I weigh out their raw food as normal which some does have fruit, veggies added in- its ground raw.
Sometimes I add in a little more veggies one night or fruit the next- should I also be weighing that was well?
I normally weigh their meat out then I add the rest after- is that to much food for them- should it all be weighed?

Thank you :)

I weigh all my food in lne go. Brooke is the only one who has veg to bulk out her reduced meat but still gets 500grams over all (1lbs) 150g veg to 350g meat does that help. Mind dont take me as the one who is the all knowing one just how I do it and find it works. I still look at the dog to see the food amounts and it is always meat being the largst 100%

ok
Ya some of their food has the veggies or fruit mixed in- where some does not.
I noticed Moose has put on a lil weight- still skinny but some meat on her ribs, but I can still feel her ribs pretty good without pressing. Where
the boston's well Junior you can see his ribs, T-Bone you can feel them nicely but they are seniors to and always been skinny.
Moose is 87.3 pounds and I only feed her according to an 80 pound dog- but she looks healthy.
I usually use fruit & veggies as treats more so then I use dog treats lol
I didn't think veggies & fruit would be fattening?
Right now just making some sweet potato treats in the oven for them- nothing on them, just cut up like round fries
and popped in the oven to cook. Think they will be much healthier then the biscuits I buy from Costco.

Thank you :-)

> I didn't think veggies & fruit would be fattening

Food is food and it all has a calorific value :)

Fruit and veg isn't necessary but a lot of dogs like them and many owners feel the need to add them - just remember to allow them as part of your dogs diet and make adjustments as needed.  If you are experiencing weight issues then don't guess amounts and weigh the veg as well as the meat.  Oh and veg doesn't need cooking - it'll be better for your dogs to eat it raw.

Agreed dab ! Trouble is mine won't eat raw veg except Brooke who will eat minced up fruit and veg with her meat. Must try cooking some sweet potato and carrot as treats the human family keep complaing about me cooking liver for treats as it stinks so much  lol

Mine love them raw/frozen which ever- they pretty much eat everfything.

I will def start watching how much extra veggies/fruit I put in her bowl.
yesterday they had Alpaca and I added in a raw egg, orange, cauliflower, broccoli & carrots.
Not much maybe 3 pieces of each.

nom nom ! that sounds good. No idea about alpaca though we dont get it here or I have never seen it :)

The sad thing is all mine is ground already so all looks like hamburger patties- had to make sure we told the boy
that its dog food lol Good thing is that it has bones, organs, liver and green tripe added in- some have the veggies or fruit
in it. I also have Bison, fish and rabbit. Think we can get ostrich & kangaroo too so might try some of that as well.

Told hubby we should buy food that are on deals at our grocery store and start feeding them some chicken wings/legs ect
just poor Junior won't be able to take in on that due to his teeth.

Think my dogs eat a lot better then I do lol

http://www.onestopdogshop.com/foods-raw.html#raw if you scroll down it tells you whats in the food ect this is where I get some of our food and then I also go
to Metro PetMarket-

I'm finding this all fascinating and I would like some advice about combining veggies/fruit and kibble and if that's ok to do. 

My puppy is on 350g of kibble per day split into 4 meals how do I go about adding the fruit and veg to this and how much kibble to veg/fruit. 

I know not to give onions but is there any other veg I shouldn't give her and any that are particularly good

> I would like some advice about combining veggies/fruit and kibble

Graciemay, why do you want to?

> if that's ok to do

Adding fruit and veg to a dogs diet is a 'human' idea that seems to be based on all our own learning about our diet.  Your dog genuinely has little need of them and the stuff they do like, they are able to graze for themselves or con you out of.  For example most dogs eat grass but they are particularly keen on fresh spring grass and some dogs will go out of their way to consume it for reasons we cannot seem to fathom.  At this time of year they can find fallen fruit such as apples and blackberries and many dogs will take gooseberries, tomatoes, and runner beans direct from the plants when they are able to.  Additionally dogs are pleased to be rewarded with small pieces of fruit destined for us (apples, pears, plums etc)

People who feed raw are often worried about getting it right for their dogs, kibble feeders know they can rely on the manufacturers to have done that thinking for them.  There are a number of good authors who can explain this stuff very well - have a read of authors such as Ian Billinghurst, Tom Lonsdale and Kymythy Schultze for good background advice then you can start working out what best suits your dog.

