Natures Menu Frozen

[Spaniel Ears]

Does anybody use the Natures Menu frozen nuggets or blocks?  It's said to be a complete diet for feeding raw. 

http://naturesmenu.co.uk/products/Frozen_Complete_Blocks/Frozen_Complete_Bocks/

Does anybody have any views or experience of feeding it? 

[nic_h]

Hi, we've used the frozen nuggets, in chicken and beef. Didn't realise they did so many flavours as normally get mine at PAH and they normally just have the couple of flavours. Not had any problems, Zack wolfs them down like he does all his food I alternate this with the big bags of frozen mince as I like to give him a bit of variety..

[tigs71]

I have been feeding Mason Natures Menu since he was 13 weeks old.  He loves the frozen blocks in all flavours (I buy the multi packs) and in the last few weeks we have tried the nuggets also.  He has one block per day over 2 meals (still has a kibble breakfast for now). It is so easy to prepare - I defrost in the fridge overnight and then take it out to warm to room temperature for him the next morning.  I add to Yumega to one of his meals.  3 or 4 times a week the Natures Menu is substituted for chicken wings.  The nuggets come in very handy when he has the wings because I can defrost a few of them instead of a full block. The food obviously agrees with him and people are always stopping me and saying how fit and healthy they think he looks    I was nervous about trying raw food but I can't see us going back now - well Mason wouldn't approve anyway 

[Spaniel Ears]

Thanks guys.  I think I am going to give Roxy a go on these.  I did try her on raw food when she was small, but she had awful diawotsits over a long period, so went to a bland cooked diet.  But her tummy is much more robust now, although she is allergic to chicken (we believe!), but the other flavours would be good for her and I could give her lamb rib once a week also.

My vet is dead against raw, so since we got her tum sorted, I have stuck to kibble, but she is just so hit and miss at eating it.  I really want my vet on my side, so will try talking to him about it again or ask if there is a vet in the practice that supports a raw feeding regime.

[tigs71]

Mason had bad runnies when he came to us. I thought it was just a settling in thing but it went on a couple of weeks so I took him to the vet.  They put him on Hills SP and since I had no intention of keeping him on it I used the time at the end of his 'prescription food' as an opportunity to change him to Natures Menu as it had been recommended to me.  Mason's wotsits have been fine since    Next week he has his 6 month check up at the vets and I am dreading the subject of feeding coming up.  I know many vets are not keen on raw feeding but I only have to look at Mason to know I am doing the right thing for him.  Hopefully I am worrying over nothing as when it comes down to it it is my decision what to feed my dog.  (I hope I am brave enough to tell the vet that  )

[Spaniel Ears]

I have decided to go for it also.  I have 5 weeks until Roxy's annual check up, so enough time to check that it agrees with her.  Then I will see if I am brave enough to tell the vet also. 

[tigs71]

I will let you know how it goes at the vets next week    I am sure Roxy will love the food - keep us informed 

[Sarah.H]

Millie and Charlie have this as their evening meals. We used to get the blocks until they resized, now we get the bags of chunks. They are simple to feed just shake out however many you want and wait for them to defrost. They both look well on it, firm poos and no anal gland or ear problems. I saw it in our local countrywide slightly cheaper than PAH.

[Spaniel Ears]

If it sorts out Roxy's anal glands I will be thrilled.  I have to do them every 10 days at the moment.  I have a Jollyes near to me that has the full range and seem to be good value, so have bought a few bags and giving them a go.  Have just got nuggets for now, but going to buy some chunks as well if she gets on with it.

[elaine.e]

I've just bought a bag of the nuggets for the first time, planning to introduce them to William gradually, so 2 nuggets are thawing out at the moment to be added to his supper tonight. The bag doesn't give feeding guidelines so I don't know how much would be a day's worth for a 15kg. fairly active adult Cocker. Can anyone advise please, so I know what to build up to?

I may find of course that fussy William simply turns his nose up at it. He's on Burns at the moment, which suits his digestive system far better than JWB or AG, but he seems to be hungry a lot of the time. I'm also hoping it may help with his anal glands.

[Spaniel Ears]

The bag has a feeding guide on the top right of the reverse side I think.  It showed 25 nuggets for a medium dog.  They also say 2 - 3% of body weight when feeding raw, so for William at 15kg it would be 450gms per day.  Roxy is 10kg and I have put her on 300gms per day to start with (20 nuggets I think) and will see how she gets on.

Roxy is trying the lamb nuggets for her dinner this evening.  Fingers crossed as she is fussy also. 

I am pleased that others feed this and have success with it.  It gives me more confidence to try it and also tell the vet that I haven't gone into it blindly.

Good luck on getting William to eat it.

[elaine.e]

The bag has a feeding guide on the top right of the reverse side I think.  It showed 25 nuggets for a medium dog.  They also say 2 - 3% of body weight when feeding raw, so for William at 15kg it would be 450gms per day.  Roxy is 10kg and I have put her on 300gms per day to start with (20 nuggets I think) and will see how she gets on.

Roxy is trying the lamb nuggets for her dinner this evening.  Fingers crossed as she is fussy also. 

I am pleased that others feed this and have success with it.  It gives me more confidence to try it and also tell the vet that I haven't gone into it blindly.

Good luck on getting William to eat it.

I've just given him one nugget, mashed up a bit for the little prince, and he ate it after sniffing it cautiously! So far so good. I'll mix the other one in with his Burns later on.

I've also had another look at the bag, it's the banquet one with all sorts in, and definitely no feeding instructions, so thanks very much for your post.

[happydog]

Don't mix raw with cooked for the same meal as dogs digest raw food at a  different rate to cooked food. It will very likely give them the runs if you do.

If you are not going completely raw then feed one type in the morning and the other in the evening.

[Spaniel Ears]

[

I've just given him one nugget, mashed up a bit for the little prince, and he ate it after sniffing it cautiously! So far so good. I'll mix the other one in with his Burns later on.

I've also had another look at the bag, it's the banquet one with all sorts in, and definitely no feeding instructions, so thanks very much for your post.
[/quote]

Glad to hear that your prince approves.  Roxy also sniffed it cautiously and once I had offered her a small bit on the end of the fork, she put her nose in her bowl and wolfed it down.  So that seems to be a hit so far.  Glad the feeding info was a help.

[tigs71]

Glad to hear the Natures Menu is going down well so far.  I have just got one of my frozen blocks out of the freezer for the feeding guide (I also noticed that there wasn't any on the nugget bag)

It states that these amounts are only a guide and are for adult dogs so you will need to adjust accordingly (the nuggets do weigh slightly more once defrosted so I have weighed them once thawed when I first got them)

small dog        300g (18-20 nuggets approx) per day
medium dog     600g per day
large dog        900g per day
X large dog     1200g per day

Mason is 6 months (almost) and I feed him his 65g kibble breakfast and then 300g of meat per day over two meals which is one frozen block or 18 nuggets.  I am not sure how fast a puppy is supposed to gain weight but he puts on about 1kg every 3 - 4 weeks.  I think he looks good, I can feel his ribs and see his waist etc and his coat is shinier than my lip gloss  I am sure the vet will tell me if his weight is OK when I take him next week.