Raw Food Diet
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Re: Raw Food Diet
I freeze for a month, but I would say there is very little danger likely from human-grade lamb or chicken. Always freeze beef: there is an organism occasionally found in beef in the USA that is risky for dogs but safe for humans. It's killed by cooking or freezing.
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog
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sassynsweet
- Posts: 12
- Joined: Tue Mar 15, 2011 11:59 am
Re: Raw Food Diet
Thanks for the info! We gave her an egg the other day, she went nuts eating it, she loved it! We were going to start with chicken anyway so maybe we'll do that and freeze the all the other stuff cause patience is not my virtue 
Alix
**Proud mommy to a tri-color Aussie & yellow Lab**
**Proud mommy to a tri-color Aussie & yellow Lab**
Re: Raw Food Diet
This thread is over 1 1/2 years old and still going, and I have been trying for about that long to convince L that raw is the way to go. Well I think I've finally convinced her! We are stopping the bag of kibble after the current bag is done and giving Murphy homecooked and raw after that. (Raw as much as possible and homecooked in a pinch or when he has to stay with someone.) I re-read Ali Brown's "Scaredy Dog!" and showed L the section in which Ms. Brown writes a few paragraphs about the behavioral benefits of raw feeding and I think that is what pushed it over the top for us.
It got us into a very in-depth discussion about the logistics of feeding raw with a baby on the way - I will be in charge of everything involving the meat and will feed Murphy on the porch and take him for a very low key walk after that so that he doesn't come in contact with anyone or anything in the apartment immediately after eating. When we've fed him the occasional raw meal he has been perfectly happy eating the meat portion on the porch. L is going to make the baby's food so she will also be in charge of pureeing veggies for Murphy on top of that. Even though we won't be feeding the baby solids for several months, L is on board with starting on Murphy's stuff even before that.
Re-reading this thread from the beginning I am relieved to see many of you have not deemed it necessary to add supplements if the diet is balanced. This was going to be the deal-breaker for us, as we think adding the cost of supplements was going to add quite a bit to the cost and wouldn't have been feasible. But it will be cost-effective to feed raw/cooked meats and veggies vs. the premium kibble we've been buying without adding supplements.
I think we'll be starting with chicken for a week or so. He already loves this and we have thus far only given him raw chicken legs/wings on occasion. He's already gotten a raw egg once or twice a month but I have seen here that up to 4 times per week is fine as well - should that be our limit on the eggs, or does anyone have any other input on that?
As for non-meat items, we already give him plenty of broccoli, carrots, yogurt, and sometimes small pieces of banana and pineapple. We are avoiding carbs and all grains but will consider potato or sweet potato if it will be beneficial.
We plan on making his meals pretty small, as there are going to be lots of training treats (mostly cooked chicken or chopped Natural Balance food rolls) during the day as we desensitize him to the baby's arrival. In addition, my mother-in-law will be spending long weekends with us for the first month after the baby is born, and my mother will spend the whole summer and part of the fall with us after that. We also expect plenty of visitors for a while. So everyone will be armed with chicken and all kinds of great things for Murphy when they're here for the baby. So Murphy's meals will be quite small indeed to allow for that.
I am so excited that L is finally on board with this. I am looking forward to hopefully seeing his skin clear up, his teeth get clean, and crossing fingers for his behavior to get better. Granted, he is already much better, miles away from where he used to be. He is so much calmer on walks nowadays and while he still reacts to cats, he doesn't go violently ballistic like he used to. Nevertheless, I'm hoping the new diet will be beneficial in all aspects and that we never see our vet again until yearly shots.
It got us into a very in-depth discussion about the logistics of feeding raw with a baby on the way - I will be in charge of everything involving the meat and will feed Murphy on the porch and take him for a very low key walk after that so that he doesn't come in contact with anyone or anything in the apartment immediately after eating. When we've fed him the occasional raw meal he has been perfectly happy eating the meat portion on the porch. L is going to make the baby's food so she will also be in charge of pureeing veggies for Murphy on top of that. Even though we won't be feeding the baby solids for several months, L is on board with starting on Murphy's stuff even before that.
Re-reading this thread from the beginning I am relieved to see many of you have not deemed it necessary to add supplements if the diet is balanced. This was going to be the deal-breaker for us, as we think adding the cost of supplements was going to add quite a bit to the cost and wouldn't have been feasible. But it will be cost-effective to feed raw/cooked meats and veggies vs. the premium kibble we've been buying without adding supplements.
