Question for Kev( and anyone else)
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- Zander
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Question for Kev( and anyone else)
Kev, you posted before what you feed your dogs, raw meat i,m pretty sure you said. Where did you get it, butchers? I want to a raw diet for my gsd, i,ve tried him on different dried foods and the amount that comes out his back end is ridiculous, its a wonder he gets any nutrition from his food. He,s 18 months, never stops moving, bags of energy but to me hes a stone underweight. He had stomach problems early on, had loads of tablets off the vet but like i say, tried everything, raw is the last resort, hoping its what he needs. Any thoughts Kev, lads? Cheers.
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- Barbel
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Re: Question for Kev( and anyone else)
I think Ben does as well Gav from one of the Sponsors
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- Zander
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Re: Question for Kev( and anyone else)
Nige Johns wrote: ↑Sun Jan 10 2021 18:26 -I think Ben does as well Gav from one of the Sponsors
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- Barbel
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Re: Question for Kev( and anyone else)
Gav ... Much better underweight than an overweight dog, but a stone overweight seems excessive, I use to like to see 3 ribs on mine ..
- SmellySmelt
- Perch
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Re: Question for Kev( and anyone else)
If you go for raw, he’ll need vegetables and carbs too, pasta or bread. Give fish, lamb breast, chicken carcasses too.
What dry food was he on? There are some good dry foods out there.
I get my meat from fallen stock, beef, mutton and horse. Good fatty meat.
If he’s a stone underweight then you need to get more grub in to him. Is he kennelled outside? Make sure it’s draft free. One of mine needs a coat on her in kennels but not when hunting.
What dry food was he on? There are some good dry foods out there.
I get my meat from fallen stock, beef, mutton and horse. Good fatty meat.
If he’s a stone underweight then you need to get more grub in to him. Is he kennelled outside? Make sure it’s draft free. One of mine needs a coat on her in kennels but not when hunting.
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- Zander
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Re: Question for Kev( and anyone else)
Lads i,ll try and get some pics up of him. You cant see his ribs but you can feel em which is right from what people say. He a lanky build, not really heavy built like some gsd,s. Either way, i dont think dry food is right for him, not sure hes getting enough nutrition from it. I i know Kev swears by raw meat. Bill Collins has gsd,s, hopefully he,ll be along soon.
Re: Question for Kev( and anyone else)
Raw meat is cheap for dogs.
I fed chicken carcasses to my big dogs but minced them for the smaller frenchies etc.
I could buy 400lb of chicken carcasses for 20..40 quid
But I was selling it for 40p a pound minced.
Get carcasses from chicken processing units. They have to pay to get rid of it.
I also got fallen stock mainly beef as not enough fat in horse meat.
I paid 20p a lb for it.
When mincing I chucked a bit of fish, sardines mainly, and liver in with it if requested.
Everything a dog needs is in a chicken carcase....a bit of offal now and then or a bit of fish will give it what's missing.
Some dogs take a bit of getting used to raw. Dont try and give it straight out the fridge, feed at room temp or close.
Fussy dogs I just used an old roasting tin, tipped a frozen block of mince in and cooked it in the oven for 20 mins or so.
Cooked on the outside getting gradually rare towards middle.
Dogs cannot digest lumps of raw veg the cant break the cell structure down...must be liquidised or cooked.
I never bothered much, didnt do the dogs any harm proved by the amount of best of breed ribbons they won
I fed chicken carcasses to my big dogs but minced them for the smaller frenchies etc.
I could buy 400lb of chicken carcasses for 20..40 quid
But I was selling it for 40p a pound minced.
Get carcasses from chicken processing units. They have to pay to get rid of it.
I also got fallen stock mainly beef as not enough fat in horse meat.
I paid 20p a lb for it.
When mincing I chucked a bit of fish, sardines mainly, and liver in with it if requested.
Everything a dog needs is in a chicken carcase....a bit of offal now and then or a bit of fish will give it what's missing.
Some dogs take a bit of getting used to raw. Dont try and give it straight out the fridge, feed at room temp or close.
Fussy dogs I just used an old roasting tin, tipped a frozen block of mince in and cooked it in the oven for 20 mins or so.
Cooked on the outside getting gradually rare towards middle.
Dogs cannot digest lumps of raw veg the cant break the cell structure down...must be liquidised or cooked.
I never bothered much, didnt do the dogs any harm proved by the amount of best of breed ribbons they won
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- Zander
- Posts: 9892
- Joined: Sat Aug 27 2011 05:00
Re: Question for Kev( and anyone else)
Kev Berry wrote: ↑Mon Jan 11 2021 10:16 -Thanks for that Kev, i,ll start off slowly, give him a bit of raw and what hes on now and change it gradually. Its worth a try, i honestly dont think any dried dog food is that good no matter how much it costs. I,ll try what you said Kev and see how it goes.Raw meat is cheap for dogs.
I fed chicken carcasses to my big dogs but minced them for the smaller frenchies etc.
I could buy 400lb of chicken carcasses for 20..40 quid
But I was selling it for 40p a pound minced.
Get carcasses from chicken processing units. They have to pay to get rid of it.
