Hi All!

I have a few questions about the raw diet. I know most of them probably have already been asked and I apologize in advanced for it. I've been trying to read through the other posts but I find it so overwhelming. So much info. There are a few things I would love to know as I want to get Bandit started on this asap. I just want to make sure that I am doing it right. I don't want to give him something I shouldn't be and that can hurt him.

Do I just give him regular chicken, beef, etc straight from the package, like the meat we would cook and eat? I was speaking with someone who has their own company for the raw diet and everything seems to be prepackaged. They pre mix everything together such as the meat, veggies and vitamins. They say that is better for them. Better for the company because their prices were outrageous. Which do you prefer?

How many times a day do I give him this? Once a day or two? Best time for feeding him...Dinner time? How much do I give him? He currently weighs 49 lbs and a year old. I'm assuming I add vitamins to it as well.

And as for the bones...I just give him the whole thing, bones included? That kind of freaks me out but from what I have been reading it seems like everyone gives their Sibes the bone as well. What about ground hamburger? Is that good for them?

Sorry for all the questions but I just want to make sure I have this right before I start him on it. He is so darn picky with food that I am tired of buying new food for him all the time. I thought I would try this and see how it goes. I'm running out of options for him for food. I usually have to mix gravy or something in it for him to eat it.

Thanks and I look forward to all your advice. Thank gooodness for this site for Sibes. I'd be lost without it. LOL.

The mixed ground raw is going to be sold at a higher price for convenience. Personally- I find that regular do-it-yourself from home (meaning meat straight from the grocers or butcher) is the best way to go for the full benefits of raw feeding. You know where the meat is coming from, how it's being handled, and until it goes into your dogs mouth it is safe for human consumption.

A varied complete raw diet does not require added vitamins or veggies. Although- most of us do supplement with fish oils (or coconut oil) and vitamin E.

Bone-in meats are perfectly fine to feed as long as they're not weight bearing bones. Most to all chicken, fish, and turkey bones are fine to feed (some turkey parts may be a bit more of a challenge) as long as they're raw and UNCOOKED. And that's usually what I stick to for bone-in meats. I feed ground hamburger, pork, chicken, turkey, venison, duck, and fish when I can stomach it. The goal of a raw feeding style is variation.

You'll also need organ meats, and variation there is important too. You're necessary organs are kidney and liver. Heart is considered muscle meat- not organ.

Ok, perfect. I would rather do it myself as for the same reasons as yourself. Thank you so much for the advice. Greatly appreciated!

We don't do the mix either. We feed once a day, but twice a day is probably more ideal if you have the time. I don't, at least not until I'm done with this job in September. Smaller meals mean easier digestion, which makes nicer poops and easier on the dogs as a whole. Granted, my dogs poops are perfect, non-smelly, always hard. I'm the self-proclaimed Poo Master. You can learn a lot about the health of an animal based on its stool, so I'm always studying my packs poops. Yummy, I know!

We rotate through various meats, but chicken is the main one due to the price. I give beef or pork liver and kidneys. We supplement with imported salmon oil from europe, since it comes in an aluminum bottle instead of plastic like the Grizzly Wild Salmon Oil we used to purchase. Our local store is called Meat For Cats and Dogs, and is pretty much a raw meat pet store, although they do sell the higher-end, grain-free kibbles too. I get all of our meat, organs and bones in bulk from the local restaurant supplier. So we're buying 20-50lb boxes for cheaper than kibble per lb. Look for a place like this around where you live. Our place even has a pet menu for raw meat, but most everything on the pet menu is also on the human menu for the local restaurants. So it makes me feel good to be feeding human quality meat to my dogs, instead of dog quality leftovers that are not fit for human consumption. Before I found this local supplier, I was a member of a yahoo RAW/BARF group that covered the Pacific Northwest. There were hundreds of members, and when we went in on an order, because there were so many of us ordering thousands of lbs of raw meat, we would get a very good price (again, cheaper than kibble per lb). So look for those in your area too. The reason I switched to the local supplier is that I can go any day to pick up meat if we run out, and I don't have to wait for an entire group order, so I am more dependent with my ordering, and the prices were actually cheaper too.

