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Post by AnnaAmber on Apr 7, 2013 9:33:23 GMT
Hi guys, I just thought of another question I had! In both books I have been reading, they all seem to say to fast your dog one day a week on a raw diet - so only feed your dog six days a week! Do any of you raw feeders do that? I'm not sure Amber would be that pleased at having no food one day a week, especially as we'd still be feeding Bramble! (the assistance dog charity provide us with all her food, so she gets kibble) Also, I thought today I could get her some sort of meat for her dinner, as we are going out to town, so I might get her a whole fish and see what she makes of it :)Can't get her anything else though because we have no spare freezer space so am going to try to order another freezer in time before she finishes all her kibble so I don't have to buy another bag of it
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Post by puppypal on Apr 7, 2013 9:42:21 GMT
Barley had frozen fish yesterday and he loved it, i have not read about fasting for a day, barley will not be fasted as he loves it so much he would complain a lot if he went withut for a day
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Post by bextull on Apr 7, 2013 9:57:22 GMT
I dont fast and have no intention to. I have yet to talk to anybody who does. And I really do not know why somebody would fast?!?!
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Post by julie72 on Apr 7, 2013 10:08:50 GMT
No fasting here either. I think the logic behind it might be similar to the human 600 calories a day twice a week thing which some humans do. The idea is to let the body have time to focus its energies on repair rather than having to work at digesting food. There's some people that work with my husband that do it. I must admit it does make some sense maybe. You know how some days you don't feel as hungry as you do on others, if that makes sense?
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Post by AnnaAmber on Apr 7, 2013 10:11:59 GMT
The books seemed to be saying they need to rest their digestion system and in the wild they wouldn't eat everyday. But, for me, I still don't really see the point so I wouldn't be particularly wanting to do it. So, as none of your dogs have a fasting day (and are perfectly fine with that) then I will just keep feeding Amber every day of the year Amber is also the sort of dog that if she decided she didn't fancy her food, she would leave it. So she could chose herself if she wanted a "fasting" day! Plus, I'd feel totally cruel for not feeding her (because she'd probably be hungry), I mean I wouldn't want to only eat six days a week!
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Post by bextull on Apr 7, 2013 11:01:02 GMT
But they would eat everyday in the wild. They might not kill something daily but they would still scavenge for food. If you did fast for a day a week you would save the money on the 52 meals a year that you wouldn't be feeding...........
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Post by caz2golden on Apr 7, 2013 13:16:15 GMT
I have read the same about the fasting thing!!
I agree with Bextull if we are using wild dogs (wolves) as our basis then in the wild they would eat something even if it was scavenging an old carcass or raiding the bushes for fruit (if they were desperate) or hunt for small meals like ground squirrels etc.
My take on it is if you give a meal that's very large one day (say you give a large bony meal) then you give less another.
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Post by orpheous87 on Apr 7, 2013 16:03:36 GMT
I've also read the same - which probably means we've all read the same books?
I agree with Bextull too though. I can't imagine wild dogs/wolves intentionally starving themselves for a day. I know that dogs have some concept of time, but would they really think of days in the same way we do? I know that when I was feeding my girls on their previous food, Pepper would often sniff at the bowl but then walk away, leaving it completely untouched. Sometimes she would eat it if we offered it to her later in the evening, but often it just went in the bin. She hasn't done that since I changed them onto Applaws/Lily's Kitchen and she's even less likely to if I change them onto raw as she's loving the raw weekends we're doing at the moment!
I think that Caz's idea is probably a good one. As long as you balance the meals out over the week, I expect that no harm will be done?
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Post by smokeybear on Apr 7, 2013 21:04:48 GMT
Wild canids do not eat every day.
They are built for gorging and fasting (not the same as starvation) but of course when they fast they are generally not doing anything but lying around.
Unlike our dogs which are exercised every day.
I do not fast my dogs as I exercise or train them every day, I do not want them to have large fluctuations in blood sugar levels, or over production of bile.
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Post by AnnaAmber on Apr 7, 2013 21:09:02 GMT
Maybe it was the same book - I have "Work Wonders - Feed Raw Meaty Bones" and "Natural Nutrition for Dogs the Ultimate Diet"? Both of them seemed to keep mentioning it! It doesn't seem very fair to me, they can decide themselves I think if they don't want it - you don't need to decide for them!
I am trying to take some before photos, just to see if there is any difference after switching to raw. I have some of her standing and from above, so I can see what her weight was like, at the moment she is about at her ideal at around 40 - 41 kg, average for Bernese is around 40 - 50 kg. I have ones of her teeth too as I think (and hope) that, that will be one of the biggest differences with feeding raw The photos of her teeth may look weird, it's because we got them whilst she was rolled on her back having a tummy rub (and Amber LOVES tummy rubs)
Her overall body condition
And also her teeth
So it will be interesting to see how it changes with the switch to raw. I reckon I've got about 2/3 weeks left of her Applaws now and then I plan to switch her on to raw then.
Also, another question!!!! I am able to get 2 kg of Poultry Necks for a good price. Would these be suitable for Amber or too small? And also, Chicken bones? Are they OK for her? Just I was thinking of getting her chicken meat, which may contain some bones!
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Post by BorderTerrier on Apr 8, 2013 9:35:14 GMT
I'm sure they will be fine, as long as you know exactly what your feeding her. Supervise her, I'd say. Better to be safe than sorry. If you, personally as her owner, think they're too small, then don't give her them. As long as she is supervised, then she will be perfectly fine. I am sure she will enjoy them!!
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Post by caz2golden on Apr 8, 2013 17:05:44 GMT
I am very new to the raw idea too and doing a lot of reading too Go to p 20 of works wonders book and there is a table about RMB. This implies poultry necks are probably best for small dogs!! After this last weekend I would not feed anything smaller than a chicken leg!! But I do own a food bolter though Depends how your dog eats!! If she is careful then they may be ok. I plan to aim for bigger objects!! She looks a perfect size at the moment from your pictures
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Post by BorderTerrier on Apr 8, 2013 17:07:19 GMT
Could anyone tell me what BARF stands for?
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Post by caz2golden on Apr 8, 2013 17:09:30 GMT
BARF = Biologically Appropriate Raw Food
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Post by AnnaAmber on Apr 8, 2013 17:10:57 GMT
BARF stands for Biologically Appropriate Raw Food or Bones And Raw Food
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