Need a little help with my raw diet.

I started feeding raw about a week ago and they look great so far but I wanted some ideas and feedback on what I can to to save a little time and $. The diet I've come up with consists of this:

( amounts vary depending on the individual dog getting fed )

7 oz chicken quarter
1 oz yogurt
1 soft boiled egg
2 oz tripe or 2 oz chicken livers
1 multivitamin
4 oz rice

My question is, I only use the rice as a filler. I hate having to cook it everyday. Is there something else I can use instead of rice that I either don't have to cook or if I do have to cook, the substitute i need to be able to store it in the fridge to be able to really use for another meal another day.

Also any additional ingredients that would benefit my hounds while still keeping my overhead costs down would be great. I've made the full switch to raw and ain't going back. I quickly got a routine down and it don't take long at all to prepare their food daily as long as I do the prep work once a week. I decided to go to raw because TOTW is killing my wallet with a growing yard. Also there are only a couple places here I can even get that kibble and they're all inconvenient to get too.

Thanks for any help or comments in advance.

 

you can store the rice away after you make it. i make my rice (with vegies added to it) to last for a month and a half and deep freeze the rest in tupperwares and defrost on a weekly basis. the tripe is good, but too messy for me to handle on a permanent basis. i feed tripe occasionally maybe every 2months. i feed just like you but i dont know the weight of my feed like that, i just go by eye on what the dog looks like.

that feed you have listed, what weight of dog is that for? just wondering

 

49 lbs.............

 

Go to the dollar store and pick yourself up some Muffin pans, portion out each ingredient into the pans and freeze them, transfer those portions into ziplock bags (like big ice cubes). Keep your protein/fat seperate from your veggies and carb source. This will save you a ton of money in the long run because you can buy bulk, freeze the portions and thaw them daily as needed, you will also save time because you can make a months worth in 1 afternoon. In the summer their is no need to thaw as the dogs will love the cold feed, in the winter add some warm broth (chicken, beef, pork, whatever) as well as a tablespoon or 2 of lard and a tablespoon of honey depending on the size of the dog.

Simple sells.

NGK

 

Rice cooker for 20 bucks should help

 

Can supp Peak Performance, RF1, etc for the rice. Won't have to use much and it will cover bases caloric intake and vitamin/mineral wise.

 

You should join raw feeding groups. They are there to help if you have any questions. Also, you can swap meat sources with them. Some have excess deer meat and want to trade for something else and different stuff like that. I am doing the prey model raw, not the barf. www.preymodelraw.com/howtoget started
www.pets/groups/yahoo will give you links to groups that feed raw close to you. Not that the advise on here isn't good, but those links are another option.

 

Apple cider vinegar.

 

never copy a diet from someone else ( not saying you did) but always ask yourself why you would need to add something or leave it out.

i don't believe in fillers. if you feed good quality food once a day, the dog will be more then satisfied. some rice ain't bad, 4 oz i find to much in relation to the meat.

last, one week of feeding raw won't show you nothing besides stool on the outside, check in 6-8 weeks.

 

This seems to be the easiest and most cost effective approach. Ordered a 5 lb bag this morning. They say a 10 lb bag would last a 50 lb dog around 90 days. I'm also going to go with the apple cider too.


When I start the rf-1 should I stop giving the multivitamin I currently add to their food?

 

Honestly, unless you need the rice, cut it out. Seriously, if you want to see how this can and does work on your dogs,...cut out the rice, cut down on the yoghurt and the soft boiled egg thing.

Pick one dog and try this,....instead of the four course seven component meal,....give a little more chicken (find a good souce for chicken backs....seriously, they are the best part to feed as far as fat/meat/bone ratio is concerned and usually the cheapest too..... the next part is wings..with a little breat meat....but that is not cost effective........... Take it from someone who has been doing this for a few years now,.....despite what all the feeders come lately say and print and post pretty pictures of in their sterilized stainless steel bowls....chicken leg quarters are what you feed only in an emergency when you run out of proper cuts......or if you don't know any better. Period.

Like I said, pick one dog or two and simplify the meals to proper chicken cuts, proper beef/horse/turkey/whatever cuts, proper livers etc once or twice a week, an egg or two once a week blended shell and all with some dark green vegetables.

Find yourself a souce of good fish oil,....you'll know it from how the dogs look on it,...and if you have hard winters or just like to keep dark colors on your dogs, a teaspoon or so of a quality kelp/seaweed works wonders...keep the multivitamin...a good one in proper quantity won't hurt.

One more "secret" is this.........watch the water intake. I know, I know,....folks are going to tell you that raw fed dogs don't drink as much water as kibble fed hounds,....this is absolutely true. However,...this does not mean that raw fed dogs should not drink more water. After all, just because you, I or or dogs don't feel thirsty often and therefore don't drink water.......does not mean that our bodies would not and do not function much better with more water. My way of handling it is to add water to every raw meal,...and sometime during the day give water with the fish oil or the egg or whatever it takes to convince them to drink those extra cups of water.

