Dogs - Raw Feeding/Barf

[crustyroll]

Hi,

There are a few of us in Caithness that raw feed our dogs on raw meaty bones, offal, chicken, lamb, pork or whatever we can get our hands on!

We are looking to see if there are any other "Barfers" in Caithness (now I know that's a stupid question after a night out at the pub but that's not the kind I mean) as we are trying to find and secure other various sources of food for our dogs. There are other sources out there apart from our excellent local butchers who we use as much as we can. However, a lot of these other sources are not worth pursuing unless it's in a bulk order and this is where we need to find out who is out there that feeds raw to their dogs. It can definately work out cheaper to feed your dog this way although this is not the reason why we feed this way.

If you raw feed and are interested in the above please feel free to reply or pass this thread onto anyone you know that may be interested.

A

[Buttercup]

Hi,

There are a few of us in Caithness that raw feed our dogs on raw meaty bones, offal, chicken, lamb, pork or whatever we can get our hands on!

We are looking to see if there are any other "Barfers" in Caithness (now I know that's a stupid question after a night out at the pub but that's not the kind I mean) as we are trying to find and secure other various sources of food for our dogs. There are other sources out there apart from our excellent local butchers who we use as much as we can. However, a lot of these other sources are not worth pursuing unless it's in a bulk order and this is where we need to find out who is out there that feeds raw to their dogs. It can definately work out cheaper to feed your dog this way although this is not the reason why we feed this way.

If you raw feed and are interested in the above please feel free to reply or pass this thread onto anyone you know that may be interested.

A

Always thought you weren't supposed to feed chicken bones to dogs, something about them being too brittle or something.:confused

[buggyracer]

i feed my 2 dogs on a barf diet as does my mate with his dogs, we have also been looking for ways to get meat packs etc delivered up here but like you have found it is costly to do so for small orders, would be interested to do something with yous?

[Tugmistress]

Always thought you weren't supposed to feed chicken bones to dogs, something about them being too brittle or something.:confused

chicken is fine as long as it is raw :D mine love it.

i feed raw stuff to mine once in a while, but as you say, unless you are close to a friendly butcher who will put the stuff aside for you, it is expensive.

[changilass]

Have just spent over an hour reading up on this following advice to do a google search.

I would be very interested to try this with my 2 Newfs, if you find a supplier or have more advice/info please let me know.

Thanks
Changi:D

[Lolabelle]

We feed our dogs raw meat. I don't know what is available in Caithness, but I go to a chicken processing plant and buy whole chickens and chicken frames for a pretty reasonable price. I can get both boxes and smaller amounts. So looking into these kinds of places might be worthwhile. Maybe if there is a few of you, you could go in together to buy bulk and then divide it up. It would be cheaper.

Oh, and the chicken bones ~ any bones are fine if they aren't cooked. Cooked bones splinter.

[_Ju_]

Bones are not fine. If they are bones that get easily chewed up they cause feaces to be very dry, to the point that the dog cannot defecate and end up compacted all the way up the colon. The size of the animal is irrelevant: I have known a 60kg dog have to do enemas three days running to remove compacted bone feaces.

I have also known a golden retriever to die of peritonitis resulting from a splintered tip of the wing chicken bone that perforated the intestines. Thye bone was less than a centimetre long ( less than 1/2 inch).

Wild canivores dont munch up the bones: bring to mind a family of lions laying around buffalo carcase and your minds eye will see the rib cage sticking up in the air, along with other bones. Even though they have extrememly powerful jaws and huge teeth able to deal with the bones, they do not eat them indiscriminately (they will crack the bone to get to the marrow, the only real nutrition you get from them). Our dogs have lost touch with these instincts and wolf bones down.

BTW, meat production has changed alot over the years. The time when chickens and pigs grew in small holdings ( and were consequently expensive) have gone. Now we get cheap meat because of extremely intensive production systems, in which animals are held in huge densities. Diseases are, therefore, more easily and quickly passed from one to the other. With regard to raw feeding, this is significant for food bourne diseases such as salmonella: not only can your dog get it, but he can pass it onto you. I would recomend cooking these meats.

