[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.

[Kristin C]

Well, this might not be low cal, but my dogs love a few chips. Potato, tortilla, anything crunchy makes them happy, even the teensiest, tiniest bit (if those are words). They are 35 and 25 lbs. Hope that helps.

[Kristin C]

What company are you referring to patvl246? Your query does not identify it.

[Kristin C]

Me too:)

[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.

[Kristin C]

Too funny! My beagle/Aussie girl, Sadie, has lost 4 lbs since we got our chihuahua mix (who has been a handful). But she’s got a rock solid stomach, there’s nothing I feed her that bothers her. How many dogs do you have? I’m thinking about going for a third. We have a brunette and redhead, going for a blond next! Sorry, this is so off topic.

[Kristin C]

So, not on topic, and I’m a bit so slow:) I guess your member name stands for Border Collie nut BC? My beagle/Aussie mix, who is FAR more Aussie has the “meaningful stare” down pat. I text my husband regularly on how we read each other’s minds.

I will add that we feed rotational, and she has never turned away from a meal, maybe that’s the beagle in her.

[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!

[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.

[Kristin C]

I use my food processor too. Works fine. I feed RMBs separately.

[Kristin C]

Melissa-when you say Italian greyhound do you mean whippet? Because it took a while for anyone to even mention this breed to us, including our vet. I’m thinking about adding lunch back into her day honestly, plus some coconut oil. Is that a bad idea since she’s over a year old? Or is it just better to add oatmeal and coconut oil to her morning and evening meals?

[Kristin C]

Yes, very shiny coat. She is peppy, bouncy. I call her the mexican jumping bean. I don’t think that would be low thyroid. She doesn’t seem to lose weight, just doesn’t gain it very quickly. So I think I just need to beef up her calories and keep her warm right now.

[Kristin C]

Checked as in what? She hasn’t has blood tests. We took her in for an armpit rash over the summer (August) and the vet said she was strong. They gave her antibiotics and allergen meds and the rash went away and has not come back. I believe it was something environmental. She GLOWS. She’s just skinny.

[Kristin C]

Thanks pugsmom, I have seen the satin balls recipe and the ingredients would not work for us. I think I am going to increase her food plus add coconut oil and some cozy sweaters!
For now.

[Kristin C]

Thanks BC! I just pulled out her fleece coat today. I use coconut oil myself so maybe I will start adding small amounts to her food in addition to increasing her intake. My husband says she’s all muscle, and I think so too, I just worry more:)

[Kristin C]

She’s 14 months. And you can see all of her ribs AND hip bones AND spine. We call her the anorexic teenager in our house 🙂 The vet says she is strong. I’m not sure what a decent size thigh muscle is for a dog but she’s a hell of a runner, seriously she’s gotta be a whippet. But I’d feel better if she filled out some. Should I feed her more? I read that skinny/or even chihuahua dogs expend more energy just trying to keep warm so I’m afraid it will get worse over the winter.

We have an almost 5 year old beagle/Aussie and she is so completely different, activity as well as coat, so this dog has been a challenge for us, albeit a welcome one since we have never been blessed with human kids.

[Kristin C]

BC-I separate them when I feed them mid-day so one was outside the fence, one inside. But neither was willing to give up the bone after the meat was gone today which was the challenge.

Nancy-my turkey necks are smaller because I get them from the grocery store, I think they cut them in half, which works for our smaller dogs (than yours). My husband and I each take a dog and feed them outside one day over the weekend and that’s their RMB breakfast for the week.

[Kristin C]

Thanks, I’ll check it out, although I’m not sure how to estimate the calories per cup since I make most of her food:(

She actually eats more than my 35 lb beagle/Aussie mix who is less active and I can’t seem to get her above 25 lbs. She was 13 lbs when we got her and I think the chihuahua in her keeps her petite, but it’s the bony-ness that bothers me.

[Kristin C]

So I am giving the raw beef ribs a thumbs down. Yes, they gnaw off the meat and the bone is clean. The problem I had today is that both my girls didn’t want to give up the bone afterwards. I was running around the yard trying to get them to drop it. Even my youngest one grumbled at me, but they weren’t aggressive just playful and protective. Once I got them into the fenced area I took out one of their chicken dinners and they both came running inside. So they will be sleeping it off in the garage for a while:) And I will be sticking with consumable bones and treats! I feel like the ribs are more like the marrow bones where they could break a tooth, another reason I am only trying this once.

[Kristin C]

Nancy, you don’t sound stupid. It’s trial and error. I feed turkey necks the size they come in, no cutting it up for me but mine aren’t as big as yours. I’ll weigh the necks just so I know how much they are eating. You might want to adjust the next meal accordingly but I don’t bother because I only give RMBs once a week. I do feed them outside, thawed, and they sort of chomp down the vertebrae pretty easily if that makes sense. Use your best judgement, and I get a little panicky whenever I feed something new FYI. Also, my 25 lb dog has a tendency to swallow chicken necks without chewing them and she’s never developed a problem. She’s young and a little anxious but she’s learning!

