Hi Everyone!

Lurking like crazy, and wanting to participate, but a couple of new clients have redirected my computer time and attention. I love checking in here!

Quick update on Cali before my food question! She's now 14 months old, and doing GREAT! Her training is coming along beautifully, and I am incredibly pleased with the work we've done. Worth every minute. Her recall is now close to bomb-proof, her distance down is getting there, her leash walking is great. We've been working with trainer Scott Dunmore, who you may know from this site. What a kind, wise, gifted man who has helped us cut through months of work with her. We joined a tracking group and will be working on titling her in the future. The CGC test is coming up. Life is good.

She continues to thrive on the raw diet, and I actually have gotten two people to switch based on her story, and how gorgeous she looks. Very psyched to be able to do that.

Anyway, the question is this--dumb one. I have these big, beautiful ox tails. They each weigh about a pound, so it's a meal for her. Is it OK just to give her just that for a meal w/out muscle meat? They are very meaty, but it is a lot of bone. It takes her a good 30' to chew it down with no problem. Just wondering if it's a meal, or if I should hack it for rec chewing? Thanks! Glad to read how well everyone is doing--and esp. glad Oscar is on the mend!

My oxtail experience is with a 15 lb. dog, so I'm not sure how a bigger dog handles them.

Feeding them for a meal is fine. Every meal doesn't have to be balanced.

If she does good with them, then I say go ahead.

For my dog, they were borderline too much bone, but like I said, every meal doesn't have to be balanced. I would either feed more meat the next meal, or maybe some organ meat. What ever works.

Also, some really aggressive chewers might have problems with them since they are kinda hard. Sounds like she is really patient with them, and likes to gnaw on them, though. That's good.:smile:

That's awesome about your work with Scott. I've heard a lot of good about him on this forum and others. Your testimony just adds to that.:smile:

Good to hear from you.:smile:

I mix the ox tails night with the organ night so it balances out. else they get constipated

 Quote: Linda Patch

Glad to read how well everyone is doing--and esp. glad Oscar is on the mend!

Thanks Linda - we're awfully glad too.

Re the oxtails - the only ones I've encountered have been a bit too heavy on the bone as well (as Michael mentioned). I fed portions of them a few times as part of a larger meal, but as a meal on their own, I see constipation issues... I'd chop them into smaller chunks and serve some muscle meat on the side.

What great news about Cali! Congrats on all your hard work - it really does feel amazing when the effort starts paying off - and she's only just a baby!

~Natalya

Yep, the ox tail organ meat combo seems to work out just fine. She will literally chew on the thing for 45'. I think she's in heaven.

Natalya--FYI, I got the ox tails from Tracy, and they are big, beautiful and very, very meaty. It's hard to try something new and have it not work out, but you could order some with confidence if you ever wanted to try them.

 Quote: Linda Patch

Natalya--FYI, I got the ox tails from Tracy, and they are big, beautiful and very, very meaty. It's hard to try something new and have it not work out, but you could order some with confidence if you ever wanted to try them.

Excellent to know. That Tracy's pretty fantastic. I actually don't feed oxtails at this point because I stopped giving any and all bones from large mammals after Oscar broke his tooth. I know the bones in ox tails can be small, but they're still much harder than poultry bones, and I don't want to risk Oscar trying to bite through even a small one - he's a beast with bones, not a dainty nibbler. Maybe one day I'll work up more confidence... I'm sure Oscar would love it.

~Natalya