Another diet thread.

[Amy P]

I have since cut all dry food out of my packs diet and now they are eating exclusively ox cheek with a little chicken mince and beef and lamb bones. I have noticed differences like coat condition and weight variances. Currently i am spending $60 a week feeding three this way.

What do you guys spend on dog food?

Cheers
Amy

[adam VIPSS]

Hi Amy

At the moment I am feeding mainly kibble but they get beef mince and bones in every meal.

I am looking more into Barf diet as it is local and readily available balance natural diet.

So i will let you know as soon as i work it out.

Adam

[Dagmar Scherer]

I actually prepare the food for my 2 dogs myself. Not sure, how much I spend per week as I buy bulk, cut it and freeze it in portions. I do know that I save $$$ in vet costs this way and at least I know what I am feeding.
My dogs both do extremely well, their health has improved dramatically since I started and I can only recommend to everybody to consider preparing their own dog food. It is not difficult, does not take long and I believe it is well worth the effort.

Dagmar
www.animalconnection.com.au

[Amy P]

Thanks Adam and Dagmar, i think since we can openly discuss dogs here food bills should come into the equation, especially when considering what choices are out there in terms of raw/dryfood etc .


Cheers
Amy

[adam VIPSS]

Hi Amy

I just heard from a very good dog trainer that they feed their dogs chicken frames only.

The dogs don't have any problems and the dogs do extremely well.

I can get 5 for $1.00

each dog will eat two in a day.

Adam VIPSS

[Martin K]

Hi Amy,
A must for raw feeding is a big freezer,so you can buy in bulk (I think mine is 700lt and takes a whole steer, of course meat only).

In my case, my dog's meat normally comes from cattle reared on my property so cost is kept in check. If your not a fan of pet quality you can often do deals with farmers. My dogs once had a diet of Human grade turkey, got a great deal for a 100kg boned and nicely packaged. It wasn't as cheap as pet meat but was great quality.

[Shane Johnson]

Before the GFC I used to get very good deals then everything seemed to triple in price about 12 months ago.I buy 100kg lots of beef mince $2.50 a kilo.Sometimes roo and lamb mixed thats what the greyhound trainers here feed.Also butcher the odd sheep or goat myself.I buy chicken carcasses for about $50 for 100kg.I get roo spines for 50c a kilo and sheep necks and other stuff free eggs etcc.I guess i spend the same as you but I am feeding twice as many or more.

[Julie Kopunovich]

chicken frames only are not a complete diet unless the organs are in there too. Even then I wouldnt be feeding my dogs that solely.

Due to skin issues (and everything else that is wrong with him) in my rottie I'm stuck buying Royal Canin Maxi, and I give them lamb flaps, chicken frames, minced frames etc depending on whats cheap. I do love Royal Canin though when it comes to dry food its one of the few I would bother with. That and I find Eagle Pack giant breed awesome for the big guys.

[barkcontrol]

Hi all,

This is my first input to your site but I believe I can contribute a little on this topic.

Firstly I have recently left the QPS (after 20yrs) 17 of which with the Dog Squad. I like most went through eras of dry (good and cheap brands), dog rolls, meat/bones, BARF and every combination in between.

Throughout this time I trained and worked 4 police dogs. The first three all died at what I considered a young age (G/S under 10yrs). Those first three died or were struck down by hepatitis, heart disease and joint problems. Throughout this time all went through various periods of ill health that prevented them from working operationally.

During this period I heard about the BARF diet and read Ian Billinghurst's book, "Give Your Dog a Bone". To me it made real sense but as a wild young bloke the time to prepare the food did not fit in with my social life etc! Luckily now I am a little wiser.

My last Police Dog 'Rocky' I put onto the BARF diet after he almost diet after an intestinal torsion caused by an unknown blockage. For me it was time to say enough is enough.

From the moment of putting him on a BARF diet I:

• Never saw a day of ill health
• Stools never stunk at all, were very small and dried to a white chalky matter within 24hrs.
• never saw him eat grass or vomit a bile discharge as all my dogs previously did.
• Never administered a flea or tick medication for a three year period. During that time never observed any flea droppings, scratching etc.
• Washed Rocky no more than twice a year over a three year period. His coat never had an unpleasant smell and was always shinier than any previous dog.

Now I am sure I could rack my brain even harder to find more benefits but that will do for now!

Since then I have also attended 3 seminars/lectures conducted by Billinghurst that have opened my eyes to a lot of what goes on in the pet food industry both now and historically. Some of it is very damning in relation to how vets are currently educated and the power of the major dog food manufacturers and how they control the industry as a whole.

One of the previous threads mentioned feeding chicken frames as a meal source. I personally think that is better than biscuits. However dogs need the nutrients obtained from the organ meat and the vegetable matter that dogs in nature obtained from the herbivores and omnivores that they killed when consuming the gut matter.

Anyway, enough prattling on! These are my experiences over 20+ years and if it helps anyone to consider trying the BARF diet, well in my opinion, great.

It is commercially available now from at least two manufacturers at under $7.00 a kg. Billinghurst recommends 1/2 BARF and 1/2 raw meaty (edible) bones which brings the price down further. Work out how much you are paying for your expensive brands / kg! I reckon you could fill them with timtams and they would be cheaper!!

Food for thought!

Cheers

Neil
Bark Control Australia
Bark Collars, Containment Dog Fences & Remote Trainers - Bark Control

[Amy P]

Thanks for your in depth post BC.

I'm glad the barf has worked wonders for you! Very good when we are onto a product that works, you see the results in the animal and that is proof enough for me.

Sorry to hear about the Sheppies though.

My bitch would way prefer timtams to meat though, she is always looking at me like, why you giving me this uncooked strange meal!!

Amy