# Switched to Raw this week!



## lmuns349 (Mar 22, 2012)

I finally took the leap! I've been looking into it for a couple of months now, and with our older dog having dental and skin issues, it seemed like a good time to start.

I do have a couple of questions...
Our 1-year-old GSD is pretty quick with his chicken legs. It's like a "chomp-chomp-chomp-all gone" Is that normal? Should I worry about him taking them down so quickly? He hasn't had any digestive problems that I've seen, but we just started them on Sunday evening.

Our 13-year-old Lab/GSD mix is being finicky about the chicken livers. I've read that it can be a problem, and that I should freeze it and they will generally eat it. Nope, can't fool her!  Is there another way I can get her to eat it? I was thinking maybe I should freeze some yogurt with it?

My local butchers says he's never heard of green tripe...but he says he buys the unbleached kind, is that the same thing? 

And lastly... I'm using about 3-4 plastic bags a day for meals... Has anyone gone to using Tupperware? I'm going to be getting a freezer in the next week or two, and I know it would be A LOT of plastic tubs, but does anyone think this method will be easer/less wasteful? Or is there another way I haven't thought of?

Sorry about such a long post! Thanks for all of your input in advance!


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## JackandMattie (Feb 4, 2013)

Congrats!

Mine have gotten to where plow through their chicken now, as well. I'll serve chicken the first day I bring it home because it always seems to still be partially frozen. Slows them down a touch.

Not sure what to say about bagging vs. ziploc. I don't do a lot of freezing. It's just part of my routine to stop every few days and stock up. Then again, since it's just the dogs and me, I have plenty of room in the fridge. Not everyone has that option, I'm sure. Also, I know it's not the most cost-effective.

If she doesn't like the chicken livers, how about beef liver instead?

Mine have done just fine with both kinds of beef tripe.

Not sure whether you're on B.A.R.F. or PMR, but I chose PMR because it just seemed way simpler and more natural: Raw Feeding Recipes


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## Mog (Aug 10, 2012)

Congrats!

Lauri recommended these and they work great. I just bagged up over 300 lbs of food  They are thin, but you bag once, twist and toss into another bag. 2000 bags for $22, you can beat it. 

Commercial Coreless Roll Can Liners - 4 gal - 2000 ct. - Sam's Club


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## SS-GSD (Dec 10, 2012)

I use plastic containers for the most part, I don't like the waste of plastic bags every day.

You can freeze chicken quarter and other RMB to make them last a little longer and slow the dog down. As for the livers, try blending them up and mixing them with some ground food. (Or the yogurt if you want) Sometimes it can take some work to find how they'll eat it best.

Your butcher isn't going to carry GREEN tripe because it's not fit for human consumption. Bleached tripe will not offer the benefits of green tripe and is useless to a dog. See if any pet stores around you carry raw foods (Sometimes places like grooming shops will have pet food too) or find a slaughter house/local farmer who may be able to help with getting you some green tripe but a grocery store or butcher won't have it. You can also get it online from places like GreenTripe.Com Main Index A Place for Paws - Columbiana, Ohio - Home or www.hare-today.com


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## lmuns349 (Mar 22, 2012)

Thank you all so much!

I have a student at school who's family owns a meat cow farm. I'm going to find out if I can maybe get green tripe from them.

Also, has anyone ever had any trouble with their dogs eating cow/pig heart? I'm going to place an order this week after I get my freezer, and since the hearts come in a 60lb case, I don't want to take a big risk that my dogs won't like it. I figured those were probably the most cost efficient MM, is there something else that I haven't thought of? While we're excited to have healthier pups, we also have budget we have to stick to. 

My older dog has pretty bad teeth, like really bad, and it takes her about 45 minutes to get through 2 chicken wings. I figured I would try to stick to those for RMBs for her, or do you think she will be able to handle chicken backs?

So far, for for the first month, I was figuring on feeding Chicken backs for RMB, beef/pork heart for MM, and beef/chicken liver OM. 

I didn't want to overwhelm them with too much variety in the beginning, but do you think they will get all the right nutrients from these? 

Any advice is greatly appreciated!


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## Heather & Madison (Jan 21, 2013)

I don't profess to know anything at all about raw feeding but from something I just read 'green ....' has nothing to do with color - green means it is completely raw (not smoked or cured etc).
So I'm assuming green tripe is just raw tripe.


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## bellagriff (Jul 1, 2012)

Yes, green tripe is raw. It can have a little bit of a green color, but basically you don't want the stuff from the grocery store (white in color). That has been cleaned and bleached and has almost no nutritional value. You want the smelly stuff. If it doesn't smell like a barn, then it isn't the right kind.


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## lmuns349 (Mar 22, 2012)

Are there more than two kinds of tripe? Because I'm thinking there's bleached(not what I want) and unbleached(what I want). Either white or brown yes? Or are there other versions in between?


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## bellagriff (Jul 1, 2012)

As far as beef tripe, there are just the two kinds: white and green/raw tripe. But, there is more than just beef tripe. I believe any farm animal's stomach is considered tripe - pigs, sheep, etc.


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