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Husky too thin?

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    #32
    Hellrazer
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 10,592 Mod ✭✭✭✭Hellrazer


    Dogsfirst--You were already warned by a mod about promoting your website yet in one of you posts here you linked to your site again.

    This is a final warning to you.If you link/promote your site one more time in this forum you can take a break from the forum for a few days.

    As for whatever is going on between you and ISDW--This is not the place for it.
    Instead of arguing between you two can you try keep it nice.


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    #33
    Delancey
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,451 ✭✭✭Delancey


    In my opinion absolutely anything is better than Madra food - pure rubbish and if trying to increase weight that has to be the first thing to get rid of.


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    #34
    DogsFirst
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 360 ✭✭DogsFirst


    Hellrazer wrote: »
    Dogsfirst--You were already warned by a mod about promoting your website yet in one of you posts here you linked to your site again.

    This is a final warning to you.If you link/promote your site one more time in this forum you can take a break from the forum for a few days.



    I was warned about that but I think I need clearing up on the rules. When I pursued what the rules were re pushing site info I concluded from the comments made (which I can't seem to find now conveniently enough) that if I was clearing up a question then theoretically a link could be made to the site where the info lies, as long as I was helping. Maybe I'm mistaken but I'm definitely confused. Especially as there is some mods here that are friends of products in facebook and pushing those links and associated info.

    But I get it HR and I won't mention the site again.


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    #35
    Hellrazer
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 10,592 Mod ✭✭✭✭Hellrazer


    DogsFirst wrote: »
    I was warned about that but I think I need clearing up on the rules.

    The rules are quite clear ie no linking to or promoting your own product or website that is selling products.
    When I pursued what the rules were re pushing site info I concluded from the comments made (which I can't seem to find now conveniently enough) that if I was clearing up a question then theoretically a link could be made to the site where the info lies, as long as I was helping.

    All well and good as long as its not your own product you are linking to which you have done on more than one occasion.

    Maybe I'm mistaken but I'm definitely confused. Especially as there is some mods here that are friends of products in facebook and pushing those links and associated info.

    Completely irrelevant--if someone is a friend of a product on facebook that has no bearing on linking to your own product.
    See the difference is if you linked to a product or site that you werent involved with then that would be ok.Linking to your own site in order to profit/benefit from that link is against the rules.
    But I get it HR and I won't mention the site again.

    No worries--I think it should be clear enough for you now.


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    #36
    DogsFirst
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 360 ✭✭DogsFirst


    Got it, cheers for that HR.


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    #37
    blaaah
    Registered Users Posts: 106 ✭✭blaaah


    So what dog food would you recommend Dogfirst?

    I have my husky on red mills racer & my two rotties on red mills tracker.


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    #38
    DogsFirst
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 360 ✭✭DogsFirst


    The best food is fresh, natural food, so I'm "one of those". As a scavenging carnivore this means the dog needs plenty of fresh, raw meat, bone and some cooked veg (roughly 70, 10 and 20%, respectively). Probably abundantly clear from all my other posts!!

    I'm spending €1.30 or so per kilo at the moment on the fillet steak of dogs dinners, my 11 yr old who was hobbling with sever hip dysplasia (dry fed by Mum until I returned from Oz last year after three year absence) is back up and at 'em, like a new dog (photos, vids and vet reports available if you're interested).

    Even if I wanted to I can't afford to go back to dry food. Fillet steak for €1.30 or pellets of 20% twice cooked "animal" protein, chemical laced, months old crackers for twice the price in a groovy convenient bag.

    I can't see the point.


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    #39
    UnknownSpecies
    Registered Users Posts: 3,183 ✭✭✭UnknownSpecies


    Had the same problem with my 18month old samoyed. He was very skinny, just didn't seem to be filling out. We had him eating some cheap food similar to Madra but even after giving him much bigger portions, he wasn't filing out. So we moved him over to Burns dog food here.

    Worked a treat, he has totally filled out, looks like a proper dog now :) Can't remember exactly how much weight he gained, I'll find out and post back though.


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    #40
    DogsFirst
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 360 ✭✭DogsFirst


    Nice one, a good result! Take the gluten out and....tah dahhh!!