[Lolabelle]

I have found the opposite to be true. My parents had a dog that was fed cooked meat over a period of years. And bones. He ended up with it compacting and it killed him. My dogs do really well on raw meat and whole foods. They never have trouble going to the toilet and the vet recommends raw food for them.
If a dog or lion or any other carnivore kill a rabbit or a chicken or a small animal they eat the whole lot. Nothing left.
My dogs also get large bones to chew on, but the don't consume them, just the smaller whole chicken bones.
I have read lots of articals about feeding dogs and they all contradict each other. We used to feed a very expensive brand of dry kibble and found it was very high in salt. A friends dog died of bloat caused by dry food.
I think that we should all do what we think is best, and I have tried both ways. The dogs look much healthier and have better bowel movements on raw food and they certainly do not have as much wind as when they were eating cooked meat. This means a great deal to me as they spend a lot of time inside, with me.
I don't want to disagree just for the sake of it, but I find raw is better.
Oh and just as an aside, my sister sold a dog , ( her husband breeds mastiffs) and it chewed on a stick and it killed it. Got stuck in its throat, I think. So anything could kill them, Lola used to eat big rocks. The vet said as long as they keep passing through she was fine. Some days her poo was more rock than anything else.

[darkie@dreamtilt.com.au]

I have heard if you feed your dog rice with there meals when they have a leak on the lawn the grass does not turn brown? dont have a dog but the neighbour swears its true,she has three little yappers

[pultneytooner]

Here (http://www.rawlearning.com/) is an interesting site on raw feeding

[Dog Warden]

This one will certainly make you think twice but each to their own. Have a look at bit on site that is strongly opposed to the barf diet and read why.

www.secondchanceranch.com (http://www.secondchanceranch.com)

[crustyroll]

Lolabelle, do you mean the chicken carcasses from Grampian Country Chickens? We get chicken carcasses from there that still have quite a lot of meat on them and they are very inexpensive for what you get. Unfortunately it's not cheap if you are having to travel to Banff for just a few boxes for yourself. Where do you get your chicken from? Our local butcher will supply heart, lungs, liver, kidney, rabbit and whatever else we need but cannot get tripe or chicken carcasses.

I can see that there are many varied opinions on raw feeding but this is not what this post is about so please keep to the original thread and trust that those of us who do feed raw have looked into all the facts.

BTW you are not meant to keep feeding bones all the time, ie their poos are so hard that they are powder and could compact, you are meant to vary their diet so it includes raw MEATY bones.

I am waiting for a reply from Albion Meats that do tripe, chicken, lamb and a few other products to see if there is any chance of buying direct. The only problem with buying direct is that it would have to be such a large bulk buy that storage would be a problem, unless it can be distributed almost as soon as it was delivered so storage wouldn't be a problem for the person receiving the delivery!

For more info it's always best to freeze any meat as well before you give it to your dogs. Meat from this country is usually okay but foreign meat carry a bug that isn't a problem to humans but can be lethal for dogs, freezing meat for 24 hours kills the bug off and causes no problem.

I think the proof is in the pudding so to speak, since changing my dogs over to raw their coats have improved even more, becoming thicker and glossier. They actually look forward to dinner time whereas before the quality dry food we bought was just food - they never looked forward to dinnertime!

It appears that there are lots of raw feeders out there and it would be great if we could combine what knowledge and sources we have for the benefits of our dogs and pockets..lol

PS... just noticed Lolabelle, you're not anywhere near me..doh!!!!

[buggyracer]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v344/mike-allen/IMG_0174Small.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v344/mike-allen/100_0892proper.jpg

a lurcher @ 6 months old fed entirely on a barf diet at 6 months doesent look too bad.

