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Post by Andreina on Feb 26, 2013 23:19:51 GMT -5
Aww when we move out and have the space to put a large freezer I would love to feed raw. I'm sure it's tastier than the same kibble everyday.
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Post by nzelic01 on Mar 1, 2013 9:32:07 GMT -5
So ive been on the hunt for good prices and none as low as you mentioned Lisa. Ill have to talk to butchers and see what they can give me but grocery stores are a bit pricey here. So that wont be an option. I can get meaty bones and organ meat for cheap but the nice pieces of meat are pretty expensive.
Im gonna try giving the dobes raw chicken today for the first time to see if they even like it. Zeus can be a "prince" with food so Im interested to see if he will like it. I hope he doesnt get explosive bum syndrome lol He is on a chicken/fish Orijen diet, is it safe to say that he would have an easier time digesting it because of this or am I wrong to think this? As for Porscha, she eats anything, Im sure she will enjoy it.
How do I keep my area clean when feeding raw? My little dogs keep taking off with their chicken legs so I find I have to hold it for them and I dont want to get into the habit of this because then they will need me to hold it for them to eat it if I switch.
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Post by Lisa on Mar 1, 2013 9:50:33 GMT -5
Not many people feed pieces of meat to dogs. Meaty bones and organs which are 50/50 muscle meat are sufficient food for dogs. The bones should be really meaty. Did you check China town or other Asian markets? They have the cheapest pork (meat/organs/bones) and chicken.
Did you check for a raw food supplier? Jen (Coco's mom) may help you to find good deals
I don't buy in groceries often....only when they have 50% sales.
My dogs are trained to eat meaty bones in their crates in the winter. I use old towels to cover their beds before feeding. I feed bones outside when it's warmer.
70% of raw food I feed is ground or in small pieces. So they eat it like kibble. You need to find a raw food supplier to get ground meat for dogs.
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Post by cocoloco on Mar 1, 2013 9:58:45 GMT -5
I usually buy most of my meat at the raw food supplier around the corner from me. I'm lucky that I have one so close but you are in Mississauga so it would not be close for you. You should try googling as maybe there is one near you.
I have been going to T-Phat for my organs and chicken feet lately because I can get them cheaper there than my supplier.
Definitely talk to a butcher and see if they can work any deals for you. See if you have any Asian or other ethnic shops around you because I find their meats tend to be cheaper and you can get more "exotic" types of meats there than you usually can at the grocery store.
Watch the flyers and buy meat when its on sale. Something I do sometimes is when I am at the grocery store I check the meat that is marked down 50% off and buy what they have. They mark it down when they reach the best before date and it is not sold. Sometimes the meat is changing a bit of colour but these things don't matter to the dogs because their digestive tract is much shorter than ours so they process and digest much faster than we do and bacteria that affects us does not affect them.
I also buy fish for 50% because Coco does like fish too. She sometimes does not want to eat it raw so I "cook" her a batch every once in awhile. I lightly sautee usually smelts in olive oil, add some leftover cooked rice and frozen veggies just because she likes all these things not because she needs rice and veggies in her diet. If I have leftover gravy I add that too just because she likes it lol. Coco is a little spoiled because I love how excited she gets about this dish that I "cook" for her. The fish looses a little of the pros of feeding raw when I lightly sautee it but I only make it about once a month for her as a treat.
You have to teach the dogs not to walk around with their food. I put Coco's food in her dish and she knows that she must eat it out of the dish and that she cannot walk around with it. This takes some doing at first because they want to run around with it and eat it on the carpet! Coco has a rubber car floor mat under her dishes because sometimes she pulls things out of the dish onto her mat to eat. I just clean things up with soap and water or Lysol wipes. Once you feed raw for awhile you will not be so worried about the germs lol.
Wooo.....ok sorry for the rant but I love feeding raw lol. Good luck.
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Post by cocoloco on Mar 1, 2013 10:01:14 GMT -5
Lol Lisa and I were posting at the same time!! I was being too wordy and too longer!!
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Post by Andreina on Mar 1, 2013 13:03:14 GMT -5
Ummm coco? Spoiled? .......her mommy cuts the heads off sardines for her lmao! Awwwww
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Post by susanw on Mar 1, 2013 13:39:06 GMT -5
Nikki . . . I can suggest a few places you might try in Msga/Brampton areas.
