown is my favorite – the recipes are for raw food but could easily be converted to cooked by substituting muscle meat for any RMB’s and adding 800-1,000 mg. calcium per pound of meat.

[Jackie B]

Supposedly, cooking bones is what makes them sharp and splintery. That is why raw feeders feed raw bones only. Although when I tried raw bones (even small chicken wing size ones) they made my dog throw them up (in my bed). I do know that Merrick sells a canned food called “Wingaling” that contains pressure cooked chicken bones, soft enough for a dog to eat.

As for premixes, I’ve had great success with Sojo’s. The grain-free mix smells kind of strong (like smelly broccoli) but it is easy to add cooked or raw meat to and my 7 YO rescue dog loves it. I mix up a big batch and use an ice cream scoop to put portions on wax paper on a cookie sheet, freeze, then put the frozen portions in a container to thaw as needed.

[JillMcN]

If only the softest bones were removed and processed separately into mush… maybe. OK.

I’ll still remove all the bones this time and continue to add egg shell powder until I decide on which supplements should be added to the above.

Or could someone weigh in and tell me whether I should just get a pre-mix and add my own meat?
I won’t be feeding raw. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks.

[JillMcN]

I have a recipe by Andi Brown – I’ve made it once for my 7-yr-old-pug and I’d like to make it again while I continue researching the things I need to add.
It is home-cooked, not raw. I’ll post it after my question. After reading some posts here, I got as nearly-to-powder as possible some egg shells to add to each meal (1/4 tsp.) and some sardines for Omega 3s (although there is wild-caught salmon on the recipe).

When I cook the chicken, I obviously remove the large bones, but there are several small bones that I think would be very soft and thoroughly decimated by my extra-strong hand blender.
Is the answer always “no” – do not feed cooked bones, even finely mushed-up cooked bones to our dogs?

Thanks in advance.

The recipe I used (minus the oats and minus the garlic):
The Whole Pet Diet Chicken Stew
Special note: use organic ingredients whenever possible
• 5 pounds Whole Chicken or Turkey (bones, organs, skin and all)
• 6 – 8 cups spring water
• 1/2 pound of additional beef liver, or chicken liver or turkey liver (your choice)
• 1/2 pound of wild salmon
• 2 cloves chopped fresh garlic
• 1/2 pound green peas
• 1 pound coarsely chopped carrots
• 1/2 pound coarsely chopped sweet potato (yam)
• 1 pound coarsely chopped zucchini
• 1 pound coarsely chopped yellow squash
• 1/2 pound of coarsely chopped green beans
• 1 pound coarsely chopped celery
• 1/4 teaspoon kelp powder
• Dash of dried rosemary
See Chef’s Tip on Freshly Grated Toppings
For Dogs:
Add 12 oz. of Rolled Oats and adjust the water content to a total of 12 cups or enough to just “cover” the ingredients.

Combine all ingredients in a 10-quart stock pot (stainless steel, please). Bring to boil, reduce to low, and simmer for about 1 1/2 hours.

Once finished (your carrots are soft), let cool and de-bone the chicken by hand. With an electric hand mixer (I use one available from Sears for about $19) or a food processor, blend all the ingredients into a nice puree. Using plastic yogurt containers, or Tupperware, make up “meal-sized” portions or what you will need for three days, and freeze what you don’t need immediately.

[NectarMom]

Yes we are on turkey. I think in my situation it is best that I do not over load my dogs with raw meat on a bone due to they are so sensitive to change in anything in a diet. I am currently having issues with my shihtzu after day 2 on just mixing a half a teaspoon of Darwin’s turkey. Shes eating and no temp but shes very sluggish which is surprising due to my one with intestinal issues is fine and my shihtzu is following me around like there is no tomorrow and shes never like that. My shihtzu’s stool was a bit soft but not runny but I don’t like the way she is acting and nothing else has changed in her environment but the Darwin’s. I do things slow with them since they have had alot of issues with diet change. I am super parinoid of introducing any type of Raw with my dogs so I am taking baby steps to do this transition if it even works. Thank you both for your wealth of info and just to let you know it has been taken in and I really appreciate the advice.

