Raw Food /non Kibble Feeders

[all that glitters]

What do you guys feed? I want to try to change over to feeding shyla raw bit by bit, but I feel stuck and don't know where to begin. I have read it up and worked out how much per day she should get (2.5% of her body weight or something) but how do you go about the meals, do you prepare the vegetable bit once a month in portions or every few weeks, actually on the vegetable subject, what do you do with the veggies? Cook them? Raw? Blend into a mash? Then accompany that with a chicken frame or lamp flap? And then there's the offal like brains and liver etc.. do you give these 3 things (raw meaty bones, offal, veggies) daily into 2 meals? I thought i would add egg every second day, and supplement with omega 3 oils and flaxseed oil?

Ahh still learning

[Baby Dragon]

We mostly raw feed and for the vegetable component we use Vets All Natural complete mix.

It has a lot of the nutrients etc in it already.

For the RMB part, we feed chicken 5 days a week, canned mackerel once a week (it's not raw though,) beef kidney once a fortnight and beef liver once a fortnight.

Sometimes we feed roo tail instead of chicken once a week.

I like this way of feeding because there's no way I'd be able to keep up with doing the vegetable part myself.

Edited January 11, 2010 by Baby Dragon

[Tiggy]

Decide if you want to feed BARF or Prey Model or like me a bit of a combination. I feed meat, bones, offal, fish and eggs. The Tom Lonsdale book 'Work Wonders' is a good investment.

[Jaxx'sBuddy]

i use dr b's raw, raw pilchers, chicken necks, turkey necks, sardines, brisket bones.

i mix omega 3, apple cider vinegar and natural yogurt into each meal. her allergies and better managed now.

ets i give her a raw egg a week too

Edited January 11, 2010 by Jaxx'sBuddy

[Red Fox]

I do a big batch of vegie/fruit slops every 8-10 weeks. Basically I put it all throught the blender in batches (until it's mush), stir it all up together in a big bucket, then divide it into ice-cube trays and freeze (also have to do this bit in batches too) then when frozen I pop them out into a big container and store in the freezer.

With my meat/bones/offal I buy it all in bulk and bag it up in portions.

Basically all I have to do is to pull out whatever I want to feed the following day to defrost overnight - Usually a chicken frames or Roo spine/tail for breakie and a bag of mince for tea (occasionally a bag of offal too).

For breakfast all I have to do is take the bones out of the bag

and for dinner I pull some vegie cubes out and defrost them in a mug, tip that into a bowl with a bag of mince, a scoop of yogurt, a few supplements, and then either an egg/some offal/tin of sardines etc, mix it up a bit and it's good to go.

It's not difficult or time consuming once you get in a routine

If I was time poor or couldn't be bothered with vegies and supplements I'd probably go with VAN, mince and RMB's instead but I'm happy to do my own for now

[all that glitters]

Thanks guys!!!

That doesn't sound too bad, I just don't know much about meaty bones I haven't really bought much from the butchers in the past, is there any meaty bones that are No-NOs? What about in terms of offal - do you give offal daily and what sorts?

Using the VAN as the vegetable component sounds easier and simpler but I don't understand how that food is good when its all grains and grains are bad for dogs.. having said that, my mums allergy golden retriever got put onto that food instead of kibble and all her hair grew back!! So maybe it isn't bad

How do I make sure she isn't missing out on important nutrients and things, is that why you give supplements like Vitamin C powder and Omega oil? What is flaxseed oil for?

[Red Fox]

Thanks guys!!!

That doesn't sound too bad, I just don't know much about meaty bones I haven't really bought much from the butchers in the past, is there any meaty bones that are No-NOs? What about in terms of offal - do you give offal daily and what sorts?

Using the VAN as the vegetable component sounds easier and simpler but I don't understand how that food is good when its all grains and grains are bad for dogs.. having said that, my mums allergy golden retriever got put onto that food instead of kibble and all her hair grew back!! So maybe it isn't bad

How do I make sure she isn't missing out on important nutrients and things, is that why you give supplements like Vitamin C powder and Omega oil? What is flaxseed oil for?

Get hold of the Dr Billinghurst books Shelle, they explain it really well. With RMB's I think it really depends on the dog. Some will gulp them down and need bigger bones, others (like my boy) will chew everything so you dont have to worry too much. As far as meats/bones go it's endless chicken, pork, turkey, rabbit, roo, lamb, beef, venison - whatever you can get and whatever your dog does well on.

