Okay so I have a dalmatian named Zack. I had them growing up too, and now that I'm not in an apartment anymore (finally in a house lol) I decided I was ready to get a dog (yard, etc.). I researched for almost a year trying to find a good breeder, after going through health issues with previous dalmatians growing up (lots of inbreeding, thanks Disney!).

So I found a very reputable breeder. Anyway to get to the point - she highly recommended that I feed Zack raw diet instead of dog food. She didn't require it (she required a lot though, including background check, tons of questions, etc.), but she pushed hard for it. It makes a lot of sense, especially if you compare this diet to MOST commercial dog foods which are mostly grains. How many wolves eat rice anyway?

Also interesting to note - she recommended not only raw diet but also the bones. So Zack will eat a chicken back, including the bones. Crunches them right up! NO YOU DO NOT COOK THEM, cooking them is what makes the bones dangerous, brittle, etc.

So Zack eats a lot of the following: chicken backs, chicken wings (not buffalo style wings, but real wings, this is his favorite!), chicken necks, turkey necks, chicken breast, turkey backs (when I can find them), lots of veggies like celery, carrots (not #1 veggie choice but he loves them as treats), collards, other greens, eggs (including the shells!), some fish too.

I was told that the best way to give him veggies is by using a blender or food processor and making like a "veggie slushie." Apparently a dog does not get all the nutrients like we do, and making a slushie/smoothie like this breaks down the veggies (cell walls I think?). So I'll get the food processor, throw in some veggies (green beans, celery, carrots, etc.), throw in an egg or two, maybe a piece of ice even!

Also, she recommended that I supplement with EFAs, so Zack also uses UDO's choice EFA blend. I'll cut a pill open and drain the "juice" on his food or into a smoothie sometimes, but he can take pills on his own fine (I say "take your pill" and he does pretty well!).

I have been toying with the idea of using glucosamine as well. Note that the amount of glucosamine in most dog foods that say they include it is not enough to do squat from what I've seen. A better choice is to simply use the same stuff you'd use.

When I got Zack (after visiting him several times before he was old enough to bring home), his breeder and I discussed the diet. Actually, she's jacked herself (in shape), and I said "so it sounds like he'll be eating like a competition bodybuilder." And she said "actually that's a pretty accurate statement. If I ate as good as my dogs then I'd be in way better shape!"

Anyway, I just thought this would be something interesting to share!!

I have been feeding my dogs this type of diet for years. I have had two Rottweilers die of cancer, and am hoping these next ones will be fine. I have noticed that my dogs are never at the vet for anything at all anymore. In the old dog food days, my dogs were at the vets for allergies and whatever other problem you can think of. I changed my dog's diets after Sheena was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, and had three months to live. I got 18 months, and think changing the diet helped her immune sytem fight the cancer awhile longer. Damian died of a brain tumor and a broken heart 22 months after Sheena passed. It wass the worst thing I have ever had to deal with in my life. I LOVE my dogs, more then anything else in the world.

My dogs never shed that much anymore, aside of seasonal coat loss, and are so energetic and happy.

I understand what you mean by Disney films causing everyone to want a Dal. They are not for everyone, but people fail to educate themselves on certain breeds, and buy them becuase they like them. Rottweilers are a victim of this as well.

My dogs LOVE chicken necks and backs! When you think of having to eat dog food every day or eating soemthing with texture and flavor, I know what I would pick. My dogs get veggies, fruits and whatever else we happen to be eating.

They are healthy and happy, and have loads of energy for my daily hikes. They are physically sound, and radiate health. I sometimes hate other people's sickly dogs coming near my guys...

Good for you on feeding your best friend the best food available. It will pay off in the long run.

Your dog eats better than I do actually. I can't afford a lot of chicken breasts.

I actually cook my dog's food. The barf diet gets a little vulgar at times :p They love their meat cooked, since they are domesticated. My guys get out left overs all the time, since we do eat very clean, and why waste food. Nothing in this house goes to waste.

We all make sure to eat only the best of oods, so why should dogs be any different. I have done a lot of research into dog foods, and the garbage they put into it. I have saved so much money in vets bills, and dog's teeth are awesome. They have no tartar or dog breath at all. They do not even get that dog smell.

The only raw meat I eat is sushi... I love that stuff.

