Nanook and Thorin's new homemade diet

[Rgeurts]

Just wondering if anyone has any tips on how to get a butcher shop (or specific places maybe?) to sell you bulk ground beef? I have talked to a couple of places, but they don't seem to offer any breaks in price for large quantities

Currently I am buying ground beef from Costco (which has the best quality and lowest price). I didn't realize how expensive this is going to be, or how much work lol. But they'r worth it. I went and bought a Foodsaver Vaccum sealer with a few rolls of 11" x 10'. And I'm having a very hard time finding the Calcium Carbonate or human grade Bonemeal. Anyone have any suggestions on where to find either one?

This is the diet:

Nanook:

28 ounces of ground beef
4 ounces of liver
8 ounces yam or sweet potato
8 ounces green/yellow beans and peas
1 egg
1000mg calcium (calcium carbonate or human grade bonemeal)
6 ounces greek yogurt

This is a daily amount split in to 2 meals.
Thorins will be the same, but a smaller amount.


Thanks in advance for any ideas or suggestions!

Robyn

[clm]

If you can find somewhere cheap let me know, ha, ha. I buy a pack of ground beef, a whole eye of round roast and a pack of whole chicken thighs every week at Costco just for the dogs. You bet home cooking isn't cheap, but they sure do like it.

clm

[aslan]

Rguerts can't really help you cause i don't know Alberta that well but CLM have you tried the chinese grocerie stores,,there is one at brownsline and evans that are really good for raw for the dogs including organ meat and whole chicken carcass's for the bone needed. I know there is one on queen street in brampton too just not sure of the address.

[Rgeurts]

I wish we could try raw for Nookie, but we can't. I think it would be easier than cooking lol. Hell, I wish we could even do chicken or something other than ground beef! But he's seems to be allergic to everything. I have to cook the veggies and liver , then puree it and mix in the cooked ground beef, yogurt, boiled egg and calcium (once I can find it!) It does say I can use 1/2 tsp ground eggshell if the other calcium options are not available. I'm thinking that may be what I have to do

It took me over 5 hours just to make 1 weeks worth of meals
I'll probably get a bit faster once I have done it a few times, but it's all the weighing, puree'ing etc lol.

[14+kitties]

Rguerts - are you buying the hamburger at Costco by the pkgs they have in the meat bins out front or by the box? I know up until my oldest stepson moved out last year I was buying it by the 60 pound box. I think it worked out a little cheaper to do it that way than by the smaller pkgs. Not even sure if they offer it at all Costcos. They do in St. Cats. here.

[Rgeurts]

Originally Posted by 14+kitties

Rguerts - are you buying the hamburger at Costco by the pkgs they have in the meat bins out front or by the box? I know up until my oldest stepson moved out last year I was buying it by the 60 pound box. I think it worked out a little cheaper to do it that way than by the smaller pkgs. Not even sure if they offer it at all Costcos. They do in St. Cats. here.

Oh... I didn't think to ask if they sell it in bigger packages there!! I will go Friday, thank you!!

I did go to a couple of butcher shops and grocery stores, but they didn't offer any extra discounts on a larger purchase. I would like to buy 2-3 months worth at a time, then just take a full weekend to make the meals, package and freeze em.

[14+kitties]

Originally Posted by Rgeurts

Oh... I didn't think to ask if they sell it in bigger packages there!! I will go Friday, thank you!!

I did go to a couple of butcher shops and grocery stores, but they didn't offer any extra discounts on a larger purchase. I would like to buy 2-3 months worth at a time, then just take a full weekend to make the meals, package and freeze em.

You are welcome. At the one I go to they have the case price posted up near their ceiling. The same place they show their pkg prices.

[Rgeurts]

I don't think I've ever really paid much attention. I'll definitely check it out on Friday

[clm]

I have checked the prices at the huge Asian market on Burnamthorpe. I don't feed raw, so I really haven't found anything cheaper than Costco for the meat I need. I haven't noticed boxes of ground beef in the frozen section but will look when I'm there this week.

I don't find cooking for them difficult or too time consuming anymore, you will get used to it. I generally shape the burger patties and cook them on the weekend and freeze them for use during the week. The chicken thighs get cooked in batches of 12 at a time a couple of times a week and the eye of round roast gets done usually Sunday or Monday and kept in the fridge for their meals during the week. I've been doing it for so long now, it's just part of my life now, ha, ha.

clm

[Rgeurts]

LoL ok, you give me hope clm!!
How do you cook the ground beef? I have been double boiling it. I know that's what you do when they have tummy troubles, so I assumed it would be the same for the diet

When the vet gave me the recipe I was a bit confused, and still am! I have several questions to ask when we go on Friday. The recipe gave a range of 8-12 ounces ground beef, 2-4 ounces liver, 2-8 ounces vegetables (including yams/sweet potato), 2-4 ounces yogurt. This is for a 40lb dog. Nookie is 110lbs now but she told me to adjust it for a 95lb dog (so double plus a bit).

