Raw feeding - what about beef fat? - Page 1

 I have been given free beef fat that is trimmed from the different cuts of meat and have been feeding it to the dogs. They do get some kibble, not great quality kibble, I am feeding them the beef fat about 1.5 to 2 pounds each per day. there is some meat on the fat scraps but not much. I am wondering is this ok for them or what should I also try to feed them?
I have already seen the coats looking much nicer, due to the fat i assume, the colors are much richer and the coats are shiny.

NO:  I think that is too much fat unless you want them to get fat.  They do need some fat of course, that is where they get energy but too much long term will not work;  you could skip the kibble and add some kind of meat;  ground or otherwise and that will suffice but you would still need to cut down that amount of fat.  Remember each dog is only supposed to get 1.5 to 2.0 percent  of their body weight  per day of meat total so if your dog weights 100 lbs. he/she would get approximately 2 lbs of meat for an easy keeper less for a dog you want to loose some weight and more if they are working hard; stressed or doing a marathon.  You can go up to 3-4% of their body weight if needed but the average is 1.5-2.0% of the body weight per day.  Of course puppies get more 5-10%;  brood bitches probably the same as puppies and so on.

 Yeah that was what i was wondering, I don't want to mess up their system by feeding the wrong stuff. I am buying some beef bones next week. I can also add some chicken leg quarters into the mix.

Will probably cause diarrhea. 

 Well not so far, I have one dog who has chronic runs, and it actually seems to be helping him, the others are all still normal BM.  I may be off on the amount bieng fed too because I am giving it to them frozen or partially frozen.

I tried feeding the dogs these pieces of fat or suet when I was younger living with my parents. After about 2 weeks of giving it to them every other day as a treat with moms kibble, they eventually vomited it all up as a thick glob of goo on the living room floor. After that those dogs never even liked the smell of it. Lesson learned for me.

Is that all your feeding no other nutritional suppliments? Veggies or fruit? The diet isnt sound if your only feeding this. If The diet is also missing fiber to keep the colon cleaned out.

As an example my dogs are getting each day  2lbs of meat, a super green suppliment, water soluable vitamins and a micro trace mineral suppliment. They also get snacks, veggies and some fruit. Not all at once throughout the day but I try and cover the basics a few times a week along with some eggs. And I change the meat source every 2 to 3 weeks some with bone some not. I treat my dogs like I treat myself. No one thing eaten all the time will keep your system healthy.

Oh you didnt mention if your giving enzymes to break down all that fat. The pancreas has to work really hard if your giving all that fat and it may cause a burnout. Make sure to add some enzymes

I get "scrap meat" from the butcher shop, with TONS of fat in it. My guys have no trouble with it at all. (But it is not their entire diet of course).  I've heard that GSD have "touchy tummies" where the runs are concerned, and that has been my experience, so go easy. 

raw fat is much different than cooked fat.  the pancreas does not have to work as hard to digest raw fat because it is more bioavailable.  

enzymes would be needed to help the pancreas digest the kibble, not the fat.

fat is a necessity and a dog's major source of energy.  if your dogs are constantly on the move working dog, i would say that amount of fat would be ok here and there.  otherwise, that is not a "balanced" diet for a dog, and i would not recommend it long term.

dogs can not digest veggies and fruit, which are not required in their diet.  this is why you have to blanch and pulverize the veggies and fruit for a dog to be able to get even a little nutrition from them, because they are not able to break down plant cell walls naturally.

can you add veggies and fruit?  sure.  

will it do more harm than good?  in most cases not, but in yeast and allergy sensitive dogs as well as arthritic dogs, your dog will do better without them.