With Kei I give him chicken (wings, thighs, drumsticks, necks, frames etc) and roo bones (mainly spine and tail, occasionally a leg bone). I choose these because they are cheap and easily accessable to me, plus they are what my dog prefers. Sometimes I give him lamb flaps or shanks or pork ribs too but he doesn't like those much.

Offal is supposed to be around 10% of the diet. You can feed it however you like, a little bit daily, a meal weekly, whatever. Chicken frames sometimes have goobly bits left inside them so I count that too lol. I use whatever the supermarket has when I go in to get it, so brains (lamb), liver (chicken, kidneys (lamb - I think) or hearts (chicken). Kei HATES offal so I blend it up and mix with the rest of his food.

Can't comment much on the VAN as I've never used it. It does sound like an easier option though...

Supplement are optional I suppose. I just use them so that I know Kei is getting everyhing that he needs. The Billinghurst books speak a lot about supplements but I think they also say that they are optional?? I can't remember.

For Kei I use ACV, Kelp, vitamin C, Sashas Blend and Melrose Omega Pet Oil. Omega and flaxseed do pretty much the same thing, that is supply the dog with essential fatty acids. I sometimes use flaxseed if I cant get the Pet Oil. I've just bought some Livamol too so I'll have to see how that goes I don't use all the supplements every day. With the exception of kelp (I put that in with the vegie slops) and ACV the others I just give every few days.

I think you'll get lots of different oppinions on this. Everyone does it differently, and we all (probably) think our own way is best. (otherwise we wouldn't do it ) I'd say read up on it as much as you can and then experiment to see what works well for Shyla.

Hope that helps ;)

eta linky for the books if you're interested: http://www.barfaustralia.com/products.php?pid=2

Edited January 12, 2010 by SecretKei

[WreckitWhippet]

I feed a combination of roo tails, lamb flaps and necks, chicken wings and carcass.

In addition to that they get a can of sardines each a week ( 2 x half cans )or a can of mackeral, a couple of raw eggs a week, a small amount of liver or kidney, some natural yogurt. I don't process any veg and keep it very simple, they get all of the carrot peels each week, any left over cooked veg, some pieces of apple or other fruits.

There's no set amount for any dog and no going by body weight. I've simply observed my guys closely and those who are high energy get more. I've kept it simple and the dogs look wonderful on it.

[all that glitters]

I feed a combination of roo tails, lamb flaps and necks, chicken wings and carcass.

In addition to that they get a can of sardines each a week ( 2 x half cans )or a can of mackeral, a couple of raw eggs a week, a small amount of liver or kidney, some natural yogurt. I don't process any veg and keep it very simple, they get all of the carrot peels each week, any left over cooked veg, some pieces of apple or other fruits.

There's no set amount for any dog and no going by body weight. I've simply observed my guys closely and those who are high energy get more. I've kept it simple and the dogs look wonderful on it.

Thanks!! so you don't do the whole vegetable thing at all, except for some from when you make dinner for yourself, you just stick to raw meaty bones, a bit of offal, and the eggs and fish for other essential stuff?

[Gayle.]

Mine get mostly raw meaty bones, pet mince from the butcher (minced meat and offal, no preservatives), and a couple of tins of sardines between them each week. I also make a mix of veges....mainly cooked pumpkin, grated carrot and bok choy....rice, eggs and whatever else I have on hand that looks good....parsely, grated apple, tuna, cheese. I make separate freezer packs of the vege mix and add it to the mince.

[Gemelo]

Im thinking of taking mine off commerical food, Just a bit worried about our puppy on it, making sure she gets everything she needs, they get 75% raw now, a mix of chicken, beef and lamb mince, any in season fruit and veg, or anything that is generally cheap.. sardines, eggs and chicken wings/drums, beef soup bones and lamb flaps.. They get Royal Canin mixed in with their mince every second night ( we feed bones in the morning, mince at night). We also give yoghurt mixed in every few days..

Sorry to push into your thread S&S, but can anybody reassure me what Im feeding, minus the dry, would be OK for my almost four month old Aussie Shepherd?

Edited January 13, 2010 by Dotty_17301

[wotan]

I feed a combination of roo tails, lamb flaps and necks, chicken wings and carcass.

