12 week old G.S. pup - 29 pounds. I've been to this link: http://leerburg.com/feedpups.htm and we've fed raw before, when we had our last G.S. - but that was almost five years ago, and he wasn't a pup when we started.
What I ordered: Beef heart, beef liver, chicken backs, tripe
If I need more muscle meat or a variety we're picking up a half of a beef (for the family, not just the dog ) in two weeks. Obviously I also intend on feeding mackerel, fish oil, and Vit. E.
We also are starting to raise rabbits so that will be nice for him. My question is this: How MUCH variety? For example if I have a lot of beef heart coming (and I do) does it matter if I give him ground beef or will the beef heart suffice since it's all muscle?
Where does liver or tripe come into any of this? I ordered it because I remember feeding our old G.S. both, but I don't see it on the pup page. Is it too rich for puppies?
My question is this: How MUCH variety? For example if I have a lot of beef heart coming (and I do) does it matter if I give him ground beef or will the beef heart suffice since it's all muscle?
Variety is very important, IMO.
There are differences, however small, in heart and skeletal muscles. There are even differences in muscles from different parts of the body. Again, maybe not alot, but still a difference.
Now, does this mean that you need to worry about the nutrient breakdown of every muscle in every prey animal's body. No. Simply feed a variety parts from a variety of animals.
Organs make up about 10% of the diet.
Liver can make up about 5% of the organ in the diet. This is a rough guideline. Doesn't have to be exact, just close. The other 5% should be other organs.
Some people feed a little green tripe with every meal. Others, like myself, feed it as entire meal or days worth of food once or twice a week.
Tripe isn't too rich for any dog, but too much new food or too much food period will cause digestive upset. It should be introduced the same as any new food.
Tracy Collins Webboard User Reg: 10-09-2008
Posts: 1917
Loc: St. Louis, Missouri
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One thing at a time. Add new things gradually until you work up to "variety."
Many folks start with chicken (the backs you've got are great.) Do just chicken for several days, until poops are consistently good. Then add one new thing--say, the beef. Few days later, another new thing. You'll gradually build a repertoire of items that you can then feed in any combination.
Beef muscle meat and beef heart have slightly different amino acid profiles (heart is a great taurine source)--so they are not interchangeable. But heart is considered a muscle.
Go easy on all liver.
Ordinary tripe, cleaned for human consumption, isn't really all that great. Don't pitch it if that's what you've got. But what you really want is "green tripe" which contains the stomach contents.
When I feed it, I treat it like a muscle meat, and it's 1/4 or less of the meal.
Liver is very rich, even for adult dogs. But it's good in small amounts. It can give your dog the dark runs(gross, I know).
As far as the beef, I'd get some other muscle meat (IMO) because the heart is technically an organ(even though it's all muscle). Heart is high (very high) in iron. I would probably get some ground beef (85/15 or leaner) for your pup. Beef is good for growth. But it has a higher fat content, so for now it's a good diet for your pup, but as your pup grows you might want to tweak the diet-add more chicken for instance, which is leaner.
My dogs are fed mostly chicken, along with their organ meats and supplements. They have done fine on this. I do occasionally add pork or beef for change. All while still getting rec. beef and bison bones.
It's ultimately up to you what you're going to feed your dog. But, as I said, IMO the heart is a muscle meat (to me it is) and I would get other muscle meat(hamburger, etc.) too.
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I pick up my meat tomorrow...
#229068 - 02/26/2009 03:14 PM 
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) in two weeks. Obviously I also intend on feeding mackerel, fish oil, and Vit. E.
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