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    #41
    Vince32
    Registered Users Posts: 425 ✭✭Vince32


    Ask your vet for some information on feeds, some feeds are packed with "fillers" like corn, soy, wheat or other crap which isn't giving your dog the nutrients it needs.

    http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/

    Find the one your using and go up a few levels, it doesn't have to cost a fortune to feed your dog, though the rule of thumb is "you get what you pay for", be prepared to shell out another tenner on the next bag of food.

    I use "Select Gold 'Junior' " for my pup, and she loves it, she leaves nothing in the bowl and sometimes looks to me for seconds.

    The best advice you'll get is from your vet, s/he can help you with every aspect of your dog's life and will be glad you consulted before making a decision.


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    #42
    blaaah
    Registered Users Posts: 106 ✭✭blaaah


    DogsFirst wrote: »
    The best food is fresh, natural food, so I'm "one of those". As a scavenging carnivore this means the dog needs plenty of fresh, raw meat, bone and some cooked veg (roughly 70, 10 and 20%, respectively). Probably abundantly clear from all my other posts!!

    Even if I wanted to, I'm spending €1.30 or so per kilo at the moment on the fillet steak of dogs dinners, my 11 yr old who was hobbling with sever hip dysplasia (dry fed by Mum until I returned from Oz last year after three year absence) is back up and at 'em, like a new dog (photos, vids and vet reports available if you're interested).

    Even if I wanted to I can't afford to go back to dry food. Fillet steak for €1.30 or pellets of 20% twice cooked "animal" protein, chemical laced, months old crackers for twice the price in a groovy convenient bag.

    I can't see the point.

    So like I just go to my local butchers? How much meat do I get for 3 large dogs? What type of meat? Can you vary to and from different meats? Step by step guide would be perfect if you can.

    I am pretty much learning the basic here as I've never had the pleasure of talking to dedicated ppl like you and ISDW before.


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    #43
    DogsFirst
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 360 ✭✭DogsFirst


    Vince32 wrote: »
    Ask your vet for some information on feeds, some feeds are packed with "fillers" like corn, soy, wheat or other crap which isn't giving your dog the nutrients it needs.

    The best advice you'll get is from your vet, s/he can help you with every aspect of your dog's life and will be glad you consulted before making a decision.

    I dunno Vince. A vet does two short modules of nutrition in 5 years. These two modules must cover the 5 basic animals groups. As Parker-Pope highlighted in her article for the Wall Street Journal "Why Vets Recommend ‘Designer’ Chow" (Tara Parker-Pope
The Wall Street Journal, Monday November 3, 1997) with the cash starved state of universities today these courses are all too often now based on dry food money and dry food literature. Such as the most popular book used by vets in canine and feline nutrition "Small Animal Clinical Nutrition", produced by the Morris Institute, which is the "science" arm of Colgate-Palmollive, owners of the immense Hills Pet Nutrition.

    After this, without further personal and private study into the collossal role of nutrition in the health of an animal, vets are left attending the same biased info day courses constantly put on by the major labels, that I too attended as a supervisor with guide dogs.

    I don't believe vets have all the answers here. As dry food sales fall last year (Euromonitor Pet Food Report, 2010-2011, summary available online, great read), vets need to rethink their whole "baby formula is still better than breast milk" marketing guff. It's simply not the case.

    Pet owners today are moving towards fresher, lower carbohydrate, more natural alternatives for the nutritional benefits they are thought to convey (Londsdale (2001), Berschneider (2002), Joffe and Schlesinger (2002), Stogdale and Diehl (2003), Hill (2004), Weese, Rousseau and Arroyo (2005), Finley, Reid-Smith and Weese (2006), Morley et al. (2006), Strohmeyer et al. (2006), Remillard (2008), Euromonitor Petfood Report (2011), Schlesinger and Joffe (2011). PM me for these refs, or google the matter (google scholar). Most of these studies highlight the failing of vets in this respect.

    I think they have a lot to answer for, like a doctor selling frozen pizza's as a side line. "Yes Mr Thompson your child is in great shape, on your way out make sure you exit through the gift shop where we have THE BEST nutrition for your child. The chicken came all the way from China".


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    #44
    DogsFirst
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 360 ✭✭DogsFirst


    blaaah wrote: »
    So like I just go to my local butchers? How much meat do I get for 3 large dogs? What type of meat? Can you vary to and from different meats? Step by step guide would be perfect if you can.