I also got fallen stock mainly beef as not enough fat in horse meat.
I paid 20p a lb for it.
When mincing I chucked a bit of fish, sardines mainly, and liver in with it if requested.
Everything a dog needs is in a chicken carcase....a bit of offal now and then or a bit of fish will give it what's missing.
Some dogs take a bit of getting used to raw. Dont try and give it straight out the fridge, feed at room temp or close.
Fussy dogs I just used an old roasting tin, tipped a frozen block of mince in and cooked it in the oven for 20 mins or so.
Cooked on the outside getting gradually rare towards middle.
Dogs cannot digest lumps of raw veg the cant break the cell structure down...must be liquidised or cooked.
I never bothered much, didnt do the dogs any harm proved by the amount of best of breed ribbons they won
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- Zander
- Posts: 9892
- Joined: Sat Aug 27 2011 05:00
Re: Question for Kev( and anyone else)
Thanks for all the advice lads, much appreciated
Re: Question for Kev( and anyone else)
GAVIN H wrote: ↑Mon Jan 11 2021 16:18 -dry dog food tends to be s***e---you would be surprised what they put in itKev Berry wrote: ↑Mon Jan 11 2021 10:16 -Thanks for that Kev, i,ll start off slowly, give him a bit of raw and what hes on now and change it gradually. Its worth a try, i honestly dont think any dried dog food is that good no matter how much it costs. I,ll try what you said Kev and see how it goes.Raw meat is cheap for dogs.
I fed chicken carcasses to my big dogs but minced them for the smaller frenchies etc.
I could buy 400lb of chicken carcasses for 20..40 quid
But I was selling it for 40p a pound minced.
Get carcasses from chicken processing units. They have to pay to get rid of it.
I also got fallen stock mainly beef as not enough fat in horse meat.
I paid 20p a lb for it.
When mincing I chucked a bit of fish, sardines mainly, and liver in with it if requested.
Everything a dog needs is in a chicken carcase....a bit of offal now and then or a bit of fish will give it what's missing.
Some dogs take a bit of getting used to raw. Dont try and give it straight out the fridge, feed at room temp or close.
Fussy dogs I just used an old roasting tin, tipped a frozen block of mince in and cooked it in the oven for 20 mins or so.
Cooked on the outside getting gradually rare towards middle.
Dogs cannot digest lumps of raw veg the cant break the cell structure down...must be liquidised or cooked.
I never bothered much, didnt do the dogs any harm proved by the amount of best of breed ribbons they won
protein too low----put a bit of feather meal in it---its 100% protein. Problem is its protein dogs cant digest, you wont see it as feather meal on the bag, poultry derived products will be the best you will get
the cheaper the brand the more s**t shovelling you do
once they on the raw the amount of poop scooping is halved
Raw minced tripe is good to start them on, EVERY dog loves it ---not as much protein as beef or chicken though and insufficient in vitamins. A tripe/chicken mix is a good diet if your dog is fussy.
Big dogs got fed on a big lump of beef or tripe (3lb or so) and a couple or 3 chicken carcases---stops them bolting everything down to quick
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- Barbel
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- Joined: Thu Dec 28 2017 16:49
Re: Question for Kev( and anyone else)
Kev Berry wrote: ↑Mon Jan 11 2021 20:47 -GAVIN H wrote: ↑Mon Jan 11 2021 16:18 -dry dog food tends to be s***e---you would be surprised what they put in itKev Berry wrote: ↑Mon Jan 11 2021 10:16 -Thanks for that Kev, i,ll start off slowly, give him a bit of raw and what hes on now and change it gradually. Its worth a try, i honestly dont think any dried dog food is that good no matter how much it costs. I,ll try what you said Kev and see how it goes.Raw meat is cheap for dogs.
I fed chicken carcasses to my big dogs but minced them for the smaller frenchies etc.
I could buy 400lb of chicken carcasses for 20..40 quid
But I was selling it for 40p a pound minced.
Get carcasses from chicken processing units. They have to pay to get rid of it.
I also got fallen stock mainly beef as not enough fat in horse meat.
I paid 20p a lb for it.
When mincing I chucked a bit of fish, sardines mainly, and liver in with it if requested.
Everything a dog needs is in a chicken carcase....a bit of offal now and then or a bit of fish will give it what's missing.
Some dogs take a bit of getting used to raw. Dont try and give it straight out the fridge, feed at room temp or close.
Fussy dogs I just used an old roasting tin, tipped a frozen block of mince in and cooked it in the oven for 20 mins or so.
Cooked on the outside getting gradually rare towards middle.
Dogs cannot digest lumps of raw veg the cant break the cell structure down...must be liquidised or cooked.
I never bothered much, didnt do the dogs any harm proved by the amount of best of breed ribbons they won
protein too low----put a bit of feather meal in it---its 100% protein. Problem is its protein dogs cant digest, you wont see it as feather meal on the bag, poultry derived products will be the best you will get
the cheaper the brand the more s**t shovelling you do
once they on the raw the amount of poop scooping is halved
Raw minced tripe is good to start them on, EVERY dog loves it ---not as much protein as beef or chicken though and insufficient in vitamins. A tripe/chicken mix is a good diet if your dog is fussy.
