A Couple Of (new) Raw Questions

[DogLover9501]

I've done searches (both on here, and Google) to answer some questions I have. I couldn't find much about them, so I'm posting. I know a few people here feed raw. If these have been asked before, I apologise.

Anyway, I am switching Jasper to raw. I've been reading about it for atleast a month, and feel ready to get started. I am SO tired of dealing with his alergies, and of trying new dog foods. *I* want to be able to control any/all food he eats and add/remove things as needed, and can't wait to do so!

Okay, onto my questions...

How important are fruits & veggies? I am planning to feed them daily, but, have also read that you don't need to. Also, should veggies be bought fresh on a regular basis, or can I put it through the food processor and freeze it in portions?

Eggshells. I have tried, occasionally, putting an egg(with shells) over Jasper's food. He loves egg, but will spit out the shell. Is it fine to give eggs without the shell, or should I just crush it up?

Last one I've read, over and over, that you dont need to feed a balanced meal everyday. Is this true? Does this mean no veggies everyday? That somedays I can feed raw meat with less nutrition/calcium(such as leg quarters, etc.)?

I would also love if someone could list the best staples for a raw diet, and other things fed for variety. The best thing to start with? I'm sure I can find most of that else where, so it's not as necessary.

Thanks in advance. I am excited about this switch!

Robyn

[Roxyluvsme13]

Lucky you can control your dog's food. Maybe these 8 pages will help you?
http://petoftheday.com/talk/showthread.php?t=106728

[DogLover9501]

Lucky you can control your dog's food. Maybe these 8 pages will help you?
http://petoftheday.com/talk/showthread.php?t=106728

Thanks. I read most of it before posting these, and it helped a bit. Not sure it specifically answers my questions, and if it does I missed those parts.

[Roxyluvsme13]

Well, I know a little bit, and I'll see what I can do to help.. but I'm not an expert.

How important are fruits & veggies? I am planning to feed them daily, but, have also read that you don't need to. Also, should veggies be bought fresh on a regular basis, or can I put it through the food processor and freeze it in portions? Some people give them once a week, some people don't include them at all. Not sure about the 2nd part..

Eggshells. I have tried, occasionally, putting an egg(with shells) over Jasper's food. He loves egg, but will spit out the shell. Is it fine to give eggs without the shell, or should I just crush it up? I give my dogs the eggs without the shell, but it's okay to blend the shell, and add it, too.

Last one I've read, over and over, that you dont need to feed a balanced meal everyday. Is this true? Does this mean no veggies everyday? That somedays I can feed raw meat with less nutrition/calcium(such as leg quarters, etc.)? Not sure, but you don't have to feed Veggies everyday.

I would also love if someone could list the best staples for a raw diet, and other things fed for variety. The best thing to start with? I'm sure I can find most of that else where, so it's not as necessary. Well, best thing to start with from what I've learned is chicken. As for the 1st part, I can't help too much.. :/

I hope I've helped you a little bit. I've been doing alot of research ^^.

[.sarah]

How important are fruits & veggies?
They aren't, in my opinion. I believe that dogs are carnivores, so I never feed them, except sometimes as treats. Some may disagree, but I think there's more evidence and proof on the carnivore side and more observations on the omnivore side.

I am planning to feed them daily, but, have also read that you don't need to.
You can if you want to, but don't let them take over the diet. I would not feed more than a tablespoon a day, or around 5% of the diet.

Also, should veggies be bought fresh on a regular basis, or can I put it through the food processor and freeze it in portions?
You can definetly freeze them. I think that would be easiest

Eggshells. I have tried, occasionally, putting an egg(with shells) over Jasper's food. He loves egg, but will spit out the shell. Is it fine to give eggs without the shell, or should I just crush it up?
Mandy is the same way. I stab it with a fork a few times to break it up and she gets some of it, but still leaves some. Sometimes I don't feel like dirtying up a fork, so I throw the egg in the bowl, slightly cracking it, hoping she'll eat it in order to get the goodies out, but she never does. She finds her way around the darned thing. I don't see a point in getting out a blender to add it, all it is is calcium, and there is plenty of that in bones.

Last one I've read, over and over, that you dont need to feed a balanced meal everyday. Is this true?
Yep, this is true! Balance over time! If they needed a balanced diet every day that means you'd be feeding a lot of different cuts of meat, and that just isn't neccessary. It's okay if you are low on money and can only afford chicken for a few weeks. Balance over time, not every day!

Does this mean no veggies everyday?
Yep, just feed them whenever it's convenient.