    I am pretty much learning the basic here as I've never had the pleasure of talking to dedicated ppl like you and ISDW before.


    Re how much, you're talking 2 - 3% of their body weight each day, or around 20% of his MW per week. Aim for that. But it's not set in stone. If you have a setter and she gets a few good runs a day she's going to need more. If you have a lab that gets a walk every other day, maybe cut it back a bit.

    Give her a few meaty bones, cut it back that day etc. Like feeding the kids. Simple.

    Tip: Get yourself a cloth measuring tape. If you like her weight now, measure her waist - trace your finger back along her ribcage to where it ends at her abdomen / tum. That's what you measure around. Get a measurement, it helps you keep an eye as sometimes we don't see the pounds creeping on!!

    All dogs should be lean. The biggest mistake owners make is having fat pups. Pups should be lean for optimum development. No animals are fat when they are young (unless you're a seal). Like in children, obesity while young puts enormous strain on developing organs and joint damage and may lead to paneosteitis (abnormal and painful thickening of the bone in larger breeds, causes lameness for a few months).

    So the ribs should be palpable (be able to be felt with the fingers) but not seen. 'course that all depends on the breed etc.

    You know yourself.


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    #45
    Vince32
    Registered Users Posts: 425 ✭✭Vince32


    Yes your right of course, don't get me wrong some vet's are pushing products given to them by by sales reps and such, so your right to say the vet has a bias when it comes to food products.

    But instead, tell your vet you want to bulk it up, or slim it down, create more muscle, increase its staminia or what ever your need is, and ask for nutrition advice, like more or less protein, more or less carbs, more or less oils or fats, specific to your breed and the work rate you require, and without letting them "sell" you some feed, stick to the key points and then find food with the components the vet recommended.

    We know carbs are slow release calories, and protein will build muscle, I have heard of owners who don't buy "dog food" and stick to raw meats, fish and eggs, which gives the requirement of carbs, proteins, fats and oils for a healthy animal.

    But if you don't know what you breeds daily requirements are, and it's burning more calories than it takes in, the result will undoubtedly weight loss. So if in doubt contact your vet for the dietary info. Other breeders and owners who are experienced with the breed have honed the diet into exactly what "they" need from "their" dogs, and one solution that works for one set of animals, may not be the best advise for the next "set" of animals.

    So your vet will tell you how to feed a working dog, and a show dog , the diets will differ, but not to the point you need to stress over it.

    A better quality feed, in lower portion sizes may help the dog gain weight, where as lower grade feeds might do little to improve you dog's condition, no matter how much you give them.

    I still think asking the vet is the first stop on the road for information, after that owners with dogs with the same-ish work rate, will give their dogs diets and how they respond to it, lastly of all I would put stock into "research" by magazines, because just like the vet, they can e influenced by advertisers also, but unlike the magazines, the vets have the animals interest at heart.

    Don't stress over it though, just think about what you want from your dog, and feed it accordingly. Some Feeds (the expensive ones) are alot better in smaller doses than loads of lower quality.


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    #46
    DogsFirst
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 360 ✭✭DogsFirst


    Definitely agree with the no stress bit! Its as easy as feeding yourself.

    I guess the key is finding the right vet, not the one closest to you. Lets face it theres lots of cracking vets out there, maybe we should get a thread going on it......

    But if you go to one for nutritional advice and they tell you a dog needs any amount of carbs (more than zero) in their diet, they're wrong. All the other stuff, like how much zinc, selenium, vitamin E, is not important if you feed a varied diet, which wil balance out over time. Those sort of details are reductionism i.e. reduced to the point that it makes little sense to you the consumer. Confused you turn to expert advice and scientifically formulated over-priced bags of crap sitting on their shelf.


