The raw diet plunge
Remember that empty bowl with carrot bits in it from leftovers day, just after Christmas? I mentioned then how fussy River can be. Now look at this face below. Doesn't she look in the zone? She is just loving the raw food I bought today. In the past few weeks I have been giving the dogs raw patties as treats and River absolutely polishes them off. After talking to people and doing some research I am taking the plunge to feeding a raw diet. I believe River agrees with my decision! I love this close-up because River looks so soft and feminine. She is a big girl, but she is very lady-like for her size.
I wanted to take a picture of how the bottom freezer of my downstairs fridge is just packed with raw food now! My downstairs is my 'dog room' where I have their fridge, their bowls, their crates and all of their training equipment stored. It used to be a church hall and kitchenette, and for a short time was also a youth drop-in centre. It is still a busy place!
In the freezer, I have both beef and turkey patties that are 'complete diets' meaning they have all of the vitamins and supplements required, and include veggies and fruit. When I opened the freezer door, Caden offered to model in the photo, just in case you could not see all that meat!
I had my camera ready for the first official raw meal. Caden (as usual) wolfed his down. Then, he pesters River. I let him because River, being so fussy, always eats better when she thinks someone else really wants her food. I laugh at Caden because he takes the role very seriously, but he is so respectful of River! His ears are up, but he is leaning back and ready to jump in case she decides he is TOO close!
In the photo below, River is starting to object. If this blog had audio, you would hear her keening and burbling as she eats...but loving every minute of possessing the food. You can see her tongue sticking out. I love having multiple dogs, because I just love to watch their interactions this way. That is why I take so many pictures and analyze them afterwards!
As River is licking up the last bit, Caden knows it is pretty safe to move in, but check out his 'careful' ears and polite face!
In the meantime, River always goes to check out Ted and Jet's dishes. If everyone is finished, she knows she will get a cookie. Ted and Jet eat in crates because they eat so fast, and they put a bit too much pressure on River - there is that delicate balance between River enjoying Caden the pest, and River getting stressed out in which case she spends all her time guarding and not eating! By the way, that teddy bear on the top shelf belonged to my father when he was a baby in the 1930s. It is safely up high and away from the dogs. In the foreground, my Nordic Track.
After getting cookies, River and Caden go out through the basement door - which has a blanket hanging in front of it to block drafts. It opens to stairs up to the backyard. When I first saw this house, I knew I wnted it when I saw this back door, and how it led up to a perfect area for dog runs!
The rugs you see downstairs are Finnish rag rugs. They are made by weaving together old scraps of material and very popular in Thunder Bay, Ontario which has the second largest population of Finns in the World, next to Finland. These rugs were made from my Grandma's old clothes...the ultimate recycler, she had a friend of hers make them, and gave the to me. I love them. They are getting old but holding up well. I checked out websites when I typed this, and I think I need to sew and repair and treasure these a bit, as they are really tradional handcrafts, but in a way I think my Grandma would enjoy my practical nature, tossing them down where they are needed!
The rugs you see downstairs are Finnish rag rugs. They are made by weaving together old scraps of material and very popular in Thunder Bay, Ontario which has the second largest population of Finns in the World, next to Finland. These rugs were made from my Grandma's old clothes...the ultimate recycler, she had a friend of hers make them, and gave the to me. I love them. They are getting old but holding up well. I checked out websites when I typed this, and I think I need to sew and repair and treasure these a bit, as they are really tradional handcrafts, but in a way I think my Grandma would enjoy my practical nature, tossing them down where they are needed!
On the top shelf of the freezer is a bag of tripe which is frozen but softer than raw bones. I bought this today to be my 'treat' for the dogs every morning when I leave for work. I am very excited to see how they make out on this diet. I have been feeding Orijen which is a great kibble, but as I am feeding myself better - and more raw food (3/4 veggies and fruits a day) I have started to think about what the dogs eat too. Funny to be cutting meat out of my own diet, but have a fridge full of more meat than ever for the dogs! It makes sense to me for them to eat this way. And they seem very content with it tonight!
Category Article Diet
