[Dailydrool] Raw feeding

Tue Jun 5 19:26:12 PDT 2012

After the last kibble recall I decided to go with raw feeding. To a small degree I had done it before for a while when Elvis was an 'only' here. He likes raw meat. Then the girls came and kibble was just easier all around. I have learned most of what I know now from Sharon Wilder (aka Blondeslave) who has fed this way for years. One of her girls is now diabetic and is still doing very well on this diet. I have also learned some from reading onlin and the book BARF Diet by Dr. Ian Billinghurst.
In a nutshell they get 'veg' ( a mixture of ground fruits and vegetables twice a day) as well as Greek Yogurt, cottage cheese and eggs ( raw with shell). Added to this is raw meat with bones. They can eat any bone as long as it is raw. Sometimes they get canned sardines, salmon or chicken breast. I cook chicken livers and gizzards and they get them once or twice a week. 
In the beginning Peanut was not fond of raw meat. She'd pick it up with her front teeth~ while her lips curled up to her eyebrows and then she'd drop it with a look that said " I don't think so!". I fed her cooked meat- but offered raw every time the others got it. It only took a few days before she decided she liked it. 
I have a very small food processor- but even with that it only takes me about 1 1/2 hours to do the 'veg'( about 2 weeks worth). The veggies and fruit get ground up as much as possible- to mimic the way they would get them in nature ( by eating animals that in turn had eaten the fruit or veg.) As much as folks post about their basset raiding the garden- dogs can't really digest most of them.
The only veg I cook is yams ( sweet potatoes). They are too hard for the processor to chop up and I think are easier for the hounds to digest.
Here is a list of the veggies and fruits I bought this week. The idea is to include some of everything. Green, leafy,reds, watery, dry,root vegetables- anything. I do not add too many watery fruits ( ex. watermelon ) but add organic pineapple juice as needed if the mix seems dry.
cucumber, zucchini, eggplant,all three colors of sweet peppers, fennel ( whole thing), red beets, parsnips, carrots, broccoli,yams, sweet peas in the pod, green beans, brussel sprouts, spinach, colored romaine,tomatoes, spinach.
strawberries, blueberries, oranges, apples, bananas, cantaloupe. I also add two small cans of tomato paste and sometimes a can or two of spinach ( get low salt canned items whenever possible).
I am sure I am forgetting something- but you can get the idea. Really a mix of everything. I do not ever add grapes or onions. I know a few would not do harm, but there are lots of others I can include instead. I cut off the ends of the eggplant and zucchini, and peel bananas and oranges. Everything else goes in the way it grows. Keep the greens on the berries. 
This morning they each had a heaping 1/3rd of a cup of veg and a quartered chicken leg (with bones) each. Also a big spoonful of yogurt. For dinner they had again the same amount of veg, a small spoonful of cottage cheese and I split two cans of sardines (in oil) among them. They each got a marrow bone after that. The girls were on a diet before we went raw- they each had about 3-5 pounds to lose. I haven't weighed them in about a month- but am sure that they have lost a little more. Elvis gets extras through the day- he is quite scrawny and needs all he can get. Elvis is the only one who shares dinner with daddy every night- like I said- he needs it.
I do not add grains. They do get dog bones now and again. We share bites with them sometimes. They don't really need grains and get enough of them this way.
This all seems like a lot of work- but really isn't. I make enough veg to last a couple of weeks and freeze it. The meat is easy enough- just buy or defrost and feed. They really enjoyed the back ribs I bought last week. Lots of meat and then lots of chewing on the bone. 
Elvis' teeth are actually starting to look better. He generally doesn't chew. But he is starting to chew a bit better. I do help him by smashing the chicken bones with a hammer to make it easier for him. He has some arthritis in his jaw. Their coats look healthy. They poop so much less than they used to on kibble. And it's much easier to clean up as it is nice and firm. If you miss some- within a couple of days it starts to just crumble and disinigrate 
We traveled to mishgun for the waddle last month. Had a huge cooler that Sharon and I had enough room in to keep food for 5 hounds for 5 days. We left it in the car and each day just drained off water and added more ice. They eat anything now- and I mean they will eat anything at all. Makes it very easy if you forget to defrost veg. I have done picky eaters... have bought every kibble out there to tempt them- this really is easier and I will also never worry about a recall affecting my hounds again. I switched cold turkey- saw my TOTW recalled int eh morning- for dinner they had raw. There was- to my surprise, no gas or diarrhea ( I was certain Elvis would have both), and no hesitation on eating it ( except for the first few days before Peanut ate the meat raw). Do not give your hounds cooked bones! All bones can be eaten- but only if they are raw. Bones are an essential part of their diet. Carol Sharp shared a website ( they used to feed raw and used this then) where you can order meat ground or whole, with or without bones www.hare-today.com I have not ordered from them yet- but plan to in the future.
Sorry this got much longer that I thought it would, but I hope it helps anyone looking to switch.
droolies, Angelika

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