[emszxr]

i live and my huby works on a shooting estate so in the stalking season my dogs get a lot of the left overs from the deer. they love tongues. so do the ferrets.

[_Ju_]

........ trust that those of us who do feed raw have looked into all the facts.......





For more info it's always best to freeze any meat as well before you give it to your dogs. Meat from this country is usually okay but foreign meat carry a bug that isn't a problem to humans but can be lethal for dogs, freezing meat for 24 hours kills the bug off and causes no problem......


??????? Could you be talking about trichinella in pork and horse meat, that is not a "bug" in the accepted sense of the word, but a parasite???? In that case you may rest assured that any healthmarked imported meat has either been cold treated already or tested for the parasite (but then this parasite does not only affect dogs....). If you are talking about some bacteria or virus, cold does not kill them, but only slows or stops their growth.

[gary.b]

I feed two working dogs on raw meat, raw fruit and veg, and bone, they're excellent condition, I get my meat and bone from the local butcher.
I contacted Prize Choice about a delivery to Caithness but unfortunatly they only come as far as Dingwall. We need to convince a retail outlet or someone else with a big enough freezer that there's a market for it up here and Prize Choice may come up for a big enough order. A business oppertunity for someone, anyone got C.A.S.E's number.

[Dog Warden]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v344/mike-allen/IMG_0174Small.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v344/mike-allen/100_0892proper.jpg

a lurcher @ 6 months old fed entirely on a barf diet at 6 months doesent look too bad.

Beautiful dog buggy racer is he yours?

[crustyroll]

Quote:
Originally Posted by crustyroll
........ trust that those of us who do feed raw have looked into all the facts.......





For more info it's always best to freeze any meat as well before you give it to your dogs. Meat from this country is usually okay but foreign meat carry a bug that isn't a problem to humans but can be lethal for dogs, freezing meat for 24 hours kills the bug off and causes no problem....

Hi Ju,

No I am talking about Neospora which is harmless to humans. I believe more research is being carried out on the bacteria so it may turn out that freezing will not kill it at all but I'll continue as I am doing at the moment.

Gary.b,

I didn't know Prize Choice would even delivery to Dingwall!! It's not very clear what company delivers what as the website for Albion is combined with Prize and Nature's Menu. I think I'll call them back again as it really can't be that hard to get a delivery up here if it's a large order?

I do know someone that may be able to take advantage of the opportunity to order in bulk and supply Caithness but there would have to be a strong and steady demand for the food for an outlay like that.

Any more ideas out there?

[_Ju_]

Hi Ju,

No I am talking about Neospora which is harmless to humans. I believe more research is being carried out on the bacteria so it may turn out that freezing will not kill it at all but I'll continue as I am doing at the moment.



It is not a bacteria

[buggyracer]

Beautiful dog buggy racer is he yours?


unfortunately not, but i do know it is fed on a barf diet.

[labsrus]

Neospora caninum is a protozoal parasite here is a link to an article about neospora and raw diets written by an American Veterinarian :
http://www.naturalholistic.com/handouts/neospora.htm

As there were less than 12 cases reported in the USA between 1991 - 1998 I am certainly not concerned and am very happy to feed my dogs a raw meaty bones diet. There is risk in all types of diet, dogs have died from choking on kibble, or died from mycotoxins found in grains in dog foods, yet no one suggests we never feed kibble as a result.

I agree with crustyroll in that this thread is about people who DO feed raw and having done the research and seen the benefits are quite happy to continue to do so.

We dont come on telling people they should never feed kibble even though most of us probably think it. Lets keep this thread civilised and not let it develope into battle between raw and anti - raw.

Hope that's given you all food for thought, sorry rotten pun!

[crustyroll]

Labsrus thank you for your support and correcting me in the Neospora link - I always get mixed up and forget what is bacteria and what are bugs!

My last Lab lived quite happily for 13 years on dried food so I cannot say that it's the wrong food to feed, you have to find what works for your dogs and your lifestyle.

