Here's the plan

[tmricciuto]

Talked to hubby and we are going to switch to Raw for the girls. I am going to be speaking to Susan from Suzy's Doggie Delights today to understand the ratios for some of her 'recipies' and see how those stack up. I just watched a video on another forum about how to break down a turkey and that actually looks pretty easy, but I will need to get my knifes sharpened. I am going to be price shopping and seeing what types of asian markets are in our area and look into their prices.

I haven't decided if I'm going to start with Suzy's stuff first or try to do it on my own, but hubby and I decided we have a lot going on right now and are going to start it at the beginning of the year. I'm going to take pics of some of the prices at Costco/Sprout's and Fry's and will start to pick up some items like turkey's around the holidays so we are prepared. I'm assuming the food, which is good for human consumption for about 6 months frozen will be good for my pups longer than that. We might also purchase an upright freezer as I have my chest full and don't think it will accomodate food for the dogs.

I have been doing a ton of reading and I think after this call today I will feel much better about the whole process.

Thanks to all of you for sharing your knowledge and all of the support you offer even though it might feel like you answered the same question for the thousandths time.

 

[DDSK]

Wow I applaud people who plan ahead, I'm not one of those types and it bites me in the butt a lot.
Have you checked to see if your dogs will eat raw, mine won't.
Zoey will not eat raw meat period and while Abby will try it she usually pukes it up.
It would be a shame to invest so much time and resources into something like this only to find the girls won't eat it.

 

[JamieHalverson]

I never thought that some dogs might not eat raw... I don't feed raw, but I supplement with some yummy raw items, maybe buying a few things and seeing how they like it might help? And kind of allow you to ease into raw?

My dogs get a topper of green tripe 3 days a week and they get raw chicken feet on the opposite days. Not sure if this counts, but I also stuff empty marrow bones with mashed up veggies and freeze them, they get those for an afternoon "snack". That's all I've been doing for now, plus your marrow or knuckle bone here and there. However, I just ordered duck feet, tripe stuffed trachea, a beef meet grind and a salmon meat grind. The meat grinds I'll use as a topper, like the tripe, but alternate weeks between the grind and tripe.

Even this little bit of ray has taken some getting used to. Lillie's breeder outlined the supplementing for me, and I figured it wouldn't hurt my Yogi either, and they both just love everything!

They also get springtime longevity and coconut oil.

 

[tmricciuto]

Wow I applaud people who plan ahead, I'm not one of those types and it bites me in the butt a lot.
Have you checked to see if your dogs will eat raw, mine won't.
Zoey will not eat raw meat period and while Abby will try it she usually pukes it up.
It would be a shame to invest so much time and resources into something like this only to find the girls won't eat it.

Ummmm....I never even thought that. I feed them raw bones and they love them. I guess I should figure out if they like raw or not. I did read that if they won't eat raw at first to sear it a bit as that will release the smell and should get them to eat it. Hahahaha...If I get all of this then they beter eat it or they might just starve as I won't be purchasing any other food.

For those raw feeders out there...what should I do to make sure they will eat what I get them?

 

[Liz_M]

Sounds like a fine plan with one caveat (my personal opinion based on experience): I do not feed turkey except tails and gizzards. Those birds are so abnormally engineered and the necks look like perfectly shaped large-dog-throat choking hazards. I was owner/moderator of an extremely active raw feeding list for about 11 years and the few incidents people had were with turkey bones. Plus, personally, the only time I've ever found bone fragments in the poop was after turkey and that is feeding many dogs since 1999. That said, many people feed turkey, so YMMV.


Never had a dog that wouldn't eat raw. I did foster blind dogs for a few years and one was diabetic and on a prescription diet and I did stick with strictly kibble for him but he was sure interested in what my dogs were getting LOL. I'd slip him a gizzard here and there but since he wasn't my dog, I followed protocol.


If you really want to be sure, buy some chicken quarters or thighs and let your girls have at them. Booker wasn't sure what to do with actual meat the first couple of times but he is chowing down like a champ now.

 

[tmricciuto]

Thanks for the info about the turkey. I might just give it a try with them. They really haven't found anything they don't want to eat yet. Picky they are not.


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[NYDDB]

I wouldn't worry about your dogs not liking or eating raw, either--- especially since they are still young pups. I can see maybe older dogs that might be used to kibble, or a home cooked diet being resistant, at first, to raw, but it's really a matter of getting over the "it's new" hurdle.

I also am careful with turkey; I do feed necks once in awhile, when I can get them cheap, but prefer duck necks- they are not too small, nor too big, like turkey necks can be. Also, their bones can splinter like crazy, and it always made me stay away from frames or wings.

Congrats for taking the plunge; let us know how the girls do.

 

[tmricciuto]

Great. I can get duck through the supplier. I did see a video on breaking down a turkey and thought I could get those cheap at the holidays but sounds like I should just stay away from it all together.


