[theBCnut]

The avidin in egg white binds with biotin so the body can’t use all of what is in the diet, so I only give raw eggs a couple times a week. The rest of the time I give lightly cooked eggs. Feed the shell if you are feeding a meal that is light in calcium. Don’t feed the shell if the meal is heavy in calcium.

[Cyndi]

Here are a couple articles for you: One article says feed the whole egg, shell and all, the other says not to feed the shell. Personally, I feed the shell and all. I give my dog a fresh, cage free chicken or duck eggs a couple times a week and that’s all…

http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/feeding-your-dog-raw-eggs-good-or-bad/

http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/14_5/features/Improving-Your-Dogs-Diet_20260-1.html

[Lord F]

How often should I be feeding them? I give two of my dogs raw for breakfast, they get 7oz of raw per day, then kibble in the evening. They get 5.7oz of muscle meat, 1.3oz of organ meat, and RMB’s every other day.
I’ve been putting a raw egg (no shell) in their breakfast everyday, but I see most people only do this once a week. Am I doing it too often?
Also, what exactly are the benefits of raw eggs? Should I be feeding shell?

[Nancy C]

In reply to Kristin… After my experiences w kibble I too changed to raw with the help of several wonderful people here and I can’t imagine going back. For me it’s a bit of a job to find resources other than whole foods ( un medicated /chemicalized chicken) and the Butcher shop. I have been to a slaugther house, called local grass feeding farmers (who never return calls) and am networking to find a more cost effective source for the variety of raw food. Nonetheless I will continue the raw because I can SEE a difference in my dogs. My GSD’s teeth are so much cleaner from HARE TODAY’s great Turkey Necks. I am still anxious about feeding the BEEF RIB BONES (any suggestions?) In my head I know his molars can chew them but I keep being afraid he’ll swallow a sharp piece which could cause trouble on it’s journey through and out the other end. Anyone else’s dogs doing fine on chewing Beef Rib Bones? I am asking around and it appears they are not a problem, and are very healthy. Tom Lonsdale DVM writes a worthwhile book RAW MEATY BONES and has a website with that title. I know I need to overcome this concern. Best of Luck, Kristin!

[Dori]

Can’t remember if explanation was given for Nature’s Logic not being on the EC list. 5 star kibble, readily available and many posters on DFA feed it. It is the only kibble in my rotation feeding. All other foods I feed are raw, freeze dried, dehydrated. Thx.

[Kristin C]

This is in response to Patricia B and Mom2cavs from Sept 2014, I fed my 4 yr old Blue Buffalo since we got her at 9 weeks and she did great (along with lazy half raw). Our new pup, chihuahua mix in Dec 2013, did better on the Purina Puppy Chow they fed her at the rescue (than the Blue Puppy-and we were fans of Blue!). After watching it come out both ends for a few weeks (a growing puppy!) we switched her to raw along with our older dog, and I will never go back if I can help it. I realize it’s not for everyone. We use Orijen kibble and freeze dried as we need to once or twice per week. I feel awful for feeding my older dog Blue for as long as I did. She has lost weight and her coat shines so much more than when she ate Blue kibble.

[Kristin C]

Best food choice would be anything with low starch (including rice and potato, sweet potato). Maybe add some coconut oil into whatever diet you chose. We feed our dogs mostly raw so kibble recommendation is not our thing, but we feed Orijen once or twice per week as needed, which is low grain.

[Kristin C]

Yes and OMG sorry because I have never heard of it. Just thought you might be looking for a Top Quality raw food. On first glance, it’s not a food I would feed my dogs. As far as I’m concerned, top quality is where you know where it comes from and prepare it yourself.

[Melissaandcrew]

I think they are referring to the raw company.

[theBCnut]

Some legumes have more phytates than others, but of course, we don’t get to pick which ones are in kibble. I personally don’t mind some legumes, but I don’t like kibble to have so much that I’m wondering where the protein in the food is really coming from. Some dogs can’t handle foods with a lot of legumes. Since I feed a rotational diet and half raw, I don’t worry about the legumes in kibble unless my food reaction dog has issues with the food. But if I was feeding straight kibble, that would definitely be a consideration for me, especially if I noticed my dogs having lots of gas.

[theBCnut]

Dogs don’t make the enzyme necessary to break down the cell walls of plants. They do have some probiotics in their gut that help with that, but not enough for a whole lot of raw plant matter. Best is to cut the fruits and veggies into small pieces and then blanch them, them puree. This predigesting should damage a whole lot of cell walls and make it easier for the different probiotics to do their work too.

