# Where do your dogs eat?



## StarryNite (Jun 2, 2009)

I just gave Lulu her first chicken leg, she is really enjoying chomping on it but she keeps moving it all over the house when I gave it to her on the deck. Is it dangerous as far as bacteria, etc for her to be eating it on my carpet? For my daughter and I? I don't really have an indoor room I could close her in to eat it. Should I cut it into small pieces and just put it in her bowl? Thanks


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## phgsd (Jun 6, 2004)

If I am feeding meat they either eat outside in their kennels, or in the crates where it can be wiped down after. 
I wouldn't cut up the meat, part of the benefit of raw is chewing their dinner!


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## angelaw (Dec 14, 2001)

Does she have a crate? I personally don't worry about it, but my kids aren't little. I feed Jake in his crate only due to the face he's usually done before Duchess (12.5) and he tries to steal hers.


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

My dogs were TRAINED to eat at their bowls. They are not allowed to grab food and walk around.

Put the dog on leash before you but the bowl down. Any time the dog tries to walk away say ACK and bring them back to the bowl.

My guys all eat in the kitchen. Each dog has their spot and they know where it is. Once everyone is finished they go around licking out the various bowls (in case someone missed a molecule of food) and then Sasha licks the floor and walls anywhere their MIGHT be a spec of stuff left!


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## Brightelf (Sep 5, 2001)

I feed out on the porch. The porch will be sparkling clean afterwards, too! A dog tries to lick up every raw molecule. Best is to not cut the meat or bones, so the dog can chomp it as part of the benefits of raw.


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## StarryNite (Jun 2, 2009)

Thanks for the suggestions, I don't know why I didn't think of the kennel! I just put her in there with it. I would LOVE to have her trained as you said Lauri, I am going to start this training next meal!


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## StarryNite (Jun 2, 2009)

I was going to close her out on the porch but it just started raining LOL so far she's happy chomping on it in the kennel!


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## angelaw (Dec 14, 2001)

lol


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## 3K9Mom (Jun 12, 2006)

When I start to feed each dog raw, I simply tether him/him to their place in the kitchen. This way, they stand (sit/lie down/whatever) at their bowl and eat. They can't go cruising around the house with raw meat. I used to let them eat outside during nice weather, but I found stashed RMB under bushes, or worse, crows eating them.







(I've never had kids that eat past when they're full). 

So, I tether them. They eat. When they're done eating, they stop and look up at me, and I let them go. It takes maybe two weeks for them to realize that their usual eating place (where they ate kibble) is still their usual eating place. Nothing has changed. Then the tether comes off permanently.


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## Barb E (Jun 6, 2004)

Some people use one of those outside table cloths that have the rubber side since it can be wiped down easily.

I started with that with Dante and finally have just moved to putting it in his bowl. He will always remove it from the bowl to the floor, but he NEVER takes it away from that area so it's easy to wipe the floor if I feel the need.

If the weather is nice - he gets it outside.


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## aubie (Dec 22, 2008)

Anna's evening raw (she gets kibble/tripe/yogurt/etc in the morning) it's usually frozen, then she either takes it to her mat or behind the couch, where we never go. She really likes taking it to her mat though, and I dont' worrry about contamination, I figure I could get worse from eating out than what, if anything, is left from her meal...plus I don't lick the carpet. That helps.


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## StarryNite (Jun 2, 2009)

LOL aubie! good point!


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## aubie (Dec 22, 2008)

Also, if you get a "mat" or bed area for her and teach the "place" command that they have to do before they get their meal that helps in limiting contamination. 

I'm so happy to see your intrest in raw feeding! Don't worry, when I tell people my dogs get raw chicken/beef/pork I get the weird looks too, but when they see my dogs they start asking more questions.


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## StarryNite (Jun 2, 2009)

I am excited about it, I am far from a math whiz so the calculations are confusing to me as well as what IS RMB and MM, etc but I know I will get it and it will become second nature the longer I study it. It was funny, I was at Wal Mart today and I asked the meat guy who had to be at least 80 if they cut their own meat and he said "no, it's all shipped pre-packaged" and I told him what I was doing and he got all excited, said he was raised on a farm and back in the day they fed the dogs only raw. He hobbled over to the pork section and said "we do have these great pork neck bones!" LOL I told him I would try those later as I am starting her off on just poultry. I did get a 10lb bag of chicken quarters for $6







I figure I will give her two of those a day to start as that is 2 pounds and seems like a lot of meat on them. By the end of the first week I think I will be much more educated. I joined a few yahoo groups that y'all suggested here and hope to find a distributor here and also have a few good leads on getting a freezer for the garage in the next week!


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## aubie (Dec 22, 2008)

I actually started with pork neck bones, then moved to the chicken quarters. You'll find out that while it's exciting, others won't quite share your excitement in finding "odd" animal parts for your dogs. When I found turkey necks at Wally World I was like "WOW! AWESOME!" my husband was like "what??" then "oh, whatever!"


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## StarryNite (Jun 2, 2009)

ahhh, so this guy knew what he was talking about







I was tempted to get them but everyone here said to start with one poultry source pref. chicken. LOL you are SOOOO right about others! So far I have told the guy at Wal Mart (who was excited!) and the guy at GNC where I got some Salmon oil who thought I was insane (okay, maybe the capsules weren't such a great idea, but I figured I could puncture them as they are gel caps LOL) Maybe I am OVER excited about it! But somehow the thought of finding yummies for my Lulu and figuring all this out is fun for me too


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## natalie559 (Feb 4, 2005)

> Originally Posted By: StarryNiteIs it dangerous as far as bacteria, etc for her to be eating it on my carpet? For my daughter and I?


Yes and yes! You've gotten some great suggestions for teaching the dog its place to eat which I think is super important when its eating raw meat! Good luck.


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## Barb E (Jun 6, 2004)

> Originally Posted By: Barb E.Some people use one of those outside table cloths that have the rubber side since it can be wiped down easily.


In another post Natalie mentioned the vinyl tablecloth.

That's what I mean rather than rubber







I hate it when I can't think of a word, I knew it wasn't rubber but I'll be dipped if I could think of vinyl!!

They really do work fabulous!! Folded into the size needed and then a wipe down when feeding time is over.


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## JerzeyGSD (Jun 26, 2008)

I also started trained Jerzey to eat in the kitchen. She originally tried to bring the meat all over the house, a big no-no! I wanted to train her to eat on a mat but, honestly, I just stopped caring. As long as it's on the kitchen floor it's easy to take a clorox wipe and clean the mess. You'll be amazed how quick your pup will learn where it's supposed to eat (whether in the crate, kitchen, porch, etc.)

I would also avoid cutting the bones. Besides the mentioned benefits that you give your dog by allowing them to actually crunch up the bones, I think you're more likely to cause a sharp edge if you cut the bones rather than if you just let the dog do what comes naturally.


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## Mandalay (Apr 21, 2008)

With kibble Mandalay will usually take a mouthful and walk off with it, chewing as she goes. Then a while later go back and get more.

With raw though...she stands at her bowl. This is the quickest and easiest thing I had ever taught her. The first time I gave her raw inside the house I put it in her bowl and she, of course, picked it up and went to lay down with it, just as she would a regular bone. I took it from her and put it back in her bowl saying "Over Your Bowl". She walked over and took it back to where she had just been so I took it away. About 5 minutes later I gave it back to her in the bowl and she left it there while she ate. That was almost a year ago. Every so often she'll try to sneak away with something, but if I say "Over Your Bowl" and make even the tiniest move toward her, to where she thinks I am going to take the food away, she will RUN back to that bowl! LoL.


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## FourIsCompany (Jan 29, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: StarryNiteI did get a 10lb bag of chicken quarters for $6


Woo-Hoo! Now, that's exciting! LOL I know what you mean about the research and stuff being exciting! I've even been having dreams about it! LOL


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I feed the leg 1/4's, pork & turkey necks,or any RMB outside. The dogs have there own chosen desigated spot to eat(away from each other). When I feed ground mix they are fed in the kitchen and Karlo is in the birdroom/breezeway, he gobbles and I have to shut him away from the others so he doesn't run in and get in their faces while they finish.


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## StarryNite (Jun 2, 2009)

I finally found a solution for her eating by her bowls on the carpet today! I was going to go with Lauri's idea about the shower curtain but at the hardware store I found this roll you can buy by the foot of that plastic material (I didn't know they made that!) It's like the stuff you put under office chairs on carpet so they roll easily, just not quite as thick, with those sharp things on one side and flat on the other. I got enough to just put under her bowls with about a foot and a half of eating room in front of them AND she has learned to stay right there when she eats after moving her chicken back a few times. Cleanup is a breeze now with disinfectant wipes! I was washing a blanket every night!


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## CWhite (Dec 8, 2004)

She eats in her crate.


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## ellen366 (Nov 2, 2007)

i feed in crates too


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