[andreag08]

Originally Posted by PrincessDiana

I am confused! What do you mean by feeding raw and then supplementing with bones? We feed prey model raw and bones are a very important part of our diet. Prey model raw feeders follow a basic guideline -- 80% muscle meat, 10% bone, and 10% secreting organ with 5% of this being liver. When these guidelines are followed, the raw diet is completely balanced! There is no need for supplementation. Also, there are two types of bones, digestible bones such as chicken wings or back/necks, and then there are dense, weight-bearing bones such as femur bones that are considered "recreational" or "wreck" bones. These bones can be detrimental to larger dogs because they are extremely hard and can cause tooth damage to any dog that tries to literally eat them. However, with smaller dogs I tend to feel they are safe because small dogs lack the ability to even "try" to eat them. Any chewing they do would be more like scraping the bone. There are many YT members who give these.

Everything you were told is correct -- dogs have enzymes called lysozymes which kill bacteria. They also have shorter digestive tracts and a higher concentration of stomach acid which aid in killing bacteria and preventing it from colonizing within the body. Dogs are genetically engineered to eat raw meat! Research shows their genetic makeup is essentially still the same as a wolf. Their dentition suggests that their mouth and jaws are meant for ripping and tearing at meat and bones. They do not have the flat molars that we do for grinding and chewing. They also lack amylase, a salivary enzyme which breaks down the cell wall of plant matter. This suggests that they are carnivores and thrive on meat.

Please let me know if you have any other questions! We have been raw feeding for a couple of months now and I've spent hours reading and researching. I can help direct you in the right direction!

vtran, I am suprised that you go through 15lbs of raw meat a day. The guidelines state suggest that the daily portion of food should 3%-4% of the total body weight. For example, Franklin is 11lbs and requires roughly 4oz. of food a day. This is only one pound every four days.

Is it to early to start feeding raw at 6 months? Bear is 6 months and 6.4 pounds now. I would definitelly considered feeding raw, just not sure if it is to early for him. Thanks