Feeding RAW meat and bones to your dog
Discussion
The lady at dog-training swears blind by feeding RAW chicken wings to her dogs. Anyone have any tips or pointers into starting to introduce raw meat and bones to their dog? Interestingly a search on Google brings up tonnes of positive feedback for raw feeding (mainly chicken wings) to dogs of all sizes and ages. I thought it would of been a no-no but suppose when reading into it, it makes perfect sense 
I may start our 4 month Beagle on wings. Any first hand advice?
Cheers
I may start our 4 month Beagle on wings. Any first hand advice?
Cheers
If my dogs lived outside I might consider it. But both of them have a habit of wiping their muzzles on everything after they eat, not to mention the Lab jumping up with no warning to give us "kisses".
There's a reason we wash our hands after handling raw meat and I'm not happy with a dog spreading that kind of bacteria all over our house!
That aside, some vets say even raw bones are dangerous (which is true), and others say they are good for dogs (also true).
The enjoyment from the dogs side probably outweighs the danger. They'd have a pretty boring life if we all googled "what shouldn't I feed my dog" and stuck to it religiously!
There's a reason we wash our hands after handling raw meat and I'm not happy with a dog spreading that kind of bacteria all over our house!
That aside, some vets say even raw bones are dangerous (which is true), and others say they are good for dogs (also true).
The enjoyment from the dogs side probably outweighs the danger. They'd have a pretty boring life if we all googled "what shouldn't I feed my dog" and stuck to it religiously!
We feed our animals raw (including the cats).
Chicken carcasses, lumps of raw beef, tripe (the whole stomach), kidneys, liver, lights, and the other day a whole lamb head each...... They also get lamb bones, pig bones and so on as well now and again.
We have a separate freezer for all the meat for the animals. There are on-line suppliers too, some more expensive than others. Your local butcher should be able to get some stuff for you too..
What else would you like to know?
Chicken carcasses, lumps of raw beef, tripe (the whole stomach), kidneys, liver, lights, and the other day a whole lamb head each...... They also get lamb bones, pig bones and so on as well now and again.
We have a separate freezer for all the meat for the animals. There are on-line suppliers too, some more expensive than others. Your local butcher should be able to get some stuff for you too..
What else would you like to know?
Jasandjules said:
We feed our animals raw (including the cats).
Chicken carcasses, lumps of raw beef, tripe (the whole stomach), kidneys, liver, lights, and the other day a whole lamb head each...... They also get lamb bones, pig bones and so on as well now and again.
We have a separate freezer for all the meat for the animals. There are on-line suppliers too, some more expensive than others. Your local butcher should be able to get some stuff for you too..
What else would you like to know?
Great reply, thanks J&J. The missus works nextdoor to a butchers so she has access to anything really. Chicken carcasses, lumps of raw beef, tripe (the whole stomach), kidneys, liver, lights, and the other day a whole lamb head each...... They also get lamb bones, pig bones and so on as well now and again.
We have a separate freezer for all the meat for the animals. There are on-line suppliers too, some more expensive than others. Your local butcher should be able to get some stuff for you too..
What else would you like to know?
Currently we are feeding the 4 month Beagle on kibble twice daily. How would you introduce the raw food? I mean, would you substitute a bowl of kibble for a few bits of raw? or add the raw to the kibble? or just chuck the dog a few bits inbetween kibble meals?
I was thinking raw food every other day, and maybe throw a few raw vegetables/potatoes in with it too?
re the lambs head... i can't see her indoors going for that one
Cheers
How's Beagle ownership? I'd be tempted not to mess with her food just yet. We switched )rand of kibble early on and ours got choosy. Took a few weeks of stuborness to get past it.
Although will watch this thread with interest, as I would like to feed ours raw from time to time, as it has many benefits I've read. Clean teeth, less pungent poop ect.
Although will watch this thread with interest, as I would like to feed ours raw from time to time, as it has many benefits I've read. Clean teeth, less pungent poop ect.
