**This is a cross post from a lady on my IG board. This is NOT my post. She does this for her 6 Italian Greyhounds.**
I recently had a request to please post what I do to prepare my dogs, raw diet. I have written down the step by step preparation as well as what appliances I use.
***I no longer add a vitamin mix to the protein, but add it into each dog's food bowl. Instead of making the Healthy Powder...I made it simpler by buying a vitamin mix, skin and coat mix and bone and joint mix.
**This is by no means an endorsement for feeding raw or a suggestion for anyone to follow my feeding practices. This is what I have been doing for 2 years and what works for my self and my dogs.
This is the book that got me started in feeding Raw:
Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide To Natural Health for Dogs and Cats The first raw recipe I used was on p-65, but I doubled it.
Appliances that I use:
Meat Grinder - After burning the motor up in 4 meat grinders, I did some research on hunting forums and found the line of
Sam Baere. If you are preparing for 3 or more dogs, I would go with the upper end of the line. The SB840 is the one that I have. When using a meat grinder, it's always good to have brushes for cleaning. I use the meat grinder for not only processing the meat, but also for processing the vegetables and fruits. if you
start with the fruits and vegetables first, you can go right to the meat directly after. But, if you start with the meat, you should do a good cleaning before starting the veggie/fruit mix. I never do the meat and the veggie/fruit mix on the same day because I do such a large quantity.
Pressure Cooker - I use a pressure cooker to cook most of the vegetables I use. It allows me steam them from aldente to fully cooked in 3-4 minutes. I have a the
Fagor, Futuro 10 qt. size. I use the highest setting, #2.
Food Saver - I use this system to vaccuum seal my food packages for freezing. This is the model I have. The Food Saver can be purchased at any box store or Beds Bath & Beyond along with extra bags. You can buy the bags in quart or gallon sizes. I prefer to buy the quart and gallon Rolls, which I cut to custom sizes using the nifty attachment built into the unit.
Food Processor - The only thing I do with my food processor is to process the raw, peeled and cored apples or to puree the strawberries, blueberries and Kale if used. If you try to put so many apples through the meat grinder, apple juice will begin to collect in the hopper. I use the use the chopping blade for this.
Mop Bucket - I bought an oblong mop bucket for mixing the food in.
How to Prepare the foods: Recipe can be divided as needed or doubled. For my 5 girls, this is what I prepare for a month feeding 2x a day.
MEAT MIXTURE: USE DISPOSABLE MEDICAL GLOVES WHILE DESKINING CHICKEN NECKS PROCESS ALL MEAT IN MEAT GRINDER
12 PACKAGES OF CHICKEN NECKS (APPROX 72 NECKS), DESKINED, THESE CAN BE ORDERED AT YOUR LOCAL MARKET (THERE ARE 12-13 PACKAGES IN A CASE)
MUSCLE MEAT: 16 BONELESS CHICKEN BREASTS AND 24 BONELESS CHICKEN THEIGHS (I GET THEM AT COSTCO) OR 10 LBS GROUND TURKEY, ALSO AT COSTCO
1 PACKAGE EACH OF CHICKEN HEARTS AND LIVERS
HEALTHY POWDER (DR. PITCAIRN'S BOOK, P-53):
2 CUPS *KAL NUTRITIONAL YEAST
1 CUP LECITHIN GRANULES
¼ CUP KELP POWDER
4 TALBLESPOONS *KAL BONE MEAL (THIS CAN BE OMITTED BECAUSE OF THE CHICKEN NECK BONES - I INCLUDE IT)
MIX THE ABOVE TOGETHER....PUT INTO SEALED CONTAINER AND MIX 1 TEASPOON TO MEAL, DAILY.
