Looking Into Raw Feeding

[Eza]

I am currently feeding my dogs 2 chicken pieces, 1 cup (Plastic Coke cup) and either sardines, egg or yogurt a night.

I am wanting to cut back on the dry.

What else can I give them? They cant have bones un supervised (well at least not while they are fresh, after a few hrs or a bury and redig they are ok).

I use to make a mix of celery, pumpkin, apple, garlic, zuccini or whatever green veg was cheap but they went off it for a while.

I can get chicken pretty cheap, Lenard's pet mince and I also have access to butchers meat (all the bone residue from the ban saw).

When I do feed bones its just those big leg bones cut in half.

I only feed once a day and its supervised otherwise we get meal pinching.

Needs to be cheap and easy to do nightly as we have people living with us that feed when we arent home.

Thanks

[Gayle.]

Can you make up a mix of mince, raw grated veges, grated cheese, raw eggs etc? I make up about 5kgs at a time and freeze it in meal sized portions, but it's easy enough to make up a couple of days worth and just store it in the fridge.

As well as the base ingredients, you can also add tuna, yoghurt, cottage cheese, offal and whatever else you like to make a variety. Alternate with what they're already having, maybe add some kind of supplement and they should do well without any kibble.

[Eza]

What sort of supplements should I be looking at? I wouldnt know where to start.

I can try the mix and see how they go.

Do most people set a day aside and make all this up to freeze?

Edited May 4, 2008 by Eza

[Guest Tess32]

This is what I feed mine, is any of this do-able for you? I feed all the bigger bones at night so they are supervised.

Monday:

Breakfast: Vegetables, 100grams of liver, 1 chicken wing

Dinner: Lamb Neck

Tuesday:

Breakfast:Vegetables, beef, yoghurt

Dinner: Duck or chicken frames

Wednesday

Breakfast: Vegetables, salmon or sardines

Dinner: Maryland, Goat ribs or or turkey wings

Thursday:

Breakfast: Vegetables, 100 grams offal (kidney, pancreas, lungs), one chicken wing

Dinner: Lamb Neck

Friday

Breakfast: Vegetables, heart and tongue

Dinner: Duck frames, one egg

Saturday

Breakfast: Vegetables, chicken wing

Dinner: Maryland, turkey or goat

Sunday

Breakfast: Vegetables, beef tongue or heart

Dinner: Chicken frames

[Eza]

Ive given them both a whole chicken before and didnt have an issue but when I feed the leg bones (whatever they are called) there seems to be a tenancy to want both to themselves and my bitch just given in (being lowest in the pack).Necks and the like they have had before so I know there are no issues with them.

What veggies do you feed?

[Gayle.]

I don't use any supplements but mine also have Eagle Pack kibble occasionally but I believe there are supplements you can add to a raw diet to make up what they might be missing out on. One thing I do add if I have some is flaxseed oil....very nice for their coats.

It won't take a day to make up a few kgs....it takes me about an hour to make up 5kgs, divide and freeze. Don't cook anything, buy plain label pre-grated cheese and use a food processor to grate the veges (if you have one) or hand grate but don't worry about peeling anything. The only thing I cook is pumpkin and they get that with the skin still on and the seeds still in. Just microwaved and mashed into the rest of the mix.

[Guest Tess32]

Ive given them both a whole chicken before and didnt have an issue but when I feed the leg bones (whatever they are called) there seems to be a tenancy to want both to themselves and my bitch just given in (being lowest in the pack).Necks and the like they have had before so I know there are no issues with them.

What veggies do you feed?

It's generally advised to not feed heavy leg bones. They are hard on their teeth and they can't really "eat" the bones anyway, so I only give bones they can totally consume.

I feed all the dogs seperate anyway, is it possible for you to do that?

With vegies, just whatever can be found, I don't find them essential so I don't feed THAT much. Spinach, carrots, celary...whatever is around. All done in the juicer/food processor.

[Eza]

I have a food processor so thats ok. I use to give them the pumpkin skin off and raw (is there a difference to cooked?).

