Feeding dogs a raw food diet plan doesn’t have to be complicated. It took me a bit while to figure out those words of wisdom.
If you’re just starting out as well as feel a bit overwhelmed, don’t worry. It’ll get simpler as well as I guarantee it’s a great deal less challenging than it may seem.
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I personally fed my two boxer mixes pre-made raw canine food from a business called Darwin’s natural Pet for the very first 6 months after dumping kibble. because it was beginning to be a bit on the costly side to feed this type of food exclusively, I started looking into making my own meals.
It takes out what may be the most challenging element of preparing your own dogs’ raw meals, as well as that is getting the math best between the different cuts of meat that comprise a nutritious meal (muscle meat, bones as well as organs).
In my previous raw food publish for ThatMutt I evaluated Primal, a pre-made raw canine food brand that is likewise excellent for getting started on raw canine food.
Now, in purchase to produce your own dog’s meals, you’ll want to understand exactly how to determine percentages, however even if you don’t, there are some fantastic raw food calculators that are precise as well as incredibly practical in double inspecting your own math.
I like the one that Raw Feeding Miami links to on their site since it provides two separate calculators that differentiate between Prey design feeding (without veggies) as well as the BARF design (with veggies).
Raw bones as an integral part of a balanced raw diet
Dogs requirement the best amount of calcium as well as phosphorus in purchase to flourish as well as to preserve great skeletal health. When feeding a raw diet, raw meaty bones offer precisely that.
So even though bones only comprise 10% of a nutritious raw diet, they are an integral part of it as well as can’t be overlooked. By “raw meaty bones” I just imply bones that have meat attached. checked out on to discover more.
Raw meaty bones (RMBs) likewise function as a natural toothbrush as well as keep a dog’s pearlies good as well as clean. Missy as well as Buzz have been “brushing” their teeth a number of times per week for the past 2 years. Take a look at Buzz’s teeth:
But aren’t bones harmful as well as can potentially damage my dog?
The response to this concern is “yes, bones are harmful when they’re cooked.” While you can wing feeding raw to a specific degree, there is one truly essential guideline that you absolutely have to follow, as well as that is never ever feed your canine cooked bones.
Unlike raw bones which are soft as well as pliable, cooked bones ended up being brittle, can splinter extremely easily, as well as ended up being sharp bit weapons, implying they can cause a great deal of damage when they’re inside a dog’s body.
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What type of raw meaty bones can I feed my dog?
Out of the 2.5 years that my dogs Missy & Buzz have been on a raw diet, they’ve been eating raw meaty bones for 2 years without ever having had a issue eating or digesting them.
As discussed previously, it took me about 6 months to feel comfortable sufficient putting their meals together myself as well as to offer them whole RMBs. (The pre-made raw meals from Darwin’s contained ground bones.)
When I introduced bones to my dogs, I started them out on poultry leg quarters as well as slowly added other RMBs to their meals over the program of the next 24 months ranging from duck necks/heads/frames to turkey necks, poultry feet, rabbit heads, as well as just just recently salmon heads.
As a guideline of thumb, the RMB you offer your canine ought to never be a great deal smaller than their mouth. That way, he’ll be a great deal less likely to just swallow the bone whole instead of chewing it.
So don’t offer your 80-lb lab a poultry wing, however begin with a poultry leg quarter instead. Likewise, your Yorkie may be overwhelmed with a turkey neck however do excellent with a poultry wing.
How to safely feed your canine raw bones
Another piece of guidance I can offer is understand your dog’s chewing habits. If your canine has a tendency to gulp, hold the RMB you’re providing while they eat it. That way, they’re required to take bites out of it as well as really chew.
One of my canine walking clients is currently changing their German Shepherd from kibble to raw as well as complied with my guidance of holding the poultry leg quarter when providing it to Stanley.
Otherwise, he has a tendency of swallowing food whole. Holding it worked excellent to “force” Stanley to chew.
Someone who complies with me on Instagram did the exact same when providing their Husky-Lab-Rottweiler mix Baloo a poultry leg quarter for the very first time. It worked just as excellent as it did for Stanley.Also be conscious of your dog’s dental health and wellness before providing RMBs. In general, a dog’s teeth will be able to deal with RMBS no problem, however (older) dogs with weaker teeth may be much better off with ground bone in their meals.
Another lesson I discovered throughout the years is to feed my dogs raw bones on a surface that can quickly be wiped down. When it’s good outside, I provide them their RMBs on the turf in the back lawn – certainly there’s no clean up required there at all.
When I feed RMBs inside, I put down a big towel on the hardwood in the kitchen/dining space area that gets tossed into the laundry best after. This is excellent to method the command “stay” or “place” to keep your canine confined to one area.
Every now as well as then I likewise feed Missy as well as Buzz larger RMBs such as duck frames in their crates.
This choice is excellent to keep them hectic for a while when business comes over! I’ll eliminate their bed linen in advance so all I have to do is wipe down the pans after they’re done eating.
How do I understand exactly how much actual bone material is in a raw meaty bone?
One thing to keep in mind is that RMBs don’t only consist of bone, however they likewise include meat attached. The actual bone material varies between the different RMBs. poultry leg quarters normally include around 20% bone, necks are around 45% bone, poultry feet are 60-80% bone, duck heads as well as duck frames are around 75% bone.
Perfectly Raw offer a excellent summary of the different bone percentages on their website:
http://perfectlyraw.wpengine.com/raw-feeding-classifications/safe-edible-raw-meaty-bone-guide/bone-percentages-in-cuts-of-meat/
If you’re not completely sure if your canine gets as well much or as well bit bone in his meals, take a look at his poop. If it’s as well runny, he’s not getting enough. Or, if it’s as well dry, he’s getting as well much bone.
*Note from Lindsay: I discover it simpler to determine exactly how much bone my canine would requirement over a full week vs. each meal. then I just make sure he gets that amount over the week.
To sum everything up:
Never feed cooked bones, only RMBs.
Raw bones comprise 10% of a nutritious, balanced raw food diet.
They are essential for your dog’s skeletal as well as oral health.
Choose RMBs that are a great in shape for your dog’s mouth in size.
Know your dog’s chewing practices as well as hold on to the RMB if your canine is a gulper.
Feed your canine raw bones on surfaces that can quickly be cleaned – prevent carpet as well as wood.
Take a look at your dog’s poop if you’re uncertain that he’s getting the best amount of bone.
And if you want a easier route, begin out by feeding your canine a pre-made raw brand such as Darwin’s.
In my next post, I’ll share where we get our paws on cost effective raw meaty bones!
Do your dogs get RMBs in their diet? Do they have a preferred kind?
Let us understand in the comments! Also, leave any type of concerns you have about exactly how to feed your canine raw bones.
*Get our three totally free raw canine food recipes now! Click right here
Barbara Rivers composes on a regular basis for That Mutt about feeding her dogs a raw canine food diet. She is a blog writer at K9s Over Coffee.
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