# Blending raw food



## ctrlbrk (Jul 7, 2012)

Hi guys,

I am new to raw/PMR. I have two Labs that are coming off of a commercial diet in favor of raw.

Tyler is 65 lbs and turns 8 this December.
Molly is 80 lbs and turns 5 this November.

I have questions!

I've been feeding "The Honest Kitchen" complete ("Love" and "Force"). It is incredibly expensive, so I am phasing it out now that I am learning more about raw. 

The Honest Kitchen has a product called "Preference" which they advertise as a base to which you would add meat protein. Here are the ingredients: 


> Ingredients
> Dehydrated sweet potatoes, organic alfalfa, cabbage, organic coconut, apples, spinach, pumpkin, bananas, celery, organic kelp, honey, tricalcium phosphate, choline chloride, zinc amino acid chelate, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, potassium iodide, potassium chloride, iron amino acid chelate, copper amino acid chelate.
> 
> Guaranteed Analysis
> ...


Now some sources say that dogs need these, that just meat protein is not enough, especially if you are not feeding Tripe. They say that the dog would normally eat the stomach lining of animals who have been eating the leafy greens and vegetables. 

So Q1) Do I need this "base" or not? I am not feeding tripe.

Right now, I am taking a small amount of this "base", and adding 3 cups of water to my Blendtec, and then 1 pound of chicken. I split this for both dogs. I am using a variety in every meal, breast, legs, wings, backs, organs, etc. The Blendtec turns it into liquid in about 10 seconds. I leave all the bones when I put it in, but the blender makes quick work of it.

This is convenient for me because it is easy to serve to the dogs, and easy to clean up. One of my dogs is food aggressive and it is not possible to give her a big RMB and let her go do her thing with it, she will make a mess of it and will try to eat the whole thing as fast as she possibly can because of her food aggression and food issues. So serving meals in a bowl is much easier for me and her, and my other lab.

So Q2) Is it ok to blend the meat and organs together and serve in a liquid form (with some water, just enough to get it to blend).

I realize I am losing the benefits of teeth cleaning, but I am willing to sacrifice that. My thinking is that the bone matter is still there, nothing is being discarded in the blender, so does it still benefit their diet?

They've been on this diet for a week and are doing great. I am looking to incorporate non-chicken meat into the diet so that about 50% is chicken, and 50% is something else, still trying to figure out exactly what...

Thx guys, love the site.


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## SaharaNight Boxers (Jun 28, 2011)

Nope you don't need the base. 

And most do a coarse grind instead of purifying it. I'm trying to imagine meat soup...not very appetizing sounding lol

You might want to look at Blue Ridge Beef for ideas. You at basically creating what they are so it might give you some ideas on how and what to grind.

Oh, and no organs right now. Wait at least two months.


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

your dogs are on a liquid diet?


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## BeagleCountry (Jan 20, 2012)

Welcome!

Prey model raw is complete nutrition with 80% meat, 10% bone, 5% liver and 5% other secreting organ such as kidney, brain, spleen, pancreas, etc. There is no need for grains or vegetables. The only supplements needed are a source of Omega 3s such as salmon oil, sardines, mackerel or herring and vitamin E if the meat is grain fed rather than pasture raised. Wolves do not eat the entire contents of the stomach. They rip and shake the stomach which removes most of the contents. The wolf will get a small amount of the stomach contents that is next to the edges. Some people find feeding raw green tripe useful, others do not. It can serve a a source of probiotics if needed.

The Prey Model Raw Getting Started Guide is one of the best guides available. It transitions slowly from one protein to the next to avoid digestive upset. Please read all of the pages on the site.
How to Get Started | Prey Model Raw
Another guide with helpful info such a bone percentages.
http://puppybutt.weebly.com/uploads/7/6/9/2/7692088/beginners_guide_to_prey_model_raw_rv.4.1.pdf

A liquid diet is far from natural. Some nutrition is lost every time the food is processed. Consider giving beef ribs in a crate or outside. Ground bones such as chicken could be added to whole meat and organs. Ground egg shells or bone meal are alternatives. Two sources of lead free bone meal are
Solid Gold Northwest - Products - Steamed Bonemeal
Amazon.com: NOW Foods Bone Meal, 1 Pound (Pack of 2): Health & Personal Care

Raw picture thread which shows food combinations and how others feed PMR.
http://dogfoodchat.com/forum/raw-feeding/5504-raw-picture-thread.html


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## GoingPostal (Sep 5, 2011)

Food aggressive towards you or the other dog? Personally I don't expect any of my dogs to want to "share" with one another and they all eat in separate areas in peace. My male was a resource guarder but I've worked with him and he doesn't anymore but he still inhaled his kibble to the point of needing it watered down. I was a little concerned the first time I gave him raw but he actually chews very well, better than my girl although they don't really need to chew it up much anyways, just enough to get down. Have you tried giving her bones? Leaving big chunks or frozen ones can help dogs learn they have to chew as well. Problem with wet food is this is going to likely make their teeth worse. Also no imo you don't need the preference, some people feed BARF and add veggies, many (including me) do not.


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## Liz (Sep 27, 2010)

HI and welcome. Actually the Preference is everything your dog does not need. Any nutrients in the Preference are found in raw meat, bone and organ. I think we worry too much about "aggression" not wanting to share and true aggression are two vastly different things. Most of my dogs eat in their crates and sometimes 3 or 4 will eat in the yard but they take their food to totally different areas of the yard. Plus they eat their food in just moments. The only thing mine takes some time on is ribs, pork neck and frozen turkey neck. Tripe is fed here sporadically when I can find it. 

Take the "experts" opinion with a grain of salt. Most of these opinions are from sources that have never fed an appropriate raw diet - people I know have been feeding raw for over 30 years! Their dogs don't know they are missing vital nutrients - I guess.  Anyway most dogs here are getting meat, bone and organ, with some kind of oil supplemented such as fish oil, emu oil or coconut oil. They are doing fantastic.


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