What did your dog(s) eat today?

[Crazy-Cat-Lover]

We bought Bailey 33 pounds of chicken leg quarters, so he will be getting that for just over 2 weeks. He is eating 2 pounds of meat a day. His next meat will be beef, I can get 50 pounds for $30.00 at a local meat packer - they have a dog raw diet section.

How often does a dog need to be fasted? Once a week, I feed Bailey in the afternoon instead of in the morning. His last meal is at 6:00, so he really is only fasted for 18 hours, once a week. Is that enough?

[.sarah]

I am not totally qualified with the raw diet. I have a good quality food that I feed them but would love to give some treats. What can I feed them without fear of bone problems?
Please advise,
Labmomma (Donna )

Anything except beef leg bones or leg bones from animals of comparable size (moose, buffalo). A lot of people safely feed them but they are potential teeth breakers. They also can wear down teeth over time if fed often. I gave my crew marrow bones for the first time last week. I had to take Nova's away from her because she was chewing vigorously and I just had the feeling that she'd break a tooth. The others licked at the marrow like it was a kong. So I'll continue to get them for Mandy, Buck, and Luka, and I'll just give Nova something else to chew on.

How often does a dog need to be fasted? Once a week, I feed Bailey in the afternoon instead of in the morning. His last meal is at 6:00, so he really is only fasted for 18 hours, once a week. Is that enough?

At his age, he really doesn't need to be fasted unless if he is sick or something. I would wait until he's a year old or nearly full grown to start fasting. Once he hits a year or so you can start feeding more whole foods or larger meals to mimic what they'd eat in the wild. For example - feed a chicken one day, then not feed the next, then feed a large pork roast, then not feed the next day, then feed something else big, then not feed the next. I haven't tried this feeding schedule because I have to feed Buck twice a day so I tend to feed the girls as well. I'm going to start it soon though, because the girls are getting chunky with all of this food. And now that I'll be getting a freezer () I'll be able to store things like this, whereas right now I have only about a 4 cu ft freezer so I have to buy a lot of smaller things if I don't want to go to the store all the time!

[Crazy-Cat-Lover]

At his age, he really doesn't need to be fasted unless if he is sick or something. I would wait until he's a year old or nearly full grown to start fasting. Once he hits a year or so you can start feeding more whole foods or larger meals to mimic what they'd eat in the wild. For example - feed a chicken one day, then not feed the next, then feed a large pork roast, then not feed the next day, then feed something else big, then not feed the next.

Thanks! He does get duck every once in a while, I just slice it in half. I like the chicken leg quarters because they are really meaty. They also leave part of the kidney, sometimes whole, on the thigh portion. I also love the price, $9.70 for 11 pounds! I will be switching his type of meat every 2 weeks or so, then he gets variety.

This is where I will get my meat next time...

Surrey Meat Packers

If anyone lives close to Surrey, this is the best place to go. They have awesome deals that you just can't get at a supermarket out here.

[.sarah]

Today Buck finished his chicken and the girls got some pork neck bones. They all got a little bit of beef tongue as well. For dinner Buck got beef ribs.

[binka_nugget]

Thanks! He does get duck every once in a while, I just slice it in half. I like the chicken leg quarters because they are really meaty. They also leave part of the kidney, sometimes whole, on the thigh portion. I also love the price, $9.70 for 11 pounds! I will be switching his type of meat every 2 weeks or so, then he gets variety.

This is where I will get my meat next time...

Surrey Meat Packers

If anyone lives close to Surrey, this is the best place to go. They have awesome deals that you just can't get at a supermarket out here.

I was thinking about getting some stuff from them. I'll definitely have to go now!

Do you have to place an order in advance (how in advance)? Or do you just show up and ask for it on the spot?

[.sarah]

Today they had lamb shanks and beef kidney. I have some buffalo thawing for Buck for later tonight.

[Crazy-Cat-Lover]

I was thinking about getting some stuff from them. I'll definitely have to go now!

Do you have to place an order in advance (how in advance)? Or do you just show up and ask for it on the spot?

You just walk in and buy whatever you want! They put all of the meat into boxes, and you can buy small portions or large portions. The only things that are special order are fresh green tripe and duck meat with bones and vegetables.

[bckrazy]

Breakfast - 1/2 of a whole rabbit! for Gonzo; Farmore Chicken for Fozzie, with a small chicken wing.

Lunch - Hardboiled egg w/shell for each.

Dinner - Eating it right now... some Goat milk for Gonzo with his vitamin powder mixed in; Fozzie is eating California Natural kibble with a little bit of Goat milk to soften it.


Bella's my Lab, don't feel bad!!! I think all of us posting here fed kibble before and have switched to raw within the last year or two - I am a realll newb to raw. I definitely recommend buying a raw feeding book by Dr. Ian Billinghurst or any well-rated book from Amazon.com. You can gets lots of great info about raw/homemade feeding from this board, too! If you are interested in transitioning your Labbie (she is super cute by the way) to a better kibble or to raw, lots of members will definitely help you out, including me!

Actually, it is cooked chicken bones that are highly dangerous to dogs. I watch mine as they eat, and they chew the RAW chicken bones into very small, soft pieces. I really carefully handle their meat, it is fully frozen until defrosted overnight in the fridge. But, the intestinal tract of dogs is so short and their system is so radically different from ours that it is extremely rare to see any dog contract salmonella from raw. In those rare cases, I have only heard of Salmonella being contracted because the meat sat in the intestines due to an intestinal block that was caused by rawhide/socks/plastic. If you think about it simply - is corn, by-products and food coloring (ingredients in Pedigree and similar brands) natural or healthful for a dog to eat for it's life?

[binka_nugget]

The Schmelties had tripe, chicken and a smidge of kelp for dinner tonight. Boy am I glad that they're back on raw! I fed them EVO because of our trip to Kelowna.. I forgot how big and yucky kibble poop was! Yuck!

[cloverfdx]

Last nights dinner was beef mince, grated carrot, diced lambs kidneys and some Flaxseed powder.... yummmmm. Tinny even ate ger carrot for a change . Tonights will be similar, but chicken necks instead of beef mince.

They also got marrow bones the night before last that they were still munching on this morning before i chucked them out, just in case fights break out when im not there.

[Kfamr]

Ki got a pork chop.
Simba and Nala got chicken legs.

Their "mush" for today consisted of:

apple
squash
garlic powder
2 eggs w/shell
milk

[binka_nugget]

The boys had lamb and tripe for breakfast today. For dinner they'll be getting beef, egg, kelp, flax seed and yogurt.

[Crazy-Cat-Lover]

I didn't give Bailey any breakfast this morning, so he will be having a whole 6 pound chicken for dinner. He just had some pork ribs and a lamb chop for lunch.