Raw Feeding Info
For Strong, Healthy Pets
Raw Feeding Connie's Way
(DISCLAIMER: I am not a vet or nutritionist, just a person looking to keep her pets healthy and living a long life)
Q: How do you make dog food? What Recipes do you use?
A: It is basically 80% meat, 10% organ, 10% bone. 80/10/10
I started out trying to grind my own meat and make it myself. I found that too time consuming and messy! Now I buy premixed from a butcher (TexasTripe.com). I mostly feed beef or chicken. Sometimes rabbit or lamb, but it is so expensive. I'll get smelt or other small fish, chicken feet, chicken hearts as add ins occasionally. I supplement with coconut oil, (organic, cold pressed, unrefined (Sam’s or Costco)), cranberry powder (organic (Amazon)), veggies (Honest Kitchen base mix). I just started adding a plant based enzyme and probiotic supplement and milk thistle now that I'm dealing with liver issues.
Q: Do you see the difference in them?
A: I see a huge difference in their overall health, teeth, energy, coat.
We go to the vet much less now. And when our Anja was in kidney failure and the vets gave her a week or two, she hung in for 7 more months. Fritz was diagnosed with kidney disease a few months after we lost her, and he lasted 5 more years. It is time consuming, and more expensive, but I do see a difference in lower vet bills. With 8 dogs, that can really add up! With IGs and little dogs, they tend to be prone to dental disease. Since we started rescuing IGs, 9 years ago, I see people getting their dogs teeth cleaned every year (or even 6 months!). That's $300-800/dog/year!!! And that doesn't include kidney infections, crystals/stones, joint issues, etc. Fritz had two bladder stone surgeries before we started raw feeding, and never had another one after.
Bioavailable, species appropriate food is just what their bodies are made to eat. So it is easier for them to digest, process and eliminate. They get natural nutrients, which is easier on their system. Our dogs get better and healthier food than we do! But since they can't make their own decisions,
I feel it's my responsibility to make the best choices for them that I can. I started after all the dog food and jerky treat recalls several years ago. It just scared me that they could be poisoned by the big food companies. Then I started researching and finding more and more underhanded things the industry does, how the government doesn't regulate the industry, and all the blatant false advertising and marketing. I just couldn't deal with it anymore.
This is a good place to start if you want to just buy already made food. Check out the company and make sure they get fresh ingredients from US sources and that they process and package themselves. It doesn't do any good to buy food processed in the same facility as Evanger’s, who has several recalls over several years. Look for human grade food, processed is USDA food plants.
https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-reviews/raw/5-star/
Five Star Raw Dog Foods
List of 5-star raw dog foods reviewed by the editors of The Dog Food Advisor
www.dogfoodadvisor.com
Q: Can I get a grinder attachment for my KitchenAid?
A: I bought a meat grinder, like hunters use.
But if you can get the butcher to grind it for you, that would be great.
Texas Tripe uses the trimmings from the butchered meat they process for people, plus organs green tripe, bones (the pieces parts most people don't eat) and grind it into dog food. They probably have separate processing areas for people vs dog food, but I've never asked. We buy ground bison from them for us to eat too.
They deliver once a month to various locations around the metroplex, third Sat of the month for us. You just meet them at the delivery location and get your order.
Q: How long does it keep? Do you freeze it also?
A: Yes, Freeze it.
You can make a batch and keep a few days in the fridge and freeze the rest. I use freezer bags to portion it out and freeze. Then when I feed everyone tonight, I put tomorrow's in the fridge. I have 4 "gulpers", so they get theirs frozen! In the fridge it will keep a week or so. Even if it has "turned" for people, dogs can still eat it, within reason.
Q: Anything else I should know?
A: I’m sure I have left out tons of info. This has been an eight-year learning process for me!
One thing is that some people get frost bite meat from friends and neighbors for free. Ask if anyone is cleaning out their freezer to let you know. Or hunters, they will sometimes give you the cuts they won't eat.
Some people even feed a prey model, whole rabbits, rodents, etc. I can't bring myself to do that. If it still looks like an animal I'm more squeamish!
Weigh your dog and enter the weight and activity level here: It will calculate how much to fee your based on if it needs maintenance, weight loss or weight gain,
http://www.raw4dogs.com/calculate.htm
I also follow several people on facebook that talk about pet food and natural diets:
Dr. Becker https://www.facebook.com/doctor.karen.becker/
Rodney Haibb https://www.facebook.com/PlanetPaws.ca/
Truth About Pet Food https://www.facebook.com/TruthaboutPetFood/
Whole Dog Journal https://www.facebook.com/wholedogjournal/
Dogs Naturally https://www.facebook.com/DogsNaturallyMagazine/
And this book was SUPER helpful when I first got started. Easy to follow and a quick read:
https://www.amazon.com/Raw-Dog-Food-Make-Easy/dp/1929242093/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1519933282&sr=1-1
I will be happy to answer any questions or give ideas for specific dogs. Just give me a shout!