I've read about this.
Its referred to as the BARF diet isn't it?
I don't have a dog though, but I thought it would be interesting to eat raw meat....so I looked it up to see if anyone else had done it. All that comes up for the most part is about the BARF diet. I did find a few people who eat raw meat.....but I don't think thats what this thread is about anyways.

I think thats awesome how much good food you feed your dog.

1FastGTX,

You better feed your dog well since he is an escaped convict. You have to make sure he can run fast if the man comes looking for him (and you)! :lol:

He's on the right path.

But don't you think something is missing?

When it's his birthday put this next to his doggy bowl:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000ANACU/qid=1099592527/sr=1-12/ref=sr_1_12_sg/002-8714927-8198468?v=glance&s=sporting-goods&n=3375301

He will get the message, and before you know it he will have you on a leash so watch out! ;)

Bustmybutt:
Having Rotties you must definitely know what I'm talking about with the "Disney" comment. You are in a similar boat with this breed, unfortunately. I love Rotties too! I'm really sorry to hear about the loss of your 2 previous dogs, this is not something I want to go through again, it's painful. I actually remember in high school I seriously considered becoming a vet, until we had to put a Dal to sleep. When I experienced that I knew I couldn't handle doing that for a living. I almost immediately changed my mind on that career.

That's very cool that you've been doing this diet for years. You and I could probably exchange notes! I have tons of bookmarks in IE I could share. If I come across anything interesting I'll PM ya. :)

BTW what types of fruit do you recommend? Zack doesn't eat a lot of fruit except pieces of what I eat sometimes like apples (NOT the seeds!!), oranges sometimes, strawberries.

So you cook your dog's food mostly? I agree, the raw diet gets gross, yes. Just this morning Zack dragged a bloody chicken back across the floor. That's one thing I have struggled with - getting him to stay in the kitchen and keep the food on the plate. On more than one occassion I've caught him laying in the bed with a nasty bloody piece of chicken on my sheets! However I have read that raw is better for them than cooked (and obviously much safer if you're feeding them bones too, but the bones are apparently pretty important). But cooked "regular food" is 10 times more healthy than that crap you'd find in MOST regular dog food, that's for sure.

Zack has great teeth and no dog breath as well!!! He hardly ever gets a "dog smell" either...except when he farts. HAHAHA

Jim:
Actually the food my dog eats is cheaper than you'd think. A package of chicken backs (4, and they're huge) is just a little more than $1.00! I'll agree though the breasts are more expensive. I guess since most people don't eat backs, necks, etc. it is not as expensive.

5M17H:
You are correct, it is often referred to as BARF diet. I too have seen references to humans eating like this. I'm not going to do it though! :)

joecan:
HAHAHAHAHHA - that's funny that you remembered this. :)

Sazuki:
LOL! Maybe I should put Zack on the MAXOT plan!!!!!

--
Thanks all for the responses!!

Rotties are overbred like Dals for sure. I know they have bred deafness in Dals which is ironic because Damian, my first Rottie, was born bilaterally deaf. I had taught him everything with hand signals. He even knew what "the finger" was. I love how people assume Dals are so cuddly and adorable like on the movies. People do not know what their function was. Then people don't understand how much a Dal needs to run for crying out loud. Rotties are the same and then people are surprised when the dogs are destructive. :rolleyes:

I wanted to be a vet too, until I relaized I would have to tell people their beloved pets have a terminal disease, or would have to put perfectly healthy animals down because owners did not want them. I already have two rescue dogs. Chester is a Pit Bull I got from a dog fighting ring. Brodie is a Rottie I got from death row at the pound. He was starved to under 50 pounds, poor guy. Diva was bought from a breeder, and she has never had a bad thing happen to her ever.

I can tell you stories of when I first started feeding this diet. They said tripe was good, so I bought it. GACK!!! Sheena did not know what to do with it and left it out on the deck to dry. I had crows and magpies every where! I don't mind giving the dogs cooked chicken necks and backs, sicne the bones are very small. We actually break the pieces apart and hand feed the dogs. They all sit in front of us, and wait for their pieces. It is quite the sight.

It is the long bones like legs and thighs that I don't feed. raw or not. Those are big bones and those are what cause a risk of rupturing intestines. It is overwhelming to start this diet with dogs at first. However, it is clear common sense. Dogs can eat anything healthy, just like us. I give my dog bananas, and cantalopes and lychee nuts. They LOVE sweet potatoes and steamed broccolli too. Any whole fruit or veggie is good for them if they want to eat it. Diva used to be crazy over apples and I would always share mine with her. She outgrew it now.