In addition to that they get a can of sardines each a week ( 2 x half cans )or a can of mackeral, a couple of raw eggs a week, a small amount of liver or kidney, some natural yogurt. I don't process any veg and keep it very simple, they get all of the carrot peels each week, any left over cooked veg, some pieces of apple or other fruits.

There's no set amount for any dog and no going by body weight. I've simply observed my guys closely and those who are high energy get more. I've kept it simple and the dogs look wonderful on it.

Which is preferable, hard boiled or raw egg?

So far I've only tried hard boiled, he has fun breaking it up before gobbling it. Never tried raw.

[WreckitWhippet]

I feed a combination of roo tails, lamb flaps and necks, chicken wings and carcass.

In addition to that they get a can of sardines each a week ( 2 x half cans )or a can of mackeral, a couple of raw eggs a week, a small amount of liver or kidney, some natural yogurt. I don't process any veg and keep it very simple, they get all of the carrot peels each week, any left over cooked veg, some pieces of apple or other fruits.

There's no set amount for any dog and no going by body weight. I've simply observed my guys closely and those who are high energy get more. I've kept it simple and the dogs look wonderful on it.

Which is preferable, hard boiled or raw egg?

So far I've only tried hard boiled, he has fun breaking it up before gobbling it. Never tried raw.

I mix mine up, sometimes I do a hard boiled and chuck them a whole egg, they think it's fun to break into as well. Yesterday I did raw egg , mince and left over veg.

Today they all had roo tail and the only veg they got was the left over carrot peels from morning tea.

[poodlefan]

I mix mine up, sometimes I do a hard boiled and chuck them a whole egg, they think it's fun to break into as well. Yesterday I did raw egg , mince and left over veg.

Today they all had roo tail and the only veg they got was the left over carrot peels from morning tea.

You had carrot peels for morning tea?

[all that glitters]

Im thinking of taking mine off commerical food, Just a bit worried about our puppy on it, making sure she gets everything she needs, they get 75% raw now, a mix of chicken, beef and lamb mince, any in season fruit and veg, or anything that is generally cheap.. sardines, eggs and chicken wings/drums, beef soup bones and lamb flaps.. They get Royal Canin mixed in with their mince every second night ( we feed bones in the morning, mince at night). We also give yoghurt mixed in every few days..

Sorry to push into your thread S&S, but can anybody reassure me what Im feeding, minus the dry, would be OK for my almost four month old Aussie Shepherd?

No go ahead! I dont mind cos I get to learn more

I mix mine up, sometimes I do a hard boiled and chuck them a whole egg, they think it's fun to break into as well. Yesterday I did raw egg , mince and left over veg.

Today they all had roo tail and the only veg they got was the left over carrot peels from morning tea.

You had carrot peels for morning tea? ;)

LMAO

--------------------------

OK another question! In terms of the mince the only mince I've found so far (apart from commercial human mince which isn't great) is minced chicken frames.. but I give Shyla whole chicken frames raw anyway, so don't need that mince! Where would I find pet mince with offal in it?

For the veggie part of the diet I think I'll start with the Vets All Natural mix (cos its easier and I'll see how she does on that first)

I didn't know you can give them eggs whole! Woah! So gonna try that

[SBT101]

I was like you a few months ago. Deciding whether or not to take the plunge to raw and then researching heaps to try and get it right. It has taken about 2 months with alot of mixing different batches to get it just right.

I go on the percentage of bodywieght too. I started off at 2.5% and if they were gainng to much, then I would drop it to 2% or up the percentage if they were loosing it. I have our 5 month old pup on 5%.

Their diet consitsts of:

40% rmb ( kangaroo tails, minced chicken carcusses, chicken necks, chicken frames)

40% muscle meat ( donkey, goat, roo, hearts) I dropped the portion of roo and upped the donkey

10% offal mix (liver, tounge, kidney, etc)

10% vegie slops (usually changes every batch in accordance to what I have in the fridge)

In their vegie slops I add their sunflower oil, whole raw eggs, and additional suppliments.

Twice a week they will get a fish meal, sardines, salmon.

As I said, it does take a while for them to settle on it and for you to get it right. And each dog is different and may need more or less of some things.

Good luck

[Got Spots]

I found percentages too confusing for me

I ended up using Dr B's patties b/c mine only eat half each at night plus a bone during the day.

Food amounts based on how they look.

