What is the optimal RAW meat for my dogs?

Question

I currently feed my dogs half Nature's Logic and half raw. ONLY half raw because raw is a bit pricey. The kibble I use has no synthesized vitamins/minerals added. It is all an all natural food. BUT I would like to go to a butcher and buy the family size package of meat to freeze and give to them with the kibble. I use Nature's Variety frozen raw but am not above trying Primal or someone else's. I just use the pre-made because it is sooo much easier than grinding/mixing myself.
O BTW they LOVE frozen turkey necks!!!

Answer 1

Optimal raw meat. I read somewhere that beef (buffalo, red meat) has the highest quality of digestible protein. Eggs are the perfect protein, but necks are great! My dog loves duck necks. We visit ethnic groceries for good deals.

I make vegicubes, keep a tub of flora in the fridge, or disguise her plants in chopped meat with eggs, powdered eggshells, liver, and fresh mackerel.

We keep a log of the proportions in our mixes, but we aren't rigid. We feed a variety of whatever is in season, and on sale, balancing her nutritional requirements. We strive to supply her with meaty bones. We don't grind. We try to keep her food simple. She usually gets a some sort of meat, bone in, some days her percentage of liver. Throughout the day, we treat with tablespoons of supplementary food.

We bring her chopped mixes with us when we leave town for a few days. It's cheaper to assemble her food than to purchase from supply houses, unless we buy in bulk and pack a second freezer.

Answer 2

I feed raw and also i make stews for my dogs. You sound as if you are doing good for your dog, but you can go to your local butcher and get meat scraps and bones (I DO) I also feed whole chickens. Alot of the scraps from the butcher are small but some need ground, you may even be able to request a certain way to prepare them for you. MIne will but i have done business with them for years.

I do not agree with the people saying feeding raw causes bacteria or salmonella, i have fed raw for years and it has never hurt my dogs and they live to be at ripe ages of 20-21 years old before they die of OLD AGE..............

IF people knew what was really put in dog food they would fall over, even euthanized cats and dogs go into the dog food but people do not want to believe that one. So feeding raw is much better than the commercial dog foods sold in the grocery store or vets office.

Answer 3

I have a Police K-9 and at the academy they feed frozen beef. However, at home we feed frozen chicken. They love it, and being frozen, is good for their teeth. There is no need to worry about bones, as long as they are not cooked. (You never see coyotes giving each other the heimlich maneuver, or bleeding internally from a splintered bone).
Dogs have the right digestion set up for raw meat, so don't worry about bacteria. We have never had a problem with our dogs eating raw meat, in fact they seem to be healthier for it.
I believe meat should be the only thing in a dog's diet....they are carnivores and should not be fed vegetables. (Availability to grass is a must however).

Answer 4

My dogs are on a complete raw diet. I'm not familiar with the brands you are referring to, but I just purchase the same type of meats, etc. that I would purchase for myself. I do grind some meals up with veggies, etc. But mostly they eat the wings, etc. whole.

And for those of you who are going to write in or have about bacteria, etc. The digestive system of a dog is MUCH shorter than that of a human. The raw food is digested and passed before bacteria and harmful things have time to grow. Many of the enzymes and nutrients are cooked out of the food which is why we feed raw. Why do you think your nutritionist tells you to eat raw veggies as opposed to cooked ones...they are better for you!

Answer 5

I feed a blended diet of homemade (chicken parts, brown rice, carrots, parsely, garlic, raw carrots, raw apples, steal cut oats, yams, peas...all ground together), high quality kibble (my dog can't have corn or wheat), canned food and raw meat&bones plus yogurt, eggs, etc as supplements. Since we show we use canned a lot since it is easier to take with us for the out of towners.

Turkey necks & backs are his favorite followed closely by beef ribs. I try to vary the meats he (and the new pup) get to give them a variety. Chicken leg quarters can be a very economical option and I check the meat markdowns every time I shop for treats for them.

Check in your area (if you haven't already) for a BARF group and see if they do co-op ordering. Many groups get wholesale prices, share the s&h charges and then divide the order. You need to have a freezer if you want to do this.

Answer 6

Dogs may be carnivores, but wild dogs do get vegetable matter by eating the stomachs of their (herbivore) prey.
Plain raw meat also doesn't have the calcium needed.
Wild dogs eat virtually the whole carcass to get all the nutrients, and even then can be lacking at times.

This is the totally opposite extreme of those people who want to feed their dogs and cats vegetarian meals.
The need a balance, hence the prepared food that is available.

Answer 7

I would feed your dogs what ever you would buy in the store for yourself, make sure the bones are in it they need the calcium.
I think each dog has a taste all there own some will like one thing and another with like something else, just try different things just watch what veggies you feed them some can be dangerous cause of the gas they create.
just remember in the wild dogs don't really eat grains.......i don't know about you but i have never seen any dog bake a loaf of bread....... grains just aren't a natural part of there diet, unless it is in the stomach of the animal they just ate.

Answer 8

I'm not vegan or vegetarian but I feel that your choice is your choice. You can't change a dogs diet because of your life. They are dogs which need a certain diet. There are brands of dog food which do process their foods differently and more naturally.

Answer 9

you shouldn't mix raw food with kibble.the raw food passes through digestive system much quicker than kibble leaving the raw food in digestive system longer you want the raw to pass quickly. i use to use frozen natures variety i didn't like it always looked like it had freezer burn bravo is much better

Answer 10

I do not feed raw, but we are considering it.

So many people crying BACTERIA.....omg.....have they ever visited a dog food processing plant........? Don't tell me 'but it's cook'. WRONG, most dog foods are dried and do not reach temperatures high enough to kill bacteria.....