Dog Mince - Curious On Your Thoughts!?!

[Sunnyflower]

Hi Guys,

Just wondering what peoples thoughts and opinions are on the mince you feed your dogs.

I have always fed Oscar premium pet mince whether that be steak mince or kangaroo. It's always been bright in colour and looks really taste. I've noticed for quite some time now that Butchers have $2 a kilo pet mince so I went in to have a chat and it's human grade off-cuts of all the left overs minced together. So really it's not that bad.

I bought a couple of kilo's which is easily going to get me 9 - 15 meals out of it so on a financial stand point it's a major thumbs up. It just doesn't look as tastey as the premium mince. However it did get Oscar's tick of approval as the head didn't come up till it was all gone.

What do you prefer to feed your dog(s). Premium pet mince or Butchers pet mince?

[megan_]

I only feed raw that comes froma a qualified buthcer. I believe that the laws are different if you buy your pet mince from a pet supply place. All meat that comes from a butcher must be inspected for pests.

Fresh meat shouldn't be bright in colour - chances are they are using preservatives to make it look "fresh and tasty".

[poodlefan]

I'd prefer the one with the higher fat content.

[Greytmate]

I would buy 'racing mince' rather than 'pet mince' from a pet food supply.

If pets get crook, nobody cares, but a shop owner wouldn't dare supply dodgy mince to racing people, or they risk a very big financial loss if sued.

[tlc]

When mine were on meat veg etc I only ever used human grade beef.

Just curious, don't you have your boy on Nutro? Does he need mince as well??

Mine are on all dry EPH soon to be Nutro and also have RMB, chicken necks and wings.

[Sunnyflower]

I only feed raw that comes froma a qualified buthcer. I believe that the laws are different if you buy your pet mince from a pet supply place. All meat that comes from a butcher must be inspected for pests.

Fresh meat shouldn't be bright in colour - chances are they are using preservatives to make it look "fresh and tasty".

hmmm good point. Thank you megan! The butcher I got this meat from is a fantastic butcher where we always get our meat from so I have no concern about the quality.

I'd prefer the one with the higher fat content.

When I got it from the butcher it just comes in 1kg bags. No fat content written on there.

[Sunnyflower]

I would buy 'racing mince' rather than 'pet mince' from a pet food supply.

If pets get crook, nobody cares, but a shop owner wouldn't dare supply dodgy mince to racing people, or they risk a very big financial loss if sued.

I actually hadn't thought of that, but that I can definitely understand that.

When mine were on meat veg etc I only ever used human grade beef.

Just curious, don't you have your boy on Nutro? Does he need mince as well??

Mine are on all dry EPH soon to be Nutro and also have RMB, chicken necks and wings.

tlc my boy is on Nutro but I have always given him mince as well. I don't like to feed just biscuits and bones.

Before Nutro mince is the only thing he would eat and he loves it so I wouldn't take it off him. I mix one small cup of Nutro in with roughly 200gms of mince and if I can see him looking for food in the mornings I usually put half a small cup of Nutro in his bowl for him to pick at.

[Greytmate]

When I got it from the butcher it just comes in 1kg bags. No fat content written on there.

It probably varies, seasonally, and depending on what leftovers go into the mix.

The other advantage of 'racing mince' is that it has very specific fat content, so it is easy to get the quantity exactly right. It is generally made of lean roo, with a quantity of pure beef fat added.

[Red Fox]

Roo meat human grade or beef mince (preservative free).

We've always bought our roo from a local pet meat supply outlet, however lately they have started adding blue dye to the bags to mark it as pet food so we now have to order a week in advance and recieve the meat vac packed and marked as human grade which is better anyway.

[Sunnyflower]

When I got it from the butcher it just comes in 1kg bags. No fat content written on there.

It probably varies, seasonally, and depending on what leftovers go into the mix.

The other advantage of 'racing mince' is that it has very specific fat content, so it is easy to get the quantity exactly right. It is generally made of lean roo, with a quantity of pure beef fat added.

Greytmate - Can you only get racing mince from stock produce stores or do places like PetBarn or Petstock have it?

I know out Maitland way there is a specific Grey Hound produce but that too far to travel.

[Sunnyflower]

Roo meat human grade or beef mince (preservative free).

We've always bought our roo from a local pet meat supply outlet, however lately they have started adding blue dye to the bags to mark it as pet food so we now have to order a week in advance and recieve the meat vac packed and marked as human grade which is better anyway.

Seems really weird that they would do something like that! This may be a silly question but what exactly does the blue dye do?