They are currently on Supercoat lite and mature so I dont think taking them off it will hurt.

I know I can get liver, heart, kidneys and sometimes brains from the supermarket. If I ask the butchers I might be able to get the other stuff too.

I know I cant get duck in town and havent heard of anywhere having goat.

I can get roo, beef, chicken, lamb.

[Eza]

Obviously Potato, peppers etc and onion is there anything else that cant be given?

I could feed one inside and one out but generally they both get fed inside.

[Gayle.]

Chinese greens are usually very cheap (bok choy, pak choy etc) and you can use the whole lot, leave and all. Grated apple and pears are a good addition too, but they are a bit pricey right now.

I buy lamb offcuts in the supermarket that the dogs love. They are like ragged lamb chops and have heaps of meat on them, often the pack contains bones which are soft and fully edible, and the packs are cheap. Brisket bones are good too, ask you friendly butcher for some (they are cheap!)

[Gayle.]

I use to give them the pumpkin skin off and raw (is there a difference to cooked?).

I find it easier to handle when it's cooked, and it adds a different consistency to the mix....a bit like a binding agent. I add the water it's cooked in too (just a couple of tablespoons full) so they don't miss out on any of the nutrients.

[Eza]

I didnt even think of asian greens, thanks.

[Guest Tess32]

I have a food processor so thats ok. I use to give them the pumpkin skin off and raw (is there a difference to cooked?).

They are currently on Supercoat lite and mature so I dont think taking them off it will hurt.

I know I can get liver, heart, kidneys and sometimes brains from the supermarket. If I ask the butchers I might be able to get the other stuff too.

I know I cant get duck in town and havent heard of anywhere having goat.

I can get roo, beef, chicken, lamb.

That's probably good enough variety. Most people don't feed too much beef, so I don't feed too much.

Heart is a muscle meat so not really offal, but they love it.

When it comes to offal, 50% of their offal amount should be liver, the rest can be whatever else there is. If you can

find an ethnic butcher you could buy what I just did "lamb pluck", which comes with the heart, lungs, liver etc all attached. That's the only place I can get goat too.

Lamb necks should be easy to get. You could also try rabbit.

Turkey can be pricey, but I have bought turkey wings and they are enormous, so cut them into three, ending up with quite a lot.

[Eza]

Hubbys just asked why I want to change it.

Am I right in explaining it as eating a loaf of bread a day (dry) as fills you up and no nutritional value and having a piece of steak for tea with nothing else (2 pieces of chicken)?

Sounds pretty boring now you think of it.

[Eza]

Thanks Tess.

Ill look into it some more but as of next shopping Ill make up a mix (Ill probably post more about veggies before then). I dont want to give them anything they shouldnt have.

Dogs cant have cabbage can they?

[Guest Tess32]

Hubbys just asked why I want to change it.

Am I right in explaining it as eating a loaf of bread a day (dry) as fills you up and no nutritional value and having a piece of steak for tea with nothing else (2 pieces of chicken)?

Sounds pretty boring now you think of it.

I don't feed dry because I just believe they'd be healthier eating the food they are biologically designed to eat. They get a real workout eating. Dinner isn't finished in 2 minutes, but takes a good half hour sometimes. Their teeth get cleaned and their brains also get a workout on big cuts, working out how to eat it.

[Eza]

I loved watching my guys eat the chickens it was a challenge (sadly cant afford them all the time).

I agree with you about working their brains while eating.

[Guest Tess32]

I know people who feed cabbage with no probs.

ETA - you could try sourcing some cheap boiler chickens. I got some whole chickens for $5!

Edited May 4, 2008 by Tess32

[Eza]

Thanks Tess.

Ill ask at Lenards next time Im there.

[Eza]

Ive thought of another question lol.

What age can I feed this sort of mix too?

Toby is 7 weeks old (or about 9 by the time I get this sort of thing sorted out). Can he eat it? I want to try him on it (brother will feed him whatever I give him).