Rottweiler Raw Diet Please help?
Hi, i have a 2 year old rottweiler, and i want to switch from commercial dry dog food to raw homemade diet, and would like some help with the list from which meat( prefer beef like steak or ground beef or chicken breast,) and what i need to use for the food etc etc.
i tried the primal raw beef beefore, he did fine, but i got lazy ( i know its a bad thing) and the frozen beef from primal( pre-made raw diet) expired, so few weeks ago i went back to the store where i bought the beef from, and wanted to try Lamb, same day i bought it he vomitted back out ( i gave her half of it only) then i found out i shouldnt mix dry dog food with it( but i did that with the raw beef one and he did fine) so, i stopped for a week and within that week i just gave him his dry dog food i usually give him because im guessing hes not use to eating lamb, usually i give him beef or chicken breast(cooked chicken breast.) i really want to switch fto raw diet. i am thinking about going back to the store today and get the beef one, but i really hope someone can help me with the list so i can make it myself instead as i heard its better to make the raw Diet yourself. here is a list of questions i hope someone with a rottweiler that they make the raw diet food at home instead of the pre-made ones.
1. what kind of grinder or w/e do i need and where can i get this at to grind the meat/veggies together? ive never fed my dog raw food besides using primal brand which are pre-made, so please be more specific on how much do i give him to start off, etc etc. thanks 
2. i bought the salmon oil which has omega 3/6 fatty acids, and i give him the Pet tabs ( i think thats what its called, i dont have the bottle with me atm) and it has pretty much all the vitamins/minerals. do i need anything else? is the salmon oil same as fish oil?
3. do i really need to mix the raw meat lets say beef with organs? what kinda of organs? can i just give him raw beef or chicken with veggies or do i need to add something else other then salmon oil?
4. since this is my first time making homemade raw diet, how much should i start with to completely switch over? since i cant mix raw meat with the dry dog food, do i just give a certain amount of raw meat per meal itself? and can i give him raw steak? * the meat only ofcourse not including the fats. if i want steak should i slice it intt bite size pieces or just trim the fat and toss it to him to eat it?
5. is there a time line i need to know like if i feed him a raw diet meal in the morning, do i feed him again 6hrs later? since i heard raw diet digest around 5-6 hrs and dry dog food takes about 10hrs? i dont know thats what i read, dont know if thats right.
atm, im feeding royal canin, i use to .feed him wellness, but i guess hes picky and he lost some weight until i switched to a new dry dog food and he gained weight. i have Orijen, i give him some here and there mixed in with royal canin some times, but im gonna switch him over to Orijen soon as roal canin is about to run out( i still have alot lol.) but i really really want to feed my rottweiler homemade raw diet instead tho. please help. thanks for reading and answering my questions ( hopefully)
Thanks, btw eggs, do i crack it and mix it with the meal including the yolk? or no? can i just give him only the meat itself? or do i really need to add the organs and bones? and for the bones, which kinda bones, and do i need to grind up the bones or what?
what kind of organs and is there a specific kind? like chicken heart/liver etc. etc. or just any kind?
Updated to answer additional questions:
There is no need to grind anything together unless your dog has dental/digestive or any other medical issues that cause him/her to be unable to chew/digest properly, In which case I would be looking for a vet that understands and excepts Raw feeding to work with before going any further…. That being said…..
1.You want to start your dog on just one protein source at a time and gradually add in others over a course of a month’s time give each protein source a week or two before adding in another one .. I would start off with Chicken Backs, thighs and legs then move on to Pork, Fish or Venison.. Save the Beef and Organs for last…{they are very rich and are most likely to cause stomach upset.}
2. Salmon oil tabs are fine. however, you can also feed sardines, canned mackerel, salmon etc about once a week or so instead. Fish does not have to be canned it can be fresh if you can find it at an affordable price.
3. Yes, the amount should equal about 10% of the dog’s weekly diet.. Liver is the most common organ fed but you can also feed kidneys and green tripe etc. Organs can be added say 1-2 chicken livers, a few pieces of kidney or a bit of tripe every other meal.. or can be given as a whole meal once or 2x a week. my vote is to add a little bit at every other meal time… it’s easier on the stomach and digestive tract overall..
