Karon is much more knowledgeable about all around feeding of raw. However as to bones, it's the cooked ones that are a problem. Raw chicken bones are okay. And if you're using beef or other large animal, be careful with the leg bones as they are extra dense and can cause tooth problems.
I've had boxers since 1957 and have always fed a good premium dog food. Years ago I went to Eukanuba because I traveled and my dogs were kenneled. They ate well but the kennel was enough to keep them active enough so they lost weight, I wanted every bite to count.
Then Eukanuba changed and I started moving up the food chain of processed dog foods trying to find something. I had some of the same problem you had ... keeping the darlings content. I've used various canned foods to "spice things up."
And then, suddenly, I lost my Peter and Meg grieved. And we had a truly nasty time with fleas. And she started itching. So we fault the fleas and by that time I was using Blue Buffalo. I eventually had her allergy tested ... and found out she was allergic to almost everything found in commercial dog food, in particular chicken/turkey, eggs, most of the grains, peas, etc. In fact, Blue Buffalo had almost everything in it she was allergic to. I had a time finding a food both SAFE for her to eat and that she WOULD eat.
And then we got Coop, with inherited chronic colitis. What he was supposed to eat (chicken) was getting dangerous for Meg. He went from 46lbs when I got him to 49 then started having flare ups and one really nasty flare up that got him down to 37lbs. I had visions of seeing us in "Animal Cops." We put him in steroids to help the inflammation. That with his already iffy immune system started him having mange. One cure would cause another problem.
I had to kennel him for 2 nights and 3 days and he came home in a major flare up, skinny as a skeleton and not eating. I was literally bringing food and water to him lying on my bed.
I got a package of the raw meat "dog food" at the butchers and some bones. My poor sickly dog took that bone and went to town. Hunks of beef and fat and bone ... this for a boy who was supposed to have a "low fat, high fat, easily digested" diet. Right.
Moved the 2 of them to raw. Coop at 1yr went from having grown less than 1/2" between Mar 22 and Nov 1 and no real weight gain to growing a full inch and immediately putting on weight to match from Nov 2 to Dec 20th. At Christmas, I looked down and realized: Coop was getting pudgy and needed to go on a diet. Hoorah!
Coop is now a full 3+" taller than when I got him in March 2010 at 6 months. He's got the weight and muscle to match. Meg is almost 6 and acts like she's 3. They're both so shiny you need sunglasses on when they're out in the sun. Every once in a while somebody's not interested in eating. Instead of well fed birds and backyard wildlife (from tossing $$$ dog food), I put the bowl in the fridge, put a little warm water on it (Meg likes her food Not So Cold) and offer at the next meal. So far no one has missed 2 meals in a row!
I understand Mary's point. I'm just as glad to not be feeding chicken. But the beef I feed is locally grown and handled carefully. This is the prime "butcher shop" custom processed stuff. Safer than "people" meat from the grocery store!
And it costs $0.89 a pound.
LisaW
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
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