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    #47
    Wibbs
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 60,093 Mod ✭✭✭✭Wibbs


    DogsFirst wrote: »
    All dogs should be lean. The biggest mistake owners make is having fat pups. Pups should be lean for optimum development. No animals are fat when they are young (unless you're a seal). Like in children, obesity while young puts enormous strain on developing organs and joint damage and may lead to paneosteitis (abnormal and painful thickening of the bone in larger breeds, causes lameness for a few months).
    And is apparently a strong influence in the occurrence of hip dysplasia http://cal.vet.upenn.edu/projects/saortho/chapter_83/83mast.htm#sect3 "In 222 German shepherds born consecutively, 100 were dysplastic, and the prevalence of hip dysplasia at 1 year had a direct correlation with their weight at 60 days of age. The heavier dogs, that is, the heaviest males and heaviest females at 60 days of age, had the highest incidence of hip dysplasia at maturity" One theory goes that the rarity of HD in wild canids is(among other things) this lower juvenile weight and slower maturation.

    Rejoice in the awareness of feeling stupid, for that’s how you end up learning new things. If you’re not aware you’re stupid, you probably are.



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    #48
    DogsFirst
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 360 ✭✭DogsFirst


    Wibbs wrote: »
    And is apparently a strong influence in the occurrence of hip dysplasia http://cal.vet.upenn.edu/projects/saortho/chapter_83/83mast.htm#sect3 "In 222 German shepherds born consecutively, 100 were dysplastic, and the prevalence of hip dysplasia at 1 year had a direct correlation with their weight at 60 days of age. The heavier dogs, that is, the heaviest males and heaviest females at 60 days of age, had the highest incidence of hip dysplasia at maturity" One theory goes that the rarity of HD in wild canids is(among other things) this lower juvenile weight and slower maturation.

    Spot on. Great ref there, cheers.

    If optimum joint formation is what you're looking for, I'm obsessed optimum joint formation. If I could add to the list of why manufactured food fails abysmally in joint formation......

    - Poor quality protein (essential for joints)
    - Gluten (malabsorbtion of vital nutrients)
    - Insufficient vitamins (included at a minimum required for growth (AAFCO pet food standards 1995, you can find these by typing it into google images)
    - Calcium. Most of all. It is recommended to be included at 0.67% for dogs today but still most dry foods are 0.8% and above (everyone check their bag! then go check the AAFCO guidelines in google, type in AAFCO nutritional profiles into google images). While it doesn't look like a lot that is 20% more than recommended, every day of your life.

    Taken from my own stuff (refs available on request):

    "...at this constantly high level of calcium and phosphorus young bone and cartilaginous tissues stop developing normally, bones can become thicker and more dense and excessive growth will create troublesome spurs of bone growth and joint development problems, particularly FCP (Fragmented Coronoid Process), OCD (Osteo Chondritis Dessicans) and CHD (Canine Hip Dysplasia) (Hedhammer et al. (l974), Goedegebuure and Hazewinkel (1986), Hazewinkel et al. (l991), Nap et al. (l993), Hsu (1997), Richardson (l997), LaFond et al. (2002, Hazelwinkel and Mott (2006), Petfood Industry Magazine (June, 2000, page 38))"

    ...also salt and rotten bones in senior dogs...

    "....as we have established your average labrador (30kg) requires a maximum of 1g of salt (NaCl) a day for normal functioning.

    While dry foods will vary in saltiness the upper limits for dry food is set for 2.5% (AAFCO 1995). This is a higher salt content than sea water and is common for all supermarket brands and many premium brands. As in human processed food it lacks nutritive motive and is included in high dose purely to increase palatability. To put this level of salt in content it is twice the salt content of salted peanuts and more salt than sea water. 2.5% NaCl is common for all supermarket brands and many premium brands.

    At 2.5% salt, a standard labrador eating the recommended 440g of that food would be consuming 11g of salt a day. That is 11 times the Recommended Daily Allowance of salt for your lab (according to both AAFCO and NRC Nutrient Guidelines). This figure would be even higher for developing pups consuming more food each sitting, but with a smaller body size.

    The average humans (75kg) is recommended to consume no more than 6g of salt a day but UK adults are now averaging 9g of salt a day, or 1.5 times their RDA. This level of salt intake in humans is linked to hypertension, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, stomach ulcers and cancer, kidney and bone disease (www.actiononsalt.org.uk, SACN (2000)). Children particularly consuming 1.5 times their RDA of salt are more likely to develop stomach cancer and osteoporosis (www.actiononsalt.org.uk).