4. You want to fast your pup for at least 24 hrs then feed him/her completely RAW no mixing of RAW and Kibble. They digest at different rates and can cause severe stomach upset or even bloat if mixed together. for starters you may want to trim the fat but gradually as you pup adjusts you will want to slowly add in more and more of the fat content till you can feed it without causing stomach upset.. Fat is good for the dogs.. If you feel more comfortable yes, by all means slice the portions down into bite size pieces it may very well reduce the "regurgitating" that, may occur, is expected and should subside once your dog fully adjusts to the diet.. Soft and loose stools are also expected and should clear up after a few days.. If not you may want/need to add more bone to the diet… Chicken Backs and Turkey necks are good for this…
5. No there is no need to feed again 6 hrs later.. Breaking the meals up into 2 separate portions and feeding 2x daily is sufficient enough unless your dog is one to do better with 3 meals a day…
Dogs should eat somewhere between 1-3% of their Adult weight daily. ie: 80lbs should be eating approx 2 1/2 lbs of food a day. Depending on his/her activity level this amount may increase or decrease slightly…
By the end of a couple months your pup’s diet should consist of eating 80% muscle meat, 10% Bone and 10% Organ {note the heart is considered muscle meat} and only give Large weight baring bones {Femurs} for recreational chewing… Veggies are not a major necessity and Grains are hard for dogs to digest.. However, if you would like to add some vegetables such as mashed Green Beans, carrots, broccoli into the mix I would suggest waiting until after you have fully transitioned him/her to the meat products.. Even then I would only add a small amount, about 2% of the daily diet, about once or twice a week..
http://www.rawfed.com/
http://www.daybreakaussies.com
http://www.rawmeatybones.com/
http://www.rawfeddogs.net/
Tripe: is the stomach lining/intestines of an animal, Green tripe is what it is called when it is fresh or has been processed very little
Eggs: Can be fed shell and all, easiest way is to crack and mix in with some ground chicken, turkey or beef. Or mix it up in a blender like a scrambled egg crushing up the shell and pour it over the his/her meal…
Organs and Bones: Yes, they are needed they contain essential vitamins/minerals etc that are either, not found in or are not supplied enough by, the other parts of the diet.. As far as what kind.. the most common fed are Chicken or Turkey organs{ usually because they are the cheapest to buy} However, any organs from any animal are always good.. I would stay away from anything dealing with Brain matter or Cerebral fluids. For me, there is too much of risk of Bovine spongiform encephalopathy "Mad cow disease" and other similar/related diseases that can affect animals in much the same way as this does cows… As well as liver from Sheep… as it contains too much Copper
Bones: Chicken Backs, legs, turkey/chicken necks, Pork , beef, venison etc Ribs.. Basically Any part of a small game animal or Any part of a Large game animal that are not weight baring… ie: femurs..
February 24th, 2010 at 4:05 pm
Not a complete answer but some pointers. Be careful when you change your rotties diet, might get a stomach upset, also make sure any home made food has all the food groups that you dog requires. Pre made food is good that way as it has everything in it.
References :
My pet rotties vlad and masha (6 years and 4 years respectively)
February 24th, 2010 at 4:38 pm
Please speak to his breeder, if they are reputable, about what they feed his mother.
You are going to make this dog sick changing his diet around to suit the fashion, and whatever his mom was eating when he was developing in her womb will likely be the best thing for him - no matter what anyone else tells you.
Their immune systems are built last as the puppies develop, and their immune systems react to whatever is put into the body - namely, food.
Please just give him a decent brand of dog food that is complete and closest to what his system can handle, or you will just be making your dog sick. It also makes them into picky eaters, and most dogs do better with sameness and consistency.
His stomach is sensitive enough - find out what he needs, and please keep him on it. The only thing that matters is what his innards want - not what any group of humans say. If he’s not digesting it, not eating it, or upchucking, it won’t ever give him a shinier coat.
It is possible to try too hard - and in doing so, do worse.
It’s great that you care about him so much - but please listen to your dog’s gut.
That’s the only thing you should be listening to.
References :
Tufts School of Veterinary Medicine, Nutrition
Many years of raising and rescuing dogs - and feeding a lot more
February 24th, 2010 at 5:01 pm
Updated to answer additional questions:
There is no need to grind anything together unless your dog has dental/digestive or any other medical issues that cause him/her to be unable to chew/digest properly, In which case I would be looking for a vet that understands and excepts Raw feeding to work with before going any further…. That being said…..
1.You want to start your dog on just one protein source at a time and gradually add in others over a course of a month’s time give each protein source a week or two before adding in another one .. I would start off with Chicken Backs, thighs and legs then move on to Pork, Fish or Venison.. Save the Beef and Organs for last…{they are very rich and are most likely to cause stomach upset.}
2. Salmon oil tabs are fine. however, you can also feed sardines, canned mackerel, salmon etc about once a week or so instead. Fish does not have to be canned it can be fresh if you can find it at an affordable price.
3. Yes, the amount should equal about 10% of the dog’s weekly diet.. Liver is the most common organ fed but you can also feed kidneys and green tripe etc. Organs can be added say 1-2 chicken livers, a few pieces of kidney or a bit of tripe every other meal.. or can be given as a whole meal once or 2x a week. my vote is to add a little bit at every other meal time… it’s easier on the stomach and digestive tract overall..