Big dogs got fed on a big lump of beef or tripe (3lb or so) and a couple or 3 chicken carcases---stops them bolting everything down to quick
My spaniels done exceptionally well on tripe, use to buy 2-3 a week for mine ... But all kenneled, then I went to Beta field trials as it was zero rated, then the cost just ramped up, when I get dogs again it will be a mixture of raw with a small amount of mixer, remember eukanuba kev?
Extremely expensive but you fed so little, a friend fed it but said the dog would stand looking at him as if to say ..is that it! Lol
Re: Question for Kev( and anyone else)
Stewlaws wrote: ↑Mon Jan 11 2021 21:27 -that was the red kibble one Stew, one of the first to be madeKev Berry wrote: ↑Mon Jan 11 2021 20:47 -GAVIN H wrote: ↑Mon Jan 11 2021 16:18 -dry dog food tends to be s***e---you would be surprised what they put in itKev Berry wrote: ↑Mon Jan 11 2021 10:16 -Thanks for that Kev, i,ll start off slowly, give him a bit of raw and what hes on now and change it gradually. Its worth a try, i honestly dont think any dried dog food is that good no matter how much it costs. I,ll try what you said Kev and see how it goes.Raw meat is cheap for dogs.
I fed chicken carcasses to my big dogs but minced them for the smaller frenchies etc.
I could buy 400lb of chicken carcasses for 20..40 quid
But I was selling it for 40p a pound minced.
Get carcasses from chicken processing units. They have to pay to get rid of it.
I also got fallen stock mainly beef as not enough fat in horse meat.
I paid 20p a lb for it.
When mincing I chucked a bit of fish, sardines mainly, and liver in with it if requested.
Everything a dog needs is in a chicken carcase....a bit of offal now and then or a bit of fish will give it what's missing.
Some dogs take a bit of getting used to raw. Dont try and give it straight out the fridge, feed at room temp or close.
Fussy dogs I just used an old roasting tin, tipped a frozen block of mince in and cooked it in the oven for 20 mins or so.
Cooked on the outside getting gradually rare towards middle.
Dogs cannot digest lumps of raw veg the cant break the cell structure down...must be liquidised or cooked.
I never bothered much, didnt do the dogs any harm proved by the amount of best of breed ribbons they won
protein too low----put a bit of feather meal in it---its 100% protein. Problem is its protein dogs cant digest, you wont see it as feather meal on the bag, poultry derived products will be the best you will get
the cheaper the brand the more s**t shovelling you do
once they on the raw the amount of poop scooping is halved
Raw minced tripe is good to start them on, EVERY dog loves it ---not as much protein as beef or chicken though and insufficient in vitamins. A tripe/chicken mix is a good diet if your dog is fussy.
Big dogs got fed on a big lump of beef or tripe (3lb or so) and a couple or 3 chicken carcases---stops them bolting everything down to quick
My spaniels done exceptionally well on tripe, use to buy 2-3 a week for mine ... But all kenneled, then I went to Beta field trials as it was zero rated, then the cost just ramped up, when I get dogs again it will be a mixture of raw with a small amount of mixer, remember eukanuba kev?
Extremely expensive but you fed so little, a friend fed it but said the dog would stand looking at him as if to say ..is that it! Lol
what was in it? I will tell you---EVERYTHING off a chicken you wouldnt eat yourself and a couple of binders to hold it together. In other words everything from the plucking and gutting room that normally went up the conveyor belt and into the skip, blood, feathers, heads, feet, guts.
This stinking mess then then went to the factory and cooked by steam in a big cement mixer type machine full of steel balls that ground everything to dust as it cooked. A worm fed this dust along a pipe where other binding ingredients were added. At the business end the worm compressed this stuff together and forced it through a plate at very high pressure(like a mincer) which made it red hot and cooked it again and bound it together, the resulting kibble was then cooled down and bagged.
Cost next to feck all, made from s***e and they charged a bomb for it---some dogs ate it, some cocked their legs over it
the amount you pay for dried food isnt a guide to whats in it---with dog food you cant believe what it says on the tin
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- Perch
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Re: Question for Kev( and anyone else)
Mate used to get tripe from slaughter house for his spaniels....but wouldn't get it for his mates....it was that bad, probably not even technically tripe- just some part of a cows intestine. Made them shat black stripes.
A lad worked at Chick shack and in the office one day was a sack of day olds- sexed chicks...they had been there a few days so you can imagine. A Chinese couple came in from a takeaway/ restaurant to settle their bill and asked for them...Fred told them he couldn't as they were certainly not fit cor consumption. When he left the office for something and returned guess what....yep the sack had mysteriously been transported to the 4th dimension.
A lad worked at Chick shack and in the office one day was a sack of day olds- sexed chicks...they had been there a few days so you can imagine. A Chinese couple came in from a takeaway/ restaurant to settle their bill and asked for them...Fred told them he couldn't as they were certainly not fit cor consumption. When he left the office for something and returned guess what....yep the sack had mysteriously been transported to the 4th dimension.
