Hi

After posting about my dog who is at the moment in really poor condition and underweight, I am keen to try raw feeding.

Just wondering if anyone has a weekly menu they could give me as to a guide of what I should be feeding and of how much.  I know that they need a balanced diet of different proteins etc.  I have tried him on chicken wings and he LOVED them and it was lovely to see him eating with such gusto and enthusiasm tail wagging.

I am thinking of buying from Prize Choice as they deliver fortnightly to my area.

My dog is a x Breed about Labrador size and should weigh about 30k

Also can people please advise me of what supplements they need I have heard alfalfa is good anything else??

Thank :-)

Try this link it has most questions answered about a BARF/RAW diet

http://www.njboxers.com/faqs.htm

Emma

Hi Pinksmartie,

Grab a cuppa, and 'pull up a pew'... this may be a long one  ... hmmm..best grab some chocolate too (sustanance!!)

Here's the thing;
Dogs can be verrry individual in their digestion and physiology..sooo whats good for one posters dog, may very well not be good for your, mine, or the next mans! (I know! sods law)

So on a feeding forum  'what to feed' recomendations can be a very hit'n miss affair, not as straight forward as some might think. (sometimes, rarely, (thankfully) it can even be down right dangerous, causing painful complications in individual dogs that should not be fed high taurine meats/fish..for  want of a recent example that occured on this forum)

I would ask you why you've decided to feed raw?
I would advise you to read this first:-Natural diet...Dont just do it!! Its a great article from Caber Feihd Deer Hounds kennel.
I would especially urge you to read this is your considering raw because of a random recomendation from someone who knows neither you or your dogs and may even be new to this diet themselves...

Everyones' an expert  thats your next hurdle!
If you want to consider Raw then get clued up first (as the article advocates) Most of us have had a 'mentor' but many now experienced raw feeders were self taught. Get some good books (all in the article) If you dont know what your doing stick to the diets advocated, til you know more about balance...and your dog.
There is a very good group on Yahoo groups called BRITBARF you can ask questions and get advise and more importantly maybe speak to folk who like you..will be feeding a specific diet due to nyour dogs health requirements (HD)

Be Discerning!! If someones giving advise, ask them... (what makes them an expert  ) what do they feed? how long have they been doing it? where do they get their information from? where do they source their raw from? quantity? and why? balance and how they acheive or perceive it?
Now life is life... someone could be feeding raw for years and still be clueless  so experience can mean many things  but it has always been my experience that someone who knows what they're talking about will be pretty evident! they will be able to qualify what they are saying (factual based whys and wherefors! and good real life tips, not just blindly regurgitating something they've read someone else say on the internet )

Ok... well I hope that helps?? lol..
I guess in essence what Im trying to say is think carefully and educate yourself as well as seeking advise.
Has your dog had a recent Vet check up? I would stongly advise this before switching to a totally new diet.
Definately ask around for someone that has same requirement as you.. feeding raw, but has to have specific diet to cater for the HD apsect/requirements,They may well be able to Mentor you. (Britbarf will be a good source, and the administrator of the site is extremely knowledgable!)

I have always fed raw ( I have a do use kibbles too) But I was very fortunate in that I come from a Norwegian family and that was how all dogs were fed, so generations of experience, My mentor was my Grandfather (and neighbours with working hunting and sled dogs) I dont think I could have ever done it on my own!! But as much as I *think* I know I would never advise anyone else (in terms of diet/needs/requirements)... we are all learning constantly and my dogs have all varied from dustbin-iron clad stomach to delicate-vomitting nightmare!

Good Luck! Let us know how your getting on and if you need any other links/further reading?
Liv x

Just had a quick look at the link that was posted by malibu. In one of the sample menus on the website it mentions heart is classified as offal whereas it is actually  muscle meat - a common misconception - and therefore can be fed in greater percentage than offal would be.

Just to say that Ian Billinghurst shows it as offal in his book Give Your Dog A Bone. :)