Flat6er said:
How's Beagle ownership?
Lets put it this way, i don't think we'll make it to Britain's Got Talent Toilet training is proving difficult - she will quite happily pee in the house, although the back door can be open. She will pee outside, but prefers to do it indoors
Puppy nipping can be a pita, literally.
Not really had any issues with food and fussiness. About half hour ago i held the Sunday Joint (Lamb bone) for her whilst she rips some meat off it (I stayed with her because the bone was cooked and it isn't advised to give them cooked bones). She absolutely loved tearing away it, and at one point snatched it off me and legged it around the house with it. I had to rugby tackle her and wrestle it off her, much to some growling!
Lovely dog though. She loves going for long walks, and the other day we bought a 10m and 15m tracker line for on the fields. Well worth investing in imo
Phooey said:
How would you introduce the raw food? I mean, would you substitute a bowl of kibble for a few bits of raw? or add the raw to the kibble? or just chuck the dog a few bits inbetween kibble meals?
I was thinking raw food every other day, and maybe throw a few raw vegetables/potatoes in with it too?
re the lambs head... i can't see her indoors going for that one
Cheers
There are different views on this. We just introduced 25% raw for a week, then 50%, then 75, then 100%. I'd say it depends on the dog and how it reacts - stomach wise. Some people say just straight switch, but that's a choice for the owner.I was thinking raw food every other day, and maybe throw a few raw vegetables/potatoes in with it too?
re the lambs head... i can't see her indoors going for that one
Cheers
BTW with bones and meat you will find the poo is smaller, harder, and smells less too as the food is properly processed and little is wasted. They should also need slightly less food in terms of weight when fed raw.
Vegetables etc - we give organic carrots every 3rd day but that's part of the bedtime biscuit routine, rather than in the meal. They get a little rice (say 20% of a meal) about every third day as well, but that all depends on how you view what their food would be i.e. carbs from the stomach of the animals they would kill..
Also we only feed one meal a day except when rice is fed as that gets fed early in the day then the meat for the evening meal.
The butcher should also be able to get hold of chicken carcasses for you, and ask them what they do with the offcuts of meat - some just bin it - ours worked out to sell it to dog owners!! In terms of lights they are free as well, but have far less value in terms of "food". Heart is good if you can get it.
It's also a good idea to get the food aggression solved now though (sorry to say) as it would be a lot worse with raw as they value it a lot more....
Funny one this ,all the bones I have from my butchers shop go to a guy how does security work, for his rockies, yet for my own dog I only give her lamb breast bones that have been cooked.
I have given my dog raw bones but she makes such a mess trying to bury them in the garden I stopped and now make sure that the bone get eaten and finished ,hence the ccoked ones.
I have given my dog raw bones but she makes such a mess trying to bury them in the garden I stopped and now make sure that the bone get eaten and finished ,hence the ccoked ones.
Changedmyname said:
Funny one this ,all the bones I have from my butchers shop go to a guy how does security work, for his rockies, yet for my own dog I only give her lamb breast bones that have been cooked.
I have given my dog raw bones but she makes such a mess trying to bury them in the garden I stopped and now make sure that the bone get eaten and finished ,hence the ccoked ones.
Please do not give your dog cooked bones, ever. I have given my dog raw bones but she makes such a mess trying to bury them in the garden I stopped and now make sure that the bone get eaten and finished ,hence the ccoked ones.
Well as it happens I was taking to one of my customers about chicken carcases,she said a friend had given one to her dog to which it happily ate.
The following morning the dog would not eat it food and refused the night time feed also.
Cutting a long story short,the poor dog had a chicken bone lodged somewhere in the intestines,which had puncherd a hole causing stomach acids (and we all know what dogs are like) on to the liver and kidneys.
Poor thing died 3 days later,and this was a fresh chicken carcase.
So I think the jury is still out on the fresh/cooked debate.
The following morning the dog would not eat it food and refused the night time feed also.