I have just come home from Inverness today and while there stocked up on some prize menu frozen food. It's more expensive and smaller blocks than Albion Meat Products but we well see how well the dogs do on some of their tripe, rabbit, beef and lamb. I am going to contact Albion Meats again and Anglian Meats (they do prize/nature's menu) tomorrow and see how far I get, so keep your fingers crossed. :roll:

[_Ju_]

It is not a question of letting things degrade to a battle, but the fact that people have reasearched, studied and come to the conclusion what is the best when it is self evident that that is not the case.

You feed your pet what you wish to feed it, but then do not dare to cry to the vet that you thought you were doing the best when it gets salmonella food poisoning, foreign body peritonitis or impactation of feaces. It does happen. I have seen it first hand.


People also get run over crossing the road but they will still cross it. It is more likely that if you are careless you will be run over. You prevent what you can and the rest just had to happen.

I will be quiet now, because the feeling I get is that if you are not in agreement with regard to this topic then your opinion is not welcome.

[buggyracer]

It is not a question of letting things degrade to a battle, but the fact that people have reasearched, studied and come to the conclusion what is the best when it is self evident that that is not the case.

You feed your pet what you wish to feed it, but then do not dare to cry to the vet that you thought you were doing the best when it gets salmonella food poisoning, foreign body peritonitis or impactation of feaces. It does happen. I have seen it first hand.


People also get run over crossing the road but they will still cross it. It is more likely that if you are careless you will be run over. You prevent what you can and the rest just had to happen.

I will be quiet now, because the feeling I get is that if you are not in agreement with regard to this topic then your opinion is not welcome.

Correct, but if you read the first post it simply asked for people to respond if they were ALSO interested in feeding there dog a barf diet, NOT if you disagree with it please tell us why??

[changilass]

Ju
Think they were just trying to say that this thread is more about finding like minded folk in order to bulk buy, rather than discuss the pros and cons.

I am sure if you started your own thread about the benefits and drawbacks of different types of feeding, folk would be more than willing to debate it.:)

[crustyroll]

....the fact that people have reasearched, studied and come to the conclusion what is the best when it is self evident that that is not the case.

You feed your pet what you wish to feed it, but then do not dare to cry to the vet that you thought you were doing the best when it gets salmonella food poisoning, foreign body peritonitis or impactation of feaces. It does happen. I have seen it first hand.

I will be quiet now, because the feeling I get is that if you are not in agreement with regard to this topic then your opinion is not welcome.

Ju, would you kindly explain what is self evident? Is it the case that raw feeding is not the best? Is it that all the research and studies that has been performed by scientists, vets and pet food manufacturers is correct and any research carried out by the ordinary folk are not?

I would not go running to the vet crying because of what I feed my dogs - that is the responsibility that I have chosen to take and live with if a problem arises - just the same as I chose the responsibility of having children and deciding when it is safe for them to do certain things and live with the duty and responsibility it entails.

Opinions are not a problem but this isn't what this thread is about. Go to any dog site and search on raw feeding and you will find as many opinions there as you want. This thread is purely for those that are interested in pursuing different sources of supply for their chosen dog food.

A question? What in your opinion is the worse scenario - a dog that has been tested and proven to be allergic to almost all foods and is suffering, her skin is very sore and itchy, her eyes weep constantly, her ears are inflammed and she has had to have years of steriods, her hair is falling out, and she isn't happy at all. Or, feeding her meat with a small amount of vegetables and bones to discover that the itching and inflammation settles down, her coat starts to grow again, no more weepy eyes and she starts to have some quality of life again? Of course as she is eating bones and meat she is running a risk of all the conditions that you have mentioned, but in your opinion was it a wise vet that prescribed that diet?

Not all food suits each dog and we must all strive to do what's best for our own animals in a way that does not imply that one way is wrong, ie, when you state that 'bones are not fine'.

[labsrus]

Here is some information to avoid confusion, dogs are now officially classed as canis lupus, the same as a gray wolf and belong to the order carnivore.


