A question for raw feeders

[kayrahbear]

So I'm trying raw feeding with Roscoe and I think I may be worrying about nothing- but I have a question.

I gave him chicken leg to start with- just to see if he'd know what to do with it. Well he ate it just fine, but he also ate the bone.
Is that okay? Should I have taken the bone out?


Ohh I'm such a newbie.

 

[Mack-N-MatildasMommy]

So I'm trying raw feeding with Roscoe and I think I may be worrying about nothing- but I have a question.

I gave him chicken leg to start with- just to see if he'd know what to do with it. Well he ate it just fine, but he also ate the bone.
Is that okay? Should I have taken the bone out?




Ohh I'm such a newbie.

Hi there!!!

you need not to worry!!! Bone is good!!! As long as it is raw. Did you give Roscoe a leg or a chicken leg quarter?? I will pm you some websites to check out. [MENTION=1209]savemejeebus[/MENTION] knows of a raw forum you can check out. Welcome to the world of raw!!! [MENTION=1906]GatorRay[/MENTION] and [MENTION=2242]karenben[/MENTION] are also raw feeders.

 

[Chad M Lane]

Yes keep the bone in! Chicken bones and pork bones (frozen 3+ weeks with pork) are softer and much easier to digest for a RAW starter. You have nothing to worry about!


Cheers,
Chad

 

[kayrahbear]

Hi there!!!

you need not to worry!!! Bone is good!!! As long as it is raw. Did you give Roscoe a leg or a chicken leg quarter?? I will pm you some websites to check out. @savemejeebus knows of a raw forum you can check out. Welcome to the world of raw!!! @GatorRay and @karenben are also raw feeders.

Oh good! Thank you for answering so fast! I was worried the bone would really hurt him. He just ate it so fast I didn't even realize it was all gone. And I'd love to see those links! I feel like I can't learn enough about this.
And it was just a leg, not a leg quarter.

@Chad M Lane , so pork with bone needs to be frozen for three weeks before he can have it?

 

[Bella'sMom]

raw bones are fine. you are doing it right! never a cooked bone to a dog.

raw is a wonderful way to go, most people can't due to money, but it is wonderful. My Bella can't due to bone, it is too much for her condition.

 

[Chad M Lane]

Raw pork can and does have species of round worm, so I frezze all my pork for at least 3 weeks before feeding it to the dogs, I feed a fair amount of pork as well, I try to get slightly learner cuts, as it's cheaper than beef, and a bit more digestible. Even with that I do feed a good amount of beef. I also buy whole Lambs so the bulk of my red meats is Lamb, and still looking for a good local source of Bison and Elk. Next year I plan on going Deer, and Wild Boar hunting just for the dogs besides that I love Wild Boar myself. haha


Cheers,
Chad

 

[jortiz9758]

Bone is fine. As stated so long as it is Raw ... Never cooked.
Meat alone with not enough bone will also cause diarrhea.
Its amazing how quickly they go through bone isn't it? Mr.Bruno goes through it so fast and in such big chunks that I have to grind all his meat and veggies,and freeze them into patties.
I defrost 2 a day for him.


Sent from my iPhone 4 using Tapatalk

 

[izstigspunks]

[MENTION=3197]kayrahbear[/MENTION] - Can't remember if I sent you the links, but will do (again?). Try giving chicken quarters instead of just the leg to help him slow down and chew. It's always best to give bigger chunks of meat to those who tend to swallow whole.

 

[karenben]

all dogs are different,annie handles meat 5 days a week chicken backs 2 days but i only give it her for teeth cleaning!!,she would do ok with no bone,i dont always freeze pork and never had a problem but its all down to personal choice,karen

 

[Angelgirl]

[MENTION=1104]jortiz9758[/MENTION] Can you recommend a good meat grinder? I just started Belly on raw and would like to grind it. Most of them look pretty flimsy.

 

[izstigspunks]

@jortiz9758 Can you recommend a good meat grinder? I just started Belly on raw and would like to grind it. Most of them look pretty flimsy.

I forget what brand mine is, but I got it at a Bass Pro Shops. It's has 3/4 HP. It'll grind softer bones like chicken, rabbit, duck but not beef, most turkey, etc.

If you research online for a good BARF rawfeeding grinder, you'll find a couple of brands that most people will recommend. Unfortunately, us in this country have not as much selection as you guys do down there.

 

[Angelgirl]

Thanks [MENTION=1209]savemejeebus[/MENTION] ! Reading this thread and all the others, I've already found out I started them wrong... I went straight for the beef

 

[izstigspunks]

Thanks @savemejeebus ! Reading this thread and all the others, I've already found out I started them wrong... I went straight for the beef

Starting with beef is ok. Most people just recommend chicken because the bones are softer plus it's one of the least expensive option. What about the bones though, can Belly eat them ok? Can't suggest much about what beef bones to give because I usually buy boneless type. But I'll send you the links too, just in case I haven't yet. (Should really keep a tab on who I pm. ) There's certain beef bones that's not recommended. I'll do a quick search and post the musts and must nots. And remember, weight bearing bones of large animals must never be given. If large enough, you can give them as recreational items, but always monitor just in case they swallow them.