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- Zander
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Re: Question for Kev( and anyone else)
JohnCopeman wrote: ↑Tue Jan 12 2021 16:33 -No wonder Covid came from ChinaMate used to get tripe from slaughter house for his spaniels....but wouldn't get it for his mates....it was that bad, probably not even technically tripe- just some part of a cows intestine. Made them shat black stripes.
A lad worked at Chick shack and in the office one day was a sack of day olds- sexed chicks...they had been there a few days so you can imagine. A Chinese couple came in from a takeaway/ restaurant to settle their bill and asked for them...Fred told them he couldn't as they were certainly not fit cor consumption. When he left the office for something and returned guess what....yep the sack had mysteriously been transported to the 4th dimension.
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- Zander
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- Joined: Sat Aug 27 2011 05:00
Re: Question for Kev( and anyone else)
Kev Berry wrote: ↑Mon Jan 11 2021 23:16 -Is that basically how all dried kibble is made Kev?Stewlaws wrote: ↑Mon Jan 11 2021 21:27 -that was the red kibble one Stew, one of the first to be madeKev Berry wrote: ↑Mon Jan 11 2021 20:47 -GAVIN H wrote: ↑Mon Jan 11 2021 16:18 -dry dog food tends to be s***e---you would be surprised what they put in itKev Berry wrote: ↑Mon Jan 11 2021 10:16 -Thanks for that Kev, i,ll start off slowly, give him a bit of raw and what hes on now and change it gradually. Its worth a try, i honestly dont think any dried dog food is that good no matter how much it costs. I,ll try what you said Kev and see how it goes.Raw meat is cheap for dogs.
I fed chicken carcasses to my big dogs but minced them for the smaller frenchies etc.
I could buy 400lb of chicken carcasses for 20..40 quid
But I was selling it for 40p a pound minced.
Get carcasses from chicken processing units. They have to pay to get rid of it.
I also got fallen stock mainly beef as not enough fat in horse meat.
I paid 20p a lb for it.
When mincing I chucked a bit of fish, sardines mainly, and liver in with it if requested.
Everything a dog needs is in a chicken carcase....a bit of offal now and then or a bit of fish will give it what's missing.
Some dogs take a bit of getting used to raw. Dont try and give it straight out the fridge, feed at room temp or close.
Fussy dogs I just used an old roasting tin, tipped a frozen block of mince in and cooked it in the oven for 20 mins or so.
Cooked on the outside getting gradually rare towards middle.
Dogs cannot digest lumps of raw veg the cant break the cell structure down...must be liquidised or cooked.
I never bothered much, didnt do the dogs any harm proved by the amount of best of breed ribbons they won
protein too low----put a bit of feather meal in it---its 100% protein. Problem is its protein dogs cant digest, you wont see it as feather meal on the bag, poultry derived products will be the best you will get
the cheaper the brand the more s**t shovelling you do
once they on the raw the amount of poop scooping is halved
Raw minced tripe is good to start them on, EVERY dog loves it ---not as much protein as beef or chicken though and insufficient in vitamins. A tripe/chicken mix is a good diet if your dog is fussy.
Big dogs got fed on a big lump of beef or tripe (3lb or so) and a couple or 3 chicken carcases---stops them bolting everything down to quick
My spaniels done exceptionally well on tripe, use to buy 2-3 a week for mine ... But all kenneled, then I went to Beta field trials as it was zero rated, then the cost just ramped up, when I get dogs again it will be a mixture of raw with a small amount of mixer, remember eukanuba kev?
Extremely expensive but you fed so little, a friend fed it but said the dog would stand looking at him as if to say ..is that it! Lol
what was in it? I will tell you---EVERYTHING off a chicken you wouldnt eat yourself and a couple of binders to hold it together. In other words everything from the plucking and gutting room that normally went up the conveyor belt and into the skip, blood, feathers, heads, feet, guts.
This stinking mess then then went to the factory and cooked by steam in a big cement mixer type machine full of steel balls that ground everything to dust as it cooked. A worm fed this dust along a pipe where other binding ingredients were added. At the business end the worm compressed this stuff together and forced it through a plate at very high pressure(like a mincer) which made it red hot and cooked it again and bound it together, the resulting kibble was then cooled down and bagged.
Cost next to feck all, made from s***e and they charged a bomb for it---some dogs ate it, some cocked their legs over it
the amount you pay for dried food isnt a guide to whats in it---with dog food you cant believe what it says on the tin
Re: Question for Kev( and anyone else)
GAVIN H wrote: ↑Tue Jan 12 2021 19:25 -I dont know if they all do it exactly like that now, but it will be along the same linesKev Berry wrote: ↑Mon Jan 11 2021 23:16 -Is that basically how all dried kibble is made Kev?Stewlaws wrote: ↑Mon Jan 11 2021 21:27 -that was the red kibble one Stew, one of the first to be madeKev Berry wrote: ↑Mon Jan 11 2021 20:47 -GAVIN H wrote: ↑Mon Jan 11 2021 16:18 -dry dog food tends to be s***e---you would be surprised what they put in itKev Berry wrote: ↑Mon Jan 11 2021 10:16 -Thanks for that Kev, i,ll start off slowly, give him a bit of raw and what hes on now and change it gradually. Its worth a try, i honestly dont think any dried dog food is that good no matter how much it costs. I,ll try what you said Kev and see how it goes.Raw meat is cheap for dogs.
