# Starting 4 month old GSD on BARF...



## wakefield622 (Aug 17, 2009)

I have been reading & reading about this and it seems the benefits are well worth it. The more I read the more I am confused! Mandy weighs 31 pounds and will be four months old on the 6th of November. How do I get started? What types of food should be fed? Supplements? Any tips/help on getting started are appreciated! I have read a lot of other sites but all in all still confuses me. Thanks!


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## wakefield622 (Aug 17, 2009)

just found this online...is this accurate?

BARF Dinner (med size dog)
Ingredients:

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3/4 pound Raw Meat -- *see Note
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1 egg -- raw
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2 tablespoons yogurt
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1 teaspoon honey
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1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
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1/2 teaspoon flax seed oil -- *see Note
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1 teaspoon kelp seaweed powder -- *see Note
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1 teaspoon alfalfa powder -- *see Note
*

250 mgs vitamin C -- for dogs
*

1/4 cup kibble -- optional


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

http://www.rawdogranch.com/

Read this site. It has alot of helpful information. I didn't feed Jax raw as a pup so I can't give any tips there but others have and will probably answer tomorrow when most ppl are online.


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## wakefield622 (Aug 17, 2009)

I went there earlier and it seemed a bunch of the areas of the site were not working :-/


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

You can email Lauri and ask her questions too. She'll be on here sometime.


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## mspiker03 (Dec 7, 2006)

You really can't feed by "meal for a med. sized dog." Feeding is based on 2-3% of the dogs expected ADULT weight for pups. And for pups, the amount will probably fluctuate as they grow. Do you know the weight of the dam? 

I also think, for GSD's (females) - they are going to eat closer to 1.75 lbs of food a day (not 3/4 of a pound like stated above). The amount obviously varies, but I am going off what I feed my adult female.

I would start with ONE protein source - say chicken. And feed only chicken for a week or two until you know your pup handles the transition to raw well. That means you can feed chicken wings, chicken thighs, chicken quarters, chicken hearts/gizzards, etc. After a bit, I would add one protein source and then rotate between those two.

I would go through some of the old threads on this forum as well.


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## mspiker03 (Dec 7, 2006)

Here are a couple that I found that have some good info (I just briefly skimmed them)

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1149983&page=1&fpart=1

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1201425&page=5&fpart=1

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1188954&page=5&fpart=1


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## JerzeyGSD (Jun 26, 2008)

Check out this thread:

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1149983&page=2#Post1149983

Besides just going to rawdogranch.com actually click through the raw section and read every thread dealing with puppies, it will help to clarify how much you should be feeding a puppy. 

I think the majority of us a feed a diet based on feeding RMB (raw meaty bones), MM (muscle meat) and OM (organ meat.) We don't blend it, like the recipe above. 

When I had Jerz on raw, I fed 2% of her body weight and split it up into 50% RMB, 45% MM and 5% OM. If you go to rawdogranch.com you can download a spread sheet that will break all of this up and tell you exactly how much, in oz, you should be feeding.

If you also look at the thread on pg. 1 titled "Our Dogs Menus" it will give you an idea of what counts as RMB, MM and OM.

Keep reading and keep asking questions, its the best way to learn! I would suggest, though, holding off on making that above recipe since dogs derive many benefits from crunching on meat and bone (cleaning teeth, is number 1), rather than just eating ground up meat like the recipe you found would call for.


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## wakefield622 (Aug 17, 2009)

> Originally Posted By: JerzeyGSDCheck out this thread:
> 
> http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1149983&page=2#Post1149983
> 
> ...


I can't seem to find the spreadsheet...help!


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## JerzeyGSD (Jun 26, 2008)

http://rawdogranch.com/HowMuchToFeed.htm


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