[jakes mom]

LM, the above posters have it right. This has gone on too long and we’ve just all had enough. I would be saying the same but they’ve beaten me to it. No need to repeat it. As far as educating Akari? She knows the dog needs a dental, she’s in vet tech school. What she needs to be educated on is priorities. Doesn’t have the funds to pay for a dental but just bought a cat condo and raised food bowls for the other dogs? Boasts about the stockpiles of food and litter she’s amassed. How about backing off on that stuff and paying the vet?
I’m a “single mom” to 5 cats and a dog, all seniors. Pet care is the biggest part of my budget.

[jakes mom]

The ABC diet is a good compromise. A quality kibble to be sure he’s getting the nutrients he needs and the “people food” he wants. But these “people foods” are also good for him. I can’t relate to having a picky dog either, my guy (beagle basset mix) is more than happy to eat whatever I put in front of him, he eats kibble, canned, raw, RMBs.

[jakes mom]

A little late to the subject but I’ll throw in my 2 cents here. I don’t eat meat but do not impose my beliefs on my dog and cats. They need meat, they get meat.

[jakes mom]

Rhonda, he sounds adorable, and lucky to have you! A rotation diet can be as simple or complicated as you want it to be! Some people feed a bag of food then change with the next bag. Some people give a different food am and pm. You can switch flavors within the same brand or buy a different brand. The main thing is to switch up the ingredients so he’s not getting too much or too little of any one thing. If he has no food issues or intolerance to any ingredients, a rotation diet is a great way to give him variety and save a few $$ when you find a sale.

[jakes mom]

Had another thought. Have you ever tried FreshPet foods? It comes in rolls and also in a bag, kibble shape but softer. That would introduce him to a different type of food, but not crunchy. Then maybe transition him to the dry. Only problem with FreshPet is that it needs to be refrigerated, is sold in it’s own fridge at the store. It also freezes well, I portion it out and freeze it. I know you work at a pet store, so you may already be familiar with it. If not, I’ve seen it at some pet stores, also Walmart, Target, and grocery stores.

[jakes mom]

Have you tried putting some kibble in one of those puzzle toys? Maybe he’d eat one or 2 as he was playing and decide he liked it. And how about putting some of his canned food out for him frozen? By later in the afternoon it would be thawed and he’d have a “new” flavor, different than his breakfast, that he could eat before you got home. Good luck, cats keep us on our toes, don’t they? I have 5 old kitties, btwn 15 and 20yo.

[jakes mom]

There’s a whole forum devoted to raw feeding, lots of great info there and lots of knowledgeable people. I do give my dog and cats some raw food, have not transitioned to only raw yet. Part raw and kibble is fine. Some say the difference in digesting the two types of food can cause a GI problem but I think that idea has been mostly debunked. Check out the raw feeding forum, I think you’ll like it. Good luck.

[jakes mom]

Hope he’s on the road to recovery, you’ve all been thru enough lately.
Akari, Ginger will be in my thoughts on Thursday!

[jakes mom]

Bobby dog, do you mean to say that you don’t read everything I post!?!? lol
The oil I have is organic, unrefined, cold pressed. I thought what I was doing would be ok but I just wanted opinions from you all. I see a lot of posts here about animals with yeasty ears and no one had mentioned coco oil as a treatment so I was starting to second guess myself I suppose!

[jakes mom]

Thanks, Dori 🙂

[jakes mom]

Highjacking this popular topic for a minute, somebody please comment on my coco oil post from a few days ago, I want to make sure I’m not doing anything detrimental to the cat. Thanks 🙂

[jakes mom]

Love the pics and the commercial

[jakes mom]

You could try FreshPet foods. They come in several varieties. If he likes “meatloaf” he might like the rolled type. It looks like the rolls of bulk sausage and ground beef or turkey you find at the grocery store. It also comes in a bag that looks like kibble but is softer. Gets a good rating on DFA. Only problem is convenience, you need to keep it in the fridge. Look in your local grocery store, pet stores like Petsmart, Petco, Petsuppliesplus, etc. I’ve also seen it in Target and Walmart. It will be in it’s own little fridge. You can freeze it, too, so if he tends to get sick of things quickly you can freeze it in portions. You’re right, the meatloaf you made him is ok for the short term but isn’t balanced for feeding all the time. My dog and cats like the Freshpet.

[jakes mom]

I agree, you can find much better choices under “reviews”. If and when you do switch, go slowly, maybe starting with a 3 or 3.5 rated food then working your way up to a 4 or 5 star. Some dogs will have GI issues with a switch from a lower to higher quality food. Good luck!