I fed chicken carcasses to my big dogs but minced them for the smaller frenchies etc.
I could buy 400lb of chicken carcasses for 20..40 quid
But I was selling it for 40p a pound minced.
Get carcasses from chicken processing units. They have to pay to get rid of it.
I also got fallen stock mainly beef as not enough fat in horse meat.
I paid 20p a lb for it.
When mincing I chucked a bit of fish, sardines mainly, and liver in with it if requested.
Everything a dog needs is in a chicken carcase....a bit of offal now and then or a bit of fish will give it what's missing.
Some dogs take a bit of getting used to raw. Dont try and give it straight out the fridge, feed at room temp or close.
Fussy dogs I just used an old roasting tin, tipped a frozen block of mince in and cooked it in the oven for 20 mins or so.
Cooked on the outside getting gradually rare towards middle.
Dogs cannot digest lumps of raw veg the cant break the cell structure down...must be liquidised or cooked.
I never bothered much, didnt do the dogs any harm proved by the amount of best of breed ribbons they won
protein too low----put a bit of feather meal in it---its 100% protein. Problem is its protein dogs cant digest, you wont see it as feather meal on the bag, poultry derived products will be the best you will get
the cheaper the brand the more s**t shovelling you do
once they on the raw the amount of poop scooping is halved
Raw minced tripe is good to start them on, EVERY dog loves it ---not as much protein as beef or chicken though and insufficient in vitamins. A tripe/chicken mix is a good diet if your dog is fussy.
Big dogs got fed on a big lump of beef or tripe (3lb or so) and a couple or 3 chicken carcases---stops them bolting everything down to quick
My spaniels done exceptionally well on tripe, use to buy 2-3 a week for mine ... But all kenneled, then I went to Beta field trials as it was zero rated, then the cost just ramped up, when I get dogs again it will be a mixture of raw with a small amount of mixer, remember eukanuba kev?
Extremely expensive but you fed so little, a friend fed it but said the dog would stand looking at him as if to say ..is that it! Lol
what was in it? I will tell you---EVERYTHING off a chicken you wouldnt eat yourself and a couple of binders to hold it together. In other words everything from the plucking and gutting room that normally went up the conveyor belt and into the skip, blood, feathers, heads, feet, guts.
This stinking mess then then went to the factory and cooked by steam in a big cement mixer type machine full of steel balls that ground everything to dust as it cooked. A worm fed this dust along a pipe where other binding ingredients were added. At the business end the worm compressed this stuff together and forced it through a plate at very high pressure(like a mincer) which made it red hot and cooked it again and bound it together, the resulting kibble was then cooled down and bagged.
Cost next to feck all, made from s***e and they charged a bomb for it---some dogs ate it, some cocked their legs over it
the amount you pay for dried food isnt a guide to whats in it---with dog food you cant believe what it says on the tin
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- Barbel
- Posts: 2597
- Joined: Thu Dec 28 2017 16:49
Re: Question for Kev( and anyone else)
We had a small livestock market that was always holding small holders produce auction every 3rd Thursday of the month, a friend took me to buy some pigeons, there was mixed lots (not allowed now) so you could bid on say 2ducks 1chicken and a goose ... Then possibly rabbits, guinea pigs etc ... Most made a few £... But more telling was the amount of Chinese people there picking up all sorts for a few £...
You guys who eat Chinese.. lol
You guys who eat Chinese.. lol
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- Roach
- Posts: 167
- Joined: Sun Aug 04 2019 22:19
- Location: Sheffield and France
Re: Question for Kev( and anyone else)
Interesting discussion this, especially since I am actively looking to buy a pedigree german shepherd pup this year.
Have had a coupleof gsds in the past but as I am now retired, I now have the time and energies to make the necessary commitment in providing a life long, happy and active home for a dog.
I want to make the best decision possible, so have spent the best part of a year researching which breeders to approach and having made a shortlist, then asking the breeders some detailed questions, including how they feed their pups and parent dogs.
Of the shortlisted breeders I have spoken to so far, three of the 4 are very passionate advocates of raw feeding, starting as soon as the pups are on solid foods.
Advice I have been consistently given is that the raw food, if it is to meet all of the dogs nutritional requirements, needs to be comprised 80% true meat (ie muscle with a little fat), no more than 10-15% bone and between 5-10% of organ meat ie offal, of which liver is the most nutritious. The feeding of offal/organ meats is considered vital as it is impossible to provide sufficient vitamins and minerals into the raw diet without it.
The meat element can and should include a proportion of oily fish, which can be fresh or frozen.
