B.A.R.F. 101

[amalie79]

We have been feeding raw part time for a while-- 40-50% of their meals are raw. I'm starting to add in kidney and I'm not sure if I need to do anything particular with it? I got it fresh from the abattoir, so it came from a cow butchered that morning. They vacuum packed 4 lbs for me, and I just tossed it in the freezer since I didn't have time to deal with it that day... Now I'm wondering if I need to do anything special... Just partially thaw and chop it up? Fully thaw it and rinse it? Anything that I need to remove? I know my mother-in-law has complained of it making the house smell like urine the one time she cooked it.

Blergh.

[Bambina23]

we have been feeding raw for almost a month now and she loves it! thanks for the advice!

[KingofDiamonds]

i would partially thaw and cut up into smaller pecies and refreeze it and jus give it frozen as needed...thts what i do with most my organ meats

[mhocker10]

well, after reading about 60 pages of this thread I went out today and got a 16oz tub of NV Rabbit and Produce. Im going to start out with small servings of raw and work him up to 100% over a few months. He loves raw egg, so I figured 2 eggs a week with his morning kibble(Iams, I didnt know what I know now). Once the Iams is gone, I will use 1/2 TW and 1/2 raw. The NV is expensive so I will be looking at our local Supermarkets and butcher shops for cheaper forms of protein.

thanks for the great info. I will be revisiting this thread quite often. I want to see my boy reach his full potential, and this seems to be the best for his overall health.

Im also hoping that a higher protien diet will calm him down a bit. He seems to spike hyper-activity about 20 minutes after eating the Iams, which I now know is due to the carbs in the kibble.

[FBODGRL]

I haven't been on here for a while, but still hop on when I am subscribed to a thread.

Anyway...there have been quite a few threads about RAW. I think they are all shorter than this one! If you search my user name I responded/posted in a lot of them.

I now raw feed 5 cats and my pit bull.

If you can find raw feeding groups in your area...that is one way to make it cheaper. Get a dedicated freezer so you can buy bulk and stock up on sales. I generally try and not pay more than a dollar a lb. Some stuff much less.

I would keep researching and then start feeding 100%.

[mhocker10]

I believe Im going to use TW Wilderness Elk as a base for barf and feed my RMB and raw protiens at his nightly feeding.

He gobbled the NV Rabbit and produce like it was steak tartar.

[mhocker10]

well, my local store didnt have TW... so I ended up getting NV Rabbit kibble. He's going to get 1 scoop of it tonight to flush out the Iams crap aswell as 5 more oz of the Rabbit and Produce. Tomorrow he will get his first chicken leg.

the guy at the pet food store also feeds raw/barf.

[mhocker10]

about a week now feeding NV kibble and raw. he loves the fresh chicken! he gets some gas now and then...will that pass as he gets used to the higher protien diet? how long is long enough on 1 protien to try a new 1? and how long till I should add organs?

thanks all for the great thread!

1 last question.... is behavior effected by providing a high protien diet? and if so, in what ways.

[FBODGRL]

I wouldnt worry about organ for a while.

Do you plan on doing 100% raw at some point?

I would stick with 1 protein for 2 weeks or more if he is having trouble adjusting to the protein.

Certain proteins can cause gas for them. Every dog is different. Also changing food and adding raw is probably what is causing it. Around here pork causes the worst gas!

[Thalia_Cache]

We have been doing raw for a few days now and the dogs seem to really love it! I have yet to find some really reasonably priced meat though; the cheapest I have found so far was at T&T Supermarket in Coquitlam. Anyone in the Lower Mainland/Fraser Valley area know of any butchers/markets? All of the ones I have spoken to have their meat shipped in and don't deal with any of the leftover bits/organs.

Also, I cannot find the page that touched on fasting and the broth people use? Could someone touch on that again, please?

Thanks!