# two raw fed siblings looking completely different



## RiverRun (Jun 29, 2011)

I feed my pup usually a mixture of chicken, turkey, and(As long as I am able to get it) normally a lot of beef heart. He also gets deer liver and beef kidney, possibly some tripe and an egg once a week. In addition to food, he gets fish oil and liquid glucosamine. 

His sister(not a dog I own) eats only chicken, normally does not get organs often, and also eats that Sojo's grain mixture every morning. 

They were together today and I realized how different they look. His sister looks extremely healthy, to the point that he looks unhealthy when next to her. She is thick and muscular, has a good looking coat, and no bones are showing. (this is a 3 month old pup) My little man doesn't have as much muscle tone as her, his back-end leaves much to be desired, his hip bones show slightly, and his coat doesn't look near as good as hers. 
I don't understand why. They both eat the same amount of meat each day. Is it possible they just look that different, or should I be worried that there is something wrong with him? 

the odd thing is, all of my sister's dogs(who owns my pup's sister) look 10x better than my dogs. The only difference in our dogs is that she feed Sojo, and is home all day so the dogs get a bit more exercise rather than being locked up for 10-12 hours during the day as mine are. 
I do have to say, recently(As in the past two months) my dogs have NOT had any red meat due to lack of money and forgetting the due date to order, and they have been battling fleas. My dogs do much better on red meat...could this possibly be the reason behind their rough appearance?


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## lauren43 (Feb 6, 2011)

I think that every dog adjusts differently to raw. But I'd like to see a side by side of the two. In the way you describe them I would also think he's missing something. 

Would you be willing to give the sojo's a try to see if it makes a difference?

Fleas can make a big impact on the fur, I know that. When they get the red meat regularly do they look better or to the level of your sisters dogs?

I think I too need to find something to add to Avery's diet, his fur is just a bit dry for my liking and his paw pads are as well.


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## RiverRun (Jun 29, 2011)

last year my dogs looked great, but that was before I moved. Ever since I moved/ winter came, I have been trying desperately to get them back to the way they use to look; but for that past 3 months or so my dogs have had dry, itchy, flaky skin with dull hair. I found one flea, so I assumed there must have been many more. I have since gotten a handle of the flea problem(I think) and should be picking up some red meat within the week, I do think I will pick up some of the Sojos. I just can't figure out what my dogs could be missing. My chihuahua and cat look good, but my pup and the two big girls are the ones giving me problems.


oh, and I do need to get a picture of them side by side. If I go by there tomorrow I will try


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## Gally (Jan 28, 2012)

Is the meat you are feeding free-ranged/farm raised or factory farmed? Is there any fish or fish oil in their diet?


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## RiverRun (Jun 29, 2011)

they all get salmon oil daily, the chicken is almost certainly factory, due to I buy it at a grocery store. The turkey and red meat I am told is farm raised. The organ meat(well besides the beef) came from deer that local hunters killed.


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## Losech (Jul 10, 2012)

Dogs from the same litter (even if they are the same breed) can look wildly different. My two are mixes, so of course there will be variance, but they look way different if you actually take the time to study their appearance. Juneau has a thicker coat, higher-set shorter more pointed ears, a curved tail, a deep narrow chest, and almost no white. Sasha has a barrel check, longer low-set labbish ears, a thinner but longer coat, and white markings on her chest and throat. She is much more stocky than Juneau.
Juneau is almost always uber shiny. Sasha is shiny too, but is more shiny when she gets more fatty meat than not.


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## Dobelover (Mar 14, 2013)

RiverRun said:


> they all get salmon oil daily, the chicken is almost certainly factory, due to I buy it at a grocery store. The turkey and red meat I am told is farm raised. The organ meat(well besides the beef) came from deer that local hunters killed.


Most chicken you buy at the grocery store is brined...maybe that is the difference? Where does she buy hers from?
It also help to add some kefir to the diet. Also, make sure she's getting the proper calcium to phosphorus ratio.


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## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

Have you guys tried organic, extra virgin coconut oil? Mollie gets salmon oil alternated with coconut oil every second day and I do see a big difference. But, I can't afford to buy grass fed meat for her, so I think the salmon and coconut oil pick up the slack. 
Lola the pug use to always get salmon oil, but I gave my friend some coconut oil to try and the change in Lola's coat was astounding. It wasn't only me who noticed it, but her coat went from a bit rough feeling to really silky, like she had just been washed. Just a thought thats all.


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## lauren43 (Feb 6, 2011)

I actually have some expired coconut oil I could try and I've heard flaxseed oil helps too so I just started using that too.

I'm just starting to feel like Avery is missing something.

As for two puppies of the same litter being completely different, I totally agree with Losech. But she's saying some of her other dogs don't look as good as well...


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## RiverRun (Jun 29, 2011)

I will definitely try some coconut oil. He usually gets the proper bone to meat ratio, lately though with out the red meat, they have all gotten a bit more bone than usual. 
We use to buy chicken from the same place, but now she gets hers from the local walmart and from our local natural dog food store. I don't buy mine from either place because walmart is too expensive, and the local store's chicken gives me dogs severe diarrhea(and that chicken is suppose to be free range). 