[jakes mom]

two splotches, one above his tail and the other higher more in the middle of his back.
I may be back to Fla soon, Patty. But promise not to stay too long. lol And may retire there but got a few more years before that happens.

[jakes mom]

Isn’t this weather crazy! We’ve had a lot of terrible wind chills lately, school closings, trash pick ups postponed. ‘Feels like” temps sometimes in the -20s! This weather has to go back to Alaska, they know what to do with it there!

[jakes mom]

The spots are on his back, down toward his tail. A couple of blotches about 2 inches wide. And Patty, sorry I brought cold Ohio weather down to Fla last week!

[jakes mom]

Thanks, Dori. I believe Fenway (niece is a Red Sox fan) is about 5 but don’t know anything about his parents. He’s a purebred. Adorable little guy. I don’t see it as a problem but his Mom is worried so I thought I’d throw it out here.

[jakes mom]

My brother’s dog will not go in his yard, period. Has to go for a walk. Maybe he thinks the whole house/yard is his crate and he won’t potty in his crate! Or maybe just has his Dad trained.

[jakes mom]

OK, first thing Akari, my temp this am is -3 (not counting wind chill) so I agree with Bobby dog, poor baby lol I’m going to Fla sunday to visit family so 30’s will seem like a heat wave to me.
Also had a litter review for you all since you brought it up. I just tried the A&H Clump and Seal in the black box. Love it! No dust and clumps really well. It does have a slight scent to it but it’s not overwhelming. I paid $13.99 for 28# at BJ’s.

[jakes mom]

Think about putting them on a rotation diet? Lots of good info here about that.

[jakes mom]

Just a quick update on the kitties. The raw mix was a no-go for everybody, much to Jake’s delight. He has lots of raw food in the freezer for toppers. They like plain raw meat but I guess the mix ruined it for them.
All the cats were happier with the cooked mixes. I’ve tried ground turkey and ground beef so far. Thinking of trying it with some chopped/shredded stew beef next.

[jakes mom]

Ron, I’m a little late to this topic but I suggest you start slowly when you change the food. Some dogs can’t handle an abrupt switch of a low quality food to a better one. Some people suggest going from a 1 or 2 star product to a 3 star and work up to 5 star food. Hope your girl is doing well!

[jakes mom]

Don’t worry about a lab test being a few points high or low. The analyzers in labs are not calibrated to an exact number, it’s a range. If they’d run your pup’s test again it could have easily been within the normal range.

[jakes mom]

Patty, he’s lucky to have such a knowledgeable Mom! I’ll be thinking of you and praying that it’s nothing to worry about. He’s a cute little guy.

[jakes mom]

there’s a whole forum on DFA for home made food. You might also check ingredient lists for some of the premade meal mixes. If those don’t contain the problem ingredients that might be the easiest for you. Just mix the powder into your own meat and you have a complete meal. There’s a discussion about meal mixes on the raw feeding forum but you can also use a mix with cooked food if you prefer. Good luck.

[jakes mom]

Oh yes, Jake is always happy to help out when it comes to eating any leftover kitty food! At the moment he’s on the couch next to me chewing on a nice beef rib. Spoiled? Nah! lol

[jakes mom]

Cheryl, the mix I used was from Know Better Pet Food. If you go back to the first page you’ll see I originally asked about a mix for my dog. Bobby dog gave me links for a couple of companies that sell mixes and I decided to try a mix for the cats to save myself the trouble of constantly lugging home cases of canned cat food (I have 5 cats and a dog). But the cats are not cooperating. I have used Honest Kitchen for Jake and the aroma is not as strong as this other brand, I agree, it smells pretty good!
Jake is helping me use up the raw cat food I’ve made so it will not go to waste. He’s a happy boy at least!

[jakes mom]

Just checking in with an update. Cats never would eat the raw turkey mix. I made the cooked mix today with some ground turkey. One cat tried it and seemed to like it but a little while later I heard the sound of a cat vomiting. Yep, it was that cat, Teddy. There was a hairball involved so maybe it was just a coincidence. Fingers crossed. I’ll give it a few more days and see how it goes. These mixes have a strong aroma, kind of like a boullion cube. Maybe the cats aren’t happy with that part of it. Do the other mixes have an odor?
Peggy, meal mixes are a supplement powder you mix in with your own meat to make a complete meal. Some are for raw meat, others are for cooked.

