A Few Questions on Feeding Raw.

[Roxyluvsme13]

Here are a few I've found that are okay for dogs (pureed.)

Romaine Lettuce - No iceberg as it has no nutritional value
Parsley (small amounts)
Carrots
Pumpkin
Spinach
Silver beet
Tomatoes
Red, green, yellow capsicum peppers
Cabbage
broccoli
cauliflower
apples
whole oranges
papayas
mangoes
kiwi
cantaloupe
garlic

Now I need a blender..
Actually, Couldn't I use Cottage Cheese, Cheese, and Yogurt?

[Kfamr]

Yes, you do!

I prefer using our food processor VS. blender - it seems to puree the veggies a lot better. I also add a bit of water/milk if it's having trouble mixing it.

I'm weird but I have fun mixing up weird veggie/fruit combos.

*edit* Just saw the question. Do you mean to add to the veggie puree mixture? If so, yes. Cottage Cheese & plain yogurt are good, too. However, I'm not sure how much/what types of cheese are good for them.

[bckrazy]

Ok, I'll help answer these questions too. Even though they've already been taken care of

What would be something good to start them out on? Definitely, chicken or turkey. Cheap, easy to find, easy to eat (especially for your little Lily), & not at all likely to cause a stomache upset.
How often should they get organs? I feed organs twice a week, Gonzo gets his with some muscle meat.
I use Veggies, how much a week? Like I said, I feed no more than 10% of their weekly intake. They usually get one or two small veggie puree meals per week.
How many meals should I split into one day? It depends... if you're feeding half or whole chicken or one large cut, I feed one meal. If it's something smaller, like one rib, or one or two wings, Gonzo gets 2 meals. If he's getting a half of a chicken or rabbit, which is a big meal in the morning, I will feed him veggie puree for dinner or goats milk & an egg or something.
I think that's it.. If I think of anything else I'll come back and edit.
Thought of somthing else.. My dogs are both normally active, especially on walks. Could that change the price of feeding them Raw..? Gonzo gets 1-3 hours of intense running exercise (like, racing back and fourth across a field or our 1 acre yard) plus dog sports for 4 hours per week, not even counting 2 long walks a day. He is very active, but his metabolism adjusts well and he doesn't require a lot of calories at all. He gets less than 1 lb a day, at 40 lbs, and being extremely active. I do think it depends on the dog... just watch their weight!

About dairy, I think yogurt, cottage cheese, goat milk, goat cheese, eggs, etc, provide a great source of probiotics. No, it isn't exactly "natural" but neither are supplements or pureed veggies It is proven to be very nutritional when fed occasionally.

[Roxyluvsme13]

Ok, thanks ^^ I remembered something else, too.
If you feed eggs, do you boil them, just give them to the dog, shell on, or off?

[Kfamr]

Eggs are given completely raw - shell and all. A lot of people like to crush the shell very finely for their dogs.

[wolfsoul]

I give eggs raw. I only give her the shell if she didn't get any bone that day.

[wolfsoul]

Now I need a blender..
Actually, Couldn't I use Cottage Cheese, Cheese, and Yogurt?

Yes! Visa LOVES her cottage cheese and yogurt. All dogs are able to adjust their bodies to cope with lactose over time (as dog milk contains lactose sulfate, and so dogs are born with the ability to digest lactose -- only about half of dogs lose it, but can gain it back with time). Uncreamed or dry cottage cheese is best to start out with. It's low lactose and high in beneficial bacteria that promote digestion and healthy intestines. Yogurt is good bacteria-wise too, and can help put on weight (depending on what kind you buy). I buy the Balkan style, 6% fat yogurt for keeping weight on Visa. Both cottage cheese and yogurt help if the dog is gassy.

[Roxyluvsme13]

Yes! Visa LOVES her cottage cheese and yogurt. All dogs are able to adjust their bodies to cope with lactose over time (as dog milk contains lactose sulfate, and so dogs are born with the ability to digest lactose -- only about half of dogs lose it, but can gain it back with time). Uncreamed or dry cottage cheese is best to start out with. It's low lactose and high in beneficial bacteria that promote digestion and healthy intestines. Yogurt is good bacteria-wise too, and can help put on weight (depending on what kind you buy). I buy the Balkan style, 6% fat yogurt for keeping weight on Visa. Both cottage cheese and yogurt help if the dog is gassy.

Ah, okay. I don't think either of them are Lactose Intolerant, since they've done fine eating yogurt before. Could I add some Cottage Cheese or Yogurt in with the meat somedays instead of Veggies?

[wolfsoul]

Yep, if you decide not to feed veggies everyday but have a substitute other than meat or organs, cottage cheese or yogurt is fine.

[Roxyluvsme13]

Now all I've left to do is wait on Erica's book, read it, and convince my mom Raw is better for the dogs, and get a blender.

[Roxyluvsme13]

Okay! Thank you so much again for the help everyone! If you have anything extra I should know, Please post!

[lv4dogs]

i put the egg, shell & all in the blender.
Once a week or so I will only give them the egg, yolk & white, with no shell, usually because I am lazy & don't want to get the blender out. lol

[Roxyluvsme13]

We got a carton of 18 eggs today, and I plan to sneak one to the dogs. I also looked at the meat prices and discussed feeding Raw more with my mom.

A whole chicken was $2.37.
Beef ranged from $5 +
Turkey I didn't see much of, so I didn't look at the price.
Chicken leg quarters, (I guess a 10 pack) $7.80
So...my mom said that was too expensive. I told her butchers were cheaper.
On the way home..
Me: If you feed Raw it's much healthier.
Mom: I don't get how it's much healthier, why's it better?
Me: Kibble has all sorts of crap in it, and feeding Raw is what dogs were raised from.
Mom: What about Salmonella, E-Coli?
Me: There's been more cases of that in kibble..
Mom: *surprised look*
Haha, I think I'm convincing her! I'm going to ask if I can give the dogs a raw egg each and see if they like it.
Are the prices for the meat high? I thought they were.