"Dr. Robert K. Wayne, (Department of Biology, University of California, Los Angeles) canid evolutionary biologist and geneticist at UC-Davis, came to the following conclusion regarding the genetic relationship between wolves and dogs: “Dogs are gray wolves, despite their diversity in size and proportion” (Wayne, 1993).
Wayne’s genetic studies on wolves and dogs show, quite clearly, that “[t]he domestic dog is an extremely close relative of the gray wolf, differing from it by at most 0.2% of mtDNA sequence.... In comparison, the gray wolf differs from its closest wild relative, the coyote, by about 4% of mitochondrial DNA sequence” (Wayne, 1993).
In fact, based on these recent genetic studies, the Mammal Species of the World (1993), published by the American Society of Mammalogists and the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C., reclassified the dog from Canis familiaris to Canis lupus. This text is the primary accepted reference on mammal species of the world."

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN MUSEUM OF ZOOLOGY
"Gray wolves are carnivores. They hunt prey on their own, in packs, steal the prey of other predators, or scavenge carrion. Prey is located by chance or scent. Animals included in the diet of gray wolves varies geographically and depends on prey availability. Wolves primarily hunt in packs for large prey such as moose, elk, bison, musk oxen, and reindeer. Once these large ungulates are taken down, the wolves attack their rump, flank, and shoulder areas. Wolves control prey populations by hunting the weak, old, and immature. A wolf can consume up to 9 kg of meat at one meal. Wolves usually utilize the entire carcass, including some hair and bones. Smaller prey such as beavers, rabbits, and other small mammals are usually hunted by lone wolves, and they are a substantial part of their diet. Wolves may also eat livestock and garbage when it is available".

Hope that explains things and why dogs thrive best on their natural diet, bones and all!

[carasmam]

My concern is that a dosmetic dog is not consuming hair, skin or fur but you say a wolf is. If that is the case when a wolf passes bones or vomits them the bones and splinters would be well wrapped in fur or hair to make easy passageway and do not damage. Not so with a pet, feel free to correct me if I am wrong ;)

[labsrus]

Actually my dogs have eaten rabbits both with hair on and without. I dont see bone pieces in their stools when they havent eaten hair/fur. They also get skin and hide on a regular basis. The bone is digested so doesnt come out the other end in peices. That is, if people feed appropriate sizes of bones for their dogs.

If for example you give a chicken wing to a medium or large dog then they can easily swallow it whole without crunching, then you might see pieces in the stools. This is why it is essential to research properly before starting to feed raw so you dont make mistakes like that which could be dangerous.

If a dog does swallow a piece of bone that is too big to digest they have a safety mechanism which means they will usually throw it back up, but I still would not advise anyone to feed small bones because of the risk.

Wolves certainly will not always eat hair or fur at every meal, when they scavenge off carrion there may be little if any left.

[crustyroll]

Hi All,

Sorry for not getting back onto this link earlier but life has been extremely hectic these last few days!

I have had a reply from Albion Meats and they can supply frozen meat products for dogs and deliver but it has to be a large bulk purchase. If the premium range is ordered is would have to 83 boxes of 1lb packets or 50 boxes of the standard range!!! It would be at a cost of over £600 which isn't that much when there are a lot of people ordering but storage is a problem. Now that Pets at Home are coming to the area maybe there isn't the same need for supply as they will hopefully be selling the AMP range of products.

I have contacted another company that supplies a complete range of frozen products but am awaiting a reply from them so will post once I have found out more.

Please let me know if you are definately interested in buying frozen dog food or if you are happy to buy from Pets at Home when they open?

Thanks

Andrea

[buggyracer]

i would still be interested in buying raw, about to add another dog in a few weeks, so count me in.

[gary.b]

Count me in, I'll take minimum £50 worth. I wonder if we'll get it at wholesale price with a big order like that.
Storeage shouldn't be a problem, if we know when the truck is arriving, we can be there waiting for it or there within a couple of hours, that amount would take a good few hours before it started thawing.