PUT INTO PACKAGES THAT WILL LAST NO MORE THAN 3 DAYS THAWED OUT, SEAL AND FREEZE.. SOAK PACKAGES IN HOT WATER IN SINK TO THAW.. THIS IS A RAW MEAT WITH TINY BONES FROM THE CHICKEN NECKS, ONLY HEAT IN MICROWAVE ON DEFROST IN ORDER TO TAKE THE CHILL OUT...YOU DO NOT WANT THE BONES TO COOK AND GET BRITTLE.
VEGGIE FRUIT MIXTURE PROCESSED IN MEAT GRINDER. I BOUGHT AN OBLONG MOB BUCKET TO MIX THE WITH MY HANDS.
12 VERY LARGE SWEET POTATOES, SKINNED..WRAP IN FOIL AND BAKE ON FOIL SHEET OR COOKIE SHEET @ 425 DEGREES UNTIL POTATOES ARE VERY SOFT AND KNIFE COMES OUT CLEAN (ABOUT 2 HOURS)... PUT THROUGH MEAT GRINDER OR MASHED
12 SWEET APPLES, CORED AND PEELED.. I LIKE GOLDEN DELICIOUS, GRATED IN FOOD PROCESSOR USING GRATING DISC..YOU CAN TRY TO USE THE MEAT GRINDER BUT I FOUND THAT APPLE JUICE COMES OUT OF THE HOPPER AND MAKES A MESS
12 RIPE BANANAS PEELED AND PUT THROUGH MEAT GRINDER OR MASH
12-14 LBS "FRESH" GREEN BEANS (what the veggie/fruit mix is mainly made up of).. I REALLY LOVE THE ONES AT COSTCO..THEY ARE CLEAN AND ALREADY TRIMMED“ STEAMED UNTIL COMPLETELY COOKED THEN PUT THROUGH THE MEAT GRINDER
2 POUND BAG OF BABY CARROTS... STEAMED ALDENTE AND PUT THROUGH THE MEAT GRINDER
1 TRAY OF STRAWBERRIES - PUREE IN FOOD PROCESSOR
24 OZ TRAY OF BLUEBERRIES - ANTIOXIDENT - PUREE IN FOOD PROCESSOR
MIX EVERYTHING TOGETHER BY HAND (NO GLOVES) AND USE THE FOOD SAVER TO STORE PACKAGES THAT WILL LAST FOR 2-3 DAYS AFTER THAWING (BETTER TO MAKE SMALL PACKAGES THAT LAST 2-3 DAY TOPS) THEN FREEZE.
TO THAW OUT BOTH THE MEAT MIXTURE AND VEGGIE/FRUIT PACKAGES, I FILL MY SINK UP WITH HOT WATER AND LET IT THAW IN THE WATER. IT DOESN'T TAKE THAT LONG.
OPTIONAL VEGGIES TO TRY:
ZUCHINNI (WILL ADD MORE MOISTURE TO THE MIX)
BROCCOLI (1 HEAD)
CAULIFLOWER (1 HEAD)
MEAL MIXERS FOR A REAL TREAT (DOLLOP) - 1/2 SARDINE TAIL (PACKED IN WATER), CANNED SALMON, COTTAGE CHEESE, HARD BOILED EGG, COTTAGE CHEESE, PLAIN YOGURT
Video:
Sambaere meat grinder‏ - YouTube
BESIDES THE "HEALTHY POWDER", THAT THE DOGS GET ADDED TO THIER MORNING MEAL, I ALSO GIVE THEM A GOOD MULTIVITAMIN/MINERAL CHEWABLE, AND IN THIER EVENING MEAL, A TEASPOON OF SALMON OIL (THERE ARE ALSO FLAX OIL PRODUCTS THAT ARE MEANT FOR DOGS OR COLD MILLED ORGANIC FLAX SEED THAT ARE GREAT IN OMEGA 3'S THAT YOU CAN USE INSTEAD) AND I ALSO GIVE THE DOGS ONE TEASPOON OF "WHOLISTIC CANINE COMPLETE JOINT MOBILITY"
Bon Appetite!