Do Your Dogs Get 'dirty' Eating Raw?

[Charlies_Dad]

So we are trying to switch over and it's tough on us as we are veggies and don't eat meat. Our boys love it, especially Jack. One question we do have is, our pups enjoyed a turkey leg each and it made a mess of them....they were holding it with their paws as they laying out in the yard and their fur was bloody when they were done. They required a cleanup which is not something we want to be doing after every feeding. I guess legs just weren't the best idea? Perhaps smaller bits in the future?

 

We're still trying to figure out how to feed our boys as Jack is good and will eat where he is, Charlie on the other hand wants to run move around from place to place. I guess he needs some training not to do this.

[RobinM]

Ollie is the only one who eats raw here, and no he does not get dirty, he eats over his bowl, never taking anything away from the bowl.

 

I think he is the exception but I am grateful he is that way!

[Stoney]

If they did, they cleaned it up themselves - no cleaning from us required. Though, we never gave anything bigger than turkey necks b/c the bones in the turkey legs were too sharp for our dogs to chew safely.

[Guest Swifthounds]

Anything you feed that is complicated enough for them to really get enjoyment out of the activity of eating will be a bit messy. Some hounds use their feet, others do not. All of mine that use their paws to eat will then clean themselves if given the time to do so and not fed too much at once. About the only thing a hound can't always clean well is around the mouth. If that bothers you, a simple wipe with a cloth will solve the issue.

 

That said, a turkey leg is a bit greasier than say a chicken leg quarter or a split chicken breast. What you saw is probably not blood, but rather the bone marrow from the leg bone, which is red in color.

 

How new are your hounds to raw? I ask because there may be things you can tweak about what you feed to make it less messy, but you don't want to make too many changes in the beginning. Also, as they gain experience, they will become more efficient eaters as well. In the beginning when it's all new they're just trying to get the job done.

 

My Cupid who came straight from the track and home to raw is the most efficient eater I've ever seen. I can give her even the most complex items and she works though them quickly, using her paws, is done before everyone else, and then cleans herself so you'd never know she just ate - and as you can see in my siggy, she's a black parti.

 

Oh, and I'm a vegetarian too.

[JAJ2010]

Rainy only gets gunky when I giver her a RMB. I just keep a washcloth and some peroxide in the kitchen to wipe her down really quick. I only have to wash her face since she licks her legs clean

[Charlies_Dad]

Sorry, I posted this in the wrong forum! I guess I wasn't paying attention. If it can be moved, great.

 

Swifthounds, we are still dipping our toes with raw. I know, we have read one might as well jump right in but we are still trying to arrange suppliers in our area that can get us everything we need. We do have two butchers, one actually at the end of street in the country no less, however we have not approached either yet as we have been so busy of late with other things. Hopefully this week we'll speak to both to find out what they can supply us and then we can plan everything out.

[Guest Swifthounds]

Once you know what's readily available in your area, people can probably offer suggestions on feeding to minimize mess and fuss.

 

Do you have a freezer? They're a big help.

[Guest FullMetalFrank]

I do have to regularly wash my kid's faces; if I do it every day a baby wipe is all it takes! Once in a great while I give them some small (7-8") beef ribs attached together, usually four ribs or so and they get very messy with those. They don't eat the bones on those and I don't allow excessive gnawing on the bones as they are pretty hard. The challenge (and what gets them so messy!) is getting the ribs apart and getting the meat from in between them. There is a lot of nice connective tissue and it works like doggy dental floss!

[Guest RWM]

So we are trying to switch over and it's tough on us as we are veggies and don't eat meat. Our boys love it, especially Jack. One question we do have is, our pups enjoyed a turkey leg each and it made a mess of them....they were holding it with their paws as they laying out in the yard and their fur was bloody when they were done. They required a cleanup which is not something we want to be doing after every feeding. I guess legs just weren't the best idea? Perhaps smaller bits in the future?

 

We're still trying to figure out how to feed our boys as Jack is good and will eat where he is, Charlie on the other hand wants to run move around from place to place. I guess he needs some training not to do this.