[crustyroll]

Hi Again,

I've heard from DAF petfoods.. www.daf-petfood.co.uk and they are extremely interested in supply us but they need to work out a price and a carrier, so still dealing with them.

Well so far there are definately 4 of us wanting to order but I still dont think that that will be enough for the size of order I would need to to place with Albion Meats. I've listed what they supply and hopefully that may prompt some others into buying?

Storage won't be a problem if folk can arrive within a few hours of the delivery. The actual delivery could be tricky as the driver may not want to handball pallet loads of dog food off with just myself helping so offers of help unloading would be extremely welcome?

The products that Albion Meats sell are:-

Premium (24 in a box) 454g blocks of: Chicken, Pure Beef Tripe, Tripe, Best Beef, Complete, Lamb, Beef & Tripe

Standard (40/box) 454g blocks of: Standard Tripe, Premium Tripe, Beef/Tripe, Beef Mince, Chicken Mince, Lamb Mince

Freeflow range (5/box) 2kg bag of: Chicken, Tripe, Lamb, Beef, Best Beef

Chunky range 2kg bag of: Beef chunks, Tripe Chunks, Fish Fillets, Chicken Necks, Chicken Wings, Liver, Steralised Poultry, Poultry Hearts

Diced Oxs Heart 6 x 1kg
Raw Knuckles x 10
Lamb Carcasses 10kg
Chicken Carcasses 10kg

All the product range can be mixed to order.

We won't get the cheap discount rate, just the standard rate as it would include the carriage for delivery.

Food for thought eh...?

Cheers

Andrea

[porshiepoo]

I was very interested in this thread as the BARF diet is something I've pondered over for a while now, I have 1 dane and 2 shepherds.
I know a fair few show people who have changed to this diet and swear by it, yet I still have a niggling doubt.
I get the whole natural foods thing and yes I agree that it is probably better BUT what worries me is the fact that over the years our pet canines intestinal tract etc etc has become 'adjusted' to a life of complete foods and I'm not sure how good it is to suddenly decide to change it back. The fact is that we cannot reproduce the way our pets ancestors would have eaten or infact what they would have eaten. Wild animals would not necessarily have eaten the carcass of small animals, yet chuck our pets a chicken bone and they wolf the whole lot - they're instinct is to trust what we as 'leaders' give them to eat, not to know what is right and what parts should be left. (If that makes sense).
I know that the liquidising of veg matter is somehow supposed to relicate what would be found in the stomachs of their prey (so I am told), but how many of they're natural prey would have been herbivores???

I'm still on the fence on this one. I don't know enough facts either either way, so I'll stay away for now.

[crustyroll]

Porshiepoo, I was the same and I bet if you ask any other owner who has changed over that it took them ages to decide. I have worried about them choking, not getting enough vitamins and minerals, salmonella, you name it, I've thought about it.

As the pack leader and in charge of the food, you do have to be sensible and not give a small chicken wing to a large dog that will probably gulp it down in one. It is amazing how quickly a dogs stomach and intestines adapt to the change of food, probably much quicker to raw than if you were switching to dry. I have a lab that positively turns her nose up at any vegetable matter at all, if she was in the wild she would probably still turn her nose up it.:roll: On the scheme of things dogs have only been eating processed foods for probably the last 100 years maximum, I don't think the majority of dogs digestive systems would have changed that much. My mate has two small dogs that have the most awful teeth and mouth formation due to breeding but they love nothing better than to chomp on a bone and revert back to 'proper' dogs so to speak :Razz

[gary.b]

I don't think we can rely on Pets at Home when they come to Wick, I was at the Inverness branch yesterday, planning on buying a freezer full, all they had was 1 x 2kg bag of tripe chucks and some fish in 2 massive freezers.

[Liz]

I admire all of you who are feeding your dogs such good diets.