Cutting a long story short,the poor dog had a chicken bone lodged somewhere in the intestines,which had puncherd a hole causing stomach acids (and we all know what dogs are like) on to the liver and kidneys.
Poor thing died 3 days later,and this was a fresh chicken carcase.
So I think the jury is still out on the fresh/cooked debate.
Changedmyname said:
Well as it happens I was taking to one of my customers about chicken carcases,she said a friend had given one to her dog to which it happily ate.
The following morning the dog would not eat it food and refused the night time feed also.
Cutting a long story short,the poor dog had a chicken bone lodged somewhere in the intestines,which had puncherd a hole causing stomach acids (and we all know what dogs are like) on to the liver and kidneys.
Poor thing died 3 days later,and this was a fresh chicken carcase.
So I think the jury is still out on the fresh/cooked debate.
Cooked bones are more brittle and likely to break. Raw bones are generally safer.The following morning the dog would not eat it food and refused the night time feed also.
Cutting a long story short,the poor dog had a chicken bone lodged somewhere in the intestines,which had puncherd a hole causing stomach acids (and we all know what dogs are like) on to the liver and kidneys.
Poor thing died 3 days later,and this was a fresh chicken carcase.
So I think the jury is still out on the fresh/cooked debate.
Also J&J re: the lamb heads thing. How do your dogs react when you take them walking in a field in the springtime when these things are bouncing about?
R300will said:
How do your dogs react when you take them walking in a field in the springtime when these things are bouncing about?
They are fine. The same as they are with chickens, and the pheasant who come in our garden. And they can even find dead rabbits in the fields and they don't eat them either.Jasandjules said:
R300will said:
How do your dogs react when you take them walking in a field in the springtime when these things are bouncing about?
They are fine. The same as they are with chickens, and the pheasant who come in our garden. And they can even find dead rabbits in the fields and they don't eat them either.
Jasandjules said:
There are different views on this. We just introduced 25% raw for a week, then 50%, then 75, then 100%. I'd say it depends on the dog and how it reacts - stomach wise. Some people say just straight switch, but that's a choice for the owner.
BTW with bones and meat you will find the poo is smaller, harder, and smells less too as the food is properly processed and little is wasted. They should also need slightly less food in terms of weight when fed raw.
Vegetables etc - we give organic carrots every 3rd day but that's part of the bedtime biscuit routine, rather than in the meal. They get a little rice (say 20% of a meal) about every third day as well, but that all depends on how you view what their food would be i.e. carbs from the stomach of the animals they would kill..
Also we only feed one meal a day except when rice is fed as that gets fed early in the day then the meat for the evening meal.
The butcher should also be able to get hold of chicken carcasses for you, and ask them what they do with the offcuts of meat - some just bin it - ours worked out to sell it to dog owners!! In terms of lights they are free as well, but have far less value in terms of "food". Heart is good if you can get it.
It's also a good idea to get the food aggression solved now though (sorry to say) as it would be a lot worse with raw as they value it a lot more....
Thanks again for your reply. We'll start introducing raw meat as per above - this sounds sensible advice. It was nice to see her excitement at the lamb bone earlier, infact when we gave her kibble tonight, she actually backed away from it at first, as if to say "i ain't eating that sBTW with bones and meat you will find the poo is smaller, harder, and smells less too as the food is properly processed and little is wasted. They should also need slightly less food in terms of weight when fed raw.
Vegetables etc - we give organic carrots every 3rd day but that's part of the bedtime biscuit routine, rather than in the meal. They get a little rice (say 20% of a meal) about every third day as well, but that all depends on how you view what their food would be i.e. carbs from the stomach of the animals they would kill..
Also we only feed one meal a day except when rice is fed as that gets fed early in the day then the meat for the evening meal.
The butcher should also be able to get hold of chicken carcasses for you, and ask them what they do with the offcuts of meat - some just bin it - ours worked out to sell it to dog owners!! In terms of lights they are free as well, but have far less value in terms of "food". Heart is good if you can get it.
