# What is your ideal number of proteins?



## BoxerParty (Nov 9, 2011)

I'm interested to know what people consider an ideal number of proteins to feed. 

I was chatting with my mom last night (and, by the way, a great way to start a conversation is "sorry missed your call - I was cutting the heart out of a duck and couldn't grab the phone.") about the dogs' diet and the proteins we'll be adding over the next several months, and didn't have an answer for her about when you "stop" adding stuff (if, indeed, you ever stop). 

How many proteins do you feed? When did you decide you were "done"?


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## Liz (Sep 27, 2010)

I try to rotate through four at a time. Sometimes we get bison, emu, goat through our co-op so they will get these extra proteins. Our standards are beef, chicken, pork hearts, lamb lung and sardines when I can get it through the co-op.


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## liquid (Dec 28, 2011)

Ideally, I'd have every protein I could possibly get :wink:
Realistically, though, I think rotating between 4 proteins (excluding egg) is a good, balanced amount.
If you can get more than that, then by all means go for it! The more the better. There's no real stopping point when it comes to variety.


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## Scarlett_O' (May 19, 2011)

There isnt a limit, I dont think you want to put a limit on what you are willing if able to feed!!:biggrin:

I have so far(since May) I have fed chicken, turkey, bison, deer, elk, beef, pork, fish(4 or 5 different kinds,) quail, chukar, pheasant, goose, duck, lamb, veal, day old calf, sheep, goat, and...oh dear Im pretty sure a few more!LOL

I will feed what ever I can get my hands on(that is ok to feed)....I shall never stop looking for new things to feed!!:thumb:


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## werecatrising (Oct 15, 2010)

There is no limit to the amount I'd be willing to feed. Right now I can only feed 4- chicken, beef, turkey, and pork. I'd love to feed venison, etc. I just don't have access to it for a reasonable amount.


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

yep, barring no money obstacles I would have about 30 kinds of meat in my freezer.

I do try to rotate through about four - chicken, turkey, pork, and beef are the easiest to buy and the cheapest so I end up with them alot. 

I buy some rabbit, bison and some goat and i try to give them the odd parts, like heads, feet, spleens etc so they get as much of an animal as possible.

I don't have as much variety as alot of people. I KNOW there are deer hunters around here, I just need to track them down. 

I also feed alot of fish because they like it. It's not alwalys the fish that has the great omega three oils in it (I can only feed them salmon in small amounts) but I think it makes a nice change of protein. They eat whitefish alot, and I just bought some cod.


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## GoingPostal (Sep 5, 2011)

I think the more the merrier, the dog so far has had chicken, turkey, beef, pork, fish and rabbit-this will be her main meats so 6. She gets a day each week of every protein and then organs + whatever for the other day. A couple times a month she will get venison and duck too. She'll probably be getting some frozen commercial raw bison and fish/beef I bought that my ferrets won't eat too. My cat only eats chicken, turkey, duck, rabbit and mice and I wish she would eat more but she can't handle red meats like beef or pork. I have been feeding her canned pheasant sometimes and sneaking in quail right now and she does love sardines but that's a rare treat. My ferrets eat rats, guinea pigs, mice, rabbit, quail, chicken, turkey, and duck. I also feed freeze dried raw lamb and beef to them, they absolutely will not touch raw beef and lamb is like $14 a pound here so I won't buy it.


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## rannmiller (Jun 27, 2008)

I think at minimum you should have two different proteins, but even if you can only do one, you're still doing better than feeding kibble!

Having said that, feeding as many protein sources as you can afford and get ahold of is obviously ideal. I feed chicken, turkey, bison or beef heart, beef organs, pork necks, eggs, and salmon heads on a regular basis. So about 4 - 6 different sources I guess.


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## lozzibear (Sep 13, 2010)

I just feed chicken, beef, lamb, turkey and rabbit. I am getting him duck on Monday, so will see how he goes with that. I am going to try and get some pheasant too though... it is hard to get a lot of meats for a reasonable price though. I can get pork too but it is the only thing he refuses to eat raw.


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## twoisplenty (Nov 12, 2008)

Our main sources are beef, chicken, turkey, and pork. When I can get my hands on rabbits and lamb I do  Lately my guys have been getting a lot of beef and pork, since we were given 250lbs of cow for free!!!


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## ciaBrysh (Dec 16, 2011)

Since I just discovered a place where I can get whole fish for in my price range, I will be feeding 5 proteins beef (once adjusted) pork chicken turkey and fish (chicken and turkey probably being the main staple)


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## kathylcsw (Jul 31, 2011)

Right now I feed each of these weekly to Lola - chicken, turkey, fish, egg, beef, pork, and venison. Buster still need to be introduced to beef and egg. I also have duck wings in the freezer that I will intro to both once Buster gets through beef, egg, liver, and organs. I plan on getting them some mice later on and hope to get rabbit at some point. I found goat at a local store and they will get that at some point as well. I will feed them whatever proteins I can find to give them the biggest variety possible.


