The first day of raw meaty bones for dinner which consisted of half a chicken carcass. Gemma took to it very enthusiastically. She didn't like it in her bowl so I had to put it on the floor. We will need to sort out an eating area rather than just the bowl. I have read that raw food diets can be a bit messy. There was definitely no mess left over! She sniffed and sniffed afterwards to see if there was anything she had missed. Then just to be safe she gave the floor a lick. I purchased 7 chicken carcasses and 3 containers of frozen crushed fruit/vege mix for just over £3. This is so much cheaper than commercial food. Apparently for small dogs the raw food diet is cheaper but probably not so for larger dogs. She will have the chicken carcasses for a couple of weeks then I'll go back to
Nurturing by Nature to discuss other types of bones that we could give her as part of a varied diet.
Oh no - it's about the same cost, if not cheaper, to feed Honey too, if you were feeding a premium kibble before anyway (as opposed to the supermarket stuff). Especially if you feed more of the diet as RMB than the commercial raw mix stuff (which is what we do - about 70% of Honey's diet is RMBs & raw offal/fish and only about 30% is the commercial BARF mixture we buy from pet stores, as that is soft and has no teeth cleaning benefits.
ReplyDeleteYes, it can get a bit messy - we feed Honey outside for her RMB meal, straight on the grass or ground. She takes it out of the bowl anyway. I realise it's a bit harder for people in the UK coz of the weather (at least you won't have that problem in NZ!) so I know some people feed on a towel on a washable surface, eg, laundry - at least Gemma is a small dog and so only needs a small area and doesn't spread drool everywhere like Honey does!! But they do eat their raw meals very fast so you can pretty much stand there and watch them and clean up after them. It's lovely watching them really tackling a RMB and pulling it apart and chewing it, using all these muscles - the look of satisfaction on their faces and the lovely crunching sound!
Hsin-Yi
That's good to know about the cost for big dogs too then. Netty at Nurturing by Nature may have meant that it would be more expensive than feeding a small dog, not necessarily than commercial feeding. I am buying the frozen fruit/vege mix as I don't want to buy a mincer and faff about with that kind of thing. Yes the UK weather limits outdoor eating for Gemma and I had thought about a towel (thanks). I'I wom glad you mentioned the speed at which they eat. I can't believe how quickly Gemma devoured her meal yesterday. I won't panic now. She absolutely loved it. Am currently reading the books by Dr Billinghurst (thanks again) and finding them really interesting and informative. Have also got a couple on dog behaviour. I have chosen 2 authors with opposing views, so I can make up my own mind! I love hearing the crunching sound as Gemma eats too. She has dried sprats for treats and they are really crunchy. My sister in NZ has a Sydney Silky with a nasty skin condition. I have been advising her to change her diet and she has started this week! I am thrilled about that. I can't find any shops in or near Hamilton for her to get advice from though. Let me know if you know of anywhere in the Waikato.
ReplyDeleteGeorgina
Hi Georgina - I just popped over to answer your question about training - and just realised that you replied to my comment! Sorry - I don't usually check back on a post I've read so if you have a question, it is best to reply to my comment on Honey's blog rather than here - as otherwise I might never see it! :-)
ReplyDeleteThe vet who specialised in raw feeding who helped us is in Auckland but I think she would have contacts all over the country so I'm sure if your sister contacted her, she would be able to help. Her name is Lyn Thompson and her email is: lyn@rawessentials.co.nz
About your training question - of course it's NEVER too late to start training! And 4 years old is still very young for a small dog. And if you have never tried clicker training with Gemma, you may be surprised at how quickly she takes to it - most small dogs are very quick & smart and just desperate to show off their potential! :-) The thing is, as you said, she loves learning new things and that is the most enjoyable part of dog training, I think, learning together and getting to know your dog better and communicating with them better, as you work through challenges together - you really don't get the same depth of relationship any other way! It's like it really bonds you as a 'team'. And it's just wonderful to watch their little brains ticking away as they tackle a challenge you set them - dogs really enjoy "working" and using their brains. It's a great way to mentally stimulate her, especially if she is house-bound for weather or any other reasons. I only started doing clicker training and dancing with Honey when she was about 3yrs old so a lot of her dance moves & tricks have only been learnt since then. If a big, dopey dog like her can pick it up, imagine what Gemma can do! :-)
Hsin-Yi