It's also a good idea to get the food aggression solved now though (sorry to say) as it would be a lot worse with raw as they value it a lot more....
t" Totally agree though re aggression when she has a bone - i need to find which book (might of even been on internet) i read it in, but something to do with taking it away from the dog and giving it back - to show her that it is MINE, and she can have only it when she is good, and i say she is good?
Cheers
Changedmyname said:
Well as it happens I was taking to one of my customers about chicken carcases,she said a friend had given one to her dog to which it happily ate.
The following morning the dog would not eat it food and refused the night time feed also.
Cutting a long story short,the poor dog had a chicken bone lodged somewhere in the intestines,which had puncherd a hole causing stomach acids (and we all know what dogs are like) on to the liver and kidneys.
Poor thing died 3 days later,and this was a fresh chicken carcase.
So I think the jury is still out on the fresh/cooked debate.
That sounds terrible. But i will say though (from searching on internet - dog forums etc) it also sounds very rare with RAW bones... as opposed to a definite NO NO with cooked. I wouldn't give my dog a cooked bone.The following morning the dog would not eat it food and refused the night time feed also.
Cutting a long story short,the poor dog had a chicken bone lodged somewhere in the intestines,which had puncherd a hole causing stomach acids (and we all know what dogs are like) on to the liver and kidneys.
Poor thing died 3 days later,and this was a fresh chicken carcase.
So I think the jury is still out on the fresh/cooked debate.
We have fed the Great Danes raw food for the past few years, mainly chicken wings, carcases, tripe, beef and lamb. The German Shepherd gets the odd chicken wing as a treat but his stomach doesn't seem to tolerate it too well in bulk. We buy it (frozen) in bulk and a 2kg bag makes a decent sized Great Dane meal and a whole skinned rabbit is a good sized treat for Danes and Sheps. We usually buy about a months worth at a time and have a big chest freezer for it.
I have been feeding dogs raw using the "whole prey model" (NOT BARF) for about 7 years now. Of the two dogs I've had one has colitis and cannot tolerate commercial food, the other had insulinoma so a low carb diet was the only way to go.
Personally I find that chicken wings on their own are a little small and bony - they can constitute a choke risk. You want your bone *in* meat, not on its own.
You need to make sure dogs get a bit of bone, plus fat and organ meat. Don't just feed lean meat or they'll end up deficient.
I used to experiment a lot, but have settled into a routine now. Generally I base meals on chicken leg quarters (replaced with trotters, lamb neck, pork shank and/or oxtail now and then for variety). Then the dog gets liver at least once a week, and additional offal again at least once a week (heart is good because it contains glucosamine). I supplement with cod liver oil at least once a week, on a non-liver day.
I find Morrisons pretty good for offal and some of the cheaper cuts of meat (they even sell trotters). Chinese supermarkets are good for interesting things like duck and chicken feet (again high in glucosamine).
I found the rawfeeding yahoo group really useful when I was getting started
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/rawfeeding/
Personally I find that chicken wings on their own are a little small and bony - they can constitute a choke risk. You want your bone *in* meat, not on its own.
You need to make sure dogs get a bit of bone, plus fat and organ meat. Don't just feed lean meat or they'll end up deficient.
I used to experiment a lot, but have settled into a routine now. Generally I base meals on chicken leg quarters (replaced with trotters, lamb neck, pork shank and/or oxtail now and then for variety). Then the dog gets liver at least once a week, and additional offal again at least once a week (heart is good because it contains glucosamine). I supplement with cod liver oil at least once a week, on a non-liver day.
I find Morrisons pretty good for offal and some of the cheaper cuts of meat (they even sell trotters). Chinese supermarkets are good for interesting things like duck and chicken feet (again high in glucosamine).
I found the rawfeeding yahoo group really useful when I was getting started
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/rawfeeding/
Edited by oldbanger on Sunday 8th July 21:07
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