>Wolves, and thus dogs, are not exclusively meat eaters. They eat more on a
>carcass than just muscle. They receive the majority of their calcium from
>the bones of their prey, but also eat the partially-digested plants found in
>the animal's intestines. In fact, some carnivores eat that first thing after
>a kill. Whatever you do, make sure that your dog is receiving enough calcium
>thru plant foods, raw bones, or supplements, otherwise it will develop
>skeletal problems over time. Adding calcium will help with the Hershey
>squirts. That works with humans too.

Thanks Arthur,

Good background info.

For most people who feed biologically appropriate raw diet to their dogs, we
use soft easily digested bones such as chicken necks and other neck bones as
60-70% of the diet, varying the kind of meat as we find good deals, because
variety lends balance. The good thing about these small, easily-digested
bones is that they form the perfect volume to clean the dog out. Yet almost
all of them are digested.

If you are afraid of splinters of bone hurting the dog, chicken neck bones
are soft and pliable, even dogs not acclimated to raw food can digest them
properly. They are also easy to get, I buy 30-lb cases of organically raised
chicken necks (OK, the whole chickens are organically raised, the necks are
just processing byproducts), and they are easy to store and serve.

Chicken backs and necks are just about a perfect proportion of meat to
digestible bone. When you give more meat in proportion to the bone, it
throws the phosphorus balance off. And it is the phosphorus in protein that
damages the kidneys during kidney failure, as I learned when I researched
trying to help my old boy who was damaged by common medications and is in
the early stages of kidney failure now. Also, too much meat acidifies the
system, including the blood, and acidity precipitates crystals on the
joints, causing arthritis or gout (gout being a specific kind of crystal
being precipitated).

Stools of a BARF - fed dog are SMALL compared to when they ate grain-based
foods, and not nearly as stinky as poops from a commercially-fed dog. And
except for veggie meal days, my dogs NEVER have gas any more!!! (that alone
makes the diet worth trying to some folks!)

If you looked at my back yard the day before pickup, and hadn't seen the
dogs, you'd think I had 3 or 4 60-lb labs, not 5 mastiffs ranging from
115-195 lbs. Not to mention that the BARF diet poops dry out to a chalky
white powder that FEEDS the grass great instead of smothering and killing it
the way the commercial-dogfood poops do. Now if I could only get them to
poop in neat rows, to green the yard up *evenly*....

The veggie meals are a smaller percentage of the diet (though ahead of organ
meats like liver and kidney which are only about 10%) but are important as
Arthur has pointed out. Another important point is that dogs do not have the
digestive equipment for veggies, which is why they need the
PARTIALLY-DIGESTED foods from the stomach of the prey.

Since we are not inclined to eat a veggie meal and then regurgitate it for
the dogs (eeewww!! Just like a momma wolf or dog!) it is easier to puree the
veggies in a blender or juicer, adding oils and other goodies.  I grind flax
seed real fine and pour it over the veggie meal, add some seaweed powder
(Source for horses works fine), and some blenderized raw eggs (shell and
all), and maybe some cold-pressed olive oil. If I don't give olive oil, I
feed something fatty like suet scraps from the butcher. Once in a while when
I find them on sale, I give them sardines packed in oil, served with the
oil.

Variety and balance are crucial. People who do not educate themselves about
the diet before starting on it can damage their pets' health, AND give vets
the idea that the diet is unhealthy. It is VERY healthy when done properly.
Which is true of the paleo diet for humans too....

Kymythy Schultze's book is inexpensive and I heartily recommend it. How much
so-called premium dog food can you buy for $7.00? And yet if you learn what
it has to say, you could save your dog's life with that initial investment
of $7. (No, I have no link except as a satisfied customer).

cheers,           laurie                   Colorsplash Farm, Apex NC  USA