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[NYDDB]

Around the holidays is when I can pick up some turkey necks for cheap: one year I got a bunch at Whole Foods for .29/pound!

I feed ground turkey, or just the meat sometimes. If you get some good deals on turkey, and are hesitant to feed the bones, you could always strip off the meat, and use the bones to make soup.

 

[Liz_M]

As to cost...there are a few supermarkets around me that about once a month have chicken quarters on sale for .29/lb and pork steaks and neck bones for less than a dollar per pound. I also find odd things such as pig testicles and beef heart for really cheap and saw meat for .10/lb. I also have a client who owns a grocery store and every few months sells me a case or two of "expired" meat for .25/lb. It's a grab bag of nice steaks and cheap hot dogs and everything in between, but, .25/lb.

Talk to the butcher or meat person wherever you shop and see what they can get for you. Many are really happy to make a buck or two on stuff they'd normally throw in the Dumpster.

 

[angelbears]

I buy a lot of turkeys during the holiday season. I agree about the bones. I will feed the neck if it looks okay, I always feed the butts. Sometimes the wings, once again according to what they look like. Never feed the drums or frame. Even breaking them down, I'm getting pure meat for around .75 cents a pound.

I've had 4 dogs on raw and none of them didn't eat it, they prefer it. I think they would go on strike if I tried to go back to kibble. At first they may be confused but once they realize what it is they love. Some dogs will not eat organs. Cane didn't like it. I just heated some butter in a pan, quickly tossed the liver in it and it was like manna from heaven.

I'm drawing a blank, maybe someone will chime in but you want to watch the solution/sodium that some brands pump into their meats. It should be clearly marked on the package.

Try some chicken feet and see how they do. They are great for treats and a wonderful supplement for joints.

 

[DDSK]

I have funny dogs lol.
Before I got Abby I fostered my sons lab, she and zoey were best buddies but neither of them would eat any type of raw meat, you cook it even just a little and they would wolf it down.
Saturday I was cutting up chicken wings for buffalo wings and gave Zoey and Abby each the wing tip that is usually thrown out.
Zoey spit it out and wanted nothing to do with it, but Abby swallowed them down.
Over the course of the evening Abby somehow brought all the wing tips up one at a time over the course of several hours.
She didn't puke them up and never puked her regular dinner of kibble and canned food up.
Just one chicken wing tip at a time about a half hour apart from each other.

 

[angelbears]

As to cost...there are a few supermarkets around me that about once a month have chicken quarters on sale for .29/lb and pork steaks and neck bones for less than a dollar per pound. I also find odd things such as pig testicles and beef heart for really cheap and saw meat for .10/lb. I also have a client who owns a grocery store and every few months sells me a case or two of "expired" meat for .25/lb. It's a grab bag of nice steaks and cheap hot dogs and everything in between, but, .25/lb.

Talk to the butcher or meat person wherever you shop and see what they can get for you. Many are really happy to make a buck or two on stuff they'd normally throw in the Dumpster.

Liz, do you feed the pork steaks bone-in? A lot of raw feeder caution to stay away from machine cut bones. Would love to hear your opinion on it.

 

[Liz_M]

Liz, do you feed the pork steaks bone-in? A lot of raw feeder caution to stay away from machine cut bones. Would love to hear your opinion on it.

Never heard that one!

I sure do. When they go on sale for .88/lb I stock up, too.

Chicken feet are fun treats. My JRTx won't eat liver raw or frozen, so I have to saute it for her (with fava beans and a nice chianti...LOL.)

 

[angelbears]

I've heard two different reasons. One is that machine cuts can leave some sharp points and something about the heat from the saw making the bones brittle, this one baffles me.

Yes, I feel a little like Hannibal when serving organs. LOL

 

[Liz_M]

Makes no sense to me either, and I assure you a dog who chews its food is crunching those bones into lots of pointy, sharp little pieces! I've never had a problem at any rate, and I feed pork steaks and center-cut chops fairly often because, cheap.


I also buy ground mixes and things like rabbit, goat and tripe, but mostly for whole meals I balance it out with cheap grocery finds. This is the raw purveyor I use:
Home

 

[angelbears]

I check their site occasionally but with shipping. Ouch! I get 95% of my meat at the grocery store, for me, it is cheaper and FDA inspected.

 

[Liz_M]

Oh for sure the shipping from here to you would be crazy! They are local to me though. They do a monthly delivery so we order online, meet the truck and pick up the loot.

 

[tmricciuto]

I've read different things about bones. I've read they can eat any bones except for large animal weight bearing and then I've read no machine cut. I think I'm going to start off easy and work my way up. I did find an Asian market near me so I'm gonna check out their prices. I have a spreadsheet started so I can see what is a good deal compared to the supplier.


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[angelbears]

I've found that you can negotiate with the Asian markets if you are buying in bulk. A lot of their inventory comes in 20, 30 and 40 pound boxes. For me, I usually get organs, duck heads and feet for less than a dollar a pound.