I feed my dogs at night close to bed time, that way there is less chance for them to have to poop while we're bikejoring in the morning. So you just have to figure out your schedule. I don't think it matters when you feed them, as long as it is consistent daily.

O, and besides the fish oil as a supplement, we give this powder because my dogs are so active with bikejoring:

Quote :

Product Description: Wholistic Canine Complete Joint Mobility™ is a super-premium animal health supplement that provides concentrated joint support for Total Body Health™. Made with only the highest quality of certified organic ingredients, Wholistic Canine Complete Joint Mobility™ is based on a unique blend of pure, premium ingredients including:

• Shark cartilage-- unique angiogenesis-inhibiting properties.
• Glucosamine—a natural building block of cartilage that is used in the rebuilding process of cartilage
• MSM—helps maintain normal, healthy connective tissue in joints; helps control symptoms of joint discomfort
• Patented Ester C®—the most effective, Body–Ready™ form of Vitamin C; a powerful antioxidant.
• Digest All Plus™ enzyme complex—aids in maintaining normal, healthy joint function.

As our pets grow older, it becomes more important than ever that our pets maintain their health and well-being. Stiff joints might be the first sign that your pet is showing his age. Wholistic Canine Complete Joint Mobility™ is an all-in-one, organic, super-premium joint support supplement that provides concentrated joint and cartilage protection and support—all in one tasty, easy-to-feed formula that dogs just love!

Wholistic Canine Complete Joint Mobility™ starts with the same organic, raw ingredients found in Wholistic Canine Complete™. To this great formula is then added glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM, ingredients that are especially important in older dogs or in any working dog or large breed subject to joint stress.

Ingredient List: Calcium ascorbate, Digest-All Plus™, Glucosamine, Lecithin, MSM, Organic Bee Pollen, Organic garlic, Organic Kelp, Organic Spirulina, Organic stabilized flaxseed, Shark Cartilage, Unrefined Flaxseed Oil, Whole Fish Protei


Ingredient List: Calcium ascorbate:Ester-C® is a patented form of Vitamin C that is “body-ready” and found to be four times more readily available to body tissue than basic Vitamin C. There is an increased demand for Ester C® during times of stress such as heavy exercise or injury. Being an important constituent of connective tissue, Ester C® also serves as a chondroprotective, anti-inflammatory and immunoresponsive substance. Ester-C® is very easy on the stomach lining.

Ingredient List: Digest-All Plus™:A proprietary blend of purified plant and plant-based enzymes and pro-biotics for maximum support of the digestive system. Utilizing several different species of enzymes, Digest-All Plus™ actively breaks down proteins, sugars, starches, carbohydrates, cellulose, and fats throughout the complete digestive tract, allowing these nutrients to be easily absorbed by the body.

Ingredient List: Glucosamine:Glucosamine (shell fish) is a natural building block of cartilage. It influences the production of hyaluronic acid, a main constituent of synovial fluid that lubricates joints and allows bones to move smoothly past one another. In healthy pets, the body is able to synthesize a sufficient amount of its own glucosamine to keep the existing cartilage healthy, but when an animal ages or there is damage to the joint cartilage, the body may not be able to produce enough to keep up with the body’s increased needs.

Ingredient List: Lecithin:A key building block of all cell membranes, affecting its structure and integrity. Without lecithin, cell membranes would become hard and rigid. As such, lecithin protects cells from the destructive effects of oxidation. As a component of bile, lecithin also keeps fats emulsified, thereby keeping fats in the body properly balanced and maintained. Lecithin also promotes cell communication for proper cell and organ functioning.

Ingredient List: MSM:MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane) is a rich source or sulfur, which is required for most body functions. Sulfur is the fourth most abundant nutrient in the body and is stored in nearly every single cell with the highest concentrations being found in the skin, hair, nails, cartilage, and joints. The sulfur found in MSM is functionally and structurally important to 150 compounds within the body, including tissues, antibodies, enzymes, and hormones. Because mineral depletion of the soil is an on-going concern, dietary sources such as meat, eggs, and fish may not be adequate for maintenance levels and certainly are not adequate for therapeutic levels.