The thing that confuses me is do I go by the lower end, or the higher end? I mean... 2-8 ounces veggies, thats a very big difference lol. And the other thing is with the meat... is it cooked or raw weight?

I've just been going by cooked weight and the high end of the amounts shown. I guess I'll find out for sure Friday

[breeze]

sorry but this sounds so confusing!!
with me if it's not exact measurements I'm lost lol lol

LP knows a lot about feed raw/homecooked maybe pm her and ask if she could help you.. she is very knowledgeable

[14+kitties]

Oh shoot! I forgot to say you have to ask for the boxes of hamburger. They don't keep them out front. The boxes come with tubes of hamburger I think 10 pounds per tube. Like I said, it's been a while since I bought it that way.

[Rgeurts]

Thanks guys!! I'll msg LP and thank you 14+, I'll go ask

[clm]

well, I'm not following a diet per say, this is just stuff I've done on my own, so how good it really is for them is another story. Your diet is from a vet and includes veggies, and mine don't get any veggies or grains at all in their diet.
I get 8 - 10 patties out of one of those Costco packages of ground beef. I fry them on medium heat 5 minutes per side, so they are medium rare cooked. Some days they get a whole patty each mixed with roast beef, eggs and any other leftover meat I may have, other days they get a half a patty each mixed with cooked chicken thigh meat, roast beef and any other meat I may have leftover. Cheese, sardines and greek yogurt get mixed in a few times a week as well. I weigh nothing, I just eyeball what they're getting. You're doing it a whole lot more scientifically than I am.

clm

[pattymac]

you know, you could probably do it all in the oven Big roasting pan, throw the sweet potatoes in too, that way they'll keep more of the nutrients and they taste better roasted. If you can find an abbatoir, you may be able to get some scraps for free. That's how I get Bayley's bones and if they're trimming they throw in a bunch of trimmings.

[binkybuff]

I don't know if this applies here or not, but if you have a bulk store, here we have Nutters, and Bulk Barn. I believe the Bulk Barn has bonemeal, but am not sure.

Hope it gives another idea.

I had a friend that made a stew type meal for her dog, froze it in meal size containers, and would take out 4 or 5 days at a time. They would thaw in the fridge, and if I had to feed the dog, I would dump the container in his dish, and then wash the container for the next time she did the cooking. I believe she made it, then cooked it in the oven, but I cannot ask her, as she has passed away. I do remember carrots, peas, meat, I think she added some rice, and maybe some yam/sweet potato., and of course made gravy from the meat drippings after.

take care
binky

[Rgeurts]

Originally Posted by clm

well, I'm not following a diet per say, this is just stuff I've done on my own, so how good it really is for them is another story. Your diet is from a vet and includes veggies, and mine don't get any veggies or grains at all in their diet.
I get 8 - 10 patties out of one of those Costco packages of ground beef. I fry them on medium heat 5 minutes per side, so they are medium rare cooked. Some days they get a whole patty each mixed with roast beef, eggs and any other leftover meat I may have, other days they get a half a patty each mixed with cooked chicken thigh meat, roast beef and any other meat I may have leftover. Cheese, sardines and greek yogurt get mixed in a few times a week as well. I weigh nothing, I just eyeball what they're getting. You're doing it a whole lot more scientifically than I am.

clm

LoL, ok. Hopefully I'll eventually be comfortable enough to eye everything someday

Originally Posted by pattymac

you know, you could probably do it all in the oven Big roasting pan, throw the sweet potatoes in too, that way they'll keep more of the nutrients and they taste better roasted. If you can find an abbatoir, you may be able to get some scraps for free. That's how I get Bayley's bones and if they're trimming they throw in a bunch of trimmings.

I never thought of doing that! My kitchen was a WRECK. I had liver boiling in one pan, burger in one, sweet potatoes in one and eggs in another! I don't think I've ever felt so lost, or disorganized in my kitchen

Originally Posted by binkybuff

I don't know if this applies here or not, but if you have a bulk store, here we have Nutters, and Bulk Barn. I believe the Bulk Barn has bonemeal, but am not sure.
Oh! We have a bulk barn... I'll go check it tomorrow after work

Hope it gives another idea.

I had a friend that made a stew type meal for her dog, froze it in meal size containers, and would take out 4 or 5 days at a time. They would thaw in the fridge, and if I had to feed the dog, I would dump the container in his dish, and then wash the container for the next time she did the cooking. I believe she made it, then cooked it in the oven, but I cannot ask her, as she has passed away. I do remember carrots, peas, meat, I think she added some rice, and maybe some yam/sweet potato., and of course made gravy from the meat drippings after.

take care
binky

I thought about making it into a stew... I think maybe I'll try that this weekend, thank you!

