A little Raw thrown in

[JamieHalverson]

So when I brought my Bullmastiff puppy home, I followed my breeder's recommendations as far as kibble (Fromms) and supplementing with raw. She gets green tripe 3 times a week as a topper and I just picked up a salmon grind to alternate with the tripe. She gets chicken and/or duck feet 2 times a week, knuckle bones (I know the risks) on occasion. In the morning, she gets about half of her kibble mixed with a premium canned food, just enough to hold the kibble together which is about 1-2 tablespoons, frozen in a kong.

We also use springtime longevity and coconut oil.

Now, she is doing great! Growing nice and slowly, everything looks good. My question has to do with my adult male Staffy/Mastiff X, Yogi.

I was very happy feeding Yogi Orijen and Acana, with the occasional bone for a treat. Did not feed any raw, and never really intended to.

But, I thought if it's good for Lillie, it's good for Yogi, and why should he miss out on all the fun? So he's been getting pretty much the same regimen as the puppy, Lillie. Problem is, he's gained a little weight not too much, but he's not very active anyway and I try to keep him lean.

So, I just picked up my first raw food order of the salmon grind, more tripe, tripe stuffed beef trachea, duck feet, smelt and a couple knuckle bones. I'm wondering with Yogi, what should I cut back on? I want to continue feeding him a bit of raw, but I'm concerned if I cut back on his kibble, his diet might become unbalanced. Or with what I am feeding in raw, would it be ok to reduce his kibble by about 1/4 - 1/3 of what I'm feeding him now? He gets 2/3 C twice a day.

 

[Liz_M]

Personally l would cut back on the kibble and maybe feed him a bit more tripe since it is fairly low calorie.
Only thing l don't see is organ meat? I would throw in a little liver. One of the things l buy from the raw purveyor l use is an organ mix, equal parts beef liver, kidney and heart.

 

[JamieHalverson]

Personally l would cut back on the kibble and maybe feed him a bit more tripe since it is fairly low calorie.
Only thing l don't see is organ meat? I would throw in a little liver. One of the things l buy from the raw purveyor l use is an organ mix, equal parts beef liver, kidney and heart.

That sounds easy enough! I'll add an organ mix to my next order and cut back a little on his kibble.

Is it crazy that I can hardly wait to give them the tripe stuffed trachea? I think I have almost as much fun watching them eat the raw items as they do actually eating them.

 

[Liz_M]

LOL I get it! And l must say tripe stuffed trachea sounds awesome. In a stinky, from the dogs' POV anyhow.

 

[JamieHalverson]

LOL I get it! And l must say tripe stuffed trachea sounds awesome. In a stinky, from the dogs' POV anyhow.

Outside treat, for sure! Not sure how all this is going to go in the winter, I don't think I could handle kongs stuffed with salmon grind or tripe stuffed trachea in crates. But maybe...

 

[TricAP]

We switched our older girls to raw when we did our pup. Weight gain was an issue for our boxer Bella - she just doesn't need as much as the guidelines recommend. I would also cut back on the kibble until you get to that right balance.

We get our tripe in 2lb tubes (chubs). I don't mind the smell nearly as much as the other family members do. Compromise we came up with was making it into "cookies." Hubby cut it frozen with reciprocating saw into portions. We just toss them into the bowls frozen and dogs love'm. They don't thaw enough to smell up the house.

 

[JamieHalverson]

We switched our older girls to raw when we did our pup. Weight gain was an issue for our boxer Bella - she just doesn't need as much as the guidelines recommend. I would also cut back on the kibble until you get to that right balance.

We get our tripe in 2lb tubes (chubs). I don't mind the smell nearly as much as the other family members do. Compromise we came up with was making it into "cookies." Hubby cut it frozen with reciprocating saw into portions. We just toss them into the bowls frozen and dogs love'm. They don't thaw enough to smell up the house.

Oh, that sounds like a great idea! Originally, I thawed the chubs, scooped it out into portions and refroze, then gave them the little "meat balls" frozen. That was pretty gross, lol. At least the thawing and scooping part.

I did just give them the trachea frozen, holy cow did they love that! It took Yogi only about 15 minutes to work through it, but Lillie about an hour. I love giving them food they have to work for, whether it's just their kibble frozen in a kong or hidden around the house or raw. I think it fulfills a need they have mentally, I don't think dogs were meant to shove their face in a bowl and eat in 5 seconds flat. I try to make at least a few meals a week a little more difficult, lol.