Any bone provided must be uncooked only (cooked bone shatters into fragments and can cause all sorts of problems as a result). Bone can include, as others have said chicken wings - which are 50/50 bone and meat, chicken necks and feet, sheep, beef, venison etc rib bones and so on. It is an easy task to find on line what the bone percentage is of eg chicken legs/wings etc For pups, the bone percentage should be closer to 15% as it helps to develop the skeletal framework and dentistry of a young dog. Goes without saying that any bone fed to a dog should be relatively proportionate to its size. and ability to crack and eat it safely.
Breeders advice to me is very clear on the need to avoid the very tough animal bones eg beef shins unless the dog you are feeding is adult and sizeable, as these types of weight bearing bones are very likely to crack or damage all but the largest, strongest dogs teeth.
Supplements, in the form of raw eggs and green and root veggies - carrots, parsnips etc - should be fed, but sparingly and finally chopped, to be sprinkled over the dogs meat based food. Advice I have been given is no more than three raw eggs a week. All grains, esp rice, should be avoided. Other supplements commonly added to a raw diet, in tablespoon sized measures only, include salmon and coconut oils, primarily to ensure the dog develops a thick healthy and glossy coat.
I am consistently advised it is not essential to feed carbs, though some raw feeders choose to do so. I am very strongly advised not to to incorporate any chocolate, even as treats , into a dogs diet.
One breeder I spoke to only this morning said that for 15 years she fed all her gsds - adults and pups - a very reputable, high value kibble, but often wondered why many of her dogs suffered with upset stomachs, allergies, and so on and switching to a raw diet almost overnight was a revelation for her. As she said to me, she now know exactly what goes into her gsd's diets, something which she was never able to do with precision when she fed the traditional kibble type foods.
There is a ton of info on line on raw diets for dogs (and cats) and as is often the case, the USA is considerably ahead of the UK an most of Europe in this respect.
For those worried or concerned about costs - as Kev says, there are a range of raw food suppliers out there who can help, from the small corner shop butchers to the meat processing plants.
Absolutely no question in my mind that when I get another pup this year, I will be feeding him/her a raw diet!
Cheers
Anthony
Have had a coupleof gsds in the past but as I am now retired, I now have the time and energies to make the necessary commitment in providing a life long, happy and active home for a dog.
I want to make the best decision possible, so have spent the best part of a year researching which breeders to approach and having made a shortlist, then asking the breeders some detailed questions, including how they feed their pups and parent dogs.
Of the shortlisted breeders I have spoken to so far, three of the 4 are very passionate advocates of raw feeding, starting as soon as the pups are on solid foods.
Advice I have been consistently given is that the raw food, if it is to meet all of the dogs nutritional requirements, needs to be comprised 80% true meat (ie muscle with a little fat), no more than 10-15% bone and between 5-10% of organ meat ie offal, of which liver is the most nutritious. The feeding of offal/organ meats is considered vital as it is impossible to provide sufficient vitamins and minerals into the raw diet without it.
The meat element can and should include a proportion of oily fish, which can be fresh or frozen.
Any bone provided must be uncooked only (cooked bone shatters into fragments and can cause all sorts of problems as a result). Bone can include, as others have said chicken wings - which are 50/50 bone and meat, chicken necks and feet, sheep, beef, venison etc rib bones and so on. It is an easy task to find on line what the bone percentage is of eg chicken legs/wings etc For pups, the bone percentage should be closer to 15% as it helps to develop the skeletal framework and dentistry of a young dog. Goes without saying that any bone fed to a dog should be relatively proportionate to its size. and ability to crack and eat it safely.
Breeders advice to me is very clear on the need to avoid the very tough animal bones eg beef shins unless the dog you are feeding is adult and sizeable, as these types of weight bearing bones are very likely to crack or damage all but the largest, strongest dogs teeth.
Supplements, in the form of raw eggs and green and root veggies - carrots, parsnips etc - should be fed, but sparingly and finally chopped, to be sprinkled over the dogs meat based food. Advice I have been given is no more than three raw eggs a week. All grains, esp rice, should be avoided. Other supplements commonly added to a raw diet, in tablespoon sized measures only, include salmon and coconut oils, primarily to ensure the dog develops a thick healthy and glossy coat.
I am consistently advised it is not essential to feed carbs, though some raw feeders choose to do so. I am very strongly advised not to to incorporate any chocolate, even as treats , into a dogs diet.
One breeder I spoke to only this morning said that for 15 years she fed all her gsds - adults and pups - a very reputable, high value kibble, but often wondered why many of her dogs suffered with upset stomachs, allergies, and so on and switching to a raw diet almost overnight was a revelation for her. As she said to me, she now know exactly what goes into her gsd's diets, something which she was never able to do with precision when she fed the traditional kibble type foods.
There is a ton of info on line on raw diets for dogs (and cats) and as is often the case, the USA is considerably ahead of the UK an most of Europe in this respect.
For those worried or concerned about costs - as Kev says, there are a range of raw food suppliers out there who can help, from the small corner shop butchers to the meat processing plants.
Absolutely no question in my mind that when I get another pup this year, I will be feeding him/her a raw diet!