[JulesP]

I got some mince the other day from a pet place and they insisted that it didn't have preservatives in it. Going by the colour I am not sure I believe them! My butcher also does the pet mince stuff, which I would say is mainly chicken stuff going by the colour, it is also heaps cheaper. I prefer my dog's meat on the bone though and only feed mince occasionally. The lamp flaps from Safeway are the dogs favorite.

[Mas1981]

I buy from a Pet Food store, they only sell fresh meat - they butcher the roo on the premises so its very fresh and nothing is added. I am happy with it - it smells exactly the same as human grade roo, some of the other 'pet' meat I have bought smells awful but this place is good. I pay $3,30 a Kg.

[Sunnyflower]

I got some mince the other day from a pet place and they insisted that it didn't have preservatives in it. Going by the colour I am not sure I believe them! My butcher also does the pet mince stuff, which I would say is mainly chicken stuff going by the colour, it is also heaps cheaper. I prefer my dog's meat on the bone though and only feed mince occasionally. The lamp flaps from Safeway are the dogs favorite.

I'd prefer Oscar to eat the meat off the bone too but he is quite the pretty boy, he likes his bone to bake in the sun for a few days and become cooked before he'll eat it. It's not often he will eat it straight away.

I buy from a Pet Food store, they only sell fresh meat - they butcher the roo on the premises so its very fresh and nothing is added. I am happy with it - it smells exactly the same as human grade roo, some of the other 'pet' meat I have bought smells awful but this place is good. I pay $3,30 a Kg.

$3.30kg I think is great! I have been paying $5 for 800grms for Oscar's meet for a long time. Once he has eaten what he's got I will see if they have the Roo mince at the Butchers too.

[Lab_Rat]

My girls get human grade lamb mince............But that is because of the price of sheep meat these days. I dont think you get pet grade lamb mince in wa.

[Sunnyflower]

My girls get human grade lamb mince............But that is because of the price of sheep meat these days. I dont think you get pet grade lamb mince in wa.

Is lamb really cheap these days LR?

[oakway]

Pet mince of course. Better fat content for animals.

If it comes out of the butchers shop it all comes from the same beasts purchased by the butcher for your consumption.

[bedazzledx2]

You can, but I prefer the roo or goat when you can get it. The only problem I have with pet mince from a butcher is that its the off cuts which if you look at it is loaded with fat! I prefer my guys to get the fat I can see on their bones, chicken, goat or lamb. There is a terrific butcher outside Coles in Midland WA which has a whole section of 'interesting' cuts which are fantastic for dog food. Chicken feet...$3 per kilo, lamb tongues, beef cheeks, pigs ears (fresh), pigs feet etc. Its all human grade as they cater for different nationalities but its very reasonabley priced so lots of people use it for dog food.

My girls get human grade lamb mince............But that is because of the price of sheep meat these days. I dont think you get pet grade lamb mince in wa.

[Lab_Rat]

My girls get human grade lamb mince............But that is because of the price of sheep meat these days. I dont think you get pet grade lamb mince in wa.

Is lamb really cheap these days LR?

I wish!!! Its usually about $9 a kilo, but its the only meat my ridgy can eat. They get dry as well and the Kelpie has chicken wings, necks and frames so I can get away with feeding it. Anymore than two dogs though and it wouldnt be quite so easy.

I keep meaning to get in touch with an ab about getting mutton mince, but I worry that it would be quite fatty and not as good quality as what I get now. Ridgy also wont eat bones - Ive had to sit with her and coax her to eat a chicken frame (before I found out she was intolerant!).

[Lab_Rat]

You can, but I prefer the roo or goat when you can get it. The only problem I have with pet mince from a butcher is that its the off cuts which if you look at it is loaded with fat! I prefer my guys to get the fat I can see on their bones, chicken, goat or lamb. There is a terrific butcher outside Coles in Midland WA which has a whole section of 'interesting' cuts which are fantastic for dog food. Chicken feet...$3 per kilo, lamb tongues, beef cheeks, pigs ears (fresh), pigs feet etc. Its all human grade as they cater for different nationalities but its very reasonabley priced so lots of people use it for dog food.

My girls get human grade lamb mince............But that is because of the price of sheep meat these days. I dont think you get pet grade lamb mince in wa.

Next time Im up in the big smoke ( ) Ill have to go and have a look at this shop!! Sound interesting Bedazzled!

Like you say pet mince is often loaded with fat, and lamb mince is fairly fatty at the best of times! Thats another reason Ive stuck with human grade.

I even tried trialling Zola on beef and chicken again - she gets different itchy symptoms from both which is strange! Chicken gives her red itchy ears and beef gives her an itchy mouth, on the insides of her top lips. She scratches the crap out of her mouth!!