# Too much bone?



## trikerdon (May 14, 2011)

Having a little problem with Sheba's poop trying to keep it from being too hard and sandy. I give her some chicken legs/thighs, bone in every other day or so the rest is boneless a mix of beef, hart, liver (beef, chicken or turkey) and some pork mixed in there. She is only about 21 lbs or so. I measure it out and give her about 4 oz of this.
For a couple her poops will be hard and sandy, then it will start getting mushy and then loose so I give her the bone in and I go right back to the hard ones.
Where is the middle so her poops will remain the same most of the time? How do you feed this 80-10-10 portions? Do you mix a little bone in with their meals?
I want her to have bones so her teeth will stay white and nice like they are now.


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## frogdog (Aug 10, 2011)

I use to feed Yogi every other meal bone-in but now feeding every meal. I just make sure he gets red meat with every meal...beef, goat or lamb. You have to find your happy balance. I never had issues with runny poo but did experience dusty and hard...reason I started feeding bone-in every other meal. I have found feeding more bone-in and less red meat at one time has reduced Yogi's issue with gas tremendously.


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

I've been feeding raw for almost a year and i haven't gotten the hang of it yet. We seem to go from mooshy to sandy. Hopefully one day we'll get there.

Dogs are so different - i know if I skip a day of bony meat Rebel gets mooshy poos. he seems to need more bone than other dogs.


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## BeagleCountry (Jan 20, 2012)

Use chicken shears to remove 1/2 of the leg or thigh bone. The amount may need to be adjusted. Save the part that is removed. Add it to meat for the next bone in meal. Although more expensive chicken wings provide an easier alternative with the 3 parts that can be removed as needed.

80-10-10 is just a guideline. Part of the beauty of PMR is that it can be adjusted to the needs of each dog.

ETA: Thighs have a higher meat to bone ratio than legs. They also have more fat which will help move the poop through the intestines. Try feeding just thighs, no legs. If feeding quarters remove the section of the back from the thigh.


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## Ania's Mommy (Feb 8, 2009)

I think you're feeding too much bone, followed by too much organ. 

I'd feed less of each of them. So, bones every TWO days instead of every other day (remember, 10% isn't very much.) And organs once or twice a week.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

xellil said:


> I've been feeding raw for almost a year and i haven't gotten the hang of it yet. We seem to go from mooshy to sandy. Hopefully one day we'll get there.
> 
> Dogs are so different - i know if I skip a day of bony meat Rebel gets mooshy poos. he seems to need more bone than other dogs.


every dog is different. you've got it right. 

i don't know anyone who has perfect poo every single day.....we go from bony to soft to oops, i'd better feed bone today.

a lot depends on what is fed....


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## pogo (Aug 28, 2011)

Basically for the boys over a week they get boneless every morning, bone every tea time and once a week swap one boneless meal for a big bowl of organs and that works brilliantly for them


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## Jack Monzon (Jul 25, 2010)

xellil said:


> I've been feeding raw for almost a year and i haven't gotten the hang of it yet. We seem to go from mooshy to sandy. Hopefully one day we'll get there.


Wow, seriously?


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

Jack Monzon said:


> Wow, seriously?


Yes, seriously!! Unless I am making it up  Which I'm probably not.


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## bridget246 (Oct 26, 2011)

It's good to know I'm not the only one experiencing this. Keeps me thinking that maybe I'm doing it wrong. Fine for a week or so then something throws it off. Get it back on and all is good again. Things were by far the best when a second dog was in the house. I'm not saying that had anything to do with it. But, it did help exercise her a lot more than she was getting for our daily walks and training and play. Currently I've been looking for another dog. Haven't had the slightest bit of success of finding one I could/wanted to work with.


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## Halliebrooks (Dec 8, 2011)

I had the same issue. This is what I do- it may not work for you but I found it perfect for me. 
I feed a bone in meal for dinner and a boneless, organ, or fish, meal for breakfast. I haven't had a issue since.


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## dustinshaw98 (Feb 22, 2012)

Ania's Mommy said:


> I think you're feeding too much bone, followed by too much organ.
> 
> I'd feed less of each of them. So, bones every TWO days instead of every other day (remember, 10% isn't very much.) And organs once or twice a week.


