SeaCrest Keeshonden

 

SeaCrest Keeshonden Diet
The dogs eat a diet based on raw meaty chicken bones. This makes up about 75% of their main diet. The rest is made up of crushed veggies, fruit, organ meat, beef bones, some starches and raw meaty chicken bones.

My choice for their main diet was based on price considerations. Because of this I also try to use Turkey a lot if I can find it. Actually in Seattle the dogs were eating a diet high in turkey backs & necks and doing quite well. Out here chicken is more plentiful.

A sample menu goes like this:

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY
RAW meaty chicken bones. 3/4lb to 1lb per dog.  Mushed veggies, supplements, liver or kidney. (2-3 cups of 'veggie slop' per dog.  RAW chicken quarters. (1lb per dog) Mushed veggies, supplements, canned mackeral. RAW turkey backs/necks. Baked yams, & supplements.  Breakfast: raw beef bones.

Dinner: raw turkey back or neck per dog. 

The next week, it would be totally different with maybe all 3 'non bone days' being veggie meals, or one being replaced with a dairy meal. I also will grind beef heart to add to their veggies, or occasionally cottage cheese or even a little of our leftovers.

Supplements can include the following: (* denotes normally used) Flax Seed/Oil*, Vit C*, Vit E, Kelp* Cod liver oil, Torula Yeast, lecithin granules, oil of Evening Primrose, aloe vera juice, apple cider vinegar*

I give each dog a raw beef bone about once a week or so. These have totally replaced rawhides & nylabones in this house. Within a day, the bone has been chewed, cleaned and polished and is demoted to the 'used bone pile'. These come out when there are no fresh ones to amuse the troops. A bone fast is advisable, up to once a week. My kids get one every other month or so :). 

Veggies include, carrots, Spinach, cabbage, kale, parsley, zuchinni, bok choy, collard greens, mustard greens, radishes, leaf lettuce, brussel sprouts, celery, and anything else that's available. Generally at least 4 kinds and it varies according to season. (NOTE: please don't give onions, they can cause anemia in dogs, and build up over time.) 

Squash is a HUGE favorite here, any kind. I grind them up and give it raw.  I also try to include fruit once a week. This can be apples, bananas, kiwi, oranges, pear or whatever is in season. My dogs ate a LOT of homegrown plums this year.

Starch is normally sweet potato, or beans (yes I know they're actually a legume!)

Treats can include peanut butter sandwiches, fruit, raisins, liver cookes, baby carrots, or anything healthy we're eating.

I put apple cider vinegar in the water daily. (for trace minerals -- this is what has really helped Breeze's allergy.)

I think the most important thing to remember is that you're balancing over a 3 week period. One day of junk food isn't going to kill your dog. I keep 'emergency meals' on hand. One is organic brown rice baby food. Add a little water, milk, flax oil, seameal & viola! A 5 minute meal. When travelling my dogs have gotten McDonald's hamburgers (onions removed!), spaghetti is a big favorite here and that serves as dinner when we have it. Again this is OCCASIONAL.

Overall the veggie meals take approximately 20-30 minutes to prepare. The bones no time at all. The veggie meals are ground in my food processor, placed in a bowl, then I grind the meat (if necessary) add that, & supplements, mix & serve.

One of the fun things about this diet is the treasure hunting in the grocery stores. I always look for meat bargains and will buy and add almost anything. One time I found some lamb stew meat for .79 a lb, that came home and served as a veggie base. After Thanksgiving a lot of places had Turkey livers on sale.  

Now that I've been doing this diet for almost a year, I've varied it slightly. Changes include: Added eggs. Each dog gets a whole egg 3X a week. Raw. I started this when Sabre seemed to be scratching slightly. After adding the eggs this has gone away. (thanks to the BARF list for suggesting this!) I've also changed the veggies. During the winter quality veggies are hard to find and expensive. I cut down the veggie amt to twice a week. I also have decided that it's really important to give the dogs mackerel once a week. (for my 4, 2 16oz cans are added to the veggies). This gives them lots of omega 3 fatty acids. I have also cut out all grain MEALS. While they still get sandwiches, I try to keep it to a minimum. The dogs are in wonderful coat and even the coat blowing is down. Their condition is amazing.

 


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Last modified: Tuesday October 26, 1999.

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