Back on kibble~back to chewing

LILYLARUE · #1 09-24-2009, 07:07 AM

Two weeks ago, I had not been doing so well so feeding raw was too difficult for me. I broke down and got a bag of the TOTW Prairie and they absolutely loved it! I also mixed in a can of pure meat so they would atleast have something interesting in that bowl. Btw, canned Beaver gets them dancing before I even put the bowl down.
Anyways, after their third day, they both are back to chewing bones they found I didn't even know where around anymore.

After a 1-1/2 yrs on raw, it got to be a bit combersome and when Bella crossed, the need for it wasn't there any longer. So I when I got ill, it gave me the excuse to go back to easy kibble.

It is clear, the benefits of raw. I didn't realize how much poop accumulates in only two weeks! It also isn't consistant whatsoever. The gas is attrocious! They chew on bones constantly. They seem more restless and unmotivated at the same time. They pace more. They have more dreams and vocal ones at that. Their stomachs girgle all the time. They drink outrageous amounts of water! Like 5 qts between them daily, not counting the sneaky trips to the toilet to slurp. These are just the most obvious symptoms I have noticed.

Best to say, raw certainly agrees with them and me more. Even if it can be inconvenient at times. I want my normal, regulated, on cue dogs back. As soon as I can do the grocery store, I will be buying up tons of meats!

BACK TO RAW!

Cheers!

tasham · #2 09-24-2009, 11:33 AM

Wow what a difference for you with the change between the raw and kibble diets! I'm just doing the switch to raw on all my kids.

So they poop less on raw?? If that's the case, I will be sooooo happy. Keeping on top of the poop scooping to keep the back yard clean with 3 dogs is a lot of work. If they poop less with the raw diet, I'll be ecstatic! I also won't miss the gas. Hey, maybe I can save on scented candles now! LOL!

LILYLARUE · #3 09-24-2009, 01:28 PM

You will be amazed at the poop! Or lack of it! I haven't had to scoop it since the day they started.

Since raw is mostly proteins, the dogs digest and utilize most of the meat and bones they eat. Once it is eliminated, you will see it's mostly fat and bone with bits of meaty tissue in it. Well, the dung beatles will eat all the proteins and fats then the only thing left is a white ball of bone matter. The slightest touch to it and it falls apart. So, within one week, there is only white dust to show for a good pile. LOL IT'S AWESOME!!! Even my lawn guy noticed he didn't have to clean any poop off his mower tires.

I absolutely see a difference with this diet change and they both do better on raw all around. Good luck with your switch!

Please Work · #4 09-25-2009, 06:28 PM

The poop is sooo small it looks like it is from a small or toy breed and it doesn't smell either.
LILLYLARUE I mainly feed meats on the bone but I do keep some ground with puree veg in the freezer for times like you were explaining, we used to have kibble "just in case" but she wouldn't eat it and had to come up with another idea this has worked a treat - I would never feed solely ground but works for us at those times when you are unwell or have to be out first thing in the morning and don't have time to wait for them to get through that beef rib lol
It's also "fool proof" for DH

tasham · #5 09-26-2009, 10:29 PM

okay, so I'm doing the switch to raw, but I am using ground meats. I didn't realize there was even a difference between what form of raw meat you use. Wow, lots to learn about this diet.

Anyway, the recipe I have been making is as follows:

4 pounds ground meat (I'm currently using 1/2 ground beef and 1/2 ground turkey)
1 c plain yogurt
1 apple
2 carrots
3 raw eggs
2 cups brocolli (or another vegetable, today I made a batch with kale added)

So is this not a good recipe? Should I be feeding straight off the bone with nothing else added? What type of bones/meat is best?

I am still throwing about 1/4 cup of their Blue Buffalo kibble in there for some crunch. Is that not good? Should I eliminate any amount of kibble altogether?

Sorry for so many questions. I want to do this right and if I'm using a recipe and type of meat that isn't all that beneficial, I don't want to keep doing that and want to do raw the way it is best. Thanks for any help! :-)

Please Work · #6 09-27-2009, 01:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tasham

I didn't realize there was even a difference between what form of raw meat you use. Wow, lots to learn about this diet.

Regardless of the "form of raw meat" you use you need to be sure to include 10% bone and 10% offal. When feeding ground you need to either buy ground that has bone ground in with it, add bone meal to it or feed bone as meals (chicken frames, turkey necks etc). You also need to add a variety of offal once you have introduced some protein sources.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tasham

Anyway, the recipe I have been making is as follows:

4 pounds ground meat (I'm currently using 1/2 ground beef and 1/2 ground turkey)
1 c plain yogurt
1 apple
2 carrots
3 raw eggs
2 cups brocolli (or another vegetable, today I made a batch with kale added)

So is this not a good recipe? Should I be feeding straight off the bone with nothing else added? What type of bones/meat is best?

I'm not sure how many dogs you are feeding with this but it is recommended no more than two eggs per week so if this was for one dog there is too much egg in it. Personally I only add about a tablespoon of yoghurt to a meal. Another thing is if you are just starting out I would only feed one source of protein for two weeks before adding a new one, if they get a reaction it is much easier to figure out what is causing it when there is only one thing added at a time, once I know they are okay on it I sometimes mix. Adding vegies is a personal choice some do, some don't, if it's not pureed though it will just pass straight through their system - they can't digest it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tasham

I am still throwing about 1/4 cup of their Blue Buffalo kibble in there for some crunch. Is that not good? Should I eliminate any amount of kibble altogether?

Don't mix kibble and raw together at the same meal, kibble takes alot longer than raw to digest and mixing the two at the same meal can cause tummy upsets. If you really want to feed kibble as well, feed one am and the other pm.

tasham · #7 09-27-2009, 08:41 AM

Thank you very much! This is really great information. I had no idea about all those things you pointed out about the pureed vegetables, kibble and digestion time, and bones/offal with the meat. Very intersting and things I'd never even known about.

So turkey necks are okay? I saw some in the grocery store yesterday while shopping for ground meat and thought about getting them, but I just was concerned about the smaller bones and being a choking hazard.

I am a vegetarian, so the meat world is very foreign to me. I don't know meat terms or names of cuts, etc., so if I sound like an idiot, I really am when it comes to meat! LOL!

Can someone suggest some easy meats to give them and what to ask for at the meat counter/butcher shop? I saw beef ribs also at the store. I wasn't sure if those bones were okay for them to chew on. If a beef rib is okay, how many do I give my boys? Is there a certain weight of actual meat they should be eating a day? Even with the patties I've been making with the recipe I previously posted about, I'm still unsure about the amount to feed them.

LILYLARUE · #8 09-28-2009, 09:07 AM

It would be best to start to read in the RAW forum. You will get a lot more info and get your questions asked quicker than this thread.

There is so much to learn and seems very confusing at first, but once you get it, you wonder why it seemed so hard in the first place. You will also wonder why you didn't do it sooner! LOL