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## kady05 (Jul 29, 2011)

Well, right now I feed chicken, turkey, pork, beef & venison + eggs twice a week. Just got some rabbit, dove, and fish from a guy for free though, so I'll rotate that in too!


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

I'd say 4-6 proteins is a good mix. Honestly if I had an endless supply of 10-15 proteins I would rotate them all. But I don't, so the girls will get odd ball things like pheasant and emu or moose once a month or even more varied. 

I think quality of proteins will play a huge factor on variety. The higher the quality the proteins you rotate I think the less you need.


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## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

I too just do the chicken, pork, beef, turkey, cornish hen and canned fish. If I could get access to more proteins at a reasonable price, believe you me, I would. Mol gets rabbit twice a year, her birthday and Xmas, but at $17 a lb, I can't afford to feed it weekly.


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## Mondo (Dec 20, 2011)

Haven't really thought of the number. In the past two weeks. Duck, chicken, turkey, sheep, beef, sardines. Beef liver, beef heart and chicken hearts. 

Rabbit is on the way. 

I've never given pork nor considered it. Is pork an important protein?


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## Scarlett_O' (May 19, 2011)

Mondo said:


> Haven't really thought of the number. In the past two weeks. Duck, chicken, turkey, sheep, beef, sardines. Beef liver, beef heart and chicken hearts.
> 
> Rabbit is on the way.
> 
> I've never given pork nor considered it. Is pork an important protein?


Pork is generally the most reasonably priced red meat that most of us can get!:thumb:
I feed pork heart a LOT, as it is the most reasonable of all red meats for me...and everyone loves it!:smile:


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## Mondo (Dec 20, 2011)

Never thought of that. I am not sure it is cheaper than cheap cuts of beef around here. Never seen pork hearts. Pork liver on occasion. Beef heart was first served a couple of weeks ago. Went over like gang busters.


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## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

I agree with Abi, pork is so cheap compared to the other red meats and it's Mol's favourite too. Pork ribs are great, clean the teeth, not too hard so they won't break teeth and most dogs (unless they are smaller) can eat the whole rib.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

i try to feed as many parts of red meat as i can...

on a regular basis, my kids get duck, rabbit, beef, pork, venison, goat, fish, eggs (either quail or chicken), and they also eat quail.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

Mondo said:


> Haven't really thought of the number. In the past two weeks. Duck, chicken, turkey, sheep, beef, sardines. Beef liver, beef heart and chicken hearts.
> 
> Rabbit is on the way.
> 
> I've never given pork nor considered it. Is pork an important protein?


i think they are all important...every part of every animal.....if you can.

if you can't, do the best you can to feed as much red meat as possible. i think you're doing great.


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## CavePaws (Jan 25, 2011)

I would like to have as many proteins stocked as possible. The more variety the better imo. That is when your dog is fully adjusted and can handle lots of different things...I think giving your dog that adjustment period might be hardest because it's different for all dogs.


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## Makovach (Jan 24, 2012)

When I start, chicken, turkey and fish will be their main staples untill I can find better sources than the grocery store for beef, pork, deer and other red meats. I will get them some beef/pork when i can (once ajusted i will feed each atleast once a week). I'm also looking for a rabbit and duck supplier. I'm hopeing it will be easier once we move to a bigger city/farm comunity. 

I plan to have as much variety as i can, but fish turkey and chicken will be the main three.


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## bully4life (Aug 9, 2010)

3 for me,,80% chicken 10% beef 10% fish.. luckily I'm able to add 3-4 deer every deer season .


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## monkeys23 (Dec 8, 2010)

Mostly beef/deer/elk/lamb with other stuff thrown in for variety randomly. The beef/lamb is really homegrown and the deer/elk my brother hunted. I'm really poor, so why not take advantage of what we've got. Occasional storebought poultry/pork. The pork in stores is honestly pretty revolting because most of it is factory farmed and enhanced (I soak it before feeding).... I usually avoid it unless I get a wild hair. My mom usually buys a couple pigs a year for us, so I'll as for hearts, trim and whatever else I can use.

I just got a case of hen turkey necks from Oma's Pride. Supposedly vegetarian fed, antibiotic free, all that good stuff. Meh, to be honest they smell like cadaver to me and are nowhere near as meaty and delicious looking as the Primal 5lb bags of hormone/antibiotic free tom necks (which I can't afford to feed on a regular basis), so yeah probably going back to oxtail after I feed through them. I might order some duck necks when available to see if I like those better. I dunno, I feel better feeding them the smaller variety of stuff that I know where it came from, what it ate, and how it was killed/cut and they look/act/feel the same regardless so yeah.


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## tuckersmom20 (Dec 12, 2010)

My boys eat chicken, beef and Turkey.
I cannot feed pork because it is a seizure trigger to tuck, and by feeding to no one it reduces the risk that he gets it by stealing.
I do add in tilapia and sardines sometimes also....


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