[Jens]

Due to having a life besides my dogs, but having the desire to feed them a healthy raw diet, I was wondering what is a simply reciept to feed them daily the same food home made mix. I have two old Malamute/Retriever mixes and two young 3 months old puppies. All are currently on Orijen (large breed and adult) dry food, which they like and do well on. Also, how do you grind your meat, especially the bones and does anybody have a recommendation for a meat grinder.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Jens –

Check out the “Transitioning to Raw” thread and the “Suggested Raw Dog Food Menus?” thread – there are a lot of tips on getting started and some recipes there. Dogaware.com is a great resource for beginners and I would also recommend purchasing a copy of “Unlocking the Canine Ancestral Diet” by Steve Brown – it’s a very comprehensible and quick read, a great book for raw newbies. As for a grinder, I personally don’t use a grinder for my RMBs – your dogs miss out on the dental benefits if you grind the bones. I know a few people here do use grinders though, maybe one of them will pop in with what kind they have.

[Jens]

I just worry about the chicken bones, although the backs and necks are probably no risk, since they are not hollow.

[pugmomsandy]

Cabelas has a couple grinders to chose from but I’ve heard the 1/2 hp could barely grind turkey necks so if you’re just going to grind chicken wings or chicken necks and muscle meat, then that would be ok. But for whole poultry, ribs, rabbit I’d get a commercial grinder. I use a Weston 22 grinder. You can see a demo video of it at northcoastpets dot com under dog supplies, then BARF hardware. I don’t know how to copy/paste on my iPad! Sorry. While I do make ground food w bones I will also feed a RMB as well. Not everyday, just sometimes. I serve kibble, raw, canned and freeze dried.

[shelties mom]

I’m interested in buying the Weston 22 grinder also, does it grind up whole turkey with no issues? Where did you get yours?

[pugmomsandy]

Onlywest,

I grind all turkey parts and have ground pork ribs with the Weston 22. I bought it through amazon. I feed a red meat kibble so I don’t grind beef products.

[shelties mom]

pugmomsandy:
Thank you for sharing your tips. I only have 2 small shelties each weighs 15 lbs, but still want to go with all home-made. If I only grind chicken, I suppose I can go with a cheaper grinder but I want to provide variety. So what is your opinion on Dr. Becker’s supplement recipe? Have you tried it yet? I’m thinking I should follow it and use HDM’s green supplement mix. My dogs have flaky skin, I think there is something missing from their current diet: 1/2 Darwin’s, half home-made. I use grass-fed red meat for home-made since Darwin’s red meat is grain-finished.

[InkedMarie]

SheltiesMom: oh, you have little shelties! i have had three. My first was my a tri color, my very first dog, from a byb who was overweight (20 something years ago). Second was a blue merle, 20″ tall and 34 pounds! My last came to me at age 11, she was 14″ tall and weighed 43 pounds, was a red sable. We have our fourth coming a week from Saturday. She’s a 9 or 10year old sable named Gemma. Can y ou tell me more about your shelties?

[pugmomsandy]

sheltiesmom,

I’m currently using Dr Harveys MultiVitamin supplement currently and definitely give krill oil and intermittently give coconut and emu oil and now will begin adding some chia seed for some more omega 3.

[shelties mom]

Hi InkedMarie,
Both of my tri-color shelties are small, they only weigh 15 lbs. Got them both from families who couldn’t afford to keep them. They are 3 and 5. My last sable sheltie was 22 lbs, got her at 8 weeks, the best dog ever! I’m surprised to see some that look like collies at the park, but they are all beautiful. How exciting for you to be getting another one! Are you going to adopt or foster the new one?

[InkedMarie]

We’re adopting this one, she’ll be here a week from tomorrow! We don’t foster, I know me, I’d be a foster failure first time out LOL

[Jens]

I think we might have to shelve the raw food feedings, since we want to do dogs on wheels and they apparently frown on raw feedings. they worry the elderly will get Salmonella, when they lick their faces….. 🙂

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