Posted: Sat Apr 02, 2011 8:35 am Post subject: Commercially produced complete raw food
I am just a teensy bit excited ( ) because I finally got around to clearing out the understairs cupboard yesterday in order to make room for a FRIDGE-FREEZER!
Here's why I'm excited - after much gentle persuasion over the past few months, my meat-phobic vegetarian husband has tentatively agreed that so long as I buy it in conveniently packaged form, I can feed the dogs RAW! No whole bones or bits of carcass are allowed (although I may be able to sneak the dogs a marrowbone once in a while ) and so I've been looking at commercially produced and packaged, complete raw foods.
I looked at Natural Instinct a while ago when they first started up but at the time their range was very uninteresting with the only fruit and veg included in each variety being carrot and apple, however, I notice they now have a wider choice with their Country Banquet range.
I also need to buy from somewhere that will deliver a reasonably small quantity as the maximum size freezer compartment I can buy to fit the space is 138 litres/4.9 cu.ft.
Soooooo if anyone has any suggestions for 'convenient' raw other than Natural Instinct, I'd love to know
You can get frozen raw tripe from several places in blocks of about 1lb. I get mine from a feed merchant who supplies the greyhound kennels in the area and I buy it in bulk (60lbs at a time), but I know there are many other feed shops, especially equine based ones, who sell it singley (is that a word?). Failing that PAH do it in blocks and free flow bags.
Dogs LOVE Tripe and it is pretty well balanced without adding anything to it. I won't deny it is a little stinky as you're dishing it up though .
I make my own meat and veg mixtures so I can't recommend any other complete raw diet provider.
I don't see why you can't add your own veg, fruit and nuts, in pulped form, to Natural Instinct products to give your dogs a bit more variety.
As Jules says, tripe is very good and I also buy whole wild minced rabbit to which I add my own fruit and veg etc. I buy it from Woldsway and they deliver it frozen.
Well done for getting your OH to agree to a more natural diet for your dogs. Maybe he might not notice the odd chicken wing being consumed.
That is excellent news! I can understand how difficult a vegetarian would find it though - I have to say that standing at the kitchen sink chopping up hearts at 8am sometimes tests me to the limit - but it's worth it for how well Olly is on raw compared to the kibble months!!
I'm vegetarian too Catherine, but handling and cooking meat doesn't phase me one bit - OH on the other hand actually retches at just the thought of having to touch meat, and even getting him to agree to have it in the house has been a major task - not sure what he thinks it will do, come back to life, leap out of the freezer and attack him maybe
I will have to feed it frozen via the shortest route from freezer to dog. This is why I'm keen on finding as many complete raw foods as I can. I would consider buying just the pure meat/bone mixes but would have to feed any fruit and veg separately, which would be an okay way of doing it I suppose - maybe make them a fruit & veg Kong mix as pudding . They're already getting two homemade dinner mixes a week anyway that are tinned fish/raw egg based, so I'm two-sevenths of the way there already . To be fair, they both seem do very well on Acana kibble and the tinned organic meat mixes that I buy, but even so it's been pretty tough feeding them this way knowing that raw is the best option.
There's Darlings whose website I looked at - I suspect it's probably quite expensive. I was thinking it could be a handy stand-in for us for holidays, when toting Olly's daily rations around is more difficult! I don't know anyone who uses it but I assume it comes in a neat portion so that might help in your situation?!!
There is also....the uk Barf Club (?) I think it's called that, which sells frozen chunks and whatnot.
Do you have a farm shop nearby? The one I go to has its own butchers and they put all their offcuts into minces for dogs, frozen into handy tubes, which I stock the freezer with and then get bones and ...other bits... to add in with them. Yum.
Wow - Darlings looks good, all organic, they deliver and are offering a 'first week free' trial - plus they have a special deal for canine professionals! Definitely on my list to try - thanks Catherine, I hadn't heard of them before now
[quote="two-dogs"] not sure what he thinks it will do, come back to life, leap out of the freezer and attack him maybe [quote]
perhaps he's like me I just think of all the germs from raw meat and nearly have a nervous breakdown - I'd be wiping all surfaces with dettol wipes...like I do when anyone cooks raw meat etc in the house...I know there are bacteria etc in fruit and veg etc too but that doesn't get to me..maybe its just the combined thought of blood the feel of raw meat and the germs together! Ah well I know I'm strange, no one else in my family is so I just have to get over it Anyway I think your hubby is being really good and clearly loves Tilly and Beau a lot to get over his reservations for them. and I'm really happy for you because I know how much this means to you. Hope they enjoy it.
Would it be possible for you to sort out the veg/fruit mix and put it in the bowl and then head to the freezer to add the meat portion?
No advice on suppliers but hoping it goes well.
Katrina
I have been considering Darlings too and if you decide to go ahead with it would be interested in how you get on
The PAH freezer blocks and free flow( prize choice that you can also order in bulk on the net direct from the company) are quite handy as you can buy as and when you pop in there and you then only need to add your own veggies.Haven't been brave enough to try the tripe one yet
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) because I finally got around to clearing out the understairs cupboard yesterday in order to make room for a FRIDGE-FREEZER!
) and so I've been looking at commercially produced and packaged, complete raw foods.
. To be fair, they both seem do very well on Acana kibble and the tinned organic meat mixes that I buy, but even so it's been pretty tough feeding them this way knowing that raw is the best option.
Anyway I think your hubby is being really good and clearly loves Tilly and Beau a lot to get over his reservations for them. 