    Unless dogs have evolved a mechanism of exuding salt on their skin or spitting it from their nose like an iguana we can only assume that 11 times the RDA of salt is going to do significantly more damage in dogs than 1.5 times the RDA of salt in humans. Few long term studies are available to examine this quandary however we do know that like in humans excess ingestion of salt will induce hypertension in the dog (Gupta et al. 1981). Also 43% of the sodium consumed is stored in the bones of dogs (NRC (2006)), so if it's bone health or osteoporosis you are concerned for in your dog, this is certainly a factor you need to consider

    While some pet foods are today lowering their salt content, anything above 1.5 times RDA every day must be detrimental to the developing organs of the pup and adult dog. It also goes some way to explaining the excessive thirst and urination of dry fed pups whilst toilet training. Without the evidence, one can only ponder the effect of 11 times RDA of salt on developing organs, namely the kidneys, and it is another culprit to add to the epidemic of kidney disease in our dogs today".


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    #49
    Vince32
    Registered Users Posts: 425 ✭✭Vince32


    holy mother.. you know all that !! that's awesome :)

    So Knowing all you know about foods and joints and size, what would you recommend for a lean 1.5yr old Husky, who runs 2-3 miles 4 times a week?

    Is raw food preferred to the bagged dry stuff? and how much in g's should be their diet (roughly)?

    If you don't mind of course.


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    #50
    DogsFirst
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 360 ✭✭DogsFirst


    Vince32 wrote: »
    holy mother.. you know all that !! that's awesome :)

    So Knowing all you know about foods and joints and size, what would you recommend for a lean 1.5yr old Husky, who runs 2-3 miles 4 times a week?

    Is raw food preferred to the bagged dry stuff? and how much in g's should be their diet (roughly)?

    If you don't mind of course.

    Funny stuff!!!

    Re feeding husky fresh food, start off with 20% of his body weight each week divided into 14, of. the standard food - fresh meat bone and cooked veg (70, 10 & 20). For which meat read above posts. Tips on keeping price down to 1.50/kg about the place (away from laptop at moment, can send threads on to you). Tips for how too. Or you can pm me.

    Great with huskies, you see the effect of the good protein almost instantly in their coat, wait and see.

    Fresh food is the best nutrition available. Easy but takes a little effort to get into the routine.

    Once you see the effects you'll never go back!

    Go for it.


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    #51
    Graces7
    Registered Users Posts: 32,634 ✭✭✭✭Graces7


    We feed exclusively raw and home cooked. Very occasionally a tin or kibble when circumstances dictate.

    It is more natural and the pleasure is great.

    I use the slow cooker to make stew, with chicken necks for the stock, carrots, apples, greens and a little barley and some bread especially in the winter. No salt and no additives or colourings etc.

    We get 10k packs of chicken necks locally and /or butcher scraps. Or part of a raw chicken carcass.

    Both dogs have a stable weight and are happy on this.

    We had a lot of trouble with one of the cats with both dry and tinned cat food. Severe urinary issues made worse by the special diet the vet sold us.

    The cats too thrive on raw chicken necks.


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    #52
    Vince32
    Registered Users Posts: 425 ✭✭Vince32


    hmm sounds tricky lol Would you object to videoing the prep and cooking and uploading to YT?

    Or if there is already a good walkthrough up there that you know of and just paste the link, I think I would prefer raw and cooked natural foods, but knowing me I'd mess it up the first time and lose confidence :P

    I've looked at this lady http://youtu.be/FJ6pyO121ZI is this what your describing?

    Should I de-bone any raw foods? I've seen some people use ground beef, chicken or turkey and adding "pet mix" into the batch to make it "balanced"

    Honestly there is sooooooooo much £^"$ out there its hard to know what's actually good, and I'd prefer an experienced owner to some commercial selling "magic beans"

    cheers


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    #53
    DogsFirst
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 360 ✭✭DogsFirst


    All the info on what to and how to feed are in the previous posts, there's loads of sensible people about here.

    Don't take the bones out of fresh chicken (they are where the money is for dogs building bones). In short for a carnivore bones build bones, cartilage builds cartilage (with condroitn, vit C etc), muscle builds muscle etc.

