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Okay, so as I've said in previous posts, raw is not a full-time option for me, I won't get into the "whys" and "what fors". Suffice it to say that there are multiple reasons that I cannot circumvent right now.
Another challenge with raw I've been up against is that one of my puppies, the small (18 lb) male Cocker Spaniel/Daschund mix doesn't like raw meat. My 40 lb. Shepard mix female loves it but not the little guy.
So for awhile now, while I've been simultaneously seeking out a high quality kibble that they both like and tolerate well, I've been trying to get the little guy acclimated to raw food.
The kibble du jour is Artemis Fresh Mix, which you can read bout in this thread...
http://dogfoodchat.com/forum/dry-canned-dog-food/1478-artemis-fresh-mix.html
Now while I may not know a lot about dog physiology and nutrition, I do know quite a bit about dog behavior and how to condition it. So for a few weeks now, I've been cooking their supplemental dietary meat a little less over time until I got to the point where it was basically seared on the outside and raw in the middle. I cook it by either pan frying or boiling with no salt or seasoning.
I started with beef because they both really like it a lot. I can sometimes find roasts and such for less than $2.00 per pound but my favorite thing to give them are beef back bones (ribs) with a nice piece of meat attached. If I wait for the right time, I can usually find these for 90 cents to $1.29 or so per pound. It keeps them busy for hours...a huge bonus for me since I run a home-based business and really need some quiet time now and then.
I don't do the meat thing every day but today was the first time I finally got both of them to take and eat a raw beef rib. The female snatched it up and went to town. The little guy, who usually wants his meat cooked, poked it with his nose for awhile, then licked it for awhile, then watched the female for awhile, and FINALLY, he dove in and ate it. Yay!
So, this was a big obstacle that we've finally overcome. I'll do this every few days for awhile until it is "normal" to them then I'll try something else, like chicken. I found some dark quarters (legs with thighs) today for 67 cents per pound so getting them to eat these is the next goal.
Like I said, raw full time is not an option right now but my goal is to come up with a compromise diet that includes some kibble and some raw meat so they get some of both on a somewhat regular basis. Today was a breakthrough because until now, the male has resisted. Now the door is open and I hope to take advantage of it. They loved their meaty "treat" today and have been happy pups ever since. I hope I can keep it going.
Cheers!
Jay
Another challenge with raw I've been up against is that one of my puppies, the small (18 lb) male Cocker Spaniel/Daschund mix doesn't like raw meat. My 40 lb. Shepard mix female loves it but not the little guy.
So for awhile now, while I've been simultaneously seeking out a high quality kibble that they both like and tolerate well, I've been trying to get the little guy acclimated to raw food.
The kibble du jour is Artemis Fresh Mix, which you can read bout in this thread...
http://dogfoodchat.com/forum/dry-canned-dog-food/1478-artemis-fresh-mix.html
Now while I may not know a lot about dog physiology and nutrition, I do know quite a bit about dog behavior and how to condition it. So for a few weeks now, I've been cooking their supplemental dietary meat a little less over time until I got to the point where it was basically seared on the outside and raw in the middle. I cook it by either pan frying or boiling with no salt or seasoning.
I started with beef because they both really like it a lot. I can sometimes find roasts and such for less than $2.00 per pound but my favorite thing to give them are beef back bones (ribs) with a nice piece of meat attached. If I wait for the right time, I can usually find these for 90 cents to $1.29 or so per pound. It keeps them busy for hours...a huge bonus for me since I run a home-based business and really need some quiet time now and then.
I don't do the meat thing every day but today was the first time I finally got both of them to take and eat a raw beef rib. The female snatched it up and went to town. The little guy, who usually wants his meat cooked, poked it with his nose for awhile, then licked it for awhile, then watched the female for awhile, and FINALLY, he dove in and ate it. Yay!
So, this was a big obstacle that we've finally overcome. I'll do this every few days for awhile until it is "normal" to them then I'll try something else, like chicken. I found some dark quarters (legs with thighs) today for 67 cents per pound so getting them to eat these is the next goal.
Like I said, raw full time is not an option right now but my goal is to come up with a compromise diet that includes some kibble and some raw meat so they get some of both on a somewhat regular basis. Today was a breakthrough because until now, the male has resisted. Now the door is open and I hope to take advantage of it. They loved their meaty "treat" today and have been happy pups ever since. I hope I can keep it going.
Cheers!
Jay