I think I've got this post and the one about Dr Becker (I think thats the name) mixed up and somehow thought that it was good to give them the veg etc mixed in with the kibble just for the odd change.  She's quite happy on her kibble and I'm happy giving it I think I got a bit confused.  :)

She's not wrong, and raw veg is better than cooked, but dogs don't really need much fruit and veg and can't easily process it.  There is little nutritional benefit to your dog so no requirement to add it to a raw diet, unless it suits both you and your dog to give it (a few spare peelings never go amiss!) and in most cases it will do no harm.  However it's worth remembering that some veg can cause excess gas which, in my opinion, makes it unwise to feed with kibble unless you know what you're doing.

Thanks it's clearer and a bit here and there sounds like a good idea, I don't think excess gas is something I should encourage lol

> I don't think excess gas is something I should encourage

Have a Google for Bloat in dogs - I don't think your breed is particularly prone to this condition but it's always worth knowing the symptoms, even if the causes aren't so easy to understand

The only time I have added veg to kibble has been when I have been trying to reduce the weight of a dog, I have used frozen sliced green beans, fills them up for longer and makes each meal look bigger and takes longer to eat.

We have just started on the raw diet on our 2 bulldogs and I am now so confused.

Daisy is 18kg so we feed her 180g twice a day. Piper is 27 so she get 270g. I made up the meal by 400g of minced up meat, 400g of boiled rice and 400g of veg all mixed up together then weighed out as above.

Is this enough food for them or should they be having 180/270g of the raw mince and then the veg/rice on top? The packets of prize choice say 1/3meat, 1/3 veg and 1/3 carbs.

They absolutely love it - clean bowls and very happy doggies!

> We have just started on the raw diet on our 2 bulldogs and I am now so confused.

What is your reference material for raw feeding?  Some authors advocate the addition of grain with a little fruit and veg whilst others do not.  You needn't stick with one style of feeding for ever but it is vital to do your research first - if you don't you can be easily confused every time you read something new...

I principally feed raw meat and bones (including offal), that's all.

Any extras they get are given because it suits me to feed it to them rather than put it in the compost.  In practice this means they get veg peelings when I have them and left over rice or pasta occasionally.  I do not subscribe to the idea that these are really necessary but if it's convenient for me and does them no harm then in it goes.   Have a look at the authors I've recommended above and see what you think, it's also a good idea to try different options to see what suits your dogs best.

I no berries are def good for dogs since in the wild wolves eat them right off the bushes.

I add in veg/fruit so to speak in case they are getting to much bone and which I found causes there
stool to be a lil hard this helps with it. When I get just meat, bone mix I like to add the others.

I don't weigh anything, though mine only get minces so I guess it's easier to judge what they get. They do get raw and cooked veg added here and there and as treats, but I don't really count those. I go much by what I see... if they are getting a bit padded, I reduce the meat and if they get a bit skinny, I increase. Seems to work for me.

Didn't add anything in with their meal today- just their meat.
I didn't think you would have to weigh the veg/fruit but wasn't sure
Thank you :-)

chris,try making liver cake-my kids come in and say"what are you cooking?it smells gorgeous!"then"I bet its for the dogs,isnt it!!" Yup!Just liquidise a pack of liver with  2 or 3 eggs,a splash of oil and 2 or 3 garlic cloves,then mix resultant gloop into a pack(about 500g)of ground rice,flatten on a tray and bake for about 20 min in a medium oven.Cut into small squares while hot,I turn my squares over and give them another 5min in the oven.All the dogs at my class love them,in fact,its beginning to get expensive,but its nice to treat the dogs!
My friend looked at me astounded when i said "your dogs eat apple?"(they are labradors!)she gave mine a piece each,but the general consensus was"thats not food!"

Mine love apple, banana and carrot.  However my partner's shih tsu came to stay a week ago and was most dismayed when I gave her a bit of carrot with the rest, very much a "that's not a treat, it's not even food" look.  They also get liver cake, and sardine cake which does not smell so yummy!

My last goldie would sit there dribbling waiting for you to finish an apple because we always gave her the core and as far as she was concerned if you went into the fridge it was for her carrots every time she couldn't see any other reason to go in lol it was lovely

My lab would hear me chopping veg in the kitchen from 2 rooms away and would come in and sit waiting for scrummies, carrot was a favourite.  She taught my beagle to do it but the beagle was never bothered for carrot - sweet tooth likes fruit and peppers better.  In her turn she has taught my springer who now beats her in there and likes everything!

My puppy goldie loves apple but she's not too sure about carrot, I'm hoping its just her baby teeth and when she has her adult teeth she will like carrot but I'm not sure.