I think we'll be starting with chicken for a week or so. He already loves this and we have thus far only given him raw chicken legs/wings on occasion. He's already gotten a raw egg once or twice a month but I have seen here that up to 4 times per week is fine as well - should that be our limit on the eggs, or does anyone have any other input on that?
As for non-meat items, we already give him plenty of broccoli, carrots, yogurt, and sometimes small pieces of banana and pineapple. We are avoiding carbs and all grains but will consider potato or sweet potato if it will be beneficial.
We plan on making his meals pretty small, as there are going to be lots of training treats (mostly cooked chicken or chopped Natural Balance food rolls) during the day as we desensitize him to the baby's arrival. In addition, my mother-in-law will be spending long weekends with us for the first month after the baby is born, and my mother will spend the whole summer and part of the fall with us after that. We also expect plenty of visitors for a while. So everyone will be armed with chicken and all kinds of great things for Murphy when they're here for the baby. So Murphy's meals will be quite small indeed to allow for that.
To clarify - do you mean ground beef as well? How about pork?Nettle wrote:I freeze for a month, but I would say there is very little danger likely from human-grade lamb or chicken. Always freeze beef: there is an organism occasionally found in beef in the USA that is risky for dogs but safe for humans. It's killed by cooking or freezing.
I am so excited that L is finally on board with this. I am looking forward to hopefully seeing his skin clear up, his teeth get clean, and crossing fingers for his behavior to get better. Granted, he is already much better, miles away from where he used to be. He is so much calmer on walks nowadays and while he still reacts to cats, he doesn't go violently ballistic like he used to. Nevertheless, I'm hoping the new diet will be beneficial in all aspects and that we never see our vet again until yearly shots.
Re: Raw Food Diet
Noobs, as long as you follow normal hygiene rules like washing your hands before and after handling raw meat, have the raw under the cooked in the fridge etc. your baby will be perfectly safe. Baby will be far more at rist of people who come to visit who haven't washed their hands after going to the toilet than raw meat. What I did do was handle the dog's food after I handled the babies, I also fed mine on ordinary food instead of buying lots of jars and tins and pulverised it for the baby.
Another tip, don't feed sweet food for some time, after my first son my others didn't get sweet until they were about 8 or 9 months old, it worked, they still like sweet food but not like my first.
Whatever you do don't go overboard with hygiene either, the healthiest children are usually brought up with animals who's parents have just followed normal hygiene routines.
The problem is this is your first baby, you make a lot more work for yourselves with the first, everything has to be perfect, there is no room for mistakes. The second is so much easier, now you have 2 you can't do as much for the second as the first which is a big plus for the second child.
What I was paranoid about was the dummy, I saw so many children running round with dummies that mine were not going to do that, nor was I going to pick a dummy off the floor, put it in my mouth then into the baby's, I saw quite a few children and babies who got mouth problems because of it. My children never had a dummy sitting up no matter how young, as they got older dummies had to stay in the bedroom, they never had them downstairs. My youngest used to run into the bedroom to pick his dummy up before going to the toilet then often dropped it down and would then cry, that dummy went in the bin. I had quite a few dummies in the sterilising liquid so there was always one ready.
Another tip, don't feed sweet food for some time, after my first son my others didn't get sweet until they were about 8 or 9 months old, it worked, they still like sweet food but not like my first.
Whatever you do don't go overboard with hygiene either, the healthiest children are usually brought up with animals who's parents have just followed normal hygiene routines.
The problem is this is your first baby, you make a lot more work for yourselves with the first, everything has to be perfect, there is no room for mistakes. The second is so much easier, now you have 2 you can't do as much for the second as the first which is a big plus for the second child.
What I was paranoid about was the dummy, I saw so many children running round with dummies that mine were not going to do that, nor was I going to pick a dummy off the floor, put it in my mouth then into the baby's, I saw quite a few children and babies who got mouth problems because of it. My children never had a dummy sitting up no matter how young, as they got older dummies had to stay in the bedroom, they never had them downstairs. My youngest used to run into the bedroom to pick his dummy up before going to the toilet then often dropped it down and would then cry, that dummy went in the bin. I had quite a few dummies in the sterilising liquid so there was always one ready.
