This is a general feeding question which didn't seem to fit in any other forum catagory.

My female GSD will be 4 yrs old this coming June. Since we have had her at 12 weeks old she has been a "I'll eat when I feel like it" dog, which gernerally means the food gets put out and taken up within a an hour if not touched. We feed Diamond Lamb & Rice dry and have sometimes resorted to spicing it up with beef broth. She just doesn't get excited about eating like some dogs I've seen. She has never broken the 65LB barrier on the scale, yet she is not mal-nourished, just slender. I would like to see her at 65-70 LBS.

A colleague at work has two GSD's used for part-time sherriff work and feeds them Diamond dry, mixed with raw ground beef, carrots, beans and peas. I'm not sure if the veggies are raw or slightly cooked.

My question is with the raw ground beef. Is there any concern with bacteria, or the like? Is store bought worse than the butcher shop? I would assume that is OK to feed raw meat since there are so many folks on these forums who do feed raw diets.

I would appreciate any comments and/or assurances that this mix of food is worthwhile trying. If she can eat consistantly some weight might be gained. Maybe the smell of the food would be more inticing as opposed to "I'm hungry, now I guess I better eat".

Ooooohhhh, you came to the right place.
Welcome aboard.

I would say to feed everything you are feeding BUT the kibble and start researching RAW on this forum. THK (The Honest Kitchen) dog food is great for your dogs also. I use that with RAW feeding and all of my dogs do really well.

Dog's handle any bacteria alot better than we do so I would not have any worries there. If you have a butcher near you it may be cheaper than store bought.
I do not really feed a whole lot of beef except for Recreational (something to chew but not swallow) Bones and liver.
I DO feed alot of chicken backs, necks and wings and organs, turkey (ground, necks and wings and organs) and I also feed buffalo, venison and rabbit.

Here are some links to some of Ed's pages

http://leerburg.com/415.htm


This whole page is great too
http://leerburg.com/healthcare.htm

Good Luck with everything and this really is a great forum for "feeding" your dog.

Hi Gordon,
Although I don't feed raw, I do know that you shouldn't feed raw food and kibble at the same meal. It has something to with them digesting at different rates and not being good for the dog.
As for her not being too gung ho for her dinner times have you tried taking the food up after only 20 minutes instead of an hour?
And before i give another piece of adivce i just want to clarify what your concern is. Are you worried that she's too thin, or that she's lackidasical when it comes to eating???

Wendy

If you are feeding her too much that could be the problem. Try fasting her for a day and then only give her 10-15 minutes to eat the next meal. Unless its a medical issue then I wouldn't worry about it too much. Get her into a routine and she will learn soon enough.

Howard

I would recommend against feeding her generals. They tend to be old and have too much fat and gristle. Another problem with general feeding happens when you don't kill them promptly. They start to acquire captains and lieutenants who scurry about sticking their noses in things that had worked quite nicely thank-you-very-much until they decided to help; this is known as a staff infection.

So, to sum it all up, you should definitely avoid general feeding.

This cracked me up.

Also, where do I get one of those signs???

Red cracked me up too

I think he had that sign made up special I've also met his dog, Jager (can't get those 2 dots on top of the "a", Red), a beautiful, solid temperament, incredibly obedient GSD (German commands, I believe). A pleasure to meet Red, his wife, and his dog. Good people (and dog) and Red has an incredible resume

Carol, Sandy:

Yes, Sandy went with me on our way to the range and picked the sign up at a small shop that makes all sorts of signs. Jäger's sigh cost me $16

Thanks for the ego stroke Sandy

Thanks for all the replies. It has taken me awhile to get back on-line to see the replies, so I'll try to comment on all the answers.

First, I started reading Red's comments and had to read it twice before I realized his humor. Very good! Have you seen this one Red - http://users.mtrx.net/image.php?user=funnypics&imageurl=2006%2F2006-09-22-0005%2F_german_shepherd_guard_dog.jpeg&showfolder=0

Carol - I have considered RAW, but always opt-out because of the convenience of kibble, plus I just haven't looked into it with any seriousness. Small chicken bones always scare me when given to dogs. You do mention that it is ground. Do you put it in some sort of blender/grinder before feeding it? I will look into this more on the Leerburg site.

Wendy & Howard - The problem is not feeding too much. 2 1/2 cups of kibble put down in the morning and and she may or may not eat it. Depends on I guess how hngry she feel at the time. Do I think she is too thin? The vet says she looks OK, but she is not full bodied like some males, just slender.

A picture could probably say more than words if needed.

 Quote: gordon vander ploeg

Carol - I have considered RAW, but always opt-out because of the convenience of kibble, plus I just haven't looked into it with any seriousness. Small chicken bones always scare me when given to dogs. You do mention that it is ground. Do you put it in some sort of blender/grinder before feeding it? I will look into this more on the Leerburg site.


A picture could probably say more than words if needed.

Yep, you can grind it if you like, OR you can pound it with a hammer to break it a bit. I have a commercial kitchen aide mixer with a grinder attachment that I use for the dogs that "gulp" their food.
I hear you about the whole bone thing. I was hesitant and over protective when I first started, feeding the dogs one at a time to make sure they didn't DIE each time I fed them, but now, all get fed at the same time (apart from one another of course).
And even though the thought may still be there a bit, I know that the Dutch that I have eating a sock is way more apt to happen than issues with the raw diet.

You will be amazed at the way your dog looks, feels and smells...not to mention the increase in energy and stamina.

Kibble is convenient, but once you start feeding raw, that too becomes easy. Just like anything, it takes a bit to adjust.
Good luck, keep researching and keep us posted.

Also this site is a wealth of info with the built in search function. And here is a book that will help also...

http://www.leerburg.com/970.htm

A picture would be great also. We all like to see doggie pics.