[Peter S]

Hi, I have 2 adult male labs…a 3-yr old and an 11-yr old. I currently feed them a high-quality kibble and an occasional raw egg. I want to start giving them a little bit of mixed greens/veggies 2-3x a week … I’m thinking dark leafy greens(spinach,chard etc), mixed lettuces, cucumbers/green beans/carrots/apples etc . Can I just chop all this stuff up small or should I puree it all first ? What I’m going for here of course is maximum digestibility/bioavailability of nutrients . The reason I ask is because I do know that dogs’ digestive systems work differently than humans’ in regards to how they process certain foods.

Thanx in advance for all advice !

[Kristin C]

Hey Sandi – you are lucky! What I would look out for is feeding your dog too much from one source, beef (50%-does anyone disagree?), and be careful on too much sweet potato, starch. Raw poultry bones once or twice per week and one of the base mixes BC mentioned (THK or SSLL) are good. I would add organ meat to the beef in proper proportion, as well as other meat sources. Canned sardines once per week are good, but as long as you are feeding cooked salmon that’s sufficient. I would personally never feed raw salmon or pork.

[weezerweeks]

Dori get ur vet to do the titers on the distemper and parvo. It had been 3 years since my yorkie’s and the titers were very good. I did not have the shots. He sent the blood to Hemopet,Jean Dobbs lab, the cost for her test was only $52. Then u have to pay the vet for drawing blood and sending. I received the results in a few days. Well worth the money!

[crazy4cats]

Hi Julie-
It pains me to read your post as I have gone through basically the same scenario with my two pups, 3 year-old, 80 lb lab mixes. We battled both giardia and coccidia for about a year. I think they have permanent issues from that condition. I found a ton of helpful information on dogaware dot com. Check out this site’s digestive disorder tab. My dog’s stools are still loose after exercise or when they get real excited, unfortunately. But otherwise they have been pretty consistent. I feed mine mostly Victor grain free food. It contains a clay that is supposed to be helpful for dogs with different types of colitis. I also rotate between the Perfect Form, Gastriplex and Vetri Pro BD supplements that contain probiotics and enzymes along with some diarrhea remedies such as slippery elm that seem to help a lot too. As far as toppers go, it seems like when I add either raw nuggets or dehydrated to their kibble, they do better than when I add a little canned food. Of course, murphey’s law, they are much more expensive than canned. I hope you can find a combination that works for you. If you do start switching up, do it slowly and one at a time so you know if it is helping or not. Good luck!

[Peter S]

Has anyone ever tried or currently using Brothers Complete kibble ? I spent some time on their website today and was impressed and am considering trying one of their allergy formulas for my 2 adult labs. They offer 3 different grain-free protein formulas under the “allergy” category : Turkey , Lamb , or Venison (all have dried egg as their 2nd ingredient, and the top ingredient is either turkey/lamb/venison meal). One thing on their site that particularly impressed me was their manufacturing process…apparently they make the kibbles in relatively small batches, then it’s immediately stored in deliberately cool warehouse conditions for a very short time(days) before being bagged and sent directly to the consumer. This way they ensure that the customer receives a very fresh product that hasn’t sat on distributors’ warm muggy warehouse shelves for months before arriving in pet stores. It looks like Brothers only sells direct via online sites and have no physical store sites (except one if FL i believe). The only drawback is price…about $80 including shipping for the 25 lb turkey formula (lamb & venison are even more $$).
If anyone has used/using BC’s kibbles , i’d love to hear what you think, how your dog does on it, etc Thanx !

[theBCnut]

You should see Sandy’s pantry, and her dogs aren’t picky. I think she gets canned food by the pallet. We are a BUNCH of dog food hoarders here. I usually have about 200 lbs of raw in my freezer and 150 lbs of kibble in the house.

[Nancy C]

Listen: My dog’s titer for PARVO was “NEGATIVE” according to my vet. SHE wanted to REVACCINATE him w a Combo shot incl distemper and he had a HIGH titer for that.

I said no. I went to a different vet and got a new titer and BOTH PARVO AND DISTEMPER came back VERY STRONG.

They can make MISTAKES and not on YOUR DOG.
Go get another TITER DRAWN.
BEST OF LUCK.

