Butternut box?

Jjjjjjjjbarry

Hi,

Looking for something of good quality to change my dog on to. Something that’s gentle on the digestive system. Have been feeding a good quality kibble but need to change and try something else now.

I see butternut box which seems good but possibly all marketing. Anyone tried it?

does anyone recommend something else that’s similar? Slow pressed? Purchased Raw? Anything from maxi zoo that’s really good?

many thanks 🙏

tk123

I got 75% off and tried it. It was fine and my dogs liked it but without the 75% off it was working out as twice the price of raw so just too expensive and the raw suits them both fine. I didn’t really find it any different to a good quality wet food. If you take a look on Zooplus.ie they do lots of good quality wet foods - my favourite for the boys is Rocco Wurst - I mix a bit in with Rory’s raw to bulk it out every day and give some to Bailey too some days and no issues with his tummy. The cans are cheaper but I just prefer the wurst for slicing / cubing it up and the bin isn’t overflowing with cans lol 😝

https://www.zooplus.ie/shop/dogs/canned_dog_food/rocco/trial_packs/980246?origin=hopps&q=rocco%20wurst&i=1&ro=1

anewme

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119816181#Comment_119816181

What is Rory's Raw?

tk123

Sorry Rory is one of my dogs 😅

anewme

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119855941#Comment_119855941

Sorry just falling round laughing here at that!

My lad was not mad about Butternut.

Sigyn

I have given up on commercial pet food, I've got six dogs, all with different dietary needs to do breed, age and (in two cases) sensitive stomachs. I am making their own food now from scratch and freeze it, so I always have about two weeks worth in the freezer. Apart from being time consuming it actually works out way cheaper than commercial food, especially if you keep an eye out for special offers for certain meats and fish.

unimaginativeusername

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119863068#Comment_119863068

May I ask how you go about this please? Is it a raw diet approach? In either case I’d be very interested in where you source ingredients and the ratios you use. This might be a stupid question but do you go to a speciality shop or is it as straightforward as going to a supermarket/butcher?

I’m hoping to get a dog next year and have done lots of research but finding the nutrition side a bit of a minefield.

hamburgham

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119863068#Comment_119863068

I think proper home made food is best too. I find it incredible that people think highly processed nuts made from meat and grain not fit for human consumption is better than proper food. Having said that, I’m not always organised so I always have Butternut in as well (lamb and beef). I think it’s excellent. The ingredients are clearly recognisable as real food and it smells delicious. It’s not cheap but I don’t want to give my dog muck. My dog is an incredibly fussy eater and she eats it no problem, though she does spit out some of the veg, little devil.

Sigyn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119869173#Comment_119869173

It much depends on your dog's requirements. Is it a pet or working dog? You need to factor in higher protein if the latter. Age, possible allergies etc No, it's not the RAW approach. I source the chicken for example from cheaper supermarkets like Lidl or Aldi or any special offers that come along. I boil the whole chicken until the meat falls off the bone and use the broth to boil rice in it. I dispose of the bones and mix the meat in with the rice. I then divide into portions, some of my dogs get only that, for others I add vegetables (steamed or boiled), other a raw egg (from my own chicken). I sometimes get soup bones from the butcher and do the same with them. I use any meat apart from pork. Apart from the rice (sometimes brown) I also use boiled potatoes and very rarely steamed oat flakes). I get fish from the fishmongers as well but that is more time consuming as you really need to de-bone it carefully. Four of my dogs eat anything, two are picky. I give raw veg as treats and every now and then raw chickenwings. What you need is a big pot, a freezer and a bit of time. It will be easy peasy for one dog only. Use your common sense and check online for deals. :) I hope this helps.

Sigyn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119879400#Comment_119879400

I come from a generation where dogs were fed on human food and/or offal from the butcher. And they all did well and lived long lives with no allergies etc. I've always found it best for my four-legged companions to make their own food. Excluding actual cooking times it's not as time consuming as one thinks and you can tailor it to your dog's needs.

Ronan|Raven

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119897642#Comment_119897642

I have recently started preparing my retrievers food. The biggest issue I have is trying to ensure I am giving enough protein etc. So much conflicting information. One good thing is he will clear the bowl with what he gets now. It doesnt take too long to do a few large batches with either chicken thighs or fatty mince and frozen veg with a spud cut through

Sigyn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119897746#Comment_119897746

Apart from way too much protein which can cause quite a few behavioural issues, I wouldn't worry too much about it. If your dog is happy and healthy then you are doing it right. What you read online are only guidelines after all and no one goes around checking their own protein intake daily either. And I always roll my eyes when I read that pups need more protein, think about canines in the wild and what they are feeding their offspring... Some breeds, like giant breeds, need very little as you do not want them to grow to fast too quickly.

unimaginativeusername

Wow I really appreciate the time you took to write up this response. It’s really interesting and sounds like, while time consuming, it may be more financially reasonable while still a good nutritional option.

I ask about raw because it was suggested to me it’s a good option to avoid bloat which the breed I’m interested in is susceptible to. I’ll look more into it both but thank you again!

Sigyn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119898894#Comment_119898894

I've had mostly deep chested breeds in my life who are prone to bloat, never had any problem with it. I find the feeding position of the bowl at jaw height helps a lot with that, so does adding a few large pebbles in the bowl so they have to pick the food around them and can't just hoover up the food.

unimaginativeusername

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119899788#Comment_119899788

Do you mind me asking if there was a particular resource you used for learning and making the food from scratch? It might be more work but I'm conscious of feeding any dog as best I can nutritionally without bankrupting myself and this seems like the way to do it so I'd love to learn all I can.

Sigyn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119901043#Comment_119901043

A lot of it is common sense and experience, I spent my life working with animals, including dogs. Dogs have adapted to human food, and their digestive tracts have evolved as well, including having different enzymes from their wild canine cousins and their ability to process starch. Here is a good article about that: https://www.science.org/content/article/diet-shaped-dog-domestication

Dogs are not wolves, they have become way more omnivorous throughout the domestication process and are also opportunistic as opposed to predatory. And it very much depends on the individual dog, there is no one size fits all. One of mine has no problem digesting raw meat while another turns into a chemical weapon that can clear a room in 2 seconds flat. I always found chicken and fish my two go to meats, I feed beef too but not as often and stay away from pork.

As for vegetables etc you need to know which are harmful, which are useless and which are beneficial. Plenty of sources online for that. When it comes to a new dog you need to find out what requirements it has, sounds daunting but it isn't really. Working dog vs pet dog? Prone to allergies? Dodgy digestion system or bin on paws? You can't go wrong if you offer variety, quality and stay away from processed food, IMHO.

unimaginativeusername

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119910955#Comment_119910955

I appreciate this so much - thank you for your time with responding. I've done so much research but nutrition has been such a blind spot with regards types, costs, opinions, all of it! But I'm getting there with it. Thank you and good luck with the chemical weapon 😂

Sigyn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119911837#Comment_119911837

Feel free to contact me if you need more help/info. I will help if I can.