just wondering....i've always fed the dogs bits of things, i.e. backs or wings, rather than the whole animal.

i got some cornish hens (they seemed a good size) and rainbow trout for the dogs - all whole. is there anything i need to watch when i'm giving them these? are there any parts that would be bad for the dogs to eat? i'm assuming the cornish hens have been 'cleaned out' but not the fish. my mom said cornish hens are really boney, but the dogs eat the bones, so....

(i have started feeding teagan boned items again, as i don't think they were causing her pain and i feel it's far healthier than supplementing w/bone meal.)

Should be fine. We fed game hens to puppy still would if they were less exspensive. Fish should be OK just make sure no hooks. Some fish are not recommended but I think trout would be OK. Connie or others will let you know if not.

Jennifer I was just talking with my husband about the same thing. My Cody is a jack russel mix and is only four months and not very large at all. I was wondering too if a cornish game hen would be better bones for him since they are smaller. Easier for him to crunch. THanks for your post, it has answered my question.

thanks! i figured i'd get the hens as a treat (the trout too, to be honest - teagan's diet is going to be out the window on trout day).

i hadn't thought to look for hooks - good call!

i've been bugging my brother that he/we should take up hunting so the dogs can get fresh good stuff. he had a bit of a 'don't involve me in your crazy ideas' response but i think he might be interested....i wouldn't want to do it by myself, but i keep on thinking - my dad grew up in rural nova scotia, and they hunted b/c bullets were cheaper than buying meat....and getting the dogs the good stuff doesn't come cheap! i've looked at buying them game - ouch! it is $$$$.

sharon - glad to help! i'd never seen cornish hens before, but grocery gateway carries them (online store) and i had a $20 coupon there....you don't want to know what i spent getting the dogs exciting new meats

I love the Cornish Game Hens. Perfectly sized, complete meal for my female, but darned expensive…


Mine never figured out what a fish was for. They would stare at it for hours… If I buy the fillets they get scarfed down with every thing else. (Buddy caught an extra catfish, it was like 4-5lbs)

i hadn't thought of them not figuring out to eat the whole fish! those brats better (or i'll cut them open, that would probably help due to the smell)

oh! also, does anyone know - is canned fish like tuna and salmon raw, or has it been cooked somehow (they've obviously been processed)? i've been wondering for awhile.

You know, Jennifer, I'd really like to see some pictures of Luc and Teagan (both shelter dogs) before and after the raw diet. I know from experience that shelter dogs eat very cheap food and their coats must have been very poor.

Anyway... although I could never feed my dogs trout (couldn't stomach the smell), I do have some whole chickens in my freezer that I'd been quartering. Are you planning to hand the chicken whole to the dog and letting them eat their fill, or just cut it up and offer the various parts for different meals?

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well, i've put off buying a cleaver - i totally forgot about that, i was really excited to own one too....feeding the dogs raw brings out all the repressed fun from me being vegetarian

so i was just going to give them the hens whole. i guess, i also like the idea of them eating a whole animal in one sitting - it seems so nicely complete, if that makes sense.

hmmm....i'm going to go look for some before/after pics. i didn't have a digital camera when i first got luc though.

here are luc's first pics - the third day i had him:
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a384/mitchthecat/FuzzyLuc.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a384/mitchthecat/Luc.jpg
actually - i could say it's the picture quality, but his coat does look gross in those!
here's some recent shots of luc:
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a384/mitchthecat/Luc/DSCN0215.jpg
http://germanshepherdpics.com/displayimage.php?album=lastupby&cat=0&pos=8&uid=15 (don't look at the messy floor! i do sweep a couple of times a week, i swear)
http://germanshepherdpics.com/displayimage.php?album=15&pos=21

angela, you're right - what a huge difference in his coat! holy crap!

first pics of teagan (first few days i had her):
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a384/mitchthecat/Teagan/DSCN0331.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a384/mitchthecat/Teagan/DSCN0328.jpg
teagan had been on raw for 2 weeks at this point:
http://germanshepherdpics.com/displayimage.php?album=15&pos=18
http://germanshepherdpics.com/displayimage.php?album=15&pos=22
but her coat is even shinier and smoother now, at 7 weeks of me having her.

wow - i'd never thought of doing a before and after. i love the difference in raw in terms of enjoyment, bowel movements, brighter dogs overall, but the coats say it all - what a difference!

And look at Luc's face... it looks like he had some hair loss there, and it has all grown back in nice and shiny!