I find people have to complicate everything, be it our diets or our dogs. In all honesty, it is common sense, it really is. I would sooner cook my dogs food to avoid the blood and bacteria. I always laugh at these shows that talk of kitchen bacteria and how so many things are harmful for you. I should have gotten salmonilla a zillion times by now.

Perhaps half cook Zack's chicken, and break it up into pieces. This way he does not drag carnbage all over the house. I also half boil soup bones with a bay leaf to avoid a house that looks like a crime scene. My guys get cottage cheese, whole wheat pasta that is left over, left over veggies, eggs from breakfast and anything my hubby and I eat. We have no junk food or processed food in the house, so the dogs are well cared for. You can even give them oatmeal if you want, but I like to just stick with basic things like meat and veggies. I used to make all there concoctions, and just end up throwing them out. I guess I should not expect the dogs to want it, since they saw my disgust. The only way my guys will eat liver is if it is fried with garlic and onions. I have given them kidney or heart, but I always boil it with bay leaves (reduces the smell), and garlic cloves. I then cut it up and put it in the fridge for treats.

So... you are a car guy... Too bad you are a Dodge boy!!! :eek:
I am a Chevy girl. Too bad I don't have my muscle cars anymore, or I would bug you to the ends of the earth. I sold the cars and went to sports bikes and realized I made a mistake. I got thrown in jail for speeding, and the cops are always on your case with sports bikes. Now I have a lifted Tahoe, and that is it. What year is the GTX? Is it a 440 6 pack car?

are apple seeds unhealthy for humans? cuz I always eat the core including seeds...

I know they are bad for exotic birds (I have an Eclectus parrot), due to the fact that they have trace levels of arsenic in them. I believe it is arsenic. I don't think it owuld cause a human too much harm, but I do believe the levels can build up in your sytem. Don't quote me on that, since I am not absolutely sure about that.

are apple seeds unhealthy for humans? cuz I always eat the core including seeds...

Hehe, I've gone one of our cats on a bulking diet now too. Instead of dry food she's on canned meat, with cat-ok milk, and a vitamin gravy on top. I need to pack some mass on that cat!

Bustmybutt:
That is so cool about training with hand signals. My last Dal, Kodi, was unbelievably smart. It's funny how people say dals' are stupid, judging because they are hyper and need a lot of exercise and many owners don't take the time to work them out and train them. I'm not like that. Kodi was opening the doors, turning on lights, etc. He was able to recognize cause and effect, or a set of commands instead of just one ("sit" for example). For instance, he loved carrots. So I could say "go pee pee." If he didn't want to go outside (like when it was raining), I could say "if you go pee pee I'll give you a carrot." And he'd run outside, go pee, then run inside and sit by the fridge. When I had the towell on the fridge door he could actually open the fridge, open the drawer, get a carrot, close the drawer, and close the fridge! He was amazing.

I actually taught a class with a dog-trainer friend of mine a few times. We would go to this elementary school where they had an after-school program for kids with parents who both worked (or 1 parent who was not home after school was over). Once a week we'd go out there in the afternoons and bring our dogs (my Dal and GSD, his 2 rotties, and some other friends). We'd talk to the kids about taking care of your animals, giving them food, brushing, exercise, and "most important?? LOVE!" Here's 2 pics of us in action: :)

http://208.0.164.12/JSF/TeachingClass.jpg
http://208.0.164.12/JSF/TeachingClass2.jpg

By the way here's one of his Rotties (with Kodi, my previous Dal, and Sable, my mom's GSD):

http://208.0.164.12/JSF/KodiSableMax.jpg

Thanks for the tips you gave me on the foods. I really appreciate the information. I like your idea of half-cooking. May eliminate some of the mess. :) I too tried the tripe too - gross. Zack didn't like it either!!