Ingredient List: Organic Bee Pollen:Referred to as “nature’s miracle food”, bee pollen consists of 35% protein, which is almost entirely usable by the body without any added breakdown or metabolism needed. It combines 22 amino acids, B-complex and folic acid, vitamin C, polyunsaturated fatty acids, enzymes and carotene, which are all of the major antioxidants so far discovered. Bee pollen also contains of a number of vital trace elements that the body cannot manufacture on its own. These include iron, zinc, manganese, copper, calcium, magnesium and potassium.

Ingredient List: Organic garlic:Containing allicin, garlic is a powerful antioxidant that exhibits antifungal and anti-bacterial properties. Garlic has been used for centuries as a deterrent for biting insects and also aids in the control of intestinal parasites.

Ingredient List: Organic Kelp:Kelp (Ascophylum nodosum) offers the broadest range of minerals of any food. Kelp is an excellent source of iodine and vitamin K, a very good source of B-vitamins, magnesium, iron, calcium, pantothenic acid, and a good source of lignans.

Ingredient List: Organic Spirulina:A completely all-natural, highly nutritious microscopic salt-water plant containing over 100 nutrients. It has the most remarkable concentration of nutrients known in any food, plant, grain or herb and is the largest protein food source with over 60% all-digestible vegetable protein (3-4 times higher than pork, beef or fish). Spirulina also contains the

Ingredient List: Organic stabilized flaxseed:A rich source of essential fatty acids, Omega-3 & Omega-6. Flaxseed promotes normal cell functioning and the production of hormone-like substances necessary for energy metabolism, cardiovascular, and immune health.

Ingredient List: Shark Cartilage:Shark Cartilage (Chondroitin sulfate) helps protect joints by inhibiting the degradative enzymes that destroy articular (joint) cartilage. Shark cartilage, which is primarily composed of chondroitin sulfate, is best known for its anti-angiogenesis properties. Without inhibiting the growth of new blood vessels in the joints, calcification occurs and the body becomes unable to heal damaged joint tissues. Chondroitin decreases the degradation of cartilage as glucosamine rebuilds it. Our shark cartilage is obtained exclusively from legalized fishing methods.

Ingredient List: Unrefined Flaxseed Oil:Rich in lignan, a type of phytoestrogen, flaxseed oil is a rich sourse of Omega-3 & Omega-6 fatty acids. Good health is dependent on EFA’s (essential fatty acids) for normal cell functioning and to produce hormone-like substances necessary for energy metabolism and cardiovascular and immune health.

Ingredient List: Whole Fish Protein:Produced from white fish native to pristine New Zealand waters. Fish protein powder is a highly absorbable source of predigested protein offering supreme palatability and a full spectrum of amino acids for proper growth, development, and maintenance. Fish protein provides 90% protein while eliminating concerns of beef contaminants or BSE when using beef liver.

We also give eggs when we have them. And don't forget the raw, meaty, marrow bones for dental (natural teeth cleaner from all of the chewing/grinding) and as a supplement. The marrow is really good for them and helps with solid poops.

And for bones, they can eat just about any type of bone, as long as it isn't cooked. Cooked bones can KILL them. My dogs have only had problems with some of the larger turkey drumstick bones due to the knots at the ends, but they'll still eat them, then throw them up a day or so later. All other bones somehow get broken down in their stomachs and pooped out with no problems. I've fed whole tilapia fish, eyes and bones, etc. The only thing I cut off is the spiny fins that are sharp and thick like nails. I won't let them eat the fins. But they get everything else. Jaw bones, etc. No issues.

And your final question that I think I missed was feeding size. I usually give a lb or 2 a day. If my dogs gain weight, I give them a little less. If they look too skinny, I give them a little more. If they go through periods of less exercise, I feed them less. More exercise, more food. You'll figure it out.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

Excellent! All my questions answered. Thank you so very much. I can't wait to get him started on this. I hope he likes it, I'm sure he will.

You're welcome. You are always free to ask further questions. We're here to help!