Raw Feeders

[Tara8430]

For those that feed raw especially homemade raw I have a couple of questions:

1. How do you determine how much to feed? I thought there was a grams per dog weight or something but I can't seem to find it.Eg. Abbey gets one 150g raw patty morning and night but still seems very hungry, I am wondering if it should be 200g ( she's a 30kg lab 12 months,very active) she's gets chicken frames a couple of times a week and I've been trying to give lamb off cuts but they every now and then do still seem a bi fatty for her.

2. What do you put in your raw pattys? I've been doing spinach, sweet potato, cabbage, pumpkin, carrots, brown rice, cheese and a meet either chicken turkey or beef. I am wondering about adding maybe some green apple too, anything else... ( she won't eat organ meat)

[Guest donatella]

I must be over feeding my Pom puppy gets 100g raw in the morn and the older girl 160g. Both are perfect weight

[persephone]

There is lots of info in THIS THREAD, if you haven't already found it. :)

[Clyde]

If they're the perfect weight, then you're not over feeding them Donatella

Tara, I have a BARF box out in the garage will check for you. But I wouldnt worry too much, I never go by weight I just feed for whatever makes them look a good weight. All dogs are different so if your dog looks good then I woudlnt worry. Although it doesnt sound like much? Some dogs do well on the smell of an old rag though.

[persephone]

I think it would depend on what proportion of the food is actual meat , and what proportion low calorie filler, like some veggies. Dogs do not need large quantities of veggies ..and, IMO , it is the good meat protein which satisfies them .

a 200 gm mostly meat patty would be much more satisfying than a 200 gm mostly veggie one.,

[megan_]

Mine get raw but I don't make patties - they get meat on the bone and work their teeth to eat it. They occasionally get youghart and omega oils too. A little bit of veg occasionally. I don't like patties unless the dog can't chew for some reason.

[Tara8430]

Thanks I'll check that tread out, I have to make more raw pattys today that's why I thought I'd ask, I think I might up them to 200g in the warmer weather while we are doing so much, it's probably a 50% meat 10% rice 40% vege mix that Ive been doing, and she looks and feels SOOOOOOO much better since removing kibble but she's just hungrier I guess kibble must sit in their gut longer or something. Her coast is finally coming up a real treat on this raw diet thank god, she's so lovely black and shinny and all her spots she awas having trouble with on her skin are repairing.

Do you guys do any supplements? I've been giving Abbey as recommended by a Sydney vet probiotic, vitamins E and Zinc, plus she gets 1tsp flax seed oil. I also heard coconut oil is good for dogs that have had skin problems.

Does anyone feed turkey wings? I saw them in the supermarket yesterday and thought they might be good to go with her night raw patty.

[Dogsfevr]

We have had a number of clients feed raw & go strictly by the measurements suggested & the dogs are so under weight its scary.

One we actually told them to go to the vet as the dog was so frail & lethargic ,it was under feed & simply dying.They have gone back to there old diet & the dog is now happy & healthy.

My dogs would also die on the weight suggestions it makes me wonder sometimes who invents these weights & it seems not make it obvious that you feed what you dog thrives on weight wise

[persephone]

Turkey wings and necks are great!! :)My dogs love em..and it gives their teeth a clean, plus supplies calcium :) I serve them frozen , so they last longer .... Gulping down a patty may be convenient for us ..but spending 10 - 20 minutes chewing to get a meal is MUCH more satisfying for dogs ..that's what they're built for , after all :)

[Maddy]

For those that feed raw especially homemade raw I have a couple of questions:

1. How do you determine how much to feed? I thought there was a grams per dog weight or something but I can't seem to find it.Eg. Abbey gets one 150g raw patty morning and night but still seems very hungry, I am wondering if it should be 200g ( she's a 30kg lab 12 months,very active) she's gets chicken frames a couple of times a week and I've been trying to give lamb off cuts but they every now and then do still seem a bi fatty for her.

2. What do you put in your raw pattys? I've been doing spinach, sweet potato, cabbage, pumpkin, carrots, brown rice, cheese and a meet either chicken turkey or beef. I am wondering about adding maybe some green apple too, anything else... ( she won't eat organ meat)

Work out weight percentage needed for your dog's breed/age/activity levels. Our greyhounds get close to 4% per day (depends on the weight of the individual) but we're usually trying to put weight on. 2-3% for most breeds, from memory.

Then you need to see how much of your patty is water. Weigh out 1kg, dry it out in the oven (take about 24 hours, have the oven on 50ish). Re-weigh the dried patty and then you'll have dry weight. The weight of the water will fill the dog up a little more but you won't get much actual weight gain from it so it's useful to know how much they're getting in from raw meat/veg.

Anyways.. from looking at your numbers, 300g total seems like a small amount if you're putting lots of vegetables through it. Like Pers said, cut the vegetables (or at least a decent amount of them) and focus more on protein. I'm not convinced vegetables are an appropriate food for a carnivore- grass (partially digested by someone else first), yes; vegetables (especially raw).. no.

[sheena]

I feed turkey wings if I can't get turkey necks

[minimax]

My 10kg pug gets 150g homemade raw mix for brekky and half a chicken carcass for dinner.

I don't put nearly that much veggies in mine though, mines about 80/20 meat to veggie, even less veggie probably. And no rice. Veggie is already a filler, I wouldn't add another.

How to you prepare the veggies?

All mine are pulverized through the juicer.

Edited December 15, 2012 by minimax

[Tara8430]

Decided to increase to 175g increased meat decreased vegetables so I'll just see how she goes off this batch, can't say that she's looking to skinny, more so spot on the mark. Brought some turkey wings so she can have one of those with dinner every couple of nights too and she can keep having the lamb flaps and chicken frames as well.

Minimax - I just use food processor get them chopped up to very fine pulp. I add rice just to make her feel fuller.

[luvsdogs]

Dogs don't need veggies/fruits or grains & the only supplement occasionally natural fish oil, no soy. I'm on a couple of raw feeding groups & they both recommend 80% raw muscle meat, 5% offal of which 1/2 is liver & 5% raw bones with the meat covering the bones. My dogs get more than the 5% bone. They have either a chicken leg or 2, turkey wings or legs if I can get small ones, lamb, beef & very occasionally pork. Still trying to introduce the liver & offal. They get an occasional raw egg. Chicken & turkey necks as well as weight bearing bones from cattle is not recommended because of choking hazard & broken teeth.

As to the amount to feed, it's 2-3% of their estimated adult weight even for puppies but spread over the 2-4 meals they need depending on age.

[noisymina]

Yep - 2-3% ideal body weight is the general rule of thumb.

Vary according to how your dog is going - get someone to show how to assess the condition of the dog. After more activity than usual, a bit more food is ok.

Some dogs/breeds need more fat than others.

Bones will fill them up. Non-weight bearing bones preferred. Fatty or non-fatty depending on what is needed.

Don't forget to add a sprinkling of offal meats - kidney, liver, tripe etc if you make your own. Fish of all sorts can be included too.

[persephone]

Bones will fill them up.

yep ..and the chewing releases endorphins to make them feel good :)

[minimax]

Bones will fill them up.

yep ..and the chewing releases endorphins to make them feel good :)

Yep, ditch the rice and add something useful if you want to make them feel Fuller.