There is a butcher in the little strip plaza on Derry Rd W and Lisgar (1 block east of 9th Line) you might try. He carries things like ostrich meat, which is really hard to find and might have bison. He does get his meat from local farm suppliers so check it out. Might be flexible for deals.
There is an Asian market in the plaza on the N/E corner of Queen and Kennedy Rds in Brampton (enter off Kenndy n of the lights) and another bigger one on Kennedy and Clarence, south of there. Also don't forget the Chinese plaza at Dundas and Tomken Rds.
Good luck with the hunt.
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Post by nzelic01 on Mar 1, 2013 14:38:44 GMT -5
Oh thank you everybody for all your suggestions!!!! Sorry I hope Im not being annoying by asking everything. Just trying to organize it all in my head haha
I read somewhere that dogs can get sick from salmonella, then other places I read that they arent affected by it. Can someone offer opinions about that? I figure from all the junk they get exposed to outside they shouldnt be sensitive to it. Some people told me that the meat they sell in stores are intended to be cooked so the meat isnt as fresh and that its not good to feed them that, but isnt that the same case with butchers? I rather have opinions from people who actually feed raw instead of people who dont and never have but have opinions on it.
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Post by Lisa on Mar 1, 2013 16:26:08 GMT -5
Have your heard about last huge recall of dog treats in NA? Here is more information: www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm340513.htmSalmonella is not dangeous for dogs. It's not good for their humans If you prepare raw you should clean up the counter and wash your hands. That's all. I am feeding Gino for 3.5 years and have never been sick. My dogs never had upset stomach. Their poo is consistent and never runny. Also I have never heard of other people getting sick from feeding their dogs raw. Our old vet was determined to convince me a raw feeding was risky and I would get sick. I had to change a vet. Be careful with raw salmon. It may have a harmful bacteria for dogs. Occasionally I give small raw pieces to my dogs when I buy for us in the grocery store. I guess fish for humans is well-inspected.
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Post by nzelic01 on Mar 1, 2013 17:32:58 GMT -5
Lisa, somebody is telling me that grocery meat (in ceran wrap) is no good. I bought a bunch of stuff from a small grocery store, and she is telling me its no good. That it will make dogs sick and that if you do raw it should only be from a butcher.
What are your thoughts on this? I didnt spend a gross amount of money but id hate to waste it. I got chicken (meat, organs, bones) and tripe, ox tail and a little bit of pork. I bought mostly chicken as for the first week ill be feeding only that. Now Im paranoid. What should I do?
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Post by nzelic01 on Mar 1, 2013 17:37:08 GMT -5
She says that because they pump it with chemicals and hormones to make it last longer, but this is also sold for human consumption and unless its organic everything is processed this way. (Im a huge organic supporter but unfortunately I cant afford that for my pups) But now im all scared to give it to them. Gah! My head is spinning lol
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Post by Lisa on Mar 1, 2013 18:15:46 GMT -5
LOL... It made me laugh! If you eat meat from groceries why your dogs can not do it??? Who said that meat from a butcher is not pumped with chemicals? They buy from the same meat supplier! It should be raw meat without any spices (sorry I forgot to mention it before). Don't worry too much. Dog stomach is filled with acid and will digest any meat. There are much more chemicals in any kibble... and other stuff you don't want to hear about. Give your dogs meat and take it easy
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Post by nzelic01 on Mar 1, 2013 18:19:40 GMT -5
lol THANKS LISA!! thats what i thought too but i needed to run it by someone since im so new to all this haha just in the process of dividing stuff for my little ones i think they know something because they wont leave me alone hahahaha
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Post by Lisa on Mar 1, 2013 18:31:25 GMT -5
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Post by cocoloco on Mar 1, 2013 18:34:22 GMT -5
Don't over think feeding raw. I did at the beginning and totally overwhelmed myself. If we can eat meat from the grocery store so can they. They can eat rotting carcasses outside and be ok lol.
I have never been sick either from feeding raw. It is gross at first but you get used to it.
Dogs digestive tract is shorter and they process food much quicker than us this is why salmonella and bacteria does not affect them like it does us.
Like Lisa said there is a lot of stuff in kibble and lots of people feed all levels and qualities of kibble for years to dogs so don't worry about grocery store meat! You just have to make sure you don't get meat loaded with sodium because this is not good for them.
The stuff you bought sounds great and I'm sure your dogs will love it!
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