I have five dogs that are my world. They range in age from 13 years old to six months old. With all the recalls on dog food, I decided a few years ago to either cook my dogs their own food or feed them a raw food diet. This way I know what’s in their food and the grade of ingredients used. I feel it is healthier for them too. If done correctly, they have shinier coats, healthier skin, improved dental health, increased energy and smaller stools.
It can be very overwhelming for a first-timer. All the information that’s out there both for and against raw food feeding can send your head spinning.
I have tried twice before, over the past few years, before I finally stuck with it. I have been feeding raw for the past two and a half years and I continue to do research on it. I make changes that I see fit according to my dogs.
When making your own dog food there is a formula of how much meat, organs, bones and vegetables to mix – the 80/10/10 ratio is only a guideline and not a set-in-stone plan to follow, with 80% meat, 10% organs (secreting) and 10% bone. I don’t worry about making it perfectly balanced every time because it all balances out in the end.
Skeletal muscle = 55% up to 65%
Organ muscle = 15% up to 25%
Secreting organs = 10% up to 12%
Bone = 12% to 18%
Vegetables = up to 10%
I feed a mixture of organ meats such as chicken gizzards, heart, kidney, spleen, lungs, pancreas and liver. Muscle meats come from beef, chicken, rabbit, venison, turkey and fish. For whole or ground bone, I use chicken or turkey necks, chicken feet, chicken wings and chicken backbone. I also add eggs, fresh fruit and vegetables that are safe for dogs, like blueberries, strawberries, apples, celery, cucumbers, bananas, kale, lettuce, carrots, green beans, eggplant, pumpkin and chickpeas, and dairy products such as yogurt and cottage cheese.
I do purchase pre-made mixtures from MyPetCarnivore.com like whole ground beaver, whole ground muskrat, coarse ground whole mutton, ground green lamb tripe, duck, chicken or turkey necks, ground lake herring, ground lake trout and ground lake whiting. This makes feeding easier for me because the meats are already ground up with bones and organs. I just add vegetables and their supplements.
Each of my babies gets about a cup of food mixture each meal (morning and night). I add supplements to make sure they get enough of their vitamins, minerals and probiotics.
There is so much more information about raw feeding! – but that is another article. I just wanted to share why, what and how I feed my pups.
I also want to share with you a beef stew recipe I make for my dogs. They love it! Unfortunately, I don’t use specific amounts. I usually eyeball my recipes. Since I have five dogs I use at least one family pack of stew meat.
Ingredients:
Stew meat or beef roast cut up in small chunks
Beef or bone broth
Carrots cut into chunks
Potato or sweet potato cut into chunks
Celery
Directions:
Place in a slow cooker. Pour broth over top add (a little water if necessary). Cook on low for at least eight hours. I like to cook it a full day and night. Check and stir occasionally. Let cool in the bowl before feeding the dogs.
Put leftovers in the fridge for up to three days, or you can freeze them (but I never have anything left after the third day).
by Tracy Yun Johnson