My older one gets a whiff of food and puts on weight , whereas the younger one you can poke food in all day and it doesn't get fat.

They also love half of tin of sardines each a week, raw egg once a week, leftover cooked veges

I really liked VAN however, my older ones allergies didn't like it. I intend to go back to it for my younger pup - she did great on it.

[jakeyjangels]

Im thinking of taking mine off commerical food, Just a bit worried about our puppy on it, making sure she gets everything she needs, they get 75% raw now, a mix of chicken, beef and lamb mince, any in season fruit and veg, or anything that is generally cheap.. sardines, eggs and chicken wings/drums, beef soup bones and lamb flaps.. They get Royal Canin mixed in with their mince every second night ( we feed bones in the morning, mince at night). We also give yoghurt mixed in every few days..

Sorry to push into your thread S&S, but can anybody reassure me what Im feeding, minus the dry, would be OK for my almost four month old Aussie Shepherd?

No go ahead! I dont mind cos I get to learn more

I mix mine up, sometimes I do a hard boiled and chuck them a whole egg, they think it's fun to break into as well. Yesterday I did raw egg , mince and left over veg.

Today they all had roo tail and the only veg they got was the left over carrot peels from morning tea.

You had carrot peels for morning tea?

LMAO

--------------------------

OK another question! In terms of the mince the only mince I've found so far (apart from commercial human mince which isn't great) is minced chicken frames.. but I give Shyla whole chicken frames raw anyway, so don't need that mince! Where would I find pet mince with offal in it?

For the veggie part of the diet I think I'll start with the Vets All Natural mix (cos its easier and I'll see how she does on that first)

I didn't know you can give them eggs whole! Woah! So gonna try that

I hessisantly spent the $75 on 2 of the 3 Dr Billinghurst books following my breeders recommendation. Worth every cent. Easy reading and we learnt so much. (try your local library) We thought we were doing the very best with our old lab who is in heaven now by following our vets advice of feeding him Hills Science diet. Will never touch commercial food again, We have a freezer full of raw food for our next Lab who we pick up next Saturday.

[ozjen]

Im thinking of taking mine off commerical food, Just a bit worried about our puppy on it, making sure she gets everything she needs, they get 75% raw now, a mix of chicken, beef and lamb mince, any in season fruit and veg, or anything that is generally cheap.. sardines, eggs and chicken wings/drums, beef soup bones and lamb flaps.. They get Royal Canin mixed in with their mince every second night ( we feed bones in the morning, mince at night). We also give yoghurt mixed in every few days..

Sorry to push into your thread S&S, but can anybody reassure me what Im feeding, minus the dry, would be OK for my almost four month old Aussie Shepherd?

Just be careful of the beef soup bones, if they are weight bearing bones of cattle(leg) then they are too hard and can also break teeth. Sheep, poultry and soft fish bones all uncooked are all good. I would go more for hunks of meat rather than all mince as it helps make for healthier teeth and gums. I have fed raw for at least five years now and do not worry about alot of fruit and vegetables although my Aussie will sometimes have an apple or carrot when I do or some vegies if I make my own BARF patties on occasion. If you are including vegetables leave them raw in most cases but put them through the blender as dogs apparently don't break down the vegetables properly because of the outer coating. Most dogs will graze on grass so get sufficient greens anyway. You might want to add some offal to the diet. Don't get to bogged down with percentages at each meal, if you feed a good mix over a week you won't go far wrong. Think of feeding the equivlent of a small prey animal each week with regard to how much bone, meat and offal you give. When I first thought of a RMB diet I thought I had to find just that but after researching more I realised that the percentage of bone I was thinking of was way too high. The best way to judge that you have it correct is by keeping an eye on your dogs stool, too much bone and you get a constipaited dog with white stools or hard bullets. Aim for a stool that holds its shape is easily passed and has good colour. Friends have been abit shocked to see me give even my small old Papillon who has lost quiet a few teeth(previously on comercial diet) a good sized hunk of meat or piece of chicken but he gets though it all quiet well and has been 100% healthier since being changed to raw.

Join a few raw feeding groups and while they do vary quiet abit you will be able to work out what works best for your dog and your lifestyle. I am looking forward to my next litter being raised fully on raw as I now feel comfortable enough to do it, my previous litter because I was still fairly new to raw I only did half raw. Another advantage of an all raw diet is alot less poop to scoop.