[Lord F]

Hi!
I am definitely a raw lover. Unfortunately I have 2 large dogs and 1 puppy that we expect to be large-ish as well! (which is an Aussie mix, so cute!) So as you can imagine, raw is expensive for us. We switched to half raw, half kibble, and it works amazingly!
We do raw for breakfast and kibble in the evening. We do splurge on Orijen for their kibble, but they are doing so great on it.
Another thing, I’ve recently decided to switch to store bought meat instead of raw sold in pet stores. Buying the pet food raw, you’re paying anywhere between $7-$13 per pound! Or you can go to a butcher or grocery store and get meat for $2-$5 per pound. They like it more anyway! Plus, you’re paying for the added vitamin/minerals or veggies that they don’t need, they’re getting a balanced diet with regular raw meat plus kibble.
As for Honest Kitchen, I love them too. I buy a big box of Preference and put 1/3 cup with their raw every other morning. It lasts forever and they like it, surprisingly. One of my dogs HATES vegetables/fruits, but she eats this, so lucky me!
Good luck with your puppy!

[theBCnut]

I would use about 1/8-1/4 a can per meal, if I was using it, but I’m not, because I feed raw green tripe, which is really nasty stuff. One can of it replaces about 1 cup of kibble.

[Akari_32]

Sojos does have a pre-mix, but I don’t know what it’s called. THKs pre-mix that I can remember the name of is Preference. They also have two new ones that should be out by now, as well. Didn’t catch the fact that you had actual recipes down in your previous post!

Grandma Lucy’s is also extremely low in calories and has large portions. Some of these pre-mixes you’re looking at require that dogs about the size of ours (in the 10lb range) to eat something like 1 lb of food. I feed 5 oz to Bentley, and even that sometimes looks like a lot, but I couldn’t imagine giving him a whole pound. His belly already gets round after his 5 oz, he’d probably explode with much more lol Thats why I chose SSLL– its measured in tablespoons, not cups. If you decide to go the pre-mix route, just look at how much you’d be feeding, and judge it with canned food. That will already give a good idea of how much your be offering. If you think it may seem like too much, you may want to pick something else.

I’ve never used Dr Harvey’s, nor could I find any directions online on how to make it when i was looking for a pre-mix, so can’t say anything on that. Some dogs may not like the chuncks of veggies (I think Sojo’s is similar? Can’t remember), so that’s more of a does-the-dog-like-it thing.

Like I said, if you have everything available to do a all raw homemade diet, go for it! Pre-mixes are just an alternative for people who can’t find/afford all the organ meats and supliments, or who decide a completely raw diet is something they can’t manage to balance. The other day when I went shopping to buy some meat to replenish the freezer, I flipped out when I saw fresh kidney in the meat department. You just don’t usually see organs in most places, especially not in a grocery store. Now, if you had a good butcher locally, that might be something different, but I personally don’t.

[theBCnut]

SoJo and Keen are not premixes, they are complete foods. The premixes do not meet AAFCO because they are not the whole meal, they are the vitamins, minerals, and other things that have to be added to raw meat.

You can certainly balance homemade raw. Find a recipe you like and make sure you use ingredients that are cut to the size that you can portion them out into the amounts your dogs need. Freeze what you won’t use within a couple days. Then find another recipe, so you feed a variety and cover all your nutritional bases.

Most people find it a bit overwhelming at first, so that’s why I recommended some premixes. Sorry it wasn’t the advice you wanted, but it did boost your post up where other will see it.

[Akari_32]

The only issues I had with both of those mixes is how much they need to eat of it. Just seems like too much to me. However, I’d go with THK if you wanted to go with either of those. You won’t find anything as low priced as SSLL, anywhere. It’s just the nature of pre-mixes. There are some that are $80+ a bag! With only two small dogs to feed, price may not be a factor with you, though. Look around, and see if there’s anything you like. The best ones I’ve heard of are SSLL and Urban Wolf, but if you Google “dog raw diet pre-mix” or something to that effect, you may find something you like better. My goal for a pre-mix was low carb and small portions. Not everyone needs something so specific.

I would also like to add that most people order their meats online that do their own homemade raw diets for their pets. You’d be hard pressed to find everything you need locally, and for a good price. However, I’m not sure what websites people like to use for that. I know of haretoday, and that’s it.

[Akari_32]

I think a premix is easiest for most people. Not everyone can afford (or has the knowledge to) properly balance a homemade raw diet. If you can do it, by all means go for it! You’d be doing better than most lol Lots of people just aren’t comfortable tackling something so serious. If done improperly, the consequences are very bad. I know I don’t have the means, finances, or knowledge on how to make a balanced raw diet! Lol

Just curious, but what about shipping do you not want to do? SSLL comes in a box the size of a VHS tape, and fits in the mail box. No signing or anything needed, and it’s only $17. I’ve calulated it, and figured the 1 lb bag will last me about 5 months. It’s the cheapest way I’ve figured out– trust me, I’m a deal hunter 😉

[Lillian N]

thank you for your answer… I see it’s another suggestion for premix. Is it just not possible to do a raw diet without a premix for smaller dogs? That is really unfortunate.