Cheers
Anthony
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- Barbel
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Re: Question for Kev( and anyone else)
Once every week I would put a walnut size knob of butter in their dish, became a routine ....whether it did them any good is debatable but did have nice coats on them, but then they lived outdoors and the only wash they got was from the river or lakes !
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Re: Question for Kev( and anyone else)
During old weather I put a strip of beef dripping the width of you finger in the grub as their kennelled outside.
Antione I have two pups here that are on raw, I had them on it at 4.5 weeks old.
Antione I have two pups here that are on raw, I had them on it at 4.5 weeks old.
Re: Question for Kev( and anyone else)
Fat is a very important part of a dogs diet
Feed your dog on the best lean meat and it will lose weight.
Chicken carcasses give nearly everything to a dog it needs. A bit of liver will give the rest.
Marrow inside the bones is very good for dogs.
I stopped giving my dogs bones to chew on because it caused fights.
They had pig sheep and cow rib bones as these could be chomped and swallowed quickly without gnawing and chewing and winding the dog in next kennel/run up.
Unwashed tripe with some of contents still attached will also give the dogs the bit of plant life they can digest. The cows have already broke down the cell structure allowing dogs to digest it.
During WW2 many dogs survived on cow and sheep stomachs and contents as there was very little dog food available.
First "complete" dog food was based on this..Vitalin.
Problem was it went in looking like rabbit food and it came out looking the same....the chickens loved it
Feed your dog on the best lean meat and it will lose weight.
Chicken carcasses give nearly everything to a dog it needs. A bit of liver will give the rest.
Marrow inside the bones is very good for dogs.
I stopped giving my dogs bones to chew on because it caused fights.
They had pig sheep and cow rib bones as these could be chomped and swallowed quickly without gnawing and chewing and winding the dog in next kennel/run up.
Unwashed tripe with some of contents still attached will also give the dogs the bit of plant life they can digest. The cows have already broke down the cell structure allowing dogs to digest it.
During WW2 many dogs survived on cow and sheep stomachs and contents as there was very little dog food available.
First "complete" dog food was based on this..Vitalin.
Problem was it went in looking like rabbit food and it came out looking the same....the chickens loved it
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Re: Question for Kev( and anyone else)
GAVIN H wrote: ↑Sun Jan 10 2021 17:44 -I had my fox terrier Rufus on raw.Kev, you posted before what you feed your dogs, raw meat i,m pretty sure you said. Where did you get it, butchers? I want to a raw diet for my gsd, i,ve tried him on different dried foods and the amount that comes out his back end is ridiculous, its a wonder he gets any nutrition from his food. He,s 18 months, never stops moving, bags of energy but to me hes a stone underweight. He had stomach problems early on, had loads of tablets off the vet but like i say, tried everything, raw is the last resort, hoping its what he needs. Any thoughts Kev, lads? Cheers.
It was a while ago but there's a set way to wean them onto it involving tripe. They should have certain amounts of tripe and raw meat throughout the week/month
Think the Facebook forum was called BARF UK, there's a feeding guide on there and everyone is helpful to give advice. I used to order online from the dogs butcher. They do beef to kangaroo, all decent stuff.
Important to get the bone to meat ratio correct otherwise they'll have white or liquid s***s. Again there's guides for this. It does involve cutting/portioning it all out on delivery day then re freezing but was worth it for me.
He did really well on it. Was calm (for a fox terrier ) no skin issues and s good size tho people will always say they're skinny. They're not they are fit and healthy, same as we say someone is skinny when in actual fact we should all be like that
Hope you persevere tho it's also not for every dog do see how they respond
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Re: Question for Kev( and anyone else)
Kev Berry wrote: ↑Thu Jan 14 2021 23:23 -A working dog needs carbohydrates too, a small about. Might be different for pet dogs. Veg have vitamins that the meat is lacking.Fat is a very important part of a dogs diet
Feed your dog on the best lean meat and it will lose weight.
Chicken carcasses give nearly everything to a dog it needs. A bit of liver will give the rest.
Marrow inside the bones is very good for dogs.
I stopped giving my dogs bones to chew on because it caused fights.
They had pig sheep and cow rib bones as these could be chomped and swallowed quickly without gnawing and chewing and winding the dog in next kennel/run up.
Unwashed tripe with some of contents still attached will also give the dogs the bit of plant life they can digest. The cows have already broke down the cell structure allowing dogs to digest it.
During WW2 many dogs survived on cow and sheep stomachs and contents as there was very little dog food available.
First "complete" dog food was based on this..Vitalin.
Problem was it went in looking like rabbit food and it came out looking the same....the chickens loved it
If you are get trip straight from any animal, it’s best to soak it in a bucket of water or leave hanging for a few days so that the slaughtered animals enzymes have died off on it or your dog will be getting sick everywhere.
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Re: Question for Kev( and anyone else)
Old gameeper my uncle worked with used to run kennels on the side. When folk brought their beloved pooches for a fortnight stay with a list of their favourite diet old Metcalfe would give them a large portion of Epsom salts on day one and a liquid lunch on day two. Day three you could of thrown dry Vitalin mixed with postcrete on the floor and they would gobble it down before you turned your back.