    Re youtube, I'm slap bang in the middle of putting that together. PM in a month. Got bored listening to that woman on the link though! I don't cook the meat but as long as she's sticking to (roughly) 70% meat, 10% bone and 20% cooked veg you're on to a winner. Everyone will peddle you special "recipes". As long as you vary the meat you put in, you're laughing. Get yourself some raw oily fish (mackerel / herring) by the 10kg from a factory (make sure they're from frozen or freeze them yourself). Best joint forming protein and oils for that soon-to-be working huskie who is expressing lameness. Make up enough food for 3 weeks at a go so you don't get a pain in your teeth doing it. Store in huge lunch boxes in your freezer and have one going in your fridge so you just have to scoop into the bowl!! Easy. Bulk buy keeps it cheap.

    I feed my bones separate around 3 times a week just because they get in the way of the mixing/storing process. I hack chicken carcass up with a big cleaver on top of chest freezer outside (I keep all the dogs stuff separate, a big pot, her own chopping board, a cleaver, bags, lunchboxes, antisep wipes, rubber gloves, in a big tub outside). Once you get your area sorted it's grand, before that you're running around using your mums best china kind of thing, covered in blood and sinew, the dog licking your trousers.

    Read all previous posts from anyone on here that's raw feeding (that'll take a few days), take some notes, browse on google (watch your sources), give it a go, then get back with your success stories!!

    Heres a thread on bones if you're worried about them.
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=75549098&postcount=42


    There is loads of rubbish out there. Go to Amazon.co.uk (or better yet the bookdepository, dirt cheap books) if you're getting confused and pick up a book, you'll have it in 3 days. Hust type in "dog food" or "feeding dogs" or whatever. Not one of these books, written by folks that have looked into dog diet, will recommend dry food. Buy any one of them. Doesn't matter which as they're all just repeating the work of two Aussie vets, Ian Billinghirst (Give YOur Dogs A Bone) and Tom Lonsdale (Raw Meaty bones), both good books too. Or check out their websites, or give them a ring!

    Interestingly if you put in "dry food" into Amazon all you get back are financial reports for the first 30 entries!!! Not one book or recommendation! Very telling.


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    #54
    Vince32
    Registered Users Posts: 425 ✭✭Vince32


    Smashing stuff :)

    I'm going to enjoy pounding the bones with a mallet, I'll start small maybe 2-3 feeds a week and build it up slowly. We just tossed a chicken carcass yesterday, a shame really.

    Thanks again for the top posts.


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    #55
    Graces7
    Registered Users Posts: 32,634 ✭✭✭✭Graces7


    Vince32 wrote: »
    Smashing stuff :)

    I'm going to enjoy pounding the bones with a mallet, I'll start small maybe 2-3 feeds a week and build it up slowly. We just tossed a chicken carcass yesterday, a shame really.

    Thanks again for the top posts.


    Words there are none.. Soup? Maybe I am just of a much older generation that always used every part and bit for food. In the days when chicken was a very rare thing; just at Christmas actually.

    Waste is.....

    But you will know now!

    The greatest pleasure we had last Christmas was watching collie deal with a large part of raw turkey back. Bottom in the air, head down and utter bliss. Took her around 15 minutes.. When we got her she had been fed on cheap tinned food mushed up with cheap white bread in water. Her teeth are far better than they were.

    LIDL and Dunne's have had real bargains on turkeys. eg E9.99 for 5 k. We eat the white meat and the critters get the rest over time.
    It is easy; not as complicated as some here make out.


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    #56
    Graces7
    Registered Users Posts: 32,634 ✭✭✭✭Graces7


    DogsFirst wrote: »
    All the info on what to and how to feed are in the previous posts, there's loads of sensible people about here.

    Don't take the bones out of fresh chicken (they are where the money is for dogs building bones). In short for a carnivore bones build bones, cartilage builds cartilage (with condroitn, vit C etc), muscle builds muscle etc.

    Re youtube, I'm slap bang in the middle of putting that together. PM in a month. Got bored listening to that woman on the link though! I don't cook the meat but as long as she's sticking to (roughly) 70% meat, 10% bone and 20% cooked veg you're on to a winner. Everyone will peddle you special "recipes". As long as you vary the meat you put in, you're laughing. Get yourself some raw oily fish (mackerel / herring) by the 10kg from a factory (make sure they're from frozen or freeze them yourself). Best joint forming protein and oils for that soon-to-be working huskie who is expressing lameness. Make up enough food for 3 weeks at a go so you don't get a pain in your teeth doing it. Store in huge lunch boxes in your freezer and have one going in your fridge so you just have to scoop into the bowl!! Easy. Bulk buy keeps it cheap.