[Lillian N]

I’ve been really trying to do a lot of research on this raw feeding thing but as much information as I’ve been stockpiling the more uneasy I become when it comes to the supplements part of it. Most sample diets I’ve seen are for much larger dogs (40 lbs and up) and my chihuahuas are really small (5 and 7 lb respectively) I think I got most of the other parts down and I’m pretty comfortable feeding them on the raw meats/organs part (no bone, they are gulpers and don’t like to chew thoroughly) so I am feeding them a whole sardine once or twice a wk to help with calcium thought I am not sure if this is sufficient. If anyone else has a small breed can you please provide me with a sample diet of what you are feeding your dogs? I want to make a full switch to raw since they do so well on it and I would prefer not to use mixes or pre-made ones(too expensive..) I was going to simply add a multivitamin and calcium supplement as well as vitamin e to the 1 lb of ground meat and organs +veggie mix I was going to make and feed them for the whole month but I read on dogaware.com that human multivitamins aren’t suitable for small breeds. any help would be much appreciated!

[theBCnut]

Just in case, give him a good thorough bath with Dawn. He may have gotten it to something poisonous that is affecting his neuro system and while you can’t get it out of him, you may be able to get some off him. It may be that he was born with a neuro condition. I wouldn’t wait to get him checked out, because the vet can give you an idea which it may be, and tell you what supplements may help most. I would want to give milk thistle for a few days just in case he got into something. It helps the liver, just in case, but if he didn’t get into anything it won’t hurt. Also, I would want to make sure he is getting a raw egg every other day with one meal, and adding lightly cooked egg to one meal on the other days wouldn’t hurt either. You want the white cooked but the yolk raw on those. That will supply some of the nutrients he needs to clear his system, if he can. Good luck and thanks for helping this big boy. Unfortunately, this issue may be why you found him where he was. Someone may not have wanted to deal with all of this. He may also have severe hip dysplasia and just can’t use his hind end right. A joint supplement may or may not help that. Osteo Bi-Flex for humans is a really good one. And that also won’t hurt anything if he doesn’t really need it, but I haven’t met the Dane yet who didn’t.

[Akari_32]

She doesn’t play with toys. She does chew greenies and will probably chew a raw hide, though. Maybe I’ll try that.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Barbara-
I think our dogs have had similar issues and we also feed pretty much the same foods if I remember correctly. I also have used and still use in a rotation in addition to Perfect Form, Gastriplex by Thorne and Vetriscience’s Vetri-Pro BD. You could give one of these on an empty stomach as they are tablets or capsules. My dogs stools are best after I feed them THK or raw nuggets as toppers. One day a week, I feed them lightly cooked turkey with the SSLL dinner mix, with no kibble at all and their stools are great. They tend to be softer when I use canned as a topper. Good luck, I know it is frustrating.

[Naturella]

Sue, if I stumble upon something, I’ll let you know!

I know I read somewhere of (or maybe talked with a friend about) a “cake” of layered hamburger patties, raw, lightly, or fully cooked, with mashed potatoes in between (but made doggie-friendly – with coconut oil instead of butter, maybe some plain yoghurt for cream, and just a pinch of salt, not much), and served decorated with frozen or fresh carrots/carrot slices, green beans, and peas, and made to look like a cake! That should work for a dog Patch’s size or bigger, but not for Bruno, lol. But, I don’t think Patch can have potatoes, so you may need to find out another “cream layer” if you were to do that.

I will probably make this once we have a bigger dog though. 🙂

[theBCnut]

Raw goats milk is OK, but only add about 1/4 cup per day. You really want to be careful about unbalancing the diet of something that grows as fast as a Dogue. I would add the goats milk, fish or krill oil, and a little chicken or other lean meat or maybe a lightly cooked egg. If he isn’t having digestive issues, I wouldn’t mess up his diet to fix things that aren’t a problem.

[Naturella]

Zach, I found my old menu for Bruno from May this year! LoL! Here it is, in case it helps or for reference of what has been to what is now regarding feeding. Only a little bit has changed really – I don’t mix foods anymore and I only feed twice/day, and I have sopped feeding dinner on Sundays if he gets an RMB. My additives also fluctuate sometimes too, and I may or may not use canned sometimes instead of THK/BDN.

