Pitcairn Vs Billinghurst

[Prydenjoy]

Just out of curiosity, has anyone fed Pitcairn's method of feeding, and also tried the Billinghurst method?

What were your experiences?

As soon as I can afford it I'm going to buy the Pitcairn book. I kinda feed half and half at the moment, raw chicken wings and cooked meals... Raw BARF patties, no matter how packed with nutrients they may be, aren't much use if the dog wont eat them!

[haven]

The Pitcairn book is not worth purchasing IMHO. I'd recommend that you perhaps borrow it and take a look before parting with dollars for it

[Prydenjoy]

Why is that, may I ask?

I've heard some good reviews on the Pitcairn book. They don't stock it in any of the book stores here, so unfortunately I can't have a flick through it and then make up my mind.

I want to be open minded and read up on more methods of feeding, I find Billinghurst all very unscientific and am worried about the high phosphorus levels in the diet he promotes. At the moment my guys are on a half raw/half cooked diet, but as much as I know about the raw stuff, I'm pretty new to the whole cooking idea and want to learn more.

Is there a better book someone can suggest?

[poodlefan]

Jeanne, one of the most readable books I've read on raw feeding (sort of a newbie primer) is Natural Nutrition for Dogs and Cats by Kymathy Shultz? (sp). Its the first book I recommend to potential BARFers.

[poodlefan]

Jeanne, I just wanted to point out that a proper BARF diet should not have a phosphorus imbalance. Only diets where meat is fed without bone or excessive amounts of egg are fed without shells are imbalanced. Diets were RMBs and eggs with shells are fed have an appropriate calcium/phosphorus balance.

[Prydenjoy]

I might have to get that Shultz book some day... I'm not new to raw feeding, I've been feeding it for years, but want to further my education! And have to include home cooking because my boy just doesn't like raw patties...

But I get my worries about phosphorus because I used a table which adds up the nutrient requirements a dog needs, the calcium levels in what I feed are low (which I can make up with ground egg shells) but the phosphorus is way over what a dog his size needs.

I get this information from a yahoo group, thepossiblecanine, it has a spreadsheet, based on the food values released for dogs (oh I can't remember the name of the people who control that). Basically though, they get way too much phosphorus and I'm concerned about the effect it may have on their liver etc.

[poodlefan]

I might have to get that Shultz book some day... I'm not new to raw feeding, I've been feeding it for years, but want to further my education! And have to include home cooking because my boy just doesn't like raw patties...

But I get my worries about phosphorus because I used a table which adds up the nutrient requirements a dog needs, the calcium levels in what I feed are low (which I can make up with ground egg shells) but the phosphorus is way over what a dog his size needs.

I get this information from a yahoo group, thepossiblecanine, it has a spreadsheet, based on the food values released for dogs (oh I can't remember the name of the people who control that). Basically though, they get way too much phosphorus and I'm concerned about the effect it may have on their liver etc.

Do you feed raw meat on the bone Jeanne?

[Prydenjoy]

Yes they get half a chicken wing each in the morning (if I gave them any more they wouldn't have anything else to eat that day - they don't need much!)