[rockymtsweetie82]

I don't have a meat scale or anything like that. I have my own weight scale, but would that be good enough to weigh out the meat daily?

Duckie only would get half a pound a day for his ideal weight, and China gets a pound a day. How much does one thawed out chicken quarter weigh?

I also saw in another post that the dogs don't need bones every day? But the quarters have bones in them, so do I strip the meat off? Or is it just the larger bones they don't need every day, like cow bones etc?

 

[RawFedDogs]

I don't have a meat scale or anything like that. I have my own weight scale, but would that be good enough to weigh out the meat daily?

Naaaa, you don't need a meat scale at all. I don't own one and never have. You don't have to feed the exact amount every day. Any meat you buy has the weight written on it. For example if you buy a package of 5 chicken quarters and it weighs somewhere around 5lbs, you know each quarter will average a pound. So if you feed one a day, that will average out to be a pound of food a day. So think in terms of how many quarters you would feed a day. If you should feed a lb a day, its ok to feed 3/4lb today and 1 1/4 lb tomorrow. The smaller dog would probably eat chicken wings/necks/drumsticks. The larger dog would be more comfortable with quarters or bone in breasts. Remember you can always figure out approx weights on anything by looking at the label and counting the pieces in the package.

Duckie only would get half a pound a day for his ideal weight, and China gets a pound a day. How much does one thawed out chicken quarter weigh?

Duckie would get a few wings, necks or drumsticks. I don't remember how much each weighs but you can figure it out. A quarter weighs approx a pound. Also remember these weight suggestions are only beginning points. You will adjust the volume of food up or down depending on whether your dogs loose or gain weight.

I also saw in another post that the dogs don't need bones every day?

Thats true but in the beginning it would be better to feed bone every meal for 2 or 3 months then you can start feeding a few boneless meals a week. Bones are constipators and tend to keep the dogs from having diarrhea from the change of diet.

But the quarters have bones in them, so do I strip the meat off? Or is it just the larger bones they don't need every day, like cow bones etc?

No, a boneless meal would be something like a pork roast or beef roast of maybe some venison. It could be some ground beef or turkey. It could be pork chops with the little T-bone cut off. It could be boneless pork chops. It could be cube steaks.

 

[EnglishBullTerriers]

I usually just eyeball it. I was feeding Owen one chicken leg quarter twice a day when I started. Then he decided that he didn't want that much food everyday, so he would just hide his second meal and I would find it later. (This would be a good time to mention that I do not allow raw meat to be fed inside. I would find one meal laying out in the yard or where he barried it.) At that point, I bumped him down to 1 chicken quarter a day. Over the Christmas holidays, I noticed that he wasn't the 'plump' pup that he used to be. He is now back up to 2 meals a day, but the second is a little smaller then the first. So far, so good. The only math involved in the whole 'equasion' is figuring out where to start. Don't forget to listen to and watch you dogs, they will tell you everything you need to know! Unlike humans, animals don't know how to lie, therefor you can ask them anything you want and you will always find the right answer. Now that you know that you need approximatly 1lb for China and 1/4lb for Duckie, just estimate until they look like the pooches they are supposed to be. Try to not stress over anything. They won't die if you give them more food one day... or week. They will only get a little chunky, then you can figure out where to go from there.
I almost find it harder to get them fatter, then for them to lose weight anyway! Good luck, and HAVE FUN!!

 

[RawFedDogs]

Unlike humans, animals don't know how to lie, therefor you can ask them anything you want and you will always find the right answer.

Hehe, My dearly departed Skylar would lie to me quite frequently. Anytime she could get something out of it, she woudln't hesitate to lie. :smile:

 

[rannmiller]

Yeah that's my Pennywise, the perpetually "hungry" dog. If she could choose her way to go, I'm sure it would be eating herself to death. She loves food with a fierce passion!

 

[EnglishBullTerriers]

Yeah that's my Pennywise, the perpetually "hungry" dog. If she could choose her way to go, I'm sure it would be eating herself to death. She loves food with a fierce passion!

Ok, I feel the need to defend myself in saying that all of the animals that I have owned, (even the ones that I have taken in from the streets that were starving for real) have had the brains to know when to stop when their belly's were full and they would walk away from it. I don't know if anyone remembers when Owen did stop eating for a while and I brought up the point that my horse will even refuse grain when the extra nutrition is no longer needed. I guess that I have just been a lucky-duck when it comes to animals knowing what is best for them and being good about not over doing it! So, you could say that the animals won't lie so much as they will play some people like a fiddle because they know that they will get what they want out of them.
Believe me when I say, no insult is taken from your comments. I just thought that all animals were like mine and now I know that I got the pick of them all!!
Thanks!!