Enjoy:

“Bruno’s add-ins (various canned such as Merrick, Wellness, Nutro Ultra, etc.; THK Love, Embark, Force, Keen; yoghurt/kefir, cottage cheese, coconut oil, raw eggs, pumpkin, flaxseed meal on occasion, canned sardines on occasion, RMBs (pork necks and chicken backs at the moment), and raw spelts (small fish), and natural dehydrated chews – bully sticks, ears, snouts, chicken feet and necks, tracheas, etc.) constitute about 1/4 (25%) of his daily intake. However, THK and canned are also considered balanced foods (right?), so I think I am at below 20% with unbalanced additives. I just use his body condition as a guide, and will start keeping track of his weight (IDK if I will measure him though) – he is very active and runs a lot, and appears to be in tip top shape.

Also, I will give you Bruno’s weekly sample menu. He is an about 13lb, 1 year old, active Rat Terrier mix.
Kibble mix is: Earthborn Holistic Coastal Catch:Vets Choice Holistic Health Extension Original:Victor Yukon Salmon in 3:1:1/3 ratio.

Treats: above kibble mix or NutriSource Seafood Select or Castor and Pollux Organix Adult (the last 2 are from samples). Also available are Nutro and Old Mother Hubbard biscuits for special occasions. Also for special occasions (or to keep him busy when I’m busy too) I make him ice-cream with yoghurt, peanut butter, coconut oil and coconut butter, and a sprinkle of cinnamon and turmeric, and I fill anything I can – his Kong, marrow bone, hoof, other toys with holes – and freeze. Rarely I give raw veggies/fruits like carrots, cucumbers, watermelon, apple, pineapple core, mango, raw coconut, etc. (safe stuff).

Monday:
Breakfast: 1/4 cup kibble with teaspoon coconut oil and water to make it soupy
Lunch: 1/4 cup kibble with teaspoon THK chicken and water to make it soupy
Dinner: 1/4 cup kibble with 2 teaspoons canned and water to make it soupy

Tuesday:
Breakfast: 1/4 cup kibble with 2 teaspoons yoghurt/kefir and water to make it soupy
Lunch: 1/4 cup kibble with 2 teaspoons canned and water to make it soupy
Dinner: 1/4 cup kibble with teaspoon THK turkey and water to make it soupy

Wednesday:
Breakfast: 1/4 cup kibble with raw egg (no shell) with a sprinkle of flaxseed meal
Lunch: 1/4 cup kibble with teaspoon THK beef and water to make it soupy
Dinner: 1/4 cup kibble with 2 teaspoons canned and water to make it soupy

Thursday:
Breakfast: 1/4 cup kibble with teaspoon coconut oil and water to make it soupy
Lunch: 1/4 cup kibble with 2 teaspoons canned and water to make it soupy
Dinner: 1/4 cup kibble with teaspoon THK turkey and water to make it soupy

Friday:
Breakfast: 1/4 cup kibble with 2 teaspoons cottage cheese and water to make it soupy
Lunch: 1/4 cup kibble with 2 teaspoons raw organ meat (whatever I have) or raw meat/fish (whatever I have) or 2 teaspoons of canned and water to make it soupy
Dinner: 1/4 cup kibble with teaspoon THK chicken and water to make it soupy

Saturday:
Breakfast: 1/4 cup kibble with teaspoon coconut oil and water to make it soupy
Lunch: 1/4 cup kibble with teaspoon THK turkey and water to make it soupy
Dinner: 1/4 cup kibble with 2 teaspoons canned and water to make it soupy

Sunday:
Breakfast: 1/4 cup kibble with 2 teaspoons pumpkin with a sprinkle of cinnamon and water to make it soupy
Lunch: 1/4 cup kibble with 2 teaspoons canned and water to make it soupy
Dinner: 1/4 cup kibble with teaspoon THK beef and water to make it soupy
RMB to cap it out

On days when Bruno runs a lot (i.e. Dog Park days) I may switch his next meal’s add-in with raw egg or raw meat/organ meats/fish (or canned sardine) for added natural protein “post WOD”. Or give him a dehydrated natural chew like a bully stick, a cow/lamb/pig ear, or tripe stick, or you know – “richer” stuff to make up for the calories burned and supply some lean meat for his muscles. I really just kind of gage his body condition and appetite for stuff as far as additives go. And sometimes, if I’m out of canned, I put his plain dry kibble in a dispensing toy and let him play with it and eat it as is. I also do some training daily and reward with about 20 kibble bits, and, if I want to stress on something – an Old Mother Hubbard or Nutro biscuit. Oh, and I almost always add water (as you can see) for added hydration.”

