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-   -   Beef and Bones (http://www.pets.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=35878)

barkley21 January 27th, 2007 02:53 PM

Beef and Bones
 
So.....we're going to finally feed Barkley his first all-beef meal sometime next week. We've been slowly adding pieces of beef to his turkey patties and he's been doing so great that we're 3/4 of the way there :highfive:
Since I have never given him an all beef dinner before, I was wondering if anyone could recommend what cuts of beef constitute a good meal at a half decent price? I've been using stewing beef up until now but I was wondering what other cuts I should be keeping an eye out for. Also, are the beef bones edible for him or is it only certain ones? If so, which ones? For example, I have some beef short ribs in the freezer which are each about the size of a child's fist and have quite a bit of meat on the bone. Are these bones okay for him to eat? Does the same go for pork chops? (we haven't ventured there but will eventually)
I know my way around chicken and turkey bones but for some reason I'm second guessing myself on beef and pork :eek:

Scott_B January 27th, 2007 03:13 PM

Ribs are fine as long as they're meaty. I feed beef tail. Large meaty ones. Not the very thin ones. As well as beef neck, but thats a rec bone. Most of my beef is boneless, but thats only because its what i have available. Beef heart & beef tongue.

have a look here at some beef meals though

[url]http://rawfeddogs.net/Recipes[/url]

technodoll January 27th, 2007 03:26 PM

meaty beef ribs make a good meal but most dogs (specially the smaller ones) won't eat the bone, only nibble and gnaw on them. they are very hard to get through, as are most beef bones (Scott remember you have a BIG stong boy there :D ). not worth the risk for tooth injury IMO... Most pork bones are edible though, exept for the thick leg bones. So if you want to feed ribs, pork are the way to go. think of the actual animal size, cows are much bigger than pigs, hence their bones will be bigger, thicker and harder too to support all that weight ;)

it's ok to feed boneless beef for a meal or two in a row, in big chunks your boy can chew on (beef hearts are awesome) or ground beef, then you can mix in an egg with the crushed shells for calcium. just don't always feed "meat only" meals and you'll be fine. don't forget the organ meats too! should be about 10% of the diet.

if you can find some raw green tripe, go for it! either whole or ground & frozen patties. it's truly a 100% balanced meal, if you don't mind the stink that is, LOL! :D

Scott_B January 27th, 2007 03:43 PM

I disagree about the rib bones being too tough.

Look at all these different doggies who love em

[url]http://rawfeddogs.net/RecipePhotos/9[/url]

And on the raw feeding list (over 7000 members)I've never heard anyone say to avoid them, as long as they have meat on them, and are not just bones. As long as they're not weight bearing leg bones, the pup should be fine.

And I actually think they're perfect for smaller doggies. They're not dense like leg bones so even if the lil pups dont eat the bone, they get a great teeth workout getting the meat off them. Thats the same reason i feed beef neck bones.

I guess it comes down to what your comfortable with. I dislike knuckle bones :p

barkley21 January 27th, 2007 05:15 PM

I don't know if you would call Barkley a small dog because he's a 60lb golden retriever, but then again, he's not a 160lb Great Dane either :D
I'll try the beef short ribs and see what he does with the bone. I'm not sure if he'll just take the meat off or try and eat the whole thing, bone included. Barkley's not usually one to separate the meat from the bone...he doesn't have quite that much finesse :p He usually gives everything a few good chomps and down the hatch it goes. If it's too big, he brings it back up and gives it a few more chomps and then he's good to go. Disgusting, I know but what I can I say, I :lovestruck: the puppers.
Techno, I hear you about the green tripe. Barkley's been getting it ever since we started him on raw and he goes absolutely berserk for it. Personally, I think the smell leaves A LOT to be desired, but hey...what ever floats his boat :dog:
It should be interesting to see what he does with the beef short ribs. If he tries to eat the bone and it sounds like it's too hard for him to chomp through, I will take it away and stick to meat only beef meals and just add a turkey neck or something to add some bone content. Does that sound like a good plan?

Scott_B January 27th, 2007 05:30 PM

[QUOTE]he doesn't have quite that much finesse He usually gives everything a few good chomps and down the hatch it goes. If it's too big, he brings it back up and gives it a few more chomps and then he's good to go[/QUOTE]

Thats exactly what they shhould do. Its what Rosco does! :thumbs up

Adding a turkey neck is a great idea. Remember, not every meal needs bone. 80% meat, 10-15% bones. Like today Rosco had boneless beef for breakfast & a rabbit for supper. If i didnt feed the rabit, id feed beef tail or side of lamb.

technodoll January 27th, 2007 05:51 PM

neither of my dogs has ever regurgitated a "not chewed enough bone" ... they're both really thorough chewers (lucky me, i hate dog puke LOL) :o

re: beef ribs, yes it does depend on what the dog wants to do with them. MOST dogs will work to strip the meat off the bones and chew up the ends of the ribs, but not eat the whole bones. there are better, safer bones to feed IMO (poultry & smaller ungulates) but that's just me. Feed away and let us know what happens! :highfive:

Scott_B January 27th, 2007 06:00 PM

its not really puke. If he swallows something to large, he just brings it back up and gives it a few more chews.

barkley21 January 27th, 2007 10:15 PM

[QUOTE=Scott_B;361230]its not really puke. If he swallows something to large, he just brings it back up and gives it a few more chews.[/QUOTE]

Exactly Scott. That's what Barkley does. If he's swallowed something too big, he just brings it back up in one piece (I don't even see it...he keeps it in his mouth and doesn't spit it out back into his bowl or on the floor) and he just chews it a bit more and back down it goes.

technodoll January 27th, 2007 10:16 PM

LOL! if it was in the tummy and it comes back out... to me that is "puke" no matter if its dry or wet! :p

Scott_B January 27th, 2007 10:52 PM

Thats the thing, it hasnt reached the tummy yet. He starts to swallow it, but knows its too big to get to the tummy, so brings it back into his mouth for a bit more crunching. :thumbs up

technodoll January 27th, 2007 11:36 PM

ah! ok that is a very different thing, LOL! :footinmouth: i thought the food came back up from the tummy... kinda made me think of cows... :laughing: :eek: :o

Scott_B January 28th, 2007 08:50 AM

If it makes any difference, I haven't heard him mooo yet :p

barkley21 January 28th, 2007 08:57 PM

Well, I gave Barkley his first beef short rib tonight with dinner and he loved it but the bone was WAY too tough for him to chomp through. I watched him give it a few good tries but it sounded like he was trying to bite through a rock, so I stepped in and took the bone out and gave him just the meat off the bone. He enjoyed it regardless but I guess that answered my question about the beef bones. I guess I will stick to turkey or chicken bones for the bone portion of his diet. I might give pork ribs a try down the road and see how those go as well.

technodoll January 28th, 2007 09:02 PM

pork ribs are much softer than beef ribs and i think you might have success feeding those :thumbs up but isn't the journey fun? LOL

Scott_B January 29th, 2007 07:17 AM

I saw your post on the rawfeeding list. Chris ( guy who replied to you) gave some great advice. Hes one of the mods I believe and has a lot of experice. I'd take his advice over pretty much anyone elses on the list. :thumbs up

Lamb ribs are nice as well. Rosco plows through those no problem.

technodoll January 29th, 2007 09:24 AM

scott.... chris is a woman :D

Scott_B January 29th, 2007 01:24 PM

haha, ya know what. I believe I knew that :p


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