[Kristin C]

Will do Nancy, I’ll post after they are done gnawing away. Also, thanks for the info but I no longer feed marrow bones. One of my girls did break a tooth and my older dog got aggressive with the younger dog even after the bones were picked clean. So this beef rib thing might be a one time thing if I see the slightest aggression.

[Kristin C]

The beef ribs I have are the longer ones. I have a 35 lb and a 25 lb dog. Am going to try them this afternoon and see how it goes. They are pretty big bones so I’d like to think it will be like giving them marrow bones where they just eat the meat and the bone is recreational, not ingested.

[Kristin C]

I think adding any real food, cooked or raw, is a great addition to the canned food. The SSLL Dinner Mix would make any homemade meal balanced if I read it correctly. If you are feeding at least one meal per day commercial food though you probably wouldn’t have to worry too much about balancing it as long as you use proper ratios of meat, veggies. I started using SSLL to be safe but am not adding it in all the time.

[Kristin C]

Hey Kari-So it’s been a while since I’ve done any cost calculations. But when I was doing them and I could get chicken for $1.99 or less/lb and beef for $2.99/lb I was coming up with about $4 per day. My girls are 35 lbs and 25 lbs so your cost would be half that from the sounds of it. You can always use a little more beef heart or chicken hearts and gizzards since they tend to be less expensive and they are considered muscle meat. I find it easier to make 7-10 days worth of food at once and freeze it. It takes me about an hour and a half. But if you are preparing fresh food daily for your daughter that may work best for you. Hope that helps.

[Kristin C]

Kathleen-re: your dog eating poop, I have read that the natural flavors added to kibble don’t digest so the poop appeals to the dog because it still tastes like kibble. My older dog used to eat her poop religiously. Then I switched her to eating raw and I have not seen her eat poop at all. I know this reply doesn’t have anything to do with his weight issue but just wanted to mention it.

[Kristin C]

Hi Kari-I feed both my dogs raw and have found making my own food to be the most economical, although I estimate it’s still almost twice the cost of high end kibble. Buying commercial raw or freeze dried raw is probably 3-4 times more than the kibble. My husband and I agree we’d rather spend the money on real food for them versus vet bills and potential illness. Sounds like you have a lot going on as it is, but you can probably start by making small changes. The book See Spot Live Longer the ABC Way might be a good start. I’ve started using the SSLL Dinner Mix to ensure my homemade meals are AAFCO compliant. There are other supplements and base mixes you can use as well and just add meat. Hope that helps some.

[Kristin C]

In the past, I have just let the eggshells dry on my counter and put them through the coffee grinder which worked fine. I have since read that bones provide phosphorous in addition to calcium so eggshells would not be enough. So bonemeal might be a better option?

[Kristin C]

Jan-I feed my girls raw meaty bones on the weekend and split a can of sardines between the 2 of them at the same time. I also split a can between the 2 girls mid-week as a snack. I prefer to feed whole food versus a daily “supplement”. Have you explored yeast overgrowth for the skin allergies?

[Kristin C]

Hi Jan – the Natural Balance kibble looks largely potato based. I would personally stay away from them. We use Orijen a couple times per week (convenience) but I believe it has pea fiber in it. Perhaps if you cook, or feed raw, for a period of time you could reset your pups digestion to incorporate a kibble again (later). See Spot Live Longer Dinner mix would work with a lightly cooked or raw program. What is she getting for fat or oils in her diet?

[Kristin C]

Hey Jan -that’s a tough one. I am scrolling through dry dog food ingredients and can’t come up with one. Have you considered freeze dried? I feed my dogs raw, I make most of it, so cooking and storing may be the best option for you to control the ingredients. Hopefully someone else pipes in with a solution for you.

[Kristin C]

Thanks Dori. I’ll look into it.

[Kristin C]

That’s interesting. Thanks for the tip. I’m wondering if there’s some gadget I can get to suck the air out of my jars. They are very convenient for me to store, thaw, serve.

[Kristin C]

Got it BC. But I’ve noticed when I make my own raw meals (I freeze in single serving mason jars) that the older portions start to turn brown like Darwin’s. The newer portions stay pink throughout. I agree that it doesn’t cause short term issues. But it’s expensive brown meat (Darwin’s). I know they mark their production date on each package but by the time it’s shipped it could already be several weeks old, and depending on how much you order by the time it’s eaten it could be several months old. Just consider that Nancy because you might want to order smaller quantities more frequently.

