A Sample Dinner

While I don't have any video of Keiko eating dinner, I decided to share a picture of what her meal for tonight looked like.

Pictured is a 1/2 lb chicken leg quarter which has been cut into two. The glob on the right hand side is a teaspoon of veggies. I just bought vitamin C so once her stomach gets used to digesting veggies which are separate from the meat (not mixed in like they are in the premix) I will begin adding it to her food. Vitamin C addition has to be meticulous and slow, as it can very quickly cause a dog to have a loose stool. Within the next month, I plan to have also obtained salmon oil (or some other form of omega 3's) and vitamin E to supplement with.

On another note, the family dog, Rhasta, has been having some digestive issues. A few weeks ago he got into a rotting rabbit carcass. (Note: Rhasta is not raw fed - not to say that even a raw fed dog wouldn't have had a problem with a rotting carcass) His stomach went haywire. It took him a couple of weeks to get right but I really don't think his digestive system has been right since. Amongst the medications he was on was an antibiotic. The Vet prescribed a probiotic that was supposed to replenish the good bacteria in the stomach that is depleted by antibiotics but I just don't think it was enough. Tomorrow I am going to get a different probiotic and get him started on it, and I'm also going to search for a formula for sensitive stomachs to try out with him. I am going to chat with my parents about trying him on The Honest Kitchen's Thrive formula and go from there. I wish I had him with me at school because then I could just start him on a raw diet and be in complete control of everything he was eating. Then I would know precisely what was causing his digestive upsets. In the meantime, I'll skip his morning meal (aside from giving him the probiotic) and then begin working up to his full ration again in painstakingly slow fashion. Poor little dude.

RMBs

Raw Feeding Dictionary

RMB - "raw meaty bone"
Common RMBs:
chicken leg quarters, chicken/turkey necks, chicken backs, and many many more...
Raw meaty bones are commonly referred to as the "dessert" although really they hold the prime nutrition a dog receives when feeding a raw diet. They are referred to as dessert because many dogs will skip all other ingredients (veggies if you feed them, supplements, yogurt/probiotics, etc) in their bowls and only eat the tasty RMBs! Many raw feeders withhold the RMB until the dog has finished the rest of the meal, then place the RMB down for eating.

Keiko has eaten chicken legs, thighs, and turkey necks. The turkey necks have had mixed success for us (I've only tried them twice; once she ate it, the other time she didn't) but I've decided to put them on hold and save them as a "novel" protein - one Keiko has never really had before and something I can fall back on if I ever need to stop feeding protein sources she's had for whatever reason. I've posted a couple of photos below of Keiko eating a ~1/4 lb chicken leg. Sorry for the poor quality, I took them on my cell phone in poor lighting.



At this point in time, I'm beginning to introduce Keiko to beef through a beef premix made by the same woman who made the chicken premix I started her out on. Once her stomach settles on beef, I will be able to add small amounts of hamburger to her meals (of course with bone added) and that will serve as an additional protein source. If I save turkey for emergencies, then I plan on introducing Keiko to fish next and then rabbit. Stay tuned for photos and blog updates!

Disclaimer: At this point in time I am a "newb" to raw feeding. I have been feeding raw for almost three weeks and this is my first raw fed dog/puppy. As such, I should not be a prime source of information for someone looking to begin feeding a raw diet. I also post information as I understand it. I will do my best to be sure that the information I relay is 100% correct, and will also remain diligent in correcting what errors may be posted.