Glad I can be of help!

 

[izstigspunks]

Info I gathered:

Recommendations on how to start with rawfeeding

1. Generally, you should feed 2-3% of your dog’s body weight. Those that may need more those that are either pregnant, puppies tiny/toy or very active dogs where 4-5% is recommended. Since adult bulldogs are less active, you may find that you can feed less than 2% body weight.

2. If you are unsure of your pup’s adult weight, go by the weight of their parents or the average breed weight. Note that it is better to feed a little less in the beginning than feed more as this will avoid cannon butt and runny stools.

3. Generally, the 80-10-10 is followed.

• 80% meat (muscle meat, heart, gizzards, tongue, etc.)
• 10% bone
• 10% organs, max 5% liver as it is too rich (pancreas, liver, spleen, trachea, esophagus, thymus, etc.)

4. “Balance over time”. You do not need to go through the trouble and follow the 80-10-10 rule daily, rather, it should be over weeks and even months. In the wild, wolves will eat different parts of a large animal over days, some getting more muscle, while those at the bottom of the chain will only get the leftovers such as the organs.

5. Runny poop is different from diarrhea. The latter is very liquid, watery explosions that are caused by disease or parasites. Tips to avoid runny poops:

• Decrease the total amount of food
• Increase the bone content
• Increase the length of new meat intro
• Cut off the fatty parts of the meat and save it for later
• Introduce organs last

6. Never feed beef bones and weight bearing bones of large animals as they are too dense and will only sit in your bully’s stomach. They are also tooth breakers. For my bullies, I avoid beef and pork bones to be safe but some here feed some parts such as riblets. Again, please research or ask before feeding anything suspicious.

7. A lot of the nutrients disappear when you cook food. But it's not an uncommon practice. But remember that IT IS DANGEROUS TO GIVE OUR DOGS COOKED BONE. That's where people get confused. Cooking causes them to become brittle and splinter.

8. At first, buy an inexpensive meat scale and weigh the daily portions. As time passes, you’ll find that you won’t need to continue to weigh and go by how your pup is doing.

9. Unlike switching kibbles where there’s a transition period, your dog can quit kibble cold turkey and start the raw diet immediately.

10. In the beginning, offer 2 meals a day for an adult dog, 3 meals for a pup under six months old, 4 meals for those that are under 4 months old and for tiny dogs. Once they are an adult (with the exception of toy/tiny dogs), you should be able to feed only once a day. Some owners recommend feeding at least twice a day for larger breeds such as great danes.

11. Feed larger sized meat pieces. Avoid cutting them into smaller chunks or grinding them. By allowing your bully to chew, paw and work through the meat, he will get physical, mental and dental satisfaction. HOWEVER, most rawfeeders avoid giving pieces that are as big as their dog’s head. They consider these to be choking hazards as they are small enough to swallow whole and big enough to get stuck in the throat. Since our bulldogs tend to have bigger heads, the size range that I avoid is anything from as small as my fist (or half a fist for most guys) to the size of a chicken leg. I cut up any pieces in this range. Again, “Know Thy Dog” … IF IN DOUBT, CUT IT UP!

12. It’s normal for your bully to regurgitate their food now and again. They will re-eat it after more crunching and chewing.


13. Give 1 protein for at least one or two weeks, then introduce another after. Some owners do a transition period where they would add small pieces of the new to the old and gradually increase the new as the days pass.

14. Read labels of all the protein you purchase. All meats must not be enhanced, flavoured, seasoned, etc and the sodium content must not exceed 100mg./4oz. Note that it is U.S. regulation that chicken cannot be enhanced.

15. Bone is commonly used to control poop consistency. The more bone, the firmer the stool. In the beginning, it is suggested that you sway from the 80-10-10 rule until you and your bully find the best ratio. If you find that he has dry fossil poop, decrease the amount of bone, if it is runny or too soft, increase. As weeks pass, you may find that your bully can handle a boneless meal now and again.

16. Most owners start with chicken as it is one of the cheaper meats, easy to obtain and bland as a protein. I started my bully with a chicken back. Some members here started with a leg quarter. Note that a leg quarter has 30% bone. You can also trim off the fats and skin to start to avoid runny stools.

17. Do not be surprised if your bully poops or vomits small bone pieces from the previous meal in the beginning. Again, his stomach needs to go through an adjustment period and the occurrence should decrease or cease eventually.

18. It is also not uncommon for them to vomit bile. The reasoning is similar to the above, especially if you decrease the amount of daily feedings.

19. Rawfed dogs drink less water than kibble fed dogs as they get some of the intake from the meat.

20. If after reading this you have more questions. PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO ASK. Knowledge is power … and for this instance, it’s for safety.

21. Here are a few links that you may find useful. The one that I use the most is the Yahoo Rawfeeding group. It’s archive has a wealth of info and I would search if you have any specific questions as there’s a great likelihood that someone has already asked them.

***links removed***

 

[izstigspunks]

Hmm, I noticed it didn't really outline beef/pork bone varieties and what to avoid. I'll do a quick search again a little later. Hafta do some work here at work. :D