[Kristin C]

Nancy- Yes, it means oxidation. To me that just means older meat. Oxidation changes the protein structure some but I don’t think it’s necessarily harmful. Since the raw meals I make stay nice and pink (unless I stock up for a while) I have decided to forego Darwin’s moving forward and just make my own chicken and beef every week or two. I am starting to try Reel Raw’s novelty proteins so I will see how pink those stay.

[Kristin C]

Dfw – when you say rotational what do you mean? Ever tried just plain white rice and boiled chicken to reset his digestion? I did this with my 5 month old pup after it was coming out both ends for weeks. Turns out a raw diet worked best for her so I switched both my girls to raw.

[Kristin C]

Jude-I just started my girls on the See Spot Live Longer Dinner Mix this week. Good poops! I mixed ground beef (normally I have hearts and beef cheek but this was a test) with 5% liver, 5% kidney and thymus, 5% puréed vegs, 5% sweet potato, 10% pumpkin. I think you can add just muscle meat or you can add an additional 20% fresh ingredients, if that makes sense. I split a can of sardines for them over the weekend and mid-week.

I have a sample of The Honest Kitchen base mix I am going to try next week. I don’t have high hopes. I think it will come out like it goes in, chunky.

[Kristin C]

Thanks Cindy. I think I am going to try Stewart’s myself. As for BDN I am sure it is fine in rotation. I currently use Darwin’s but am not going to re-order. The meat turns brown which I don’t like. I think if you order a small quantity on a very frequent basis it’s probably better. I keep coming back to making my own food.

[Kristin C]

Cindy-how are your dog’s doing on the Stewart’s? I am thinking about ordering some.

[Kristin C]

I order from Reel Raw too. I ordered their 10lb complete beef mix, but I’m not sure how much fat is in it so I’ve decided to stick with ordering novelty proteins, organs, and RMBs. I give them a thumbs up too.

[Kristin C]

Hi Ry-my only thoughts are (1) yeast overgrowth. Are you feeding sweet potato? (2) he’s allergic to the protein you are feeding. (3) His diet doesn’t have the proper fat ratio. Not sure if that helps.

[Kristin C]

Woohoo! Let me know how it goes. You are brave. I only feed my dogs new stuff in the morning.

[Kristin C]

Thanks Aimee. I opened one of my samples and it looks chunky so I don’t have high hopes for THK but I will try it next week.

Cindy, I found the Stewarts this week too and I think it looks pretty good. Let me know how it works out for you.

Dori, you rock. I’d like to hear more about Stewarts when you hear back from them.

[Kristin C]

Thanks USA. My girls just had their first SSLL this morning. I give them a can of sardines each per week to round out the raw meat, organs, puréed veg mix they mostly eat.

Has anyone tried The Honest Kitchen base mix? It’s dehydrated so I’m afraid it will be chunky like Sojo’s which does not digest well.

[Kristin C]

USA-what supplements do you use?

[Kristin C]

Hey Cindy-if your dogs love BDN then stick with it but consider adding a supplement and some variety, maybe some real raw here and there, and some novel proteins. Check out the See Spot Live Longer website.

[Kristin C]

Cindy-maybe you should give them a call. BDN answered my email but not my question about the reconstituted analysis, nor do they provide a nutrient analysis on their website as far as I can see. Are you feeding this as your only source? Because you sound concerned. I agree with Dori that rotation is best so if you don’t get an acceptable answer from BDN you may want to consider adding in other brands.

[Kristin C]

Hi Jude-when I first started my puppy on raw earlier this year I would give her treats of raw chicken during the day. When I was sure she could tolerate it I gave her a full raw breakfast for a few days, then added dinner. I did the same thing transitioning her to raw beef. I have tried Darwin’s but the meat turns brown and it’s expensive. Nature’s Variety worked for us and it is very accessible as it’s sold at Petco, but it’s expensive too. Orijen Freeze dried works for us when when we travel, again expensive though. I have resorted to buying my own chicken and beef when on sale, add organs, puréed vegs, sweet potato and pumpkin and, as of this week, am adding in See Spot Live Longer to my homemade. I buy grinds of novelty meats from Reel Raw to get more variety and rotate those in. In addition, my girls each get a can of sardines per week and I make tripe and yogurt treats for them a couple times per week. You can request samples of THK on their website. I have a couple samples I have not tried yet. The best advice I can offer is to try one thing at a time, keep doing what works, discard what doesn’t work. Every household is different. I have revised my dog’s eating schedule many times this year!

[Kristin C]

Hi Adrienne – my 1 year old was having issues with kibble earlier this year, vomiting and diarrhea. The only thing that really helped was feeding her raw, single source protein. I started with chicken and moved to beef. She eats duck and turkey too and I through in some novelty meats every other weak. Have you tried green tripe? It’s supposed to be good for digestion. I feed it as a treat (freeze dried) or I have some ground up that I mix with yogurt and freeze in a treat thingy. My dog’s do fine on Nature’s Variety but it is expensive.

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