[NectarMom]

Thank you Patty I will try that this morning. HDM , I have seen the dog grass sprouts. I sprout beans all the time for my parrot. I will see if I can find the website again where I bought the bird sprouts. I believe it was called The Sprout People. I just cannot get over how well my Shihtzu is eating her food out of her bowl every time and seriously I have never seen her so excited about eating..ever!

Can you recommend which raw bones I should start out with that are safe and small enough for tiny dogs?

Patty I will try the partial defrost Thank you both so much , Jennifer

[theBCnut]

No, the eating grass is not a normal reaction to Darwin’s. And yes, it is normal for it to turn brown. Try giving them a spoonful of it without any kibble, maybe you have the rare dog that can’t handle raw mixed with kibble. Also, you can partially defrost it just enough to divide it in to smaller portions and refreeze what you don’t need immediately.

[kmarron]

Thank you for the advice!

[RDandSQ]

9 year old 75 pound dog’s lab work showed dilute urine specific gravity (1.007) and slightly high creatinine (1.7 vs. range of 0.5 – 1.6 mg/dL). Other kidney numbers were good. This dog often drinks a lot, leading to lower specific gravity. The vet suggested going to a Senior Food to get a bit less protein, so his kidneys have less work.

My dog is on Ziwipeak dyhydrated raw food (it’s not raw once dyhydrated) with “quality” protein and no grains etc. It’s pretty much all meat. He get’s 6 scoops per day, with fish oil and some other supplements (Missing Link and Sea Meal). I was focused on the percent protein (36%), but not on the total quantity. Doing the math it seems he’s been getting 122 gm protein per day!!

I now understand the guideline for older dogs is about 2 gms/ per kg (or about 1 gm/ pound), which is slightly more than for adult dogs. Based on this he should be getting about 75 gms/day.

I’m thinking rather than going to a commercial senior dog food with grains and other things, why not just give him less Ziwipeak and augment with vegetables? More so, as he seems allergic to meats other than venison. I was thinking of going down to 4 scoops (about 80 gm protein) per day, which is the recommended amount, and giving him vegetables such as pumpkin, sweet potato, or cauliflower or a combination to make sure he gets the same amount of food he is used to (he’s on the skinny side of normal)

Does that make sense? Other suggestions?

[weimlove]

Just made two weeks worth of meals with some green tripe included… The smell is awful!! But I know it’s very nutritious so I will try to ignore it!

[NectarMom]

I got my Darwin’s Turkey order Wed and it was packed so well and still very frozen so I put all of it (which was ALOT) into the freezer and kept one pack out for in a couple of days ( Today). Darwin’s called me the day the shipment came in and walked me through how to make a hopefully smooth transition start. I can honestly say I was very very nervious about starting a raw diet for my dogs since I hate meat with a passion ( I do not eat it)

Day one: Per advice from Darwin’s – Feed my usual mix and add in just half a teaspoon with each dogs meal of Darwin’s and mix in enzymes ( Mercola Brand) Now I have a VERY picky Shihtzu that will only eat out of my hand her kibble and can food but not this morning, she was trying to eat everyone elses and when I put her bowl down ( shes always last eating because shes so picky) Everyone else would eat her food before she got a chance but not this morning she actually ate all of her mixture right out of the bowl…OMG …I have not ever seen her do that in 2 1/2yrs she was born.

My short coat Chihuahua ( GiGi) smelled the Darwin’s in the bo as soon as I brought it in and put it on the floor. She was litterally climbing the walls wanting what was in that box ( Frozen Darwin’s LOL! I truely believe she would have eaten it frozen she wanted it that bad..hehe!

Now this is just the first day on it and the first feeding so I am hoping we do not have issues and I guess my only concern is the sweet potato since we are on a potato free diet. Time will tell if it agrees with GiGi since she is the one with intestinal allergies to what we do not know yet but for sure she is allergic to insect bites but that is not food related. Keep your fingers crossed for us. This is going to be a very slow process and we hope to make this work for our girls. I love the extra container they send to keep the raw in but I just for right now wish the porportions were a bit smaller since I am sure within 48 hrs I will be throwing some away.