You say the chickens loved dog eggs Kev....we had a tortoise that loved to chow down on them too....and he preferred them warm/ freshly laid
You say the chickens loved dog eggs Kev....we had a tortoise that loved to chow down on them too....and he preferred them warm/ freshly laid
Re: Question for Kev( and anyone else)
SmellySmelt wrote: ↑Fri Jan 15 2021 10:52 -How many plant based carbohydrates do wolves and african wild dogs eat?Kev Berry wrote: ↑Thu Jan 14 2021 23:23 -A working dog needs carbohydrates too, a small about. Might be different for pet dogs. Veg have vitamins that the meat is lacking.Fat is a very important part of a dogs diet
Feed your dog on the best lean meat and it will lose weight.
Chicken carcasses give nearly everything to a dog it needs. A bit of liver will give the rest.
Marrow inside the bones is very good for dogs.
I stopped giving my dogs bones to chew on because it caused fights.
They had pig sheep and cow rib bones as these could be chomped and swallowed quickly without gnawing and chewing and winding the dog in next kennel/run up.
Unwashed tripe with some of contents still attached will also give the dogs the bit of plant life they can digest. The cows have already broke down the cell structure allowing dogs to digest it.
During WW2 many dogs survived on cow and sheep stomachs and contents as there was very little dog food available.
First "complete" dog food was based on this..Vitalin.
Problem was it went in looking like rabbit food and it came out looking the same....the chickens loved it
If you are get trip straight from any animal, it’s best to soak it in a bucket of water or leave hanging for a few days so that the slaughtered animals enzymes have died off on it or your dog will be getting sick everywhere.
That's why fat is an important part of a dogs diet
Fed dogs on tripe that's still warm/been frozen/got maggots in and never had one sick. Only time a dog gets sick on tripe is cos its eaten too much.
Dogs love it.
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Re: Question for Kev( and anyone else)
I remember when I used to be a kennel hand for a pack of hounds, there was a flock of chickens at the kennels. They spent most their time on the s**t heap picking. One of the masters wife, she thought everyone was below her and s**t on her shoe. Well we always made sure she got a dozen every week
- SmellySmelt
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Re: Question for Kev( and anyone else)
Kev Berry wrote: ↑Fri Jan 15 2021 12:20 -I’m talking about working dogs. Not wild animals, they perform better with carbohydrates in their diets. That is plane to see when you are working them. It might not be essential in their diet to live but when your grafting them a few times a week you can see the difference with carbs on board. Your average dog will never be tested to where it needs more in their diet.SmellySmelt wrote: ↑Fri Jan 15 2021 10:52 -How many plant based carbohydrates do wolves and african wild dogs eat?Kev Berry wrote: ↑Thu Jan 14 2021 23:23 -A working dog needs carbohydrates too, a small about. Might be different for pet dogs. Veg have vitamins that the meat is lacking.Fat is a very important part of a dogs diet
Feed your dog on the best lean meat and it will lose weight.
Chicken carcasses give nearly everything to a dog it needs. A bit of liver will give the rest.
Marrow inside the bones is very good for dogs.
I stopped giving my dogs bones to chew on because it caused fights.
They had pig sheep and cow rib bones as these could be chomped and swallowed quickly without gnawing and chewing and winding the dog in next kennel/run up.
Unwashed tripe with some of contents still attached will also give the dogs the bit of plant life they can digest. The cows have already broke down the cell structure allowing dogs to digest it.
During WW2 many dogs survived on cow and sheep stomachs and contents as there was very little dog food available.
First "complete" dog food was based on this..Vitalin.
Problem was it went in looking like rabbit food and it came out looking the same....the chickens loved it
If you are get trip straight from any animal, it’s best to soak it in a bucket of water or leave hanging for a few days so that the slaughtered animals enzymes have died off on it or your dog will be getting sick everywhere.
That's why fat is an important part of a dogs diet
Fed dogs on tripe that's still warm/been frozen/got maggots in and never had one sick. Only time a dog gets sick on tripe is cos its eaten too much.
Dogs love it.
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- Barbel
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Re: Question for Kev( and anyone else)
My vet use to say if everyone kept their dog at the correct weight a 1/3rd of his income would be lost overnight... Would agree with him, mine were lean but fit, same as hounds you never see a fat hound on the field.
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- Barbel
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Re: Question for Kev( and anyone else)
There was a hound pack which was coastal based in the UK .... Remember an article in shooting times about how these animals were fed a lot of discard in their diet, the author said that he had never seen a better dog condition wise than this pack fed on fish...though I'm sure there was fallen stock as well in their diet.
- SmellySmelt
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Re: Question for Kev( and anyone else)
Stewlaws wrote: ↑Fri Jan 15 2021 13:48 -A friend of mind has a pack near a well known racecourse. He’s get the horses that break legs from there. He reckoned he had over a million pounds in a skip waiting to be eaten.There was a hound pack which was coastal based in the UK .... Remember an article in shooting times about how these animals were fed a lot of discard in their diet, the author said that he had never seen a better dog condition wise than this pack fed on fish...though I'm sure there was fallen stock as well in their diet.