I'm wondering how often can you feed pork? I posted a few days ago about what to do because I was running out of ground beef. I went to a butcher store today and bought 3lbs of chicken hearts for .99/lb. I DID notice they had pork necks for .59/lb and pork butt for .99/lb. I didn't buy any because I wanted to ask here first. I will be running out of these chicken hearts in about 5 days. Should I buy pork when I go back? and how much do I feed? My dog is currently getting 9oz of muscle meat (ground beef) per day. Besides her RMBs.

Pork neck bones tend to be too boney for some dogs. You'll definately want to add meat to those. Also, what you saw was probably already cut into small pieces that I would be afraid to give a dog as big as yours. Ask the butcher for the pork neck uncut. It will still be split down the middle, but will be about a foot long.

Was the pork butt bone-in? I like to take those and cut off some x-tra meat chunks that I can add to boney stuff like pork necks. Still leave alot of meat attached to the bone in the pork butt for a good challenging meal for your dog. Ask for the pork butt uncut also. Sometimes they cut them and sometimes they don't, but ask anyway.

I like pork just because I can get more challenging meals for the dog out of 'em. Both the pork neck and butt are good for that. Just make sure they get some meat with all that bone.

The butcher might also give you a discount if he doesn't have to cut anything.

Thanks for the tip. See! I'm glad I waited, or else I'd have all kinds of pork necks at home, that I couldn't feed her. I'll ask about buying them un cut. I'll also look at the pork butt. .99/lb or less is good with me. I just couldn't bare to spend $1.99/lb on ground beef on sale. $2.79/lb regular price. I'd have to stop feeding raw! I'll start hitting the butcher markets more. As far as the chicken hearts/gizzards, I can feed that as much as the ground beef? I fed her 4.5 oz last night and she seemed fine today. Beef hearts is the more rich muslce right?

 Quote: Alex Corral

As far as the chicken hearts/gizzards, I can feed that as much as the ground beef? I fed her 4.5 oz last night and she seemed fine today. Beef hearts is the more rich muslce right?

Yes, I feed just as much gizzards as hamburger. I also feed just as much beef heart, but they are used to it. I would mix beef heart with the gizzards and/or hamburger at first. Then gradually work your way up until all of that day's muscle meat is beef heart.

If you go a spell without beef heart, you may have to go easy again when you re-start.

Pork seems to upset all three of my dogs stomachs, they always seem to get diarreah. (Lab,GSD,Malamute) I usually feed ground turkey, ground beef, mackeral, salmon,tuna, chicken and chicken livers. The chicken livers are rich so they don't get those too often. However, I do not feed raw. (I am afraid my Lab will choke on a bone because she inhales her food.)

 Quote: lisa harrison

... I usually feed ground turkey, ground beef, mackeral, salmon,tuna, chicken and chicken livers. ... However, I do not feed raw. (I am afraid my Lab will choke on a bone because she inhales her food.)

How do they get the calcium that they would normally get in the bones? Do you supplement with calcium?

I feed a homemade dog food mix by Sojourner Farms. It is a dehydrated mix you add water to. Sojos Europa contains sweet potato,carrot, broccoli, celery, apple,egg, flax meal, parsley leaf, calcium carbonate, ginger root & garlic. I usually just add a source of protein to this one. For additional calcium I bake egg shells and grind them to a very thin powder, then I sprinkle on their food. I also add wheat germ, flax seed oil and a liquid joint soother on top of a multivitamin I buy thru Kenic wholesale. The other mix I use is European style dog food mix. This one has barley, oats, flax and a few other ingredients.(Can't remember them all) This one you have to add veges and a protein to. I also occasionally add either rice, pasta, oatmeal, yogurt, egg, sweet potatoes, barley,carrots, green beans, peas or beets to my mix. I really don't know if they are getting enough of their supplements or too much. None of them are overweight, their coats are shiny & soft with no flaking or dandruff, teeth are clean, white and shiny, ears are clean with no waxy build up or odor, eyes are bright & alert, noses are cool, moist and clean, paws are smooth & resilient, anus is clean & dry, urine is a light color with an average amount and stool is minimal, firm and dark brown in color. I check all of these things regularly and weigh them on a quarterly basis. Sojos is actually made for a raw diet but you can add cooked protein as well. I am always concerned that they are not getting enough supplement, but I have tried many other dog foods and they have flourished on none of them They all have alot of energy and look great and they love my home cooking! (My husband is jealous) I thought about feeding raw but think it would be too expensive with 3 large dogs. http://www.sojos.com

I am also a distributor for Sojos. I sell it in my shop so I get it at cost.

Well, I think it's likely that if you are adding protein according to their instructions, then you are supplementing properly, as far as their supplementation goes.

I'd be analyzing exactly how much calcium I was adding in the eggshell, since the manufacturer presumably includes the appropriate calcium for the amount of phosphorous (in the meat) they tell you to add. Do they say to add more calcium?

I wouldn't add pasta, rice, oatmeal, or barley, since these are grains that dogs have no requirement for and which they aren't equipped to digest on a regular basis (not producing grain-processing enzymes like amylase in the amounst needed, the way humans do).

If the mix contains vitamins and minerals, I would not add a multi and risk doubling up on fat-soluble vitamins or on minerals.

I would use fish oil (flax for Omega 3s isn't sufficient for dogs), and I'd also use additional E because dogs use their E in processing oil supplements.

That link isn't working, but it sounds like your dogs love their food and do well on it. A few tweaks, and it will be a better dietr, I think. You might decide to switch to all raw one of these days too, and if you do, you are in the right place.

The manufacturer encourages the use of supplements to boost the nutrition, but they are not required. I have read dogs need 25%protein, 50 to 60% grain, and 25% vegetables in their diet. Those %'s are probably different for a raw diet. The manufacturer suggests adding yogurt, rice & oatmeal on occasion. They do not say to add additional calcium but it is less than 2 teaspoons a day.