I've used garlic before. Zack seems to like it a lot but I noticed his poop was much more "watery" when I used it. I was assuming it was the garlic but I am not sure. Most of the time his poop is really hard and easy to clean up when there's an accident. :)

Regarding cars ... I'm by far NOT a dodge guy. My GTX is a Grand Prix (2001). It's an aftermarket mod by a company called "SLP" (kinda like Saleen Mustangs, but obviously not as nice!). They take a supercharged GTP and mod it into a GTX which includes (you can pick the options but this is what I have) new exhaust system including tailpipes, full ram-air induction including hood, paint package (stripes), floor mats, keyfobs. You can also get wheels and tires but they were too expensive and from what I read heavy thus actually slowing down 1/4 mile times. I also put a different s/c pulley system (DUB, Dial-Ur-Boost, meaning I can replace the pulley with a different size in about 2 minutes with a little tool), new spark plugs and wires, a drilled t-stat, different mufflers (name escapes me, I'm not as into it anymore). It's not like a super fast car but it'll run 13s if I can get a good launch.

Here it is:

With Sable:
http://208.0.164.12/JSF/SableCar.jpg

At the track:
http://208.0.164.12/JSF/GTX.jpg

You can read more about this package here: http://www.slponline.com/car.asp?C=1997-2005%20W-Body (actually they have a car on there that looks VERY similar to my car but it's a 4-door).

Actually I'm pretty sick of it. Funny you mention being a Chevy girl cause I used to have a lifted Z71 (33" Super Swamper Thornbirds, Body-Lift, bunch of other mods). I am actually seriously missing my truck and realizing that I am not a car person as much as I am a truck person. Sure I liked racing, it was fun, but just not as fun anymore.

Here's my old Z71 (and my mom and Sable when she was a baby):
http://208.0.164.12/JSF/MomSableTruck.jpg

I'm definitely getting another truck, just cannot decide what to get right now. I kinda like the new F150s but heck I have not ever had a Ford, lol. I think an extended cab, stepside FX4 4x4 would look pretty tight sitting on 33s....

I LOVE Tahoes. Almost got a Tahoe which was on 33s about a month ago, but they sold it the next day, lol.

Sorry for the long post!!! :)

13's is very good imo :)

Speaking of trucks there is on in birmingham - the biggest street-legal truck I've personally seen - it's license plate was XXXXXL. The damn thing was sick! Next to my sentra at the time its wheels totally dwarfed me. Such excess, but it was very impressive. He probably gets 3 mpg.

I used to be a dog trainer, but relaized that dogs are too easy to train, but people are not. I can get a dog to do anything, but to get the owner to co operate is another story :lol: I also trian my dogs totally different then most people. Because of Damian's deafness, I learned to communicate using body language and not voice commands. It is almost like dog whispering. People think I am crazy, but my dogs will do anything I ask of them, without even knowing I am asking. Most people do not have the patience to learn to train dogs this way, so mine will always be a natural wonder to everyone.

Damian was my agility dog, although he was deaf, he used to kick ass in trials. I miss him so much. He was my first Rottie and everyone told me to kill him because he was deaf and would be useless. That dog never took his eyes off of me, ever, until the day he died. I get a lump in my throat just thinking about him. He was such a good boy and I am grateful that I got him.

I thank Gawd my dogs don't know how to open the fridge. They already steal cookies out of the pantry when they think I am not looking. I'm not sure what to say about the garlic. Mine can eat pretty much anything and not even fart anymore.

Half cooking is a Gawd send, trust me. Last night I gave the dogs soup bones that were not half cooked and it looked like something off of CSI in here. I was soaking dog beds for hours. Funny you mention the stools. I have magpies come and eat my dog's stools. Sometimes I will see it sitting on the fence tops. :confused:

Sorry about the Dodge joke. Plymoth used to make a GTX and I assumed that is what you had. I like those Grand Prixs to be honest with you. I just need the big SUV for the dogs and need a 4x4 for the winters here. My Tahoe looks a lot like your Z71 (YOUR MOM LOOKS AWESOME btw). I put the 3" body lift on my mine with 33" tires and American Racing wheels. Mine is white though, I wish it was black. I want to get the cowl hood, bumper covers Altezza lights and other stuff for the Tahoe. I am a truck girl to be honest, and with the Calgary winters, a car is just not a thing I want. Plus having the dogs is an issue too. I have to lift Brodie (110 pounds) into the back of my Tahoe though. Thank Gawd for strength training, although he almost busts my spleen.

I had a beautiful '84 Monte Carlo SS but had to sell it to get my Tahoe. I could not have both. I sold it the day before Damian had to be put down, so I did not even care at that time.