[url=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v312/Nethertumbleweed/PIXIE.jpg][img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v312/Nethertumbleweed/th_PIXIE.jpg[/img][/url]
Re: Raw Food Diet
It's best to freeze all beef.
Human-grade pork is fine.
Human-grade pork is fine.
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog
SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS
SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS
Re: Raw Food Diet
Thanks for the info, Nettle, as usual.
Mattie I learned from my sister not to get too crazy. She used to make people use hand sanitizer every time they touched her first baby. With her second one, she practically let her sleep on the floor of her apartment lobby! I think we're going to put blankets down for him anyway because Murphy sheds a little bit and if you get one of his hairs stuck in your skin - ow!! 
Mattie I learned from my sister not to get too crazy. She used to make people use hand sanitizer every time they touched her first baby. With her second one, she practically let her sleep on the floor of her apartment lobby!
I think we're going to put blankets down for him anyway because Murphy sheds a little bit and if you get one of his hairs stuck in your skin - ow!! Re: Raw Food Diet
We have fed Murphy raw or homecooked since Tuesday night and so far he's had a couple of soft/runny poops, one night he didn't poop altogether, and finally the last two poops have been firm and tiny (like it came from a chi or something! ) Out of 7 meals so far he had two meals of his old kibble and we're still phasing it out. We're going to go to roast chicken for his training treats so that we can phase out the cheese/kibble mix and so that we can "up" the value when the baby arrives. Because when the baby arrives, so will the visitors and the in-laws and the like. I've increased his walks as well, and he's been quite the mellow fellow at home this week. He has seen cats on the street (well below threshold) and done no more than a quick "puff" or one growl before being able to focus on me. I know that the diet is only part of this development, and that the work we've put in counts as well. But I think a combination of all these things will help us on our way to convincing L to go raw/homecooked full time.
) Out of 7 meals so far he had two meals of his old kibble and we're still phasing it out. We're going to go to roast chicken for his training treats so that we can phase out the cheese/kibble mix and so that we can "up" the value when the baby arrives. Because when the baby arrives, so will the visitors and the in-laws and the like. I've increased his walks as well, and he's been quite the mellow fellow at home this week. He has seen cats on the street (well below threshold) and done no more than a quick "puff" or one growl before being able to focus on me. I know that the diet is only part of this development, and that the work we've put in counts as well. But I think a combination of all these things will help us on our way to convincing L to go raw/homecooked full time. Re: Raw Food Diet
Once we get going, there's no returning to kibble except I do use Orijen as training treats as it's easier on my pockets.
except I do use Orijen as training treats as it's easier on my pockets.A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog
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MiaRose100907
- Posts: 85
- Joined: Tue Feb 22, 2011 3:46 pm
Re: Raw Food Diet
I am still unsure on whether I want to start my dog on raw food. Did anyone go through family being concerned about it? Has anyone's dogs gotten sick from eating the raw food? I think that is my main concern. Not the handling of the raw food or whether I or my daughter will get sick ( I'm a pretty good handwasher ), I am worried on whether or not my boy will get ill.
Also, how do you know or make sure he will be getting a balanced meal? How many parts of what will balance out a meal? How much protein VS carbs and whatever else? That is another part I am totally confused about and not sure how to start...
Also, how do you know or make sure he will be getting a balanced meal? How many parts of what will balance out a meal? How much protein VS carbs and whatever else? That is another part I am totally confused about and not sure how to start...
Re: Raw Food Diet
You need more faith in yourself, MiaRose - you feed yourself and your family just fine, and you can feed a dog too. Each meal does not have to be perfectly balanced as long as the dog is getting a good variety of food each week. It's that easy.
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog
SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS
SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS
Re: Raw Food Diet
Does anyone get sick when you prepare raw meat for your family? Handling raw food for our dogs is just the same as preparing it for our families, we just need to follow good hygene rules and there won't be a problem.
When we have a balanced diet we don't have every meal balanced, it is spread over quite a lot of meals, it is the same with dogs, the balance is spread.
When we have a balanced diet we don't have every meal balanced, it is spread over quite a lot of meals, it is the same with dogs, the balance is spread.
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MiaRose100907
- Posts: 85
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Re: Raw Food Diet
I want what is best for him, and I know this is something that he needs.