Despite what usually happens and people saying it is ok...your dog should not be shitting pebbles,....you know what I mean. You should have good moist stools,....not a lot of volume and fluff,...but moist, shiney and low odor....and, like the old-timers used to say,....they should "pass water"...and so should we. That means, the closer to the color/odor of clean water the better. MAny raw feeders quit because "their dogs don't look good on raw," or continually have skin problems when the problem is usually constant dehydration. Just because a bowl is out there does not mean the dog drinks,..especially if its not active or warm enough to be thirsty.

Now, I believe you have an in/out setup,...so, flooding them with water before they have to spend time inside would not be fair,...but,....you know when they will be out or have access to be taken out,..so plan your watering accordingly.

You don't have to take my word on anything I've written, but I bet that if you just try for two or three weeks and keep a running tab on what you pay in money, time, and effort feeding my way versus the rice and egg and yoghurt and twirl three times to the right feeders,...you will see a serious difference,....you know what,...pick the dog that has skin issues, happy tail, bad breath,....whatever...try my advice on that dog, feed the others the other way tell me what you see after those three weeks and how much you pay.

Rice has a way of drying out your dog's skin, causing allergies and causing skin problems in sensitive dogs that you need a whole host of crapola to counteract.

But, I will use it when needed,....the best way I have found to do it is stea a large pot of rice....i part rice 2parts water,....cook until soft,..... cool it down, drop you specific portions into sandwitch bags and freeze them. When you need rice,....take out a bag,....put it in the bowl and pour a few cups of hot water over it and let it sit for a few minutes.....problem solved. If you have a few dogs and want to save more money and the planet besides,...collect a few of those sunmaid raisin boxes, small ice cream tubs and freeze your rice in those,....dump rice...hot water...wait for rice to rehydrate,...reuse boxes.

 

Oh.....there is one more reason why I suggest simplying to begin with..... you will see first hand whether each ingredient you're feeding to each dog helps or hinders.

If your A dog is doing great on the diet.....don't fuck with it.
If B dog seems to need a little more fat,....then see what a little extra salmon oil dogs.
Too loose/fat stool?...Ok...take back the extra salmon oil,...try a little of the yoghurt instead,....
Add in the eggs,...see how they look,...some look better with the extra egg or two,...some look worse,....
Real cold out? OK,....a few calories and belly filling from rice can help some dogs cope a little better. Some dogs will dry out start scratching,...you'll see hair/loss/breakage signs around the eyes, by the ears, on the sides, on the toes.
Seal dog looking a little light? Brindle looking a little faded,....try seaweed. Dog looking a little greenish after a few weeks,...cut back on the dose.
How's the energy level/attitude with each ingredient,.....it makes a difference.

Start basic and build. A lot of folks adopt diets from folks who got their diets from a website written by someone who did it on their own dogs in another climate/situation altogether.

When you simplify and build from the "chicken backs and water" base,.....you have a better understading of what is happening with your dogs in general,...each one in particular and can and can tailor a diet for each.

 

Thanks, lot of info to digest. Go basic and build from there, seems easy enough.

 

good point bud.. same here they dont drink ANY water on raw

dont know if its realy can hurt the dog. the raw i feed consists of 60 % moisture. fluids in meat are better for the dog then regular water cause it contains more vitamins and minerals which directly reach and feeds the body cells. though it will never hurt to add another glass of water to be sure. im adding one glass to their food once a day.

but on kibbles they drink more then they need because it makes them thirsty so i wouldnt compare their intake to it

 

No prob man,....been feeding dogs this way for about twenty years now,...so I've been through a lot of the fads and phases you'll read about.

Keep the system simple and cheap and you'll stick with it.
Go into it like a lot of folks do-as though they're trying to prove their self-worth and commitment to their dog by making the simple act of feeding as complicated as humanly possible,.......you'll end up quitting like a lot of them do after a short while because their "dogs don't look good on raw."

Hell, if you have no kids/responsibilities/one dog, and you feel like preparing five course meals for puppy and spending the most for the "best human quality cuts of meat" you can find...more power to ya- I can always use the laugh.

However, when you've got a few,....and kids to feed too,.....get a good freezer, buy the cheapest chicken, livers, ox tails, whatever, cut/portion it out before you freeze it,...and take it easy and keep them hydrated. If you need to keep a specific weight,....get a scale and keep good notes. That's all there is to it. Really

 

high coast, you're an invaluable source of info.... just fyi

 

You can cut the vitamin out as it will no longer be needed the rf1 should stretch pretty nicely as you're just adding maintenance portions and not using for a keep, you may be surprised how high in calories it is. Won't have a problem kneeing weight on

 

highcoasthiker knows his shit! i switched this fella to a more or less chickenback only diet about a year ago, (ill give him a whole mackeral every other week)... and don't forget the water key... you also save loads of cash as well by going out and meeting farmers that pasture raise all their cows,pigs and chicken, your families and your dogs won't be disappointed and you'll be helping support local economies

 

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