You're right about the organs. They're too heavy on iron, etc. Makes the dog dizzy.


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## creek817 (Feb 18, 2012)

I bought a scale. Weighed out the right weekly amounts of bone, organs, and meaty meat. Then, I just gave him about 1/7 each day, or 1/6 if he was going to have a fasting day that week.

I think we all get a little too poop obsessed. As long as my dog's not totally constipated, or has complete liquid poo, I don't worry TOO much about it. I still try to keep an eye on it, but I don't adjust every meal accordingly. His poop varies a bit day to day, but I don't think that's a problem. He's happy and healthy and bouncy, so why worry? We have enough to worry about in our lives! JMHO


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## Dude and Bucks Mamma (May 14, 2011)

Buck has nearly perfect poop every day. Dude is more sensitive so he goes back and forth but I do have one dog who's poop is darn near perfect all the time.

If you feed quarters for bone it's easy to remove the leg bone. What I used to do was snap the joint where the leg and thigh connect. Then I would slice the leg along the bone and use my fingers to separate the meat from the bone all the way around. The meat along the bottom joint can literally just be pulled over the end of the bone. Then, back up on the top joint, use a sharp knife to slice through the meat in a circle around the joint. You can cut through that cartilage with the knife but slicing through the bulk of the meat makes it easier to find.

^^^I could get several legs deboned in just a few minutes. Once you get the hang of it, it's SO easy and quick.

As far as the teeth go, I just make sure I keep an eye on Buck's teeth and if I see any plaque, I make that night's meal an RMB meal. That typically takes care of any plaque. If not, we do one more. Then back to beef heart for a few days.


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

Dude and Bucks Mamma said:


> Buck has nearly perfect poop every day. Dude is more sensitive so he goes back and forth but I do have one dog who's poop is darn near perfect all the time.


Totally off topic, but your sig photo is fantastic.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

i do feed organs daily, but it's a bite sized treat for them.....maybe a 1/4 ounce....my pug weighs too much right now, because i'm wrangling with this once a day feeding....

but normally he weighs about 20-22 lbs.....i don't measure, i just cut up liver into bite sized pieces....and kidney and thymus or whatever else i have on hand....and i rotate organs every day.....that way, they think they're getting a treat and it pretty much accounts for 10% with the 5 of liver and 5 of something else.

EXCEPT. on rabbit head days....rabbits have brains, which is an organ, so they get no organs other than that....on that day. like today.


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## trikerdon (May 14, 2011)

Halliebrooks said:


> I had the same issue. This is what I do- it may not work for you but I found it perfect for me.
> I feed a bone in meal for dinner and a boneless, organ, or fish, meal for breakfast. I haven't had a issue since.


How much fish do you give? Sheba will only eat canned fish, mainly sardines which are usually fed with a raw egg once a week.


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## trikerdon (May 14, 2011)

creek817 said:


> I bought a scale. Weighed out the right weekly amounts of bone, organs, and meaty meat. Then, I just gave him about 1/7 each day, or 1/6 if he was going to have a fasting day that week.
> 
> I think we all get a little too poop obsessed. As long as my dog's not totally constipated, or has complete liquid poo, I don't worry TOO much about it. I still try to keep an eye on it, but I don't adjust every meal accordingly. His poop varies a bit day to day, but I don't think that's a problem. He's happy and healthy and bouncy, so why worry? We have enough to worry about in our lives! JMHO


I have a scale and weigh out each meal staying just under 4 oz per meal, 2 meals per day. Her boneless meals consist of beef, pork, heart, and just a small piece of liver. Sometimes mixed with a little other organ if I can find it.....


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

pogo said:


> Basically for the boys over a week they get boneless every morning, bone every tea time and once a week swap one boneless meal for a big bowl of organs and that works brilliantly for them


i have to know. do you have high tea?

may i come and live with you? sheffield is beautiful this time of year...

except for the 19 snakes, your life sounds idyllic.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

Jack Monzon said:


> Wow, seriously?


especially older dogs. i have found malia to be less consistent than bubba.


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