[jakes mom]

Phillip, as I understand it there are several reasons to do a rotation diet. One is for variety for the dog, flavor-wise. Another reason is to give the dog different ingredients in the food. Every food has different basic ingredients, some have oats, rice, peas, etc. , something to help bind the food to keep a kibble shape. Also different supplements in varying amounts. By rotating the foods the dog gets a variety of all these things, not too much or too little of any one thing. For example, rice is known to contain arsenic (absorbed from the soil it’s grown in). A little is not harmful but if your dog food was always the same thing, like a turkey and brown rice variety, he could potentially build up too much arsenic in his body. By doing a rotation diet, you’d avoid that kind of thing. Another point , if you find several foods that your dog does well on, you can take advantage of sales and save a few dollars now and then.

[jakes mom]

I’m looking for a little guidance concerning the amount (size or ounces or?) of raw to feed along with kibble. Right now Jake gets about a cup of kibble per day, a little less depending on the topper. Half a cup am and pm. I was thinking about giving him raw at suppertime. If I buy commercial raw I can obviously go by the instructions on the package but what about giving a piece of meat? What would be a “meal sized” amount for a beagle/basset, about 34#? Do I give him a chicken drumstick? A thigh? Can I hand him a pork chop? Is that all he gets or does he need a little bit of kibble, too? And how often? Can he have that a few times a week and kibble for his other meals? Would the nutrition all balance out in the end? He’s had RMBs as a treat and loves them. I just don’t know how to figure the right amount to count as his meal. I know he’ll eat whatever I give him so I worry about weight gain.

[jakes mom]

Wellness has kibble just for small breed dogs, he might like that. Also Fresh Pet is a good food, shaped like kibbles but softer, that might appeal to him. You can find it at pet stores as well as places like Target and a lot of grocery stores. It’s refrigerated , has it’s own fridge in the stores. Also comes in a roll form.

[jakes mom]

They certainly know how to make their feelings known, don’t they? Still no luck at dinner time. I got dirty looks again. Jake is happy tho! I’ve kept a little bit in the fridge and the rest is portioned out and in the freezer. Maybe next week I’ll try the cooked mix and see if that goes over any better. Brats! 🙂

[jakes mom]

Just an update on the cats and the KBPF mix. I’ve tried the raw mix for a couple of days, so far, no go. They seem to be wondering why I’ve ruined the nice raw turkey they had smelled. Everybody has had a sniff and a taste but that’s all. Might end up being toppers for Jake’s food. He loves it of course. Will try for a few more days….

[jakes mom]

My first thought was heart disease, too, but reading further I agree with Patty, hip dysplasia in this case. Perhaps posters could use the whole phrase the first time then abbreviations later so all readers are clear on the topic. That way everyone can understand the discussion. Everybody’s not a vet or breeder or possesses medical knowledge.

[jakes mom]

Lots of people do it, sometimes to encourage the dog to eat, or sometimes just as a “topper” a little extra excitement at meal time. Just be sure to decrease the dry so your dog won’t get too many calories.

[jakes mom]

Bobbydog is correct, I bought the mixes for the cats not the dog. Guess I should have reminded people when I posted the info. Originally I was asking about mixes for Jake but when I found the cat mix too I decided to see what that was like. I have a lot of kibble for Jake so thought I’d experiment on the cats instead! I have no doubt Jake will like any mix I give him, the only thing he’s ever turned down was a piece of celery. I will see if they’re even interested in the idea of the meat mixture then will take it from there. I’ll use it up if they like it but won’t be feeding it exclusively so I’m not worried about their nutrition. Thanks, Aimee, for all your hard work. If they do well with the mixes maybe I’ll try another brand.

[jakes mom]

Well I hesitate to post anything else here but I just got the KBPF and thought I’d list the ingredients for anyone who’s interested. It’s been a bad weather week in Ohio, lots of long commutes and snow shoveling and below zero temps so I have not had a chance to buy any meat to make the mixes. I have a few days off next week so will give it a shot then.
For the Better in the Raw mix: egg yolk, calcium lactate, beef liver powder, gelatin, whey protein, psyllium husks, EFA from fish oil, taurine, kelp, barley grass, Vitamin E succinate, Vitamin B complex.
Nutritional info based on “as fed” mixed food using ground chicken (average daily meal size 1/4 lb) :
energy 133 kcal
protein 17.29%
carb 1.2%
fat 6.0%
ash 3.19%
calcium 231 mg
phos 74 mg
mg 74 mg
sodium 144 mg
Potassium 201 mg
The U-stew mix for cooked meat has the same ingredients as above plus digestive enzymes.
The company suggests turkey, chicken, beef, venison, lamb or pork with 20% or less fat content.