4. You want to fast your pup for at least 24 hrs then feed him/her completely RAW no mixing of RAW and Kibble. They digest at different rates and can cause severe stomach upset or even bloat if mixed together. for starters you may want to trim the fat but gradually as you pup adjusts you will want to slowly add in more and more of the fat content till you can feed it without causing stomach upset.. Fat is good for the dogs.. If you feel more comfortable yes, by all means slice the portions down into bite size pieces it may very well reduce the "regurgitating" that, may occur, is expected and should subside once your dog fully adjusts to the diet.. Soft and loose stools are also expected and should clear up after a few days.. If not you may want/need to add more bone to the diet… Chicken Backs and Turkey necks are good for this…
5. No there is no need to feed again 6 hrs later.. Breaking the meals up into 2 separate portions and feeding 2x daily is sufficient enough unless your dog is one to do better with 3 meals a day…
Dogs should eat somewhere between 1-3% of their Adult weight daily. ie: 80lbs should be eating approx 2 1/2 lbs of food a day. Depending on his/her activity level this amount may increase or decrease slightly…
By the end of a couple months your pup’s diet should consist of eating 80% muscle meat, 10% Bone and 10% Organ {note the heart is considered muscle meat} and only give Large weight baring bones {Femurs} for recreational chewing… Veggies are not a major necessity and Grains are hard for dogs to digest.. However, if you would like to add some vegetables such as mashed Green Beans, carrots, broccoli into the mix I would suggest waiting until after you have fully transitioned him/her to the meat products.. Even then I would only add a small amount, about 2% of the daily diet, about once or twice a week..
http://www.rawfed.com/
http://www.daybreakaussies.com
http://www.rawmeatybones.com/
http://www.rawfeddogs.net/
Tripe: is the stomach lining/intestines of an animal, Green tripe is what it is called when it is fresh or has been processed very little
Eggs: Can be fed shell and all, easiest way is to crack and mix in with some ground chicken, turkey or beef. Or mix it up in a blender like a scrambled egg crushing up the shell and pour it over the his/her meal…
Organs and Bones: Yes, they are needed they contain essential vitamins/minerals etc that are either, not found in or are not supplied enough by, the other parts of the diet.. As far as what kind.. the most common fed are Chicken or Turkey organs{ usually because they are the cheapest to buy} However, any organs from any animal are always good.. I would stay away from anything dealing with Brain matter or Cerebral fluids. For me, there is too much of risk of Bovine spongiform encephalopathy "Mad cow disease" and other similar/related diseases that can affect animals in much the same way as this does cows… As well as liver from Sheep… as it contains too much Copper
Bones: Chicken Backs, legs, turkey/chicken necks, Pork , beef, venison etc Ribs.. Basically Any part of a small game animal or Any part of a Large game animal that are not weight baring… ie: femurs..
References :
Great Dane owner and RAW feeder for the last 15 months… LOTS OF RESEARCH
February 24th, 2010 at 5:16 pm
No grinding, No cooking, No veggies,No Supplements, No grains.
None of these are part of a dogs natural diet.
Just the diet that your dog has Evolved over of 10’s of 1000’s to millions of years to eat and digest,
That is 10%Bone, 10%Organ and 80%Meat
Meat: Any meat at all, the greater the variety the better for your dog. "Meat" also includes eggs, tripe and heart, gizzards & fish.
Organ: Any other organ, Lungs, brain, spleen. And liver must make up around half.
Bone: NEVER Cooked, and avoid the large weight baring bones like cow leg as they can break teeth, everything else is fine.
Add: Eggs, just crack um in, white, yolk, shell, the lot, the shell holds some nutrients (your dog will know if he needs them or not)… my dog eats some and leaves some, he gets between 1 & 5 a week (He’s a 78lb Boxer)
Organs: any from a local butcher for free like lungs or spleen & don’t forget liver must make half of the 10%
(chicken (or any bird organs) are called Gizzards and fall in the "meat" category along with heart and tripe (only use green tripe, ie pure unbleached)
Fish: fresh Wild salmon, or wild mackerel are best (some other farmed fish have high mercury levels) and freeze any fish for 2 weeks before feeding… it kills some of the deep sea parasites.
Green tripe is good, and heart is good (you may get free hearts if you ask around your local butchers)… if you can add these + the eggs to say 2 meats like chicken (mine gets a half chicken in one once a week) and beef then you will be on to a good wholesome diet for your dog.
Feel free to Y/A message me for info, or better still sign up to this Yahoo group, lots of members, lots of posts to search & read, or ask your own questions. http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/rawfeeding/
References :