[Naturella]

Zach, let’s see… Bruno is 14.5 lbs (could go up to 15 lbs eventually if he isn’t yet, but in late September he was 14.5 lbs). 14-15 lbs is a healthy weight for him. He is a small terrier mix of sorts (could be Jack Russell +/- Miniature Rat Terrier +/- Chihuahua +/- something else for all we know – he was found in the bushes, so we sometimes joke that he is a Bush Terrier, lol).

For kibble – I never go below 4-star foods (so far) and I rotate brands and proteins with every bag now (I used to rotate AND mix brands before). Thank goodness my guy is small, so foods last him a while. But, I supplement with a teaspoon of raw, organic, unrefined, cold-pressed coconut oil every other day or so (Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday at breakfast), 2 heaping teaspoons of plain yoghurt/plain kefir Monday and Friday at breakfast, a raw egg once/week (Wednesday at breakfast), a half can of sardines in water once/week (Saturday at breakfast), and a raw meaty bone once/week (Sunday for dinner always – no other food for that meal). Also, for all meals that do not include the above additives (the dinner meals), I add 1-2 teaspoons of THK (alternating between Love, Embark, Force, and Keen, and also BDN), and I add water to make it soupy. Sometimes I would use canned, and still add a tad more water. And also Big Dog Natural (BDN; air-dried) green tripe, so you add that and water to the kibble, let it rehydrate as with THK, and serve.

As far as how much I take away – as per the feeding calculator on this site, and his food bags recommendations, he should have about 1 cup of dry/day, give or take small caloric differences in his brands of food. So, what I do is, I feed 3/4 cups/day of most recipes to account for the additives. On Saturday, when I feed the 1/2 can of sardines I feed 1/4 cup kibble for breakfast instead of the usual 1/4 + 1/8 cup. On Sunday, when I feed the RMB for dinner, I feed no kibble or THK, nothing. Just RMB. On Wednesday, when I feed the raw egg, I feed 1/4 cup kibble. All other meals, even with additives, are 1/4 + 1/8 cup of dry per meal. Of course, I make minor adjustments based on activity, body condition, etc., but that is his norm from which I can adjust.

Dry foods I have tried that he has done well on and could eat the kibble with no problems are: Nutro Natural Choice Small Breed Puppy (his first food when we got him, before I knew much about dog food – not a bad food though; Blue Buffalo Wilderness Puppy, Vets Choice Holistic Health Extension – Original, Allergix Chicken and Turkey, and Lamb and Brown Rice formulas, Dr. Tim’s Kinesis Grain Free (slightly bigger kibble, but oh well, he managed it just fine), Nutrisca Chicken and Chickpeas, Earthborn Holistic Grain Free (Coastal Catch and Primitive Natural), Victor Grain Free (all formulas) – (LOADS of samples, enough to consider him having eaten it and done well on it as a brand), Nature’s Variety Instinct (on samples he did well, on the actual food, Rabbit recipe – not really, so I stopped feeding it), Now! Fresh Adult (1 lb sample, he did well on it), NutriSource Grain Free all recipes (samples), Annamaet Grain Free (samples), Wysong (various samples), and I have a lot lined up – Back to Basics Red Meat, Canidae Pure Salmon, Dogswell LiveFree Salmon, Wysong Nurture with Quail, Earthborn Holistic Great Plains Feast. He’s had one-time samples of Stella and Chewy’s and Primal too, loved them. On occasion I would give him a small piece of a fruit/veggie, or a piece of organ/meat as a tiny treat, but those are sporadic enough for me to not account for. Same with edible natural chews – he can chew on and “eat” his antler daily, but sometimes I give half a 6-inch bully stick, 1/3 cow ear, 1 piggy snout (small) or 1 lamb ear, homemade doggie ice-cream treats, and those I don’t account for in his meals.