[Becky]

I foster a pug who was surrendered because of her severe allergies. She’d been through all the allergy tests and basically was found to be allergic to everything. They’d had her on meds, steroids, baths, dips–you name it, they did it. They took her to the vet to be put down because she was so miserable and they couldn’t afford it any more. Thankfully, she was rescued. She’s now on a med called Atopica which is unfortunately pretty expensive, but has been a miracle worker for her. When I got her, her skin was raw and bleeding and now she has a beautiful coat. She eats Nutro Grain Free Lamb and Potato. We found 2 things she’s really allergic to are wheat and sweet potatoes and this food seems to be working for her. (knock on wood) And she’s learned to like baby carrots for treats! 🙂

[weimlove]

Yes he is 🙂 and I really enjoy making his meals too.

[theBCnut]

The big plus with calcium citrate does not apply to this situation, and that is that you don’t have to take it with a meal. Other types of calcium are absorbed better if they are taken with a meal.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Sounds like Shadow is thriving on his new species-appropriate diet! Glad to hear it 🙂

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi shelties mom –

You only want to use one calcium supplement. You can stick with one or rotate every so often. I’ve actually never used bone meal as a calcium source, but the thing to keep in mind if you want to use bone meal is that it contains both calcium AND phosphorus so you’ll have to add more bone meal than you would a pure calcium supplement (such as calcium citrate) to get the ratio in balance. Most bone meal has a 2:1 calcium to phosphorus ratio but it can vary by brand. Dr. Pitcairn’s book “Natural Health for Dogs and Cats” contains a guide guide for balancing recipes with bone meal, I’m sure there are a lot of websites out there that explain it as well. If you’re using a pure calcium supplement, the general rule is about 800 mg. per 1 lb. muscle meat and 1,000 mg. per 1 lb. organ meat – as long as you follow that general rule the end result should be balanced. Sometimes slightly more or less can be used depending on the type of meat – i.e.) fattier meats will be lower in phosphorus and thus require less calcium than leaner meats. In my boneless beef recipe above, after the nutrient analysis I found that I only needed 1,400 mg. calcium to get the ratio where I wanted it. The tripe didn’t require any calcium as tripe naturally has a balanced C:P ratio, 85% lean is a little fattier and contains less phosphorus than extra lean meat and my offal blend contains trachea and gullet which only have slightly more phosphorus than calcium. There really wasn’t any reason behind my choosing calcium citrate other than it was available in powder form – I prefer to use powdered supplements when possible. You could certainly use another calcium supplement such as eggshell calcium, calcium lactate, etc. Just make sure the supplement contains ONLY calcium – some add other vitamins and minerals which, if not accounted for, could over-supplement your dog’s meal. I’ve heard that certain calcium supplements are better assimilated than others, but I really wouldn’t worry too much about what type you’re using as long as you’re getting the amount right.

[weimlove]

Hi everyone, I haven’t been on here in a while but I just wanted to let y’all know that shadow is doing fabulous on raw. He used to have little red bumps on his tummy, runny poop, and was pretty slim. Since he has been on raw, the bumps are gone, his poop is great, and he has added muscle weight. Right now he is eating chicken leg quarters, necks and backs, thighs, turkey necks, wings, ground beef, ground chicken, ground turkey, and canned salmon and mackerel. I have also found a local who can order green tripe for me from blue ridge raw. I bought five pounds on it and can’t wait to try it! I have finally gotten comfortable feeding raw! I also add hard boiled eggs, sweet potatoes, various green veggies, fish oil, kelp, and vitamin e. I plan on giving him a whole chicken this weekend!

[shelties mom]

HDM,
I’m confused when to use calcium citrate or bone meal supplement for boneless recipes? Do you rotate the two?

[theBCnut]

That’s what I do, though I’m sure that our turkey necks have a higher meat:bone ratio because they don’t look like the bones are much bigger. They just have a huge meaty area where they were attached to the body, about 4 times more meat than bone. The head end isn’t so meaty though, only about the same amount of meat as bone.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Patty –

When I first ventured into raw feeding I fed Primal RMBs and their turkey necks were HUGE – about 1 lb. each. The turkey necks I get from my new supplier are on the small side (only about 6-8 oz. each), so the weight is for both. Technically, a turkey neck has a balanced C:P ratio, but it’s on the high side (about 1.8:1). I would just make sure your dogs are getting about one half the amount of muscle meat as they are RMB. So feed 1/2 lb. boneless meat for every lb. RMB (roughly, doesn’t have to be exact – a little more or less will still be balanced).

[theBCnut]

HDM

I must ask. Where you list 2 turkey necks(12-16oz), is that both turkey necks together? I have to have turkey necks cut by the butcher, because ours are well over a pound, and I’m wondering how that affects the meat: bone ratio.

[Hound Dog Mom]

I sprout my own seeds. I buy them raw and have a my own sprouter. I’ve seen pre-sprouted seeds for sale though – health foods stores might sell them and I know nuts.com does. I grind mine in a coffee grinder. I order my raw glandular supplement from Swanson it’s called “Natural Sources Raw Glandular.” There are lots of other good quality glandulars out there too.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Sigh…I wish this forum let you edit posts! There should be three eggs added to the chicken mix.

[shelties mom]

HDM,
Your recipes look very nutritious! May I ask where you get the Raw Glandular supplement? And where can I find sprouted seeds?

[theBCnut]

Short term, it certainly won’t matter. Long term, I would look into a whole foods supplement to add to it. If it were no more than 3 meals a week I wouldn’t worry about it, but I’m kind of a worrywort, so since it’s half the meals, I would still want a little more.

[Hound Dog Mom]

As long as they’re getting kibble for one meal I wouldn’t worry about adding anything.

[Hound Dog Mom]

The dogs are moving through the venison supply quickly so I’ve formulated their next menu. I’ve always fed my dogs so much variety and their yearly blood work has always come back normal, so I’ve never been overly concerned about nutrient profiles. This time however, I decided to actually take the time to run a full nutrient analysis on their new menu. What a headache! It took me a few days of slaving over the calculator, however I’m happy to say their menu exceeds the AAFCO nutrient profile for all life stages. My main focus for this menu was cutting costs, while maximizing nutrition and variety. Because I know this menu is “complete and balanced” and there’s a lot of variety, along with the fact that this will slice about $100 of the monthly food bill – I’ll probably be sticking with this menu for awhile. Breakfasts are divided into three equal portions (one portion for each dog) and dinners are what I would feed to each dog individually.

Mondays/Wednesdays/Fridays

Breakfast:

Makes 3 Servings:
1 lb. Ground Beef
1 lb. Green Beef Tripe
1 lb. Beef Offal Mix (Heart, Liver, Kidney, Spleen, Lungs, Trachea, Gullet)
3 eggs
3.75 oz. Tin Sardines Packed in Water
1 C. Kefir
16 oz. Frozen Broccoli, Cauliflower, Carrot Mix*
1 Bunch Fresh Parsley, Minced
2 tbs. Whole Food Supplement**
2 tbs. Ground Hemp Seed
2 tbs. Ground Sprouted Sunflower Seeds
1 tbs. Coconut Oil
1 tbs. Apple Cider Vinegar with Mother
1/4 tsp. Himalayan Crystal Salt
3,000 mg. Cod Liver Oil
1,400 mg. Calcium Citrate
1,500 mg. Fruit Concentrate (Blueberry, Cherry, Orange, Strawberry, Raspberry, Cranberry)
1,050 mg. mg. Raw Multiple Glandular (Liver, Brain, Stomach, Kidney, Heart, Spleen, Pancreas, Duodenum, Thyroid, Thymus, Adrenal, Parotid, Pituitary)
600 IU Mixed Tocopherols and Tocotrienols

Dinner:
2 Turkey Necks (approx. 12 – 16 oz.)
6 oz. Turkey Hearts

Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday

Breakfast:

Makes 3 Servings:
12 oz. Skin-On Chicken Necks, ground
12 oz. Chicken Gizzards, ground
12 oz. Chicken Hearts, ground
12 oz. Chicken Livers, ground
10 oz. Frozen Spinach*
10 oz. Frozen Butternut Squash*
8 oz. Canned Oysters
1 C. Kefir
2 tbs. Whole Food Supplement**
2 tbs. Milled Flaxseed
2 tbs. Sprouted Pumpkin Seeds
5 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 tbs. Coconut Oil
1 tbs. Apple Cider Vinegar with Mother
1/4 tsp. Himalayan Crystal Salt
3,000 mg. Cod Liver Oil
1,500 mg. Fruit Concentrate (Blueberry, Cherry, Orange, Strawberry, Raspberry, Cranberry)
1,440 mg. Colostrum
600 IU Mixed Tocopherols and Tocotrienols

Dinner:
Pork Neck (approx. 20 oz.)

Sundays

FAST: 1 C. Broth (made with THK’s Ice Pups) with Animals’ Apawthecary Detox Tincture morning and night.

*All vegetables are cooked and pureed.
**Whole Food Supplement: 1 part kelp, 1 part spirulina, 1 part alfalfa, 1 part wheatgrass, 1 part bee pollen powder.

http://i1281.photobucket.com/albums/a501/hagelult/NutrientAnalysis_zps9f3e4b46.png

[InkedMarie]

Oh, one other question: for t least the time being, two of mine will be getting Hare Today grinds for breakfast and kibble for the second meal. For however long I do this, do they need fruits and veggies or does the kibble take care of the vitamins and minerals?

[InkedMarie]

Thank you HDM and Patty.

[theBCnut]

2 reasons

1. I like giving mine a variety of antioxidants and micronutrients. If I was feeding naturally raised whole animals all the time I probably wouldn’t worry about this, but I don’t feed whole prey very often. Blood, eyes and brains have things in them that are lacking in the rest of the body.

2. Angel, my JRT, gets REALLY hard stools and needs the additional fiber. Again, if I were feeding whole prey more often I wouldn’t have to worry about it, because hair acts like fiber.

[Hound Dog Mom]

She’s from Canada, that’s why she can’t get Hare Today.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Marie –

I’m not convinced a dog can get all the nutrients it needs on a meat/organ/bone only diet unless it were to be eating a variety of wild caught whole prey animals (which isn’t realistic). There are a lot of items that are necessary to add in order to provide vital trace nutrients. I’m actually working on posting my dogs’ latest menu plan to the recommended menus thread. I ran a full nutrient analysis on this menu plan to ensure that it conforms to the AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages. I’ve always been a believer that meat, organs and bone alone aren’t adequate, but after doing this analysis (and suffering the headaches that came with it lol) I’m sure of it.

[InkedMarie]

For HDM and Patty, why o you need to add veggies?

[InkedMarie]

Shin Tzu mom, by can’t you get Hare Today? Jus o to http://www.Hare-Today.com (if that’s the wrong link, google or it).

[Hound Dog Mom]

They sell rabbit heads on Hare Today, my dogs love them.

[Shihtzumom20]

Sorry HDM I guess I was writing at the same time as you, I like the idea of making my own veggie/fruit blend, that way I can cook and puree them, and see what works best for him. I never notice any other veggies (except the kelp) or fruits in the blends for that matter, so maybe they just put the carrots in raw for some reason? I will ask when I make my next order. Is the fruit concentrate something you can buy at a nutrition store?
Hehe Patty, that made me giggle! I saw a few pictures yesterday of a dog eating the head of an animal, and know I couldn’t handle that. Good thing Dawson couldn’t eat a deer or calf head!(though dont some dogs lick out the brains?)

[theBCnut]

Actually my popsicles are primarily veggies like spinach, kale, a few carrots, that sort of thing with fruit added. And yes, I believe trachea is great for teeth. The brains and eyeballs were part of a whole carcass grind, I don’t think I’m ready to hand the dogs a head and let them gnaw on it either.