214-802-1777
Q: How do you make dog food? What Recipes do you use?
A: It is basically 80% meat, 10% organ, 10% bone. 80/10/10
I started out trying to grind my own meat and make it myself. I found that too time consuming and messy! Now I buy premixed from a butcher (TexasTripe.com). I mostly feed beef or chicken. Sometimes rabbit or lamb, but it is so expensive. I'll get smelt or other small fish, chicken feet, chicken hearts as add ins occasionally. I supplement with coconut oil, (organic, cold pressed, unrefined (Sam’s or Costco)), cranberry powder (organic (Amazon)), veggies (Honest Kitchen base mix). I just started adding a plant based enzyme and probiotic supplement and milk thistle now that I'm dealing with liver issues.
Q: Do you see the difference in them?
A: I see a huge difference in their overall health, teeth, energy, coat.
We go to the vet much less now. And when our Anja was in kidney failure and the vets gave her a week or two, she hung in for 7 more months. Fritz was diagnosed with kidney disease a few months after we lost her, and he lasted 5 more years. It is time consuming, and more expensive, but I do see a difference in lower vet bills. With 8 dogs, that can really add up! With IGs and little dogs, they tend to be prone to dental disease. Since we started rescuing IGs, 9 years ago, I see people getting their dogs teeth cleaned every year (or even 6 months!). That's $300-800/dog/year!!! And that doesn't include kidney infections, crystals/stones, joint issues, etc. Fritz had two bladder stone surgeries before we started raw feeding, and never had another one after.
Bioavailable, species appropriate food is just what their bodies are made to eat. So it is easier for them to digest, process and eliminate. They get natural nutrients, which is easier on their system. Our dogs get better and healthier food than we do! But since they can't make their own decisions,
I feel it's my responsibility to make the best choices for them that I can. I started after all the dog food and jerky treat recalls several years ago. It just scared me that they could be poisoned by the big food companies. Then I started researching and finding more and more underhanded things the industry does, how the government doesn't regulate the industry, and all the blatant false advertising and marketing. I just couldn't deal with it anymore.
This is a good place to start if you want to just buy already made food. Check out the company and make sure they get fresh ingredients from US sources and that they process and package themselves. It doesn't do any good to buy food processed in the same facility as Evanger’s, who has several recalls over several years. Look for human grade food, processed is USDA food plants.
https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-reviews/raw/5-star/
Five Star Raw Dog Foods
List of 5-star raw dog foods reviewed by the editors of The Dog Food Advisor
www.dogfoodadvisor.com
Q: Can I get a grinder attachment for my KitchenAid?
A: I bought a meat grinder, like hunters use.
But if you can get the butcher to grind it for you, that would be great.
Texas Tripe uses the trimmings from the butchered meat they process for people, plus organs green tripe, bones (the pieces parts most people don't eat) and grind it into dog food. They probably have separate processing areas for people vs dog food, but I've never asked. We buy ground bison from them for us to eat too.
They deliver once a month to various locations around the metroplex, third Sat of the month for us. You just meet them at the delivery location and get your order.
Q: How long does it keep? Do you freeze it also?
A: Yes, Freeze it.
You can make a batch and keep a few days in the fridge and freeze the rest. I use freezer bags to portion it out and freeze. Then when I feed everyone tonight, I put tomorrow's in the fridge. I have 4 "gulpers", so they get theirs frozen! In the fridge it will keep a week or so. Even if it has "turned" for people, dogs can still eat it, within reason.
Q: Anything else I should know?
A: I’m sure I have left out tons of info. This has been an eight-year learning process for me!
One thing is that some people get frost bite meat from friends and neighbors for free. Ask if anyone is cleaning out their freezer to let you know. Or hunters, they will sometimes give you the cuts they won't eat.
Some people even feed a prey model, whole rabbits, rodents, etc. I can't bring myself to do that. If it still looks like an animal I'm more squeamish!
Weigh your dog and enter the weight and activity level here: It will calculate how much to fee your based on if it needs maintenance, weight loss or weight gain,
http://www.raw4dogs.com/calculate.htm
I also follow several people on facebook that talk about pet food and natural diets:
Dr. Becker https://www.facebook.com/doctor.karen.becker/
Rodney Haibb https://www.facebook.com/PlanetPaws.ca/
Truth About Pet Food https://www.facebook.com/TruthaboutPetFood/
Whole Dog Journal https://www.facebook.com/wholedogjournal/
Dogs Naturally https://www.facebook.com/DogsNaturallyMagazine/
And this book was SUPER helpful when I first got started. Easy to follow and a quick read:
https://www.amazon.com/Raw-Dog-Food-Make-Easy/dp/1929242093/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1519933282&sr=1-1
I will be happy to answer any questions or give ideas for specific dogs. Just give me a shout!
214-802-1777