    I feed my bones separate around 3 times a week just because they get in the way of the mixing/storing process. I hack chicken carcass up with a big cleaver on top of chest freezer outside (I keep all the dogs stuff separate, a big pot, her own chopping board, a cleaver, bags, lunchboxes, antisep wipes, rubber gloves, in a big tub outside). Once you get your area sorted it's grand, before that you're running around using your mums best china kind of thing, covered in blood and sinew, the dog licking your trousers.

    Read all previous posts from anyone on here that's raw feeding (that'll take a few days), take some notes, browse on google (watch your sources), give it a go, then get back with your success stories!!

    Heres a thread on bones if you're worried about them.
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=75549098&postcount=42


    There is loads of rubbish out there. Go to Amazon.co.uk (or better yet the bookdepository, dirt cheap books) if you're getting confused and pick up a book, you'll have it in 3 days. Hust type in "dog food" or "feeding dogs" or whatever. Not one of these books, written by folks that have looked into dog diet, will recommend dry food. Buy any one of them. Doesn't matter which as they're all just repeating the work of two Aussie vets, Ian Billinghirst (Give YOur Dogs A Bone) and Tom Lonsdale (Raw Meaty bones), both good books too. Or check out their websites, or give them a ring!

    Interestingly if you put in "dry food" into Amazon all you get back are financial reports for the first 30 entries!!! Not one book or recommendation! Very telling.


    Jeepers; you make heavy weather of it all! Books? Mallets? Far too complicated for me.


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    #57
    DogsFirst
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 360 ✭✭DogsFirst


    Graces7 wrote: »
    Jeepers; you make heavy weather of it all! Books? Mallets? Far too complicated for me.

    Agree with you Grace, the whole feeding dogs thing has been over complicated on purpose, to confuse pet owners into thinking it's too difficult. Ironically though only a great deal of reliable info to counter the wave of pseudo science out there that has engulfed our vets and pet shops, is going to put it right again.

    Some of my posts are too long I totally agree. Feeding a dog is dead easy, as easy as feeding your kid, but some people take a bit of persuasion. Books for info, mallets for bones that "will choke your dog" etc, all totally unnecessary but very necessary at the same time!


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    #58
    Graces7
    Registered Users Posts: 32,634 ✭✭✭✭Graces7


    DogsFirst wrote: »
    Agree with you Grace, the whole feeding dogs thing has been over complicated on purpose, to confuse pet owners into thinking it's too difficult. Ironically though only a great deal of reliable info to counter the wave of pseudo science out there that has engulfed our vets and pet shops, is going to put it right again.

    Some of my posts are too long I totally agree. Feeding a dog is dead easy, as easy as feeding your kid, but some people take a bit of persuasion. Books for info, mallets for bones that "will choke your dog" etc, all totally unnecessary but very necessary at the same time!

    :rolleyes:


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    #59
    Irishchick
    Registered Users Posts: 1,151 ✭✭✭Irishchick


    Excellent info Dogsfirst. The amount of people that come into the practise with malnourished dogs is unreal.

    I ask : "What are you fedding him/her"

    "Ah I feed them the good stuff you know, pedigree chum" :rolleyes:

    People just seem to forget that a dog is a carnivore.


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    #60
    blaaah
    Registered Users Posts: 106 ✭✭blaaah


    Hi, just issue about cut offs from butchers, can I give them to my rotties & husky raw or a means of cooking them is better?
    The meat is beef, with few short bones thrown in.

    Thanks


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    #61
    Cork24
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,663 ✭✭✭Cork24


    Siberian husky are not like Malamutes,

    Malamutes are bigger and wider, unlike Malamutes if a Siberian husky is not walked he will let you know and can get aggressive and can bite their Owners.


    Huskies are mainly used for pulling for the High Energy where Malamutes are big and powerful they can never last as long as a Husky.. saying that their high energy gives them a high metabolism so i will not worry once you are giving them the right food and the right amount you will be fine..


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