My female Doberman gets loose when we add variety to her diet. So she gets ninety plus percent of her diet from chicken. Is this ok? I have not had her blood work done yet since on raw but GSD and Mal have and all has been good. I slip in some organ meet and a veg. mix sometimes once a week. Today because I am off work they all got Beef kidney lamb with some bone and heart. All stool has been good so far except the Mal his was a little loose
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 Quote: Mitch Kuta

My female Doberman gets loose when we add variety to her diet. So she gets ninety plus percent of her diet from chicken. Is this ok?

What kind of chicken - necks, backs, thighs, whole chickens? Variety is not as necessary as the proper ratio of rmbs, muscle meat and organ meat.

Many people feed only chicken and/or turkey and their dogs do very well on that. It's the bone to meat ratio that counts.

Ratio is good. Mostly backs and necks. When we get whole chickens on sale they all get their's split up. Also they get livers and gizzards.

Sounds like you have a plan and it's working.

 Quote:

Variety is not as necessary as the proper ratio of rmbs, muscle meat and organ meat.

Many people feed only chicken and/or turkey and their dogs do very well on that. It's the bone to meat ratio that counts.

Now I am going to say something different...

Different protein types have differing essential amino acids. Even the same protein source (chicken let's say) from differnt breeds of chickens, fed different things at different times of year will have differning amino acid levels.

Although proteins like chicken, turkey and eggs have quite balanced amino acid scores for dogs, there is something to be said for going for some variety. In fact some dogs that eat too much bird will show signs of amino acid deficiancies with dullish coat and perhaps even some itchiness (though alergies to poultry can happen too).

In the end it depends on what works for you. If the dog does well on chicken alone then that is totally fine. However a little variety (rotating protein sources) will insure that all essential amino acids are bing covered. I think that some red meat in a canine carnivore diet would be prudent.

On the meat to bone ratio, you may also find wide differning opinions from raw feeders. THere are many out there (maybe not here) that think that backs and necks are too high in bone content and do not have enough meat for a proper canine carnivore diet. I personally feed a higher meat content in the over all diet than chicken necks and backs would provide. I beleive it fits in well with our needs, and a canine carnivore diet in the wild.

In the end there are so many opinions and ideas on raw feeding! I am just providing another one Whatever you choose when feeding raw I think it is clear that most dogs are fairly adjustable in what they can handle in their diet, and real unprocessed food is just way above kibble, what ever raw foods you feed!!

 Quote: Jan Williamson

. ... Many people feed only chicken and/or turkey and their dogs do very well on that.

and

 Quote: Jennifer Coulter

... Whatever you choose when feeding raw I think it is clear that most dogs are fairly adjustable in what they can handle in their diet, and real unprocessed food is just way above kibble, what ever raw foods you feed!!

and http://www.leerburg.com/diet2.htm

Yup!