Raw dog food, Is anyone else here feeding the same ??

[medusa]

Molly doesn't like vegetables, but many raw veg are just fine for them and some dogs love them. Particularly carrots, peppers and the like (not onions). Mol's particular pleasure is in fruit- she will sit and eat a ripe pear out of my hand, or a nice crunchy apple- and she will beg for apricots, nectarines and strawberries.

 

If you're following a full BARF diet then your dog will eat raw minced meat, meaty bones (like chicken carcasses, racks of ribs, turkey necks etc) and raw veg only.

 

It's important that the meat is not just human grade meat (which is mostly lean muscle mass) but that it also includes offal and small pieces of bone and the like because lean muscle doesn't include all of the nutrients that animals need. Certainly cats will suffer if they only eat lean muscle as that doesn't contain enough taurine and cats cannot synthesise their own taurine and need to get it from offal etc. One of the effects of lack of taurine is blindness.

 

Molly doesn't live on a full BARF diet- she has meaty bones for her breakfast (usually a handful of chicken wings or half a turkey neck) and then has raw mince with some plain terrier meal for her dinner.

[Davy Gravy]

Been looking into this for Zeus, but seens as loads of you do it, not worth opening another thread but... is everything raw? Nothing boiled/grilled/fried or anything? Just raw meat/bones, cooked rice? cooked or raw vegetables? What veg?

 

Hes tried biscuits, wet food and really the only thing he is taking to (ok he stole it but shhh hes perfect really ) is raw bacon, he had about 11 slices this morning and love love loves those meaty sticks what pedigree do - schmackers or something? But thats about it, i put some kibble down this morning, he didnt touch it - so hes gone all day, walked a few good mile too, and i put some wet food down and hasnt touched it, hes just sparked in his bed. But going to wake him up before I want to go to bed see if he eats anything and take him on a walk but I really dont think he will eat it!

 

Gina luv, it is purely raw carcass minced up with bone included ! I buy mine form a place round the back of the towsure car park on holme lane hillsboro...every dog i have seen eat this stuff cannot get enough !!!! If you have read my previous posts you will see how much i would recommend feeding the stuff as it is also cheap There is a lady called donna who works there who is absolutley brilliant and will offer you any advice you may need...basically the meat is frozen in packs and is easily stored in yr freezer then defrosted the night before for use the next day....they stock all different meats too...chicken&tripe...Beef...Lamb...turkey...venison...and others i cant remember but i HIGHLY recommend that you try it at only 50p a portion !!! I buy a box of 20 at a time...hope this helps :D

[gina2007]

I dont think id be able to follow the full barf diet to be honest. I dont mind him having raw in the morning and something he enjoy at night, im still looking for what he likes! Where would I find stuff that contains offal/bones? Do I just ask a butcher or anywhere specific (apart from the place Dave said, will try there out asap!)? I know my gran gives her staff x JRT, the bones from castle market. She loves butchers wet food and has 2 small tins a day and 2 bones, aswell as treats but some reason I dont think its enough

 

I know, when ive been buying meat from Morrisons, they put their bones in little packets for sale, like lamb bones. Also hearts/kidney is quite cheap too, is that ok for a dog? Do I wash it/cut it (?) or just slap it down for him?!

 

I want to spoil him, food wise, and make sure hes healthy so im sorry for all questions, I just dont want him to have kibble/wet food all the time.

 

Also, does any diet stop, or atleast quieten down the snoring? Hes a master champ at this snore lark!!!

[Evei]

Where would I find stuff that contains offal/bones? Do I just ask a butcher or anywhere specific (apart from the place Dave said, will try there out asap!)?

 

I know, when ive been buying meat from Morrisons, they put their bones in little packets for sale, like lamb bones. Also hearts/kidney is quite cheap too, is that ok for a dog? Do I wash it/cut it (?) or just slap it down for him?!

 

I want to spoil him, food wise, and make sure hes healthy so im sorry for all questions, I just dont want him to have kibble/wet food all the time.

 

Also, does any diet stop, or atleast quieten down the snoring? Hes a master champ at this snore lark!!!

 

Offal is cheap from the butchers and I get my chicken bones and minces from the trainer I go to as he runs his own processing centre and sells it at training. I just defrost it when needed, let it get to room temperature and feed outside, so it is easy, no cutting up or cooking and more fun for the dog I would not choose to mix commerical with raw and it is best to stay on chicken for the first couple of weeks and slowly add in the amount of offal (around 3 times a week) Personally I stay away from lamb bones, but do feed beef, chicken carcass and pork bones. I feed a bone during the day and then the meal part late afternoon.

 

I noticed D was not as smelly once I changed diet as before he used to be a bit whiffy at both ends

[tezza86]

hmmm this sounds like a really healthy food for dogs to have,i have two yorkshire terriers and even though they're small dogs the amount of food i get through is ridiculous. I wouldn't know where to start with this though and i dont think id be able to feed them on a BARF diet alone as they do like their wagg (i buy 15kg bags soo last ages). don't know what to do for the best?lol decisions decisions.........

[Moonbird]

Gina you can buy raw chicken wings fairly cheaply from the market and also the butchers at Firth park (the one next to the cash machine), he should love them and good for his teeth too

[medusa]

Chicken wings are a really healthy snack food for dogs as long as they're raw. Molly won't eat two proper meals a day, but she will pick at half a dozen chicken wings for breakfast and then have a moderate sized dinner.

 

By far the cheapest way to do raw food is to buy the minced food for 45p a pound already frozen and then add in bones and the like, but it does occupy quite a lot of freezer space. We've got a second freezer in the cellar which houses a couple of months' worth of Molly food at a time.

[Amyrach]

i feed all my 4 on tripe they love it tinned food gives them chits xxx

[Snagglepuss]

So how would you introduce this raw diet into the dogs daily eating if they have always had kibble and wet food??? I've toyed with the idea of getting Ghostie on this kind of food but still not sure about it yet.

[gina2007]

Will look into it more tomorrow. But, this might sound daft but on sunday mornings when the OH has his brekkie. We generally buy a pack of 8 sausages, OH has 4, Charlie has 1 and I have 2 - theres always one left over! Could I just give it Zeus raw? Same with bacon, 6 rashers, I have 2, OH has 3 and 1 left over (charlie wont eat bacon).

 

What about eggs? Scrambled eggs? Do I add milk/water, but of seasoning like you would to eat your own or just beaten eggs, scrambled? Not raw eggs is it? Or is it? SORRY!!

 

What about the fat off our meat? I have a thing about fat on steak/pork chops and I sit for hours before I cook it, picking all the fat off So cold Zeus just have this fat? And once we've had our pork chops, the bones, could Zeus have them? They'd have been cooked though. Im thick I know but Zeus means alot to me already and I really want him to have a happy life with us! Hes so amazing, hes skinted us out but oh god the cats havent got a look in since he arrived (Ok they have when they havent been attacking him but you know what im saying!) Sorry guys!!

 

Snagglepuss, im going to gradually introduce it with Zeus. Maybe one meal a day barf - and one kibble/tinned, for a week or so then both his meals being barf aswell as his treats? Not sure yet - see how his stomach handles it.

 

Ooo sorry again.. but once hes on the full barf diet (presuming he'll be on it) he'd still be allowed those little meaty sticks right? And his breath freshners? He really likes those. Oooo im right sorry Questions Questions im like a nagging housewive