Raw diet and bones?

[tida]

i am going to try primal...

my current kibble i am using is royal canine for yorkies. what do you think?

[PrincessDiana]

Originally Posted by mickeyyorkie

I am interested in trying raw! I heard the meat has to be purchased from certified dealers but by the sounds of this post many are using regular grocery store meat. Is grocery store meat okay? Does it require much preparation? Any opinions and info will help me.

The pre-made raw (Bravo, Primal, etc) comes completely balanced so you don't have to feed anything but that and just follow the guidelines. We prepare our own (aka prey-model raw) using regular grocery store meat but in turn have to balance it. The balanced diet requires 80% muscle meat, 10% bone, and 10% secreting organ meat with 5% being liver. You need to feed 2-3% of ideal body weight. As you can see, preparing it yourself requires a little more thought and preparation. However, it can be cheaper if you have the freezer space to buy in bulk and if you're good with finding sales. I also like to know exactly what I'm feeding and have the ability to give variety. Although raw is already a great diet for dogs, raw manufacturing companies are still pet food companies and thus still have issues with quality control, etc.

[yorkie_mama22]

Originally Posted by PrincessDiana

Boneless meals we feed in bowls inside. RMBs are usually fed outside unless the weather is too severe although my dogs generally will eat regardless of the weather. Once they're done I *sometimes* wipe their paws and face with a baby wipe, or a wet paper towel/rag. If feeding outside is not an option, you can feed in crates, playpens, or gated off tiled areas. That way you can easily wipe/mop/disinfect/whatever. Most owners train their dogs to eat on a towel. I started off by gating off our kitchen AND feeding them on a towel but eventually they got the hang of it and they know to stay on their towels. Those go in the wash every other week or so. I used to be really particular about cleaning but after a while you kind of just get used to it. Germs are everywhere, regardless of how hard you try to get rid of them. Plus a healthy exposure to bacteria can be beneficial! I wipe off areas that need to be disinfected with vinegar and hydrogen peroxide or the occasional Clorox wipe.

Thank you, that puts it into perspective much easier.

[ShylahTaffy]

I am new to the site and to raw feeding. Saphira is only turning 14 weeks at the end of this week and is just 1lb 10oz. I have been doing nothing all day and night but research on this diet and have found many informative sites. I am completely comfortable with the thought of this diet, except for the fact that she is so small (will only be approx. 3 lbs full grown) and so I am trying to wrap my head around what to feed her and how. I am also concerned about supplements...finding extensive info about the meat in the diet but only mentions about the supplements given. Any info is appreciated.
Thanks

[PrincessDiana]

Originally Posted by ShylahTaffy

I am new to the site and to raw feeding. Saphira is only turning 14 weeks at the end of this week and is just 1lb 10oz. I have been doing nothing all day and night but research on this diet and have found many informative sites. I am completely comfortable with the thought of this diet, except for the fact that she is so small (will only be approx. 3 lbs full grown) and so I am trying to wrap my head around what to feed her and how. I am also concerned about supplements...finding extensive info about the meat in the diet but only mentions about the supplements given. Any info is appreciated.
Thanks

Since she's so small, your options will probably be more limited than with a larger dog. I would go with pre-made raw or ground meals. For raw meaty bones you could probably use cornish hens and/or rabbit. If you follow the prey-model guidelines, there is no need for supplements.. it is already balanced!

[ShylahTaffy]

Thanks PrincessDiana.
I thought that I may need to give up on the prey-model feeding because she's so small but that would be the ideal way to feed her. I was thinking that if I must give her the ground meals (not keen on the pre-made stuff) I would put a prey-model meal together and grind it up, therefore not needing supplementing...right? Once in adulthood and at her adult weight I may try to switch to true prey-model. I know teeth problems are significant in Yorkies and I am just hoping to be able to feed her bone in order to avoid the somewhat inevitable...

[Rhondakester]

This thread has been so interesting to me! It's nice to find another Yorkie owner to give you their experience!

I'm not a big meat eater so I feel a little "uneducated" about some of the meats.

1. When you say you give the morning meal as ground meats do you mean hamburger or turkey? (I'm picturing the kind you use to make hamburger patties?!)

2. Should I start with bone in chicken breast? I bought some chicken legs and thighs but was wondering if I should start with chicken bone in breast first as I read that the bones on the breast were easier (and I have no idea where I read that as I have been reading a lot on Raw diets)

3. What do you do when you travel? We make 12 hour trips to Florida about 3 times per year and wondered what to do about eating in the car?

Thanks for all of the help you have given. I'm looking forward to taking the plunge!

Rhonda Kester

[PrincessDiana]

1. When you say you give the morning meal as ground meats do you mean hamburger or turkey? (I'm picturing the kind you use to make hamburger patties?!)