[jakes mom]

yeah, we got a little off topic didn’t we? I asked about THK mixes because they were the only ones I’d heard of other than the SSLL. I’m new to the raw food thing. Aimee doesn’t like THK or the KBPF. I don’t know her background so I can’t say that her opinion impacts my decision either way. I bought a couple of trial packs for the cats. If they like it, great, if not, live and learn I guess. Package says it meets AAFCO guidelines. They won’t be eating it exclusively so I’m not worried about any nutritional imbalance, really.
Cheryl, my Jake loves bones. I was nervous, too, at first, but heard so much about the benefits I decided to try. So far he’s had chicken backs, turkey necks, and “scrap bones” sold for soup. I believe they were beef vertebrae by the look of them I have some pork bones in the freezer, too. Pork needs to be frozen for a few weeks to kill any parasites. I always supervise him when he has a bone to be on the safe side but have had no problems. My understanding is that raw bones are safe, it’s the cooked ones that splinter and cause trouble.

[jakes mom]

Cheryl, if you check out the site for Know Better Pet Foods (there’s a link Bobbydog posted on page 1) they have a premix for use with cooked meat. Maybe that would work for your dog. There’s a sample size for $14.99, includes shipping.

[jakes mom]

I just put Jake on a big beach towel, he plants himself there and doesn’t move til the bone is gone.

[jakes mom]

Very interesting Aimee, thanks! Right now I’ve ordered a different product from KBPF and will see how that goes. Sounds like there are better options than THK. I just mentioned them because they were the only other “mixes” I knew of besides SSLL.

[jakes mom]

I’ve learned about so many things on this site sometimes I don’t know where to begin, canned, raw, high quality kibble, ABC and kibble, RMBs, geez! Jake will eat anything as I’ve said before, I don’t even need to transition him from one bag of food to the next. Put it in the bowl, it’s gone. Sometimes I doubt he even chews! The cats are a little more high maintenance. Will try the Dr. Becker method for transitioning cats to a different food and see what happens.

[jakes mom]

Bobbydog, you’re costing me $$ lol! I started this asking about mixes for Jake but you gave me the link for KBPF and I just ordered cat premix! I got a trial size of both raw and cooked mix, since I don’t know how this will go over with the kitties. Jake has a lot of kibble bags in the pantry so I’ll think about him when and if I order more cat mixes. A few of the cats like raw chicken/turkey so they’ll probably go for the raw but I’m not sure about the others so I decided to try a cooked premix too. If all fails, Jake has toppers for a while. With 5 cats I’m constantly lugging home cases of cat food and if they like this it might be a tad more expensive but better for them and easier for me.

[jakes mom]

Thanks C4C. Did you like the SSLL mix? I have a few bags of kibble left so no hurry for the mix, I can wait for the new version of SSLL. Jake likes THK, I’ve given him some samples in the past. Actually he loves everything, I always laugh when I read people talking about their picky dogs. I’ve never had one of those. And my comment about the 4star kibble, I meant would it price wise be about the price of a 4 star? I’ve done the ABC diet and your idea about a kibble free meal sounds good, too.

[jakes mom]

Happy New Year everyone, hope you all had a fun safe NY eve. I’m on my way to work so no partying for me last night! 🙂

[jakes mom]

Instead of breaking up treats I sometimes use cat treats for my beagle/basset mix. Works for a small to medium sized dog but I guess would be too tiny for a bigger guy. They usually have 2 or 3 cals per treat and come in various sizes/shapes, soft or crunchy. My cats are picky so it’s a good use for the treats they decide they don’t like anymore.

[jakes mom]

BCN, just checked out the link you put up. What a jerk! The name alone should be enough to tell us not to bother reading anything he posts. I agree with Dog Obsessed…eww!

[jakes mom]

I have a turkey neck for Jake and treats for the cats and will throw some catnip around, too. Extra sunflower seed and peanuts for the birds and squirrels in the yard. Jake doesn’t play with toys anymore, if it’s not food he’s not interested. I’m working Christmas so haven’t decided if we’ll have our treats tonite or after work on the 25th. Happy holidays from me and the critters…Jake, Smudge, Dustin, Benjamin, Julie and Teddy!

[jakes mom]

check out the homemade food and raw food forums, lots of good advice and book recommendations there. Good luck!

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