NATURAL FEEDING

[JANE D]

Charlie started off eating Purina Proplus complete puppy food from about 21/2 months and then went on to Winalot tins at about 5 months because I thought the dry food must be so boring for him. Anyway he's now 61/2 months and I've been reading about natural feeding. I know some people feed just bones and chicken carcases etc. but I don't think I could do that. I have just bought him some chicken wings but now I daren't give him them as I'm scared he's going to choke on the bones or get salmonella poisoning or something. And I don't know how many to give him!!
Also someone suggested Prize Choice as being a good natural food but again I just don't know. Has anyone used this and what do you mix it with ? and where do you get it from? and is it any good ?!!!
I want to do the best for him but I'm finding it all so confusing. - Help please

Jane and Charlie

[*Jay*]

Hi Jane, I use the prize choice minced meats with my boys as one of them has a food allergy and they love them     With two of mine, I just mix some of it in with their dry food but with vegas I add rice, vegetables and nuts. I get my supply from pets from home and my freezer is busting with them all :roll:  This natural feeding is a bit of a minefield but i'm currently wading my way through a nutrition book to see what I'm doing wrong :wink:

Two of mine also love the chicken wings but I only give them one every other day but you can give them every day.  I'm sure charlie would love one - chances are though, he probably won't know what to do with it for a while until he realises its for eating  The first time I tried them, mine just looked at them for ages before they gave it a go and now theres no stopping them :roll:                    

[Jane S]

I use the Prize Choice meat as well - it's v good. If you didn't want to go the whole BARF way, you could feed it with a good additive free mixer biscuit such as Natural Choice Wholebake or Laughing Dog. Another food which might be worth a try if you're interested in a more natural way of feeding is Naturediet (www.naturediet.co.uk)                    

[Toohey]

Hi there
how about throwing in a tin of sardines occasionally, and a raw egg (with shell crushed) once or twice a week. I feed BARF and have fun mixing up a lot of different combinations. I throw heaps of different orange and green vegies in the food processor and feed them raw with mince beef, chicken wings, brisket bones, sardines, egg, natural yoghurt, a little fruit.
http://www.greenpet.com.au   have a great supplement to add so you know they are getting everything they need, and they are so healthy.
Salmonella shouldn't be a concern as the dogs intestinal tracts are too short too incubate it, and if you are concerned about choking, supervise them while they crunch 'em up.
A great tip I have learnt also is to add a few drops of natural apple cider vinegar to their food every day. This has cleared up my girls smelly lip folds and they have never returned. It acts as a natural antibiotic and builds up their immune system.

That website is Australian, but you may have something similar in the UK.                    

[gina]

I can sympathise with your reluctance to give yours chicken wings, i felt exactly the same, but had to take the plunge on advice from someone to help with some behavior problems.

Barkley now has prize choice and raw fresh vegetables in the morning and about 5 chicken wings, with most of the meat stripped off in the evening.  Along with a few biscuits during the day.  Since changing his diet he seems much calmer and not so highly strung (still has mad 5 mins tho)

I have also noticed how much shinier his coat is. Bare in mind that if they were in the wild they would have have a mixed diet of green matter and raw meat.                    

[Kim]

I went through a patch of feeding mine raw chicken wings, which they loved.
The only thing that worried me, was one of my bitches swallowing them whole, so I'm afraid I stopped, fearing that they would become lodged on their way out !  :shock:                    

[*-Nikki-*]

The only thing that worried me, was one of my bitches swallowing them whole

I know what you mean! I think everyone has been down the path of feeding chicken wings! We tried it...however one of our bitches started to swallow them whole.  :roll: The others were fine just the one that did it! Plus my dad wasn't to keen on giving them raw meat. So we haven't given any since then. Now they just have carrots as treats. I know it may sound odd but there are many showers now giving there show dogs them. It does help clean the teeth :wink:                    

[PennyB]

Now they just have carrots as treats. I know it may sound odd but there are many showers now giving there show dogs them. It does help clean the teeth :wink:

I give my 2 a raw carrot each every day, they even know the word carrot and dance around in expectation every time I mention them                    

[JANE D]

Thanks everyone for your input. I shall definitly try him tomorrow with chicken wings and I have found a local shop that sells Prize Choice so I am going to give it a go. I was told that a natural diet may help him calm down a bit so it's worth a try.
Also I have been putting raw carrots out for him but he just plays with them and throws them around but hasn't even nibbled one!! Should I chop them up or leave them whole or maybe grate one on his food?
He is a very dominant dog (7months now) and recently when I have been firm with him like insisting I go through doors first or telling him off for anything he just wees on the floor but only when I'm not looking!!! There is also a puddle on the kitchen floor most mornings although he had been clean in the house for months. Do you think it's because I'm taking a firmer line with him. Any advice gratefully received.

Thanks
Jane and Charlie

[Gaeliccockers]

and i feed nature diet, raw meats with veg.  They love it. Not sure whether they are calmer for it as they are mad little so and so's anyhow but compared to other puppies their age they seem a lot healthier with coat, muscular-skeletal structure.  They like nothing better than chomping on a carrot and I have to be careful they dont nick the horses' carrots I put in their bowls cheeky things. :twisted: