# Prey Model Diet



## suzzyq01 (Feb 15, 2011)

Hello Everyone,
I am just beginning to feed my GSD and Siberian Husky the prey model raw diet. We are a week into it from the "holistic kibble" and I can't even believe the difference already. 

I used to feed BARF several years ago to my husky but it got really cumbersome and costly, so I stopped and started on the holistic kibble. 

Since discovering the Prey-model diet it is super simple and makes so much sense. 

I have devised a schedule based on the cost/availability of the desired food.

Monday - Friday 2lbs of raw chicken thigh/legs (bone/meat/skin) 
Mash of chicken liver/cubed beef/pumpkin
Saturday - Fish (whatever is plentiful and the right price) whole fish
Sunday - Fast


They seem to be really doing well so far. Does anyone else do this? Can you give me tip/tricks to buying the meat (website or vendor) 
What is your feeding schedule like? 

What do you do? Any information and experience would be fantastic! :hug:

Thanks so much!
-Suzanne


----------



## Rott-n-GSDs (Jul 7, 2010)

Hmm... I don't think it's necessary to fast your dogs unless you're giving VERY large meals the day before. I would feed on Sundays, too.

Don't be afraid to feed larger chunks of red meat (pork if your dog tolerates it, beef, venison, etc.). Beef bones might be a bit too dense but mine crunch up pork and venison bones without issues.

As far as getting free/cheap meats, I post on craigslist. My post is in the wanted section and is short and to the point. I basically say that I feed my dogs a homecooked (some get offended at the word raw and will flag) diet because one of them has a severe kibble allergy. I say that I am looking for old/unwanted/freezerburned meat including venison, beef, pork, duck, chicken, turkey, partridge, etc. etc. etc. and ask them to email me with what they have and the price they are asking. Most simply email and say they will give it for free. 

I DO NOT give a long list of items I can't have. If someone emails me and says they have a bunch of meat I can have for free that includes venison, beef, sausage, etc., I don't say, "Oh I can't use the sausage," I simply take it all and toss what I can't use. People have extremely short attention spans and if your ad is full of qualifiers as to what you can't use... they'll just move on to the next one.

If you are looking for any other pointers, just let me know. I have a "how to" article I wrote about a raw prey model diet. Mine have been on an RPM diet for a couple of years and are doing great!

ETA: as far as a feeding schedule, I usually feed chicken leg quarters in the morning and red meat at night, with sardines, liver, and tripe given approximately 3x weekly. When I am able to get free/cheap meat off of CL, my dogs get a lot of variety (wild game, fish, etc.), but when I don't get a lot of ad responses, they eat a lot of beef and pork from the grocery store.


----------



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

suzzyq01 said:


> I have devised a schedule based on the cost/availability of the desired food.
> 
> Monday - Friday 2lbs of raw chicken thigh/legs (bone/meat/skin)
> Mash of chicken liver/cubed beef/pumpkin
> ...



Well, it's a good start.  But you should try to add more *variety *in the diet.

Beef, lamb, pork, turkey, duck, rabbit - whatever you can get.

I recommend that people use at LEAST 3-5 protein sources each week in their dogs diet. You have the minimum number but it would be better to have more.

I personally do not feed pumpkin on a regular basis. I only use it if someone need help with their stools.

Also - I NEVER purposefully fast my dogs. This idea comes from those that say wild canines often fast. True - they fast when they can't CATCH anything. If a big fat rabbit ran in front of a wolf it's not going to say "Nope, can't catch and eat you - I'm fasting".

It also comes from the idea that dogs are canines (yes) and their bodies are designed to eat massive amounts at once and then digest for a day or two (yes).

BUT - in the wild a wolf would gorge itself then just relax for that day or so.

My dogs don't 'relax' - they go and do and train and play and run and fetch every day. I do not like the idea of gorging them with food and then trying to get them to run and play. Not only would it be very uncomfortable for them it can also be a serious health hazard (bloat comes to mind).

If you want to fast I would switch the fish meal to the week and double up the amount you feed the day before the fast, and then keep your dog quiet for that day and the day of fasting.


----------



## shell nyc (Jul 19, 2010)

I agree with Lauri, I only fast if my pups have a big gorge meal (eg they eat and eat until they actually stop themselves. Trust me, at some point they WILL walk away. And then regurge the meal a few times. Yeah, I don’t do this too often.  )

Chicken quarters are a great start but once they are acclimated you will want to add more variety. Look at pork for an affordable red meat. I can usually find a pork shoulder/butt for $1/lb or so. Let the dog(s) eat ~it’s meal’s worth and then take it away. Easier than chopping it up! I use haretoday.com to buy the random bits and pieces to round out the meal, sometimes splurging on rabbit or venison if I don’t have enough variety already in the freezer from other sources.


----------



## aubie (Dec 22, 2008)

Look for raw suppliers in your area...do a raw search on Yahoo groups, ask around, ask meat processors, etc.

I have several sources, including my bulk raw supplier I found via Yahoo, the grocer and local hunters. I just made a major score of venison as the hunters are cleaning out last year's meat to make room for this year's. There' nothing wrong with it, and I got it for free!

And Lauri is right (as always ) about variety. A typical week for mine is chicken, turkey, beef, quail, venison and sometimes pork. 

I don't fast mine, or well, I'm afraid they'd revolt. :wild:


----------