I am just waiting for the owner of the local store to let me know when my order of beef heart is in. I am sure it has come in now, but she hasn't contacted me yet. Guess I will have to pick it up after work this coming week and try to thaw it out overnight again.


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## sassymaxmom (Dec 7, 2008)

Hi all, long time no write.

I put Max's diet and nutritional needs [NRC 2006] into Nutrition facts, calories in food, labels, nutritional information and analysis – NutritionData.com and consistently see his diet is a bit low in zinc and magnesium and very low in manganese and vitamin E. I bet the Sojo's fills the manganese and magnesium gap and perhaps the zinc gap as well. Possibly dogs fed more than 1.5% their body weight get ideal amounts of zinc and magnesium but they won't get manganese unless that one analysis is correct and there is a lot in green tripe. 

Beef heart is overloaded with iron, the ideal ratio of zinc:iron:copper is 10:5:1 and heart is more like 4:10:1. There is some good reason for the ratio and possibly having the ratio upside down is a problem with some dogs. 

I have been supplementing with human mineral supplements and can see a difference. Max is blacker somehow and shinier. Some kinds of seaweed can help but an excess of iodine is a worry with seafood. Sunflower seeds are quite amazing for manganese, magnesium and E but I am a bit wary of feeding him plant foods. And of course a tiny bit of oyster kicks up zinc nicely.


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## RiverRun (Jun 29, 2011)

so do y'all think trying the Sojo's may be a good idea? Im not against it if it may help, just not completely comfortable with giving grains. 

Didn't realize beef heart was so high in iron...geez I need to eat it hahaha. Since I do normally feed a lot of beef heart, what can I balance out that iron with?


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## Dobelover (Mar 14, 2013)

I would definitely try the coconut oil. It's extremely healthy for them, we use that and fish oil. Flaxseed oil contains more ALA's which does can't use...keep that in mind. I would go for the coconut oil for sure! We make veggie cubes for our guy..they contain a bunch of good things but one is kefir. You might want to add that in the diet as well. We find that our veggie cubes give everything else he needs (vitamin/mineral wise), they contain a few ingredients...and he loves them!


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## RiverRun (Jun 29, 2011)

Dobelover said:


> I would definitely try the coconut oil. It's extremely healthy for them, we use that and fish oil. Flaxseed oil contains more ALA's which does can't use...keep that in mind. I would go for the coconut oil for sure! We make veggie cubes for our guy..they contain a bunch of good things but one is kefir. You might want to add that in the diet as well. We find that our veggie cubes give everything else he needs (vitamin/mineral wise), they contain a few ingredients...and he loves them!


what brand of coconut oil do you use?


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## Dobelover (Mar 14, 2013)

RiverRun said:


> what brand of coconut oil do you use?


We buys ours at Costco..the best price. It from Carrington Farms, organic coconut oil.


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## lauren43 (Feb 6, 2011)

RiverRun said:


> so do y'all think trying the Sojo's may be a good idea? Im not against it if it may help, just not completely comfortable with giving grains.
> 
> Didn't realize beef heart was so high in iron...geez I need to eat it hahaha. Since I do normally feed a lot of beef heart, what can I balance out that iron with?


The sojos I looked at was a freeze dried raw that you just add water to. Is your sister feeding something different?


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## RiverRun (Jun 29, 2011)

lauren43 said:


> The sojos I looked at was a freeze dried raw that you just add water to. Is your sister feeding something different?


Not sure if it is the same thing due to I have never paid much attention to it in the store when I pick up my beef heart. It comes in a bag and looks like a big bag of seeds and oats. You just add water and depending on what kind you get, either meat or no meat.


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## Sapphire-Light (Aug 8, 2010)

The sojos are grain free, I tried it in the past and no grains  

They are just a buch of dehydrated veggies like broccoli, pumpkin, carrots, kelp, etc , mixed wit the freeze dried meat that is beef or turkey, when you add the water you can see all the veggies and the meat 

Natural Homemade Dog Food | Dehydrated Holistic No Grain Dog Foods | Sojos.com


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## RiverRun (Jun 29, 2011)

ah! My sister uses that yellowish-orange bag. I guess I will give it a shot, can't hurt right?


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## RiverRun (Jun 29, 2011)

you know, I forgot to mention that all of my sister's dogs are fed twice a day. Mine only eat once(expect for my pup, he eats twice). Think that makes a difference?


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## Dobelover (Mar 14, 2013)

I think twice a day is better myself. Some do fine once a day, but I prefer twice. I think majority do better on twice a day. You cold try it and see if it makes a difference  (but still add the coconut oil)


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## RiverRun (Jun 29, 2011)

if I get the Sojo's I will change over to twice a day. my only reason for feeding once a day is that my lab girl can't eat as much as I would like to give her due to her bad hips(I have to keep her weight down) so if she were to eat twice a day, her meals would be super tiny and she hates that. Although, once I get a pool(hopefully within the next month!) I will be able to exercise her easier than I normally would, so I will be able to up her food intake and manage her weight with water therapy instead, which will make both of us happy.


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