[pattymac]

Well throwing everything in a big roaster would sure make it alot easier for you! Even the eggs could get mixed in. What I would do, is add some water too, then you'll have a nice gravy you could likely thicken it a bit with some oatmeal or brown rice, but then the sweet potatoes should get soft enough that you could mash them into the mix.

[Rgeurts]

I will definitely be trying that this weekend, thank you!

[Love4himies]

Mix it all together, cook, then freeze in individual meal sizes. I would try the bonemeal before the calcium, it is a much more natural source. Bone will also provide more nutrients, such as Magnesium. You don't need exact nutrients everyday, but an average over the week should be fine.

For my cats (they eat raw, though), I use medium size resealable bags to freeze daily amounts in, not sure if Nanook will need bigger sizes .

I didn't see any mention of iodized salt for their thyroid . Also, not sure if dogs are like cats, but cats don't get their Vit D from the sun, but from the skin of their prey, so not sure if you have to add a tiny bit of Vit D.

They will do much better on home cooked, then on any processed food .

[Rgeurts]

Originally Posted by Love4himies

Mix it all together, cook, then freeze in individual meal sizes. I would try the bonemeal before the calcium, it is a much more natural source. Bone will also provide more nutrients, such as Magnesium. You don't need exact nutrients everyday, but an average over the week should be fine.

For my cats (they eat raw, though), I use medium size resealable bags to freeze daily amounts in, not sure if Nanook will need bigger sizes .

I didn't see any mention of iodized salt for their thyroid . Also, not sure if dogs are like cats, but cats don't get their Vit D from the sun, but from the skin of their prey, so not sure if you have to add a tiny bit of Vit D.

They will do much better on home cooked, then on any processed food .

Thank you L4H!! The diet didn't call for iodized salt... I wonder if she excluded it because he's on thyroid meds?
He still gets a multi-vitamin and an omega 3 capsule daily with his food.

I bought a Foodsaver and a food scale and have packaged his meals into daily amounts and froze them. I just found it easier to do it that way because everything had to be measured and weighed. They said this diet is good for Thorin as well, even with the colitis and calcium oxylate stones. So here's hoping!

[binkybuff]

I am wondering, would a crockpot do as well as the oven??? That way, one isn't using a whole lot of hydro.

my

take care
binky

[Rgeurts]

Hmmm... that might work well! I think the only problem with that would be that I would need to cook several batches. I have a fairly large crock, but between Nookie and Thorin they will need 4 pounds ground beef, 2 pounds veggies/sweet potato, half pound liver per day

I think my crock would maybe sustain 2 days worth per batch and would take several hours to make.

Wow... that's a LOT of food

[luckypenny]

You can find bone meal powder at a health food store. It can get costly so you might want to alternate between it and finely ground eggshell (you can use a mortar and pestle).

Originally Posted by Rgeurts

Thank you L4H!! The diet didn't call for iodized salt... I wonder if she excluded it because he's on thyroid meds?

Yes, most likely. Don't add salt or kelp to his diet if he's on thyroid meds.

As for the cooking...I recommend you cook the meat separate from the veggies. Potatoes can be cooked with meat but other veggies should be steamed lightly then blended or juiced so that nutrients can be absorbed properly.

[Rgeurts]

Originally Posted by luckypenny

You can find bone meal powder at a health food store. It can get costly so you might want to alternate between it and finely ground eggshell (you can use a mortar and pestle).



Yes, most likely. Don't add salt or kelp to his diet if he's on thyroid meds.

As for the cooking...I recommend you cook the meat separate from the veggies. Potatoes can be cooked with meat but other veggies should be steamed lightly then blended or juiced so that nutrients can be absorbed properly.

Thank you LP!! I was actually going to call you for advice lol. This is what I did for the first batch:

-Boiled the ground beef
-Boiled the liver
-Boiled the eggs
-Boiled the sweet potatoes
-Steamed the veggies

Then I threw the veggies, sweet potatoes and liver in the food processor and made what looked like a paste, then I added the ground beef. It almost looks like canned dog food lol. I checked a few health food stores here, but most of what they seemed to carry were all the "fad" products like cleanses etc. None of them carried the calcium carbonate and any calcium they had also contained extra things like vitamin d, etc. Not one of them carried bonemeal

The recipe does say I can use 1/2 tsp ground eggshell in place of the calcium carbonate or bonemeal. I'm thinking that's what I may have to do. Since I'm giving them both boiled egg daily it wouldn't be hard.