Hope this helps, I tried to be pretty extensive… LoL

[Lillian N]

thanks for your reply 🙂 I wanted to start incorporating some raw into my dogs diet and so I’m taking baby steps. I found a package of turkey backs at Sprouts today for just $1.45 and I bought it, intending to chop it into chunks for them to have as a treat once a week. I know that people here say turkey backs are fine raw but when I took it out of the package to prep it I was uneasy seeing how many tiny sharp bones are in it. I gave them each a small piece of the softer bone to test and they took a little time crunching it up but I still didn’t feel safe (the chewing was very loud) so I just pulled all the meat off and tossed the bones. Still, I came away with a ziploc full of good meat and (tendons?) chewy parts that at least amounted to a can of dog food which would cost me around that much anyway. The backs also had some organ meat attached. Anyway, if anyone can suggest to me some other easy raw mixes I can give my dogs I would appreciate it. Plus if they are meatballs seeing as that would be the easiest for me to freeze and portion out. I have 5 and 7 lb chihuahuas btw

[Nancy C]

Oh – OTHER HALF OF THE MEAL…. If I let him eat half of the 2 pound neck (it’s really a little more than two lbs) then that, added to breakfast, was going to be it for the day. He eats 2x a day right now. So he would have gotten his 1 1/2 to 2 1/4 pounds of RAW a day. (Going on 2-3% of 75 pounds. )

I was thinking this is not an exact science…. So hopefully that would do it.
what am I missing?
Thank you.

[Naturella]

Sounds like your boy has quite the good diet so far, Crystal! 🙂 Don’t be afraid to try new recipes (brands) and new flavors within a brand. Plus, adding canned or THK is great for them – adds moisture to a usually dry diet, and helps with its absorption! 🙂

I also feed a rotational diet of about 75-80% kibble – it is great on the budget because it allows me to take advantage of sales, and also great for my dog, who gets a new food with every small bag, and he gets to try different proteins and recipes. I top all kibble meals with additives at breakfast (coconut oil, plain yoghurt/plain kefir, raw egg, canned sardines), and at dinner with THK (I alternate between 4 flavors) or Big Dog Natural tripe, with an RMB once/week. So far so good – Bruno is happy and healthy and even if a food doesn’t sit well with him, I have a backup in the rotation of a food he’s had before and done well on to patch him up until the next new recipe! 🙂

[Susan]

Hi Beth, yes Patch has had an inflamed Pancreas twice now & I now keep him on a lower fat diet, when Ive tried other kibbles that were higher in fat% (13% & higher) the acid reflux comes back & so does his pain, if I go up in protein % in a new kibble, he has his pain under right paw chest area, he seems to do real well on the vet diet, then I think when I start adding new foods or try getting him off his vet prescription diet & try new kibbles or cooked foods he gets his pain again. 1 vet told me its hard diagnosing Pancreatitis sometimes, he’s found sometimes test will come back all OK but the dog will have all the symtoms of Pancreatitis, so he said now he doesnt really bother with alot of tests if they have mild Pancreatitis & just puts the dog on a low fat diet & the dog normally gets better, if the dog doesn’t get better he said, then he’ll tell owners that we need to do some test..
I also think stress is a problem too, the end of May I started to pack as I was moving, there were boxes everywhere, Patch started following me everywhere I went, he wouldnt let me out of his sight, then I didnt move in the end & the begining of June Patch was vomiting everytime he ate for 2 days & had his pain, so I booked Patch in the next day for an ultra scan by another vet, as his regular vet was all booked up for the next 3 days & the scan came back all good, so what his regular vet said about the no testing, he was right… Patch was put back on a very bland diet & the vomiting stopped, so did his pain, so sometimes their pancreas just needs a little rest…..

Hildie, when I first rescued Patch he was doing poos that looked like a condom over his poos, he also had blood in his poos sometimes & I’d wipe his bum with wet wipes & there would be be light red blood on the wet wipes, it was not everyday but his jelly mucus poos were about every 2 weeks, then one weekend I was up all weekend with sloppy poos then diarrhea then he just pooed a heap of liquid blood & I rushed him to vet, in the end he was diagnosed with Colitis/IBD & put on vet diet a low residue kibble that Ive been trying to stop feeding but everytime I try a new kibble it just doesnt work for Patch, so we go back to the vet diet…if he didnt suffer from the skin problems it would be easier, 1 new kibble will be excellent his poos are perfect then his starts scratching, gets red paws & has itchy ears which Ive found potatoes & sweet potatos & wheat was causing.. so now its back to the drawing board, I’m starting to understand why some owners are feeding cooked horse meat now, its probably the only thing that has help their dogs skin problems & their poos problems at the same time…Im finding he does good on fish, (tuna or salmon) & a bit of pumkin but that doesn’t fill him up he loses too much weight..I need to find foods that fill him up, some people with dogs with IBD & skin problems are feeding Quinoa, Ive read that quinoa to be very healthy & is gluten free..