 

There is an easy way to cut down on the mess, and it's better for your hounds. Freeze the raw food, whether it be a neck, a drumstick, or a foot. Most of us raw feeders do it. The advantage is that it requires more work for your hound to chew the food and it cuts down on the mess. I give my hounds totally frozen raw chicken and duck parts and they love it just the same.

[Guest RWM]

Ollie is the only one who eats raw here, and no he does not get dirty, he eats over his bowl, never taking anything away from the bowl.

 

I think he is the exception but I am grateful he is that way!

 

Yes, I think Ollie is the exception to the rule. Greys like to carry the raw food object around, lay down, and position it between their paws to maneuver it. This is especially true of bones and larger raw food objects like pork shoulders. I would think it's hard for them to eat over their bowls, and I wonder why Ollie does that? Probably because duck necks are not that large and can be positioned easily with their mouths.

[Guest Swifthounds]

There is an easy way to cut down on the mess, and it's better for your hounds. Freeze the raw food, whether it be a neck, a drumstick, or a foot. Most of us raw feeders do it. The advantage is that it requires more work for your hound to chew the food and it cuts down on the mess. I give my hounds totally frozen raw chicken and duck parts and they love it just the same.

 

I would be cautious about feeding frozen or very cold items to a dog that's new to raw. In the beginning, many dogs can only do well with keeping down things fed at or near room temperature. The colder an item, the more likely the dog is to regurgitate it a while later - and if a bit of mess makes you queasy, the regurgitation/re-consumption will be much harder to take.

 

The only way you know how a hound will relax is to try. When I first started, I fed everything warmed to room temp and gradually worked up to fridge temps and can now feed boneless items frozen to make them more challenging.

[BrGreyhndz]

So we are trying to switch over and it's tough on us as we are veggies and don't eat meat. Our boys love it, especially Jack. One question we do have is, our pups enjoyed a turkey leg each and it made a mess of them....they were holding it with their paws as they laying out in the yard and their fur was bloody when they were done. They required a cleanup which is not something we want to be doing after every feeding. I guess legs just weren't the best idea? Perhaps smaller bits in the future?

 

We're still trying to figure out how to feed our boys as Jack is good and will eat where he is, Charlie on the other hand wants to run move around from place to place. I guess he needs some training not to do this.

 

There is an easy way to cut down on the mess, and it's better for your hounds. Freeze the raw food, whether it be a neck, a drumstick, or a foot. Most of us raw feeders do it. The advantage is that it requires more work for your hound to chew the food and it cuts down on the mess. I give my hounds totally frozen raw chicken and duck parts and they love it just the same.

 

In the past 12 years, I can't think of many if any meals I have fed frozen. I try to get my guys food as close to room temperature as I can. Just easier to digest IMO.

 

As to mess- my guys seem to clean themselves up pretty well. If they need a little wipe down here or there we do it but it isn't a regular thing.

[Guest Greyt_dog_lover]

Do you have any crates? I feed all my houndies (3) and fosters (1-2) in crates, for a few reasons, one being nobody can wander, and for this exact reason. I supplement raw 3 days a week and the raw nights, I actually close the door to the crate when they eat so they cant walk around with whatever it is I feed. As far as being messy, well they don't have opposable thumbs so things can get a bit out of control depending on the food, so I dont really know what to suggest in that case.

 

Chad

[PrairieProf]

I feed Beth mostly-frozen RMBs several times a week like Chad -- in her crate (closed) on a towel now; I used to do it outside. She is definitely in the "no paws on the raw" category in either location (I read that phrase here once and enjoyed it!). Her mouth area stays completely clean too.

 

Really the only time I have to wash her face is when I do a messy job in her nightly tooth-brushing -- sometimes I get toothpaste on her lips!

Edited June 14, 2010 by PrairieProf

[Guest RWM]

I would be cautious about feeding frozen or very cold items to a dog that's new to raw. In the beginning, many dogs can only do well with keeping down things fed at or near room temperature. The colder an item, the more likely the dog is to regurgitate it a while later - and if a bit of mess makes you queasy, the regurgitation/re-consumption will be much harder to take.

 

Good point, Jennifer. I generally wash off the stuff under warm water for a half minute or so before I serve it. Takes the chill off. I've never had a problem with them regurgitating the food because it's partially frozen or chilled.

Edited June 15, 2010 by RWM