I just started my 4 dogs on the raw diet and still have questions about it. Can you help?

Question

Well, I started my 4 dogs on the raw food after reading the information from your web site last Sun. Everyday I am amazed as they sort of chew up and swallow the bones and it still scares me a little, but I am determined to hang in there until it becomes normal. I have read tons of stuff on the internet trying to educate myself. I am glad that I just jumped into it and made the commitment to go forward even though I didn't have all my ducks in a row so to speak. I have a few more questions for you about the diet.

1) What are examples of RMB that are not chicken?....Would that be all rib type meats like beef ribs, spare ribs, back ribs, etc? 

2) Is there a nutritional problem if I fed chunks of meat without bones? Would chunks fall into the 40% category since RMB would be the 60% category?

3) Where does hamburger fit into the mix?.....the 40% category?......does that mean you could give 60% RMB and 40% hamburger for a meal? 

4) Are the knuckle bones that are sold at Petsmart for example, considered cooked bones and should never be given? I thought that knuckle bones were okay because they didn't splinter?.is that wrong?

5) Do you think that most people get the chicken backs from at a butcher shop? I thought that I had the perfect place, the Mexican grocery store, but they haven't had them since last Sunday when I started this and I bought all they had at the time.

6) One of the internet sites said that leg quarters are weight bearing bones and harder than the other bones and that if they are given I would also need to give some egg shell calcium. Is that right? I am not giving any supplements right now and have only given chicken so far.

I really appreciate your help? It's harder than I thought to find the answers to my questions and it's hard not to worry that I am doing the wrong thing in my heart I know it's the right thing? All the dog food recalls threw it over the edge for me. Thank goodness I found your site. Thank you so much.

Cindy

Accepted Answer

1) Rabbit quarters or halves, turkey necks, beef ribs, pork neck bones, lamb brisket or necks, etc…

2) Dogs need bone in their diet, but only about 10-15% . If I am feeding something that’s mostly bone (like pork necks) I feed a couple meals of meat only to balance it out or I add extra meat to that meal so my dog doesn’t get constipated from all the bone.

3) Hamburger is just another form of boneless meat.

4) The knuckle bones from pet stores are cooked, don’t give those. Ask your butcher for beef knuckle bones, most will save them for you.

5) We get our chicken backs from a restaurant supply company, they only sell them in 35 pound boxes. If the Mexican grocery carries them, just ask and they may order them for you.

6) That’s not right. Leg quarters are fine and have plenty of calcium when they tell you not to feed weight bearing bones, they mean from larger animals like cows. Most chickens that are processed are only about 6 weeks old, and the bones are very soft. My 8 week old puppies can eat them without a problem.