Too many pets are fed on rubbish food which includes colourings and additives etc which all contribute towards health and behavioural problems.

Like Porshiepoo I'm just not too sure about feeding raw so feed my dog Benjy Naturediet which is really good and, at just over four years of age, he acts like a puppy and has a lovely coat and beautiful white teeth.

I also give him raw and cooked carrots along with a couple of Tripe Sticks.

Good luck to you all in getting a supplier.

[crustyroll]

Hello,

Just to keep you all updated I am just awaiting a reply from DAF-Petfoods regarding prices and final details as they are really keen to supply us with food. I think they are interested in getting a foothold up here over their competitors.

Once I have these details I shall e-mail everyone that is interested with all the necessary information and would really appreciate it if you would get back to me with a list of what you want and the best way to collect payment, ie, whether I will need payment up front before ordering or after delivery.

Cheers

Andrea

[crustyroll]

It's me again....

The final solution is now at hand and a regular dedicated supplier in our area will be forthcoming in the next few weeks :Razz

Isobel Wilson of http://www.holisticpetsupplies.co.uk (http://www.holisticpetsupplies.co.uk/), who is based in Halkirk, has the facilities to store and supply a wide range of frozen/raw food for our doggies. She will be submitting an order shortly but really needs to know what people want to buy and how much as it has to be a fairly large order to get started.

E-mail Isobel at enquiries@holisticpetsupplies.co.uk to register your interest and find out more about the products and place your order for your doggies delight :)

I am more than delighted with this development as it certainly beats travelling to Inverness and as Garyb pointed out - we can't rely on PAH to have a large stock of frozen food.

Cheers

Andrea

[gary.b]

Well done Crusty roll, thats excellent news, in the mean time we must remind people there is a lot available from our local butchers, ox heart is an excellent lump of meat for the dogs and cheap as is breast of lamb and chicken wings. Castletown butcher does their own frozen food which is excellent, my dogs love it. Also when the new abattoir opens at Kiess I'll be down for some fresh green tripe, lovely.

[crofter]

My concern is that a dosmetic dog is not consuming hair, skin or fur but you say a wolf is. If that is the case when a wolf passes bones or vomits them the bones and splinters would be well wrapped in fur or hair to make easy passageway and do not damage. Not so with a pet, feel free to correct me if I am wrong ;)
I agree with you that domestic dogs don't generally consume fur etc. I recently had show hens killed by a doberman whose owner just let it run in the village and it actually pulled out the feathers before starting eating the hens.

[mop top]

Just A Query Here Guys I Have Been Following This Thread With Interest And Feel I Have To Ask This Question, As It Has Been Bothering Me, And Well If You Dont Ask You Dont Find Out. Is This Diet Supplemented With Veg And Carbohydrates Or Is It Just All Protein Ie Meat. Sounds A Bit Like Atkinson Diet For Dogs!

Cheers

[buggyracer]

no, veg is added to it, as can fruits be, some veg is better than others etc, but thats a whole new topic, the veg is pureed in a blender first then added to the meat.

[buggyracer]

I agree with you that domestic dogs don't generally consume fur etc. I recently had show hens killed by a doberman whose owner just let it run in the village and it actually pulled out the feathers before starting eating the hens.


well when you see a bird killed by a cat/fox etc, you find it by the sheer number of feathers, of course they will pluck them first, heck of a lot of feathers on a bird.

If you see a lamb carcase after it has been taken by a fox all it will leave is skin, so no wild animals dont need to consume lots of fur/feather to eat raw meat and bones. And you can get it in minced form so all the bones are in there just minced into small granuals.