That somedays I can feed raw meat with less nutrition/calcium(such as leg quarters, etc.)?
Chicken doesn't have less nutrition than another cut of meat, but rather provides different nutrition.

I would also love if someone could list the best staples for a raw diet, and other things fed for variety.
I think it's best to have at least four sources of meat as the main staples. These are usually chicken, pork, turkey, and beef, because they are the most readily available. If you choose four different meats, so be it.

The best thing to start with?
Chicken. It's cheap, it's bland, and it rarely causes problems. Sometimes, though, dogs who are finicky don't like the taste of chicken at first, in which case I would try pork or turkey. Don't start out with beef, the bones aren't edible and you need to start out with bones.

[joycenalex]

Okay, onto my questions...

How important are fruits & veggies? alex gets 1/2 veggie and 1/2 fish, with the mackrel "juice"poured over his veggie mush. i do a huge "mush day about every 3 weeks, run the veggies thru a food processor and freeze the tubs of food. i thaw what i need i the fridge.
Eggshells. I dry them then grind up 2/4 at a time, srpinkle them ovr his food BTW, not all of them will digest.

Last one I've read, over and over, that you dont need to feed a balanced meal everyday. Is this true? Does this mean no veggies everyday? That somedays I can feed raw meat with less nutrition/calcium(such as leg quarters, etc.)? i have had a 'few' days w/o veggies, just ground beef heart or canned mackrel. the downside id that alex gets the farts, really bad. there are a few meals where it's just been veggie mush with an egg mixed in. balance over time.

I would also love if someone could list the best staples for a raw diet, and other things fed for variety. The best thing to start with? I'm sure I can find most of that else where, so it's not as necessary. we started with chicken necks, zukes and squashes. alex has been a raw diet since december 2000.

[DogLover9501]

That helps tons. Balancing over time makes more sense, and sounds much easier. Thanks so much!

Chicken doesn't have less nutrition than another cut of meat, but rather provides different nutrition.

I didn't mean all chicken. In all my research, though, I've read that leg quarters don't have the right calcium-meat ratio.

Oh, about chicken. I think Jasper is alergic to chicken, but, he has only had it occasionally(cooked). Do you think raw chicken would have the same effect?

[.sarah]

I didn't mean all chicken. In all my research, though, I've read that leg quarters don't have the right calcium-meat ratio.
Whole prey is the only thing that will give you the right bone:meat ratio. Chicken quarters are pretty good though, they are mostly meat. Chicken backs are too boney, so are necks, so are wings. Chicken legs are too small. Yeah, whole chickens are best and you should feed them whole whenever possible, but quarters are usually cheaper Of the chicken I feed, I feed about half whole chickens and half quarters, because I buy whichever is on sale at the time.

Oh, about chicken. I think Jasper is alergic to chicken, but, he has only had it occasionally(cooked). Do you think raw chicken would have the same effect?
Probably not. Mandy was allergic to every meat cooked except for fish, and she is fine with anything on raw. It is possible though, so just look for his symptoms and if he's allergic, try him out on something else.

[lv4dogs]

Sarah did a great job at answering your questions, but because there is no one way to feed raw and every dog is different, I'd thought I'd share my thoughts on this as well. After all, thats how many people learn what to feed their own dogs sometimes, by others ideas/thoughts/suggestions and/or a combination of them & their own.

How important are fruits & veggies?
They are not too important to me, as I do believe that dogs are *mostly* carnivores as dogs don't eat the stomach (or at least it's usually ate towards the end or dead last) on the prey they catch. BUT during my few trips to yellowstone & custer state park, watching & studying wolves in the wild, as well as quite a bit of research wild dogs are caught eating fruits & berries off bushes and grasses semi often. Even my dogs LOVE to graze off berry bushes and eat the tall grass. Now I don't feed a lot of fruits/veggies, but I try to make sure they have a small amount 2-5 times a week.

I am planning to feed them daily, but, have also read that you don't need to.

You can if you want to, but don't let them take over the diet. I would not feed more than a tablespoon a day, or around 5% of the diet.

I agree

Also, should veggies be bought fresh on a regular basis, or can I put it through the food processor and freeze it in portions?

You can definetly freeze them. I think that would be easiest

Thats what I *usually* do, much easier & cheaper that way. I also find that my dogs like it better when they are all pureed & combined. I freeze them in individual baggies, with one portion per bag, pull them out the day before so they can thaw. Sometimes on hot summer days I feed it to them frozen as a nice cool treat.

Eggshells. I have tried, occasionally, putting an egg(with shells) over Jasper's food. He loves egg, but will spit out the shell. Is it fine to give eggs without the shell, or should I just crush it up?
My dogs don't really care for the shell if it is whole or in larger pieces. I just throw the whole egg(s) right in the blender. Never tried to crush it up with a fork though, that would be less clean up, I think I'll try that next time.
But overall, if you can't get him to eat the shell I wouldn't fret about it, just feed the yolk & white.

Last one I've read, over and over, that you dont need to feed a balanced meal everyday. Is this true?

Yep, this is true! Balance over time! If they needed a balanced diet every day that means you'd be feeding a lot of different cuts of meat, and that just isn't neccessary. It's okay if you are low on money and can only afford chicken for a few weeks. Balance over time, not every day!

Yuppers!


Does this mean no veggies everyday?
Yup. I don't have certain days or time that I feed fruits/veggies I just make sure that they get at least a couple servings per week.

That somedays I can feed raw meat with less nutrition/calcium(such as leg quarters, etc.)?

Chicken doesn't have less nutrition than another cut of meat, but rather provides different nutrition.

Correct

I would also love if someone could list the best staples for a raw diet, and other things fed for variety.

I think it's best to have at least four sources of meat as the main staples. These are usually chicken, pork, turkey, and beef, because they are the most readily available. If you choose four different meats, so be it.

I agree.

The best thing to start with?

Chicken. It's cheap, it's bland, and it rarely causes problems. Sometimes, though, dogs who are finicky don't like the taste of chicken at first, in which case I would try pork or turkey. Don't start out with beef, the bones aren't edible and you need to start out with bones.

I agree. Indy still isn't taking to chicken too well, but she's working on it. I'd probably reccomend turkey if chicken isn't working (or rabbit, or another type of poultry if it's avail to you), then pork, beef & venison (otehr really dark red, rich meats) should be introduced once they are more used to it.
__________________

[DogLover9501]

Thanks for your input, Sue. Different ideas are always good I'm going to start off following the basic suggestions from people, and then I am sure I'll find what works best for us as I get into it.

I really appreciate this, and have learned a few new things!

Robyn

[DogLover9501]

I have a problem!

I tried him today. I gave him half a chicken wing, and he swallowed it whole . Will this hurt him? The second half, I held onto it and he ate it until I got to the knob part, and then he swallowed that, too.

I know that he probably doesn't know exactly what he's suposed to do with this, or how to eat it, but how do I teach him? I really can't see him laying down and chewing it off, as he's not like that with any food/treats.

[Roxyluvsme13]

I have a problem!

I tried him today. I gave him half a chicken wing, and he swallowed it whole . Will this hurt him? The second half, I held onto it and he ate it until I got to the knob part, and then he swallowed that, too.

I know that he probably doesn't know exactly what he's suposed to do with this, or how to eat it, but how do I teach him? I really can't see him laying down and chewing it off, as he's not like that with any food/treats.

Wow, Roxy's a swallower, and she didn't swallow hers whole.. She had a Chicken quarter though..

[lv4dogs]

I have a problem!

I tried him today. I gave him half a chicken wing, and he swallowed it whole . Will this hurt him? The second half, I held onto it and he ate it until I got to the knob part, and then he swallowed that, too.

I know that he probably doesn't know exactly what he's suposed to do with this, or how to eat it, but how do I teach him? I really can't see him laying down and chewing it off, as he's not like that with any food/treats.

Thats a mighty small piece for a bigger dog to start a dog off with. To be safe I'd feed him 1-3 pieces of bread but should be no problem.
I'd try him with a whole leg quarter or even a whole fryer chicken (just take it away when he's half done with it), so he has something to hold onto, once he eats that he should start to chew more.

[DogLover9501]

Thats a mighty small piece for a bigger dog to start a dog off with. To be safe I'd feed him 1-3 pieces of bread but should be no problem.
I'd try him with a whole leg quarter or even a whole fryer chicken (just take it away when he's half done with it), so he has something to hold onto, once he eats that he should start to chew more.

Thanks! That's what I was thinking. Would a whole leg quarter/fryer chicken be the only thing he gets for a full day?

That's the only confusing part for me right now, is that I don't know of a proper schedule/routine.

[Roxyluvsme13]

Thanks! That's what I was thinking. Would a whole leg quarter/fryer chicken be the only thing he gets for a full day?

That's the only confusing part for me right now, is that I don't know of a proper schedule/routine.

Yeah. But I guess you could add some Veggies or something in there at a different time or divide the meat. I think that's what I'm going to do.