When we first started, yes we just gave ground pork/turkey/chicken from the grocery strore. We didn't use ground beef because it's typically really expensive. We have a rule of never spending over $2 a lb. Sometimes I'll break it for the occasional pork chop or beef cheekmeat, but we usually stay well under that. NOW, we order blends from texastripe.com that include organ and bone as well.

2. Should I start with bone in chicken breast? I bought some chicken legs and thighs but was wondering if I should start with chicken bone in breast first as I read that the bones on the breast were easier (and I have no idea where I read that as I have been reading a lot on Raw diets)

Bone in chicken breast is recommended by most rawfeeders but those can be pretty big so you'll have to cut them down. They are a good choice because they are mostly meat with a little bone. We started off with chicken drumsticks with no problems, but keep in mind our dogs weigh 8 and 11lbs.

3. What do you do when you travel? We make 12 hour trips to Florida about 3 times per year and wondered what to do about eating in the car?

There are plenty of travel options! You can buy pre-made raw and keep it in a portable cooler on ice. The easier option is to buy freeze-dried raw. You can either rehydrate it or feed it dry. Here are some links:

Freeze Dried Raw for dogs and cats | Nature's Variety
Stella & Chewy's - Dinners
Organic Raw Dehydrated Dog Food - Paw Naturaw


Hope this helps!

[mickeyyorkie]

Thanks to all the helpful advice of everybody I have started introducing raw chicken. Mickey showed interest and licked the chicken alot but wouldnt try to actually eat it...any suggestions on how to get his instincts to click in?

[PrincessDiana]

Originally Posted by mickeyyorkie

Thanks to all the helpful advice of everybody I have started introducing raw chicken. Mickey showed interest and licked the chicken alot but wouldnt try to actually eat it...any suggestions on how to get his instincts to click in?

Some dogs take to it right away and others are like "HUH? This is food?" You can try enticing him by holding it and sprinkling a little parmesan cheese on it. It can take a little while for him to get used to the idea of eating raw meat. Also, you can try cutting it up into little pieces and hand feeding it to him.

[mickeyyorkie]

Originally Posted by PrincessDiana

Some dogs take to it right away and others are like "HUH? This is food?" You can try enticing him by holding it and sprinkling a little parmesan cheese on it. It can take a little while for him to get used to the idea of eating raw meat. Also, you can try cutting it up into little pieces and hand feeding it to him.

The parmesan worked like a charm! Mickey ate the whole drummette! He seems a little more tired than usual but hasnt had any irregular bowel movements or anything. Any thoughts?

[PrincessDiana]

Originally Posted by mickeyyorkie

The parmesan worked like a charm! Mickey ate the whole drummette! He seems a little more tired than usual but hasnt had any irregular bowel movements or anything. Any thoughts?

Yay! I am so glad! It's interesting to me that he seems tired.. typically raw fed dogs perk up in energy although that probably doesn't happen right away. He's probably tired from having to eat that WHOLE drummette. I am so happy and excited for you and Mickey.

[terrierlover]

Please to help me with little baby dog. Give small peice chiken wing, but, not bite, then, bone go down throat but flesh still outside mouth and dog ask me help, so I am pulling bone out all one peice. Now try give big one leg, but not hungry, and burry in ground. How give small bone not to eat all one peice? And not nice, maybe take away bone in ground so not getting sick? Help me please kind people not hurt little dog.

[terrierlover]

I'm fergot, some time we finding animal dead and make dog come away so not sad, but, is food for dog? Or make sick?

[maya94609]

Originally Posted by vtran08

I have 3 Yorkies that eat raw everyday. I go thru a little more then 15 lbs of raw meat a day for the 3 of them....everyday. You can give them any bone as long as it's raw. so giving them a whole chicken with bones and all is an i love you forever in my home! They always have raw bones hiding around in their beds til they want to eat them. my dogs sometimes like to let their meat rot then eat it. freezer burnt meat is also ok to give. Their stomach acid will digest it with no problems. i have a whole big freezer stocked with raw meat. everything from chicken, pork, and beef to duck, deer, rabbits, squirrels and whatever else the dogs like to hunt and kill in the backyard. hunting has its advantages :-)
i've have been feeding my 3 yorkies raw for over a year now. i've noticed that it keeps their coat nicer. they also go potty less since meat contains water and kibble is dry (making them thirstier) and the poo is less smelly and i never have to worry about picking up after them since the poop is gone after a few days since is all nutrients and breaks down quickly.
I always have kibble laying around for them also as they do sometimes get tired of eating raw.

I know this thread is old, but 15lbs/day for 3 yorkies? That averages out to 5lb/day each. Are you sure you posted that correctly? Because that is a whole chicken/day per Yorkie which is WAY too much and not likely.