[theBCnut]

Adjust the amount of food according to your dog’s body condition. Keep your pup on the thin, lean side at least until full grown.

One warning, diet and OVER exercise are both big contributors to hip dysplasia, so be careful about the amount of exercise your pup gets. It’s better to wear them out with mental work than physical work.

I rotate after every bag, which is weekly, with my dogs’ kibble. I feed half raw and I rotate that every day.

[Kathy H]

I did, I ground raw eggs shells into a sauce and poured over her beef mix

[Hildie V]

For every bit of meat (phosphorous) you need calcium to balance the ratio

The amount in kale and yogurt isn’t enough. Phosphorous depletes calcium. That is why dogs on raw and bones don’t need supplement because the bone calcium rations the meat phosphorous

When not giving bones you *need* to add calcium, I don’t like calcium pills because you can get it by powdered eggshell

[Cyndi]

Looks ok to me. My dog would like those, I know that, lol! I have also used ground turkey, mixed with an egg and cooked for treats. The raw would be fine too, I just wouldn’t use that many of them in a day or you’ll end up with a meatball for a dog, lol!

[Kristin C]

Oh I am jealous Sam. We have a Beagle/Aussie mix and adore her. As BC said, you can definitely feed a combo. We feed our girls mostly homemade raw, plus some kibble and freeze dried. They eat something different every meal every day. We have tried commercial raw and didn’t stick with it. Too expensive and I wasn’t real confident about the quality. We have tried a sample of THK, might order more, but I would not recommend the Sojo’s brand. The food pieces don’t digest well and I ended up throwing out the bag. As BC said Steve Brown’s booklet is a great resource. We have started using his See Spot Live Longer Dinner Mix with our homemade and it’s going well. Good luck with your pup!

[theBCnut]

I only feed half raw and spend about $35 a week on raw plus kibble. I spend more because I have dogs with food reaction issues, so I can’t use chicken, and I rotate through a few different proteins.

[Lillian N]

Sounds good. I wanted to try incorporating some raw meat into my dogs diet as well.

[jakes mom]

Didn’t I read somewhere that pork needs to be frozen for a few weeks before feeding raw? I have pork neck bones in the freezer now, was waiting a little longer before giving one to Jake.

[Kristin C]

Hey John, I probably spend an average of $25-35 per week to feed my 2 dogs homemade raw. They are 25 and 35 lbs and that’s if I can get chicken for $1.99 or less per/lb and beef for $2.99 per lb. I rotate in novel proteins for variety so I’m sure that increases it a bit, but I also get raw meaty bones for less sometimes at the grocer so that might balance it out. I just get my chicken or beef at the grocer and order the novelty proteins and organs online.

[Lillian N]

I saw this recipe online as a treat you can give your dogs but I just wanted to see what other people thought about it:

1 lb ground beef/turkey/chicken/pork
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup shredded spinach
1 tbsp chia seed
1 egg
1/2 cup pure pumpkin puree
1 tbsp olive oil

and you can freeze it and just thaw a ball prior to serving? Any suggestion or other recipes? I think I saw a nice frozen meatball I wanted to try in the comments section of a raw dog food review but I closed the window and lost it. The only thing I remember is they said they feed their dog 8 meatballs a day.

[Hildie V]

Mine used to be the same as a puppy and it wasn’t until I switched her to NRG dehydrated that she became normal.

Kibble is hard for them to break down. By the time it reaches you it has been handled a lot, cooked at high temperatures, and totally altered from it’s natural state.

I would suggest feeding homecooked food, raw, or dehydrated where all you do is add water and soak to fluff it back up

I bet you if you tried this, and added a spoon of pumpkin, you would see huge improvements. When switching to any new food do it gradually. Start off small and over about a month slowly increase until the diet is completely switched over to the new one a month later.

[Lillian N]

I have a package of raw pork ribs defrosting for dinner. Can I lop off a bone for each of my two Chihuahuas to munch on? Would that be safe?

[Lord F]

Hey! My first forum post.
We recently got a puppy (he’s now 4 months), and since getting him we’ve switched 2 of the dogs onto raw. We feed a mixture of Preference by Honest Kitchen with either Primal or Vital Essentials. LOVE Vital btw.
But since reading all about raw and the benefits, I am avid about switching them to a more natural raw! I’d like to start buying my own meats for them and grinding them up with the occasional raw bone.
Any suggestions for a first meat grinder? Nothing too fancy.