Another question I had, was I was doing some looking around on the internet last night on the diet, and I'm getting two different opinions. One side says that dogs should not eat vegetables with this diet, that it should be 80% meat, 10% bones and 10% innards (or something like that). Then other places (like here too), say there should be veggies. So are both ways appropriate? Or is one the right way and one not?
Another question I had, was I was doing some looking around on the internet last night on the diet, and I'm getting two different opinions. One side says that dogs should not eat vegetables with this diet, that it should be 80% meat, 10% bones and 10% innards (or something like that). Then other places (like here too), say there should be veggies. So are both ways appropriate? Or is one the right way and one not?
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runlikethewind
- Posts: 1166
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Re: Raw Food Diet
HI Miarose
Raw feeders do both - I don't think there is a wrong or a right. Some raw feeders like to feed a small portion of veg/fruit that would have existed in the stomach of the prey. It has to be pureed for the dog to gain goodness. Pureeing veg and fruit or just veg to make a glop is a bind. We did it for a while - we still do if we freeze any fruit or veg that we didn't eat but it then has to be defrosted, pureed and then refrozen again.. so a bit of a nightmare! We have now found a local raw feeding company that sells its own varieties of fruit and veggie glop quite cheaply. It's a lot less hassle. Other companies who sell raw food do meat and veggies mixes. I also buy the frui and veggie nuggets you can buy in local pet shops. We have a brand called Nature's Menu who do this.
Raw feeders do both - I don't think there is a wrong or a right. Some raw feeders like to feed a small portion of veg/fruit that would have existed in the stomach of the prey. It has to be pureed for the dog to gain goodness. Pureeing veg and fruit or just veg to make a glop is a bind. We did it for a while - we still do if we freeze any fruit or veg that we didn't eat but it then has to be defrosted, pureed and then refrozen again.. so a bit of a nightmare! We have now found a local raw feeding company that sells its own varieties of fruit and veggie glop quite cheaply. It's a lot less hassle. Other companies who sell raw food do meat and veggies mixes. I also buy the frui and veggie nuggets you can buy in local pet shops. We have a brand called Nature's Menu who do this.
Re: Raw Food Diet
If my dogs don't get vegetables in their food, they graze a lot on wild plants and grasses. If they do get the vegetables, they graze very little. So it seems to me that they need a little greenstuff.
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog
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MiaRose100907
- Posts: 85
- Joined: Tue Feb 22, 2011 3:46 pm
Re: Raw Food Diet
Nettle/Runlikethewind-
So it's ok if your dog grazes a little on wild grass? He was doing that this morning before I even started the raw diet.
I did give him a raw egg this morning, with the shell and he had no idea what to do with it lol I think he thought it was a ball cause he got all excited for a moment and looked like he tried playing with it lol I had to crack it for him and after I did that he devoured it
So I read that chicken is best to start with. I am unsure on where to get this stuff. Can I get the right things from my local gorcery store? I don't have a butcher really anywhere in the area. I'd have to go to the meat department at my local grocer to get my meat. Starting with a chicken leg would be good then? With some veggies that I puree in my blender? (I don't have a food processor).
Now, I have been able to find things on the internet about what veggies are good, but I want to hear from people I know for sure actually feed raw food. Which veggies would be good to start him out on? And fruits? Also, how much? He's 70 pounds and does need to lose a little weight. How much meat and innards? This is a long thread and it's so much easier for me to just ask so I'm sorry if this has been asked before lol
So it's ok if your dog grazes a little on wild grass? He was doing that this morning before I even started the raw diet.
I did give him a raw egg this morning, with the shell and he had no idea what to do with it lol I think he thought it was a ball cause he got all excited for a moment and looked like he tried playing with it lol I had to crack it for him and after I did that he devoured it
So I read that chicken is best to start with. I am unsure on where to get this stuff. Can I get the right things from my local gorcery store? I don't have a butcher really anywhere in the area. I'd have to go to the meat department at my local grocer to get my meat. Starting with a chicken leg would be good then? With some veggies that I puree in my blender? (I don't have a food processor).
Now, I have been able to find things on the internet about what veggies are good, but I want to hear from people I know for sure actually feed raw food. Which veggies would be good to start him out on? And fruits? Also, how much? He's 70 pounds and does need to lose a little weight. How much meat and innards? This is a long thread and it's so much easier for me to just ask so I'm sorry if this has been asked before lol