[gary.b]

Foods you can feel good about feeding. Add lots of green leafy vegetables
Courgettes-
Romaine (COS) Lettuce - High nutritional value
Ice Berg Lettuce - has no nutritional value but is OK to feed. You can use
as a filler.
Tomatoes (avoid the leaves and stems) -
Carrots - These are high in sugars so be careful
Celery - Not much nutritional value but is a good diuretic.
Bok Choy -
Parsley-
Oranges -
Apples (not the seeds) -
peas-
Bananas -
Alfalpha Sprouts -
Bell Peppers (Capsicum) - red, green and yellow
Fresh Pumpkin (not the canned pie filling) -
Silver Beat -
Beet Root -
Kale -
Cilantro -
Mustard Greens -
Dandelions -
Marrow-
Yams -
Sweet Potatoes -
Asparagus -
Jicama (remove skin) -
Parsnip -
Turnips -
Sprouts -

Caution Veggies' & Fruits
(Foods you can feed but with cautions)

Garlic - fed in small amounts is very beneficial for your dog. It is
considered natures antibiotic. However, to much can cause anemia and upset
stomach. So when making your veggie mix, use 1-3 cloves but no more.
Grapes / raisins- (in high amounts) Dogs exhibit gastrointestinal problems,
including vomiting and diarrhea and then signs of kidney failure with an
onset of severe kidney signs starting about 24 hours after ingestion of the
grapes or raisins.
Eggplant - OK to feed the fruit but avoid any other parts. They can cause
upset stomach, drooling, lethargy, heart failure
Avocados (& leaves) - Stay away from the leaves. The fruit part is OK to
feed in small amounts.
Spinach, Swiss Chard, and Rhubarb - OK in small amounts. While these are not
toxic, they are high in oxalic acid, a compound that interferes with calcium
absorption, so don't feed these very often.
Cabbage/Broccoli/Cauliflower - OK to feed in small amounts but may cause
gas. If fed frequently and in large amounts these will depress the thyroid.
Potatoes –

Cautions: If your dog is diabetic or has arthritis and has/had cancer then
you may want to stay away from underground veggies because they convert to
starch/sugar which aggravates arthritis. Cancer cells also thrive on sugars.

Bad Veggies' & Fruits

(Foods to be avoided all together)
Onions & (onion powder) - upset stomach, and can cause Heinz body anemia.

Some schools of thought are saying veg matter is not required.

[henry20]

Well done Crusty roll, thats excellent news, in the mean time we must remind people there is a lot available from our local butchers, ox heart is an excellent lump of meat for the dogs and cheap as is breast of lamb and chicken wings. Castletown butcher does their own frozen food which is excellent, my dogs love it. Also when the new abattoir opens at Kiess I'll be down for some fresh green tripe, lovely.


I agree - my dog loves the meat from castletown butchers - but I've been cooking it for him :roll: unless he steals it!!

[mop top]

Thanks for that buggy racer you have obviously done your homework, seems a bit more balanced now rather than just meat.

cheers

[crustyroll]

Hi All,

Sorry for not keeping up with this thread seeing as I started it :eek: Anyhoo...

'Holistic Pet Supplies incorporating Rainbow Remedies' is based in Halkirk and is an online store providing complementary goods for your pets. However there is now an opportunity every Thursday night from 6-8pm to go along and pick up any items you may need rather than them being posted out.

Also, within the next couple of weeks, Ms Wilson will be a supplier of DAF petfoods, the only one in the Highlands and Islands. They have an extensive range of raw frozen meats, conveniently packaged for those that do not like handling raw meat, as well as some super air dried treats. Ms Wilson will be stocking a very large selection of their range and is now advertising in the local papers.

I urge everybody to go along and chat to Isobel and ask all those questions that may seem a little silly, I know I did!!! Isobel will be starting her collection night from tonight and I will be there to give her support. I really and truly hope that those of you who are into raw feeding and complementary therapies give her your utmost support as she is taking a big leap of faith in our local community.

This is a link to her website.. http://holisticpetsupplies.co.uk (http://holisticpetsupplies.co.uk/)

Andrea

[crustyroll]

PS.... forgot to say that we still need to support our local butchers (just in case :)) and I will continue to do so, as I believe Isobel will do too.

Phew...Andrea

[buggyracer]

hopefully make it out, nice one, well done!