I sure don't see many 2 door Grand Prixs! Yours is pretty sweet for sure. A 13 second 1/4 is nothing to laugh at at all. You probably kick the crap out of those little rice rockets. I used to love kicking the crap out of those guys... Those cars are all noise for the most part. No offense to anyone that has one. You just cannot beat cubic inches.

I am under house arrest right now, since my Tahoe is at the shop right now. I brought it in on Monday and the parts are still not in! I have not been to the gym all week and have been unable to go on my daily riverside hike with the dogs. I am going out of my mind! :eek:

I used to be a dog trainer, but relaized that dogs are too easy to train, but people are not. I can get a dog to do anything, but to get the owner to co operate is another story :lol: I also trian my dogs totally different then most people. Because of Damian's deafness, I learned to communicate using body language and not voice commands. It is almost like dog whispering. People think I am crazy, but my dogs will do anything I ask of them, without even knowing I am asking. Most people do not have the patience to learn to train dogs this way, so mine will always be a natural wonder to everyone.
How right you are on your "dogs are easy to train; people are not" estimation. My friend George, the trainer (in the pic above) is of the same belief. I remember meeting him for the first time (which was when we hired him), and him talking about this and the importance of him not only training the dogs but also the owners. He (and I) also train somewhat differently. I remember we had a boxer when I was little, and the trainer we hired was all about "control" - locked Rocky in the crate and put panty hose over his face (the trainer's face), picked at him and pissed him off, etc. That's how he taught "watch!" George, and I, are different. It's all about love and respect. :) Besides, "watch" is not necessarily hard to train into any dog, let alone a boxer, GSD, or rottie.

I'd be interested in hearing more about your training style, we should probably take that to PM though. :)

Damian was my agility dog, although he was deaf, he used to kick ass in trials. I miss him so much. He was my first Rottie and everyone told me to kill him because he was deaf and would be useless. That dog never took his eyes off of me, ever, until the day he died. I get a lump in my throat just thinking about him. He was such a good boy and I am grateful that I got him.
I know what you mean here, big time. Kodi died on Easter morning 2 Easters ago. That wasn't easy. :( Actually you may like to see this -- I found a Flash Animation contest online a couple months ago and whipped this up the night before. It's a huge download, but... -- http://208.0.164.12/imissyou/

I thank Gawd my dogs don't know how to open the fridge. They already steal cookies out of the pantry when they think I am not looking. I'm not sure what to say about the garlic. Mine can eat pretty much anything and not even fart anymore.

Half cooking is a Gawd send, trust me. Last night I gave the dogs soup bones that were not half cooked and it looked like something off of CSI in here. I was soaking dog beds for hours. Funny you mention the stools. I have magpies come and eat my dog's stools. Sometimes I will see it sitting on the fence tops. :confused:
LOL. Kodi could only open the fridge if the towell was tied to the handle, luckilly. He wasn't able to get his mouth around just the door handle. :)

Sorry about the Dodge joke. Plymoth used to make a GTX and I assumed that is what you had. I like those Grand Prixs to be honest with you. I just need the big SUV for the dogs and need a 4x4 for the winters here. My Tahoe looks a lot like your Z71 (YOUR MOM LOOKS AWESOME btw). I put the 3" body lift on my mine with 33" tires and American Racing wheels. Mine is white though, I wish it was black. I want to get the cowl hood, bumper covers Altezza lights and other stuff for the Tahoe. I am a truck girl to be honest, and with the Calgary winters, a car is just not a thing I want. Plus having the dogs is an issue too. I have to lift Brodie (110 pounds) into the back of my Tahoe though. Thank Gawd for strength training, although he almost busts my spleen.

I had a beautiful '84 Monte Carlo SS but had to sell it to get my Tahoe. I could not have both. I sold it the day before Damian had to be put down, so I did not even care at that time.

I sure don't see many 2 door Grand Prixs! Yours is pretty sweet for sure. A 13 second 1/4 is nothing to laugh at at all. You probably kick the crap out of those little rice rockets. I used to love kicking the crap out of those guys... Those cars are all noise for the most part. No offense to anyone that has one. You just cannot beat cubic inches.

I am under house arrest right now, since my Tahoe is at the shop right now. I brought it in on Monday and the parts are still not in! I have not been to the gym all week and have been unable to go on my daily riverside hike with the dogs. I am going out of my mind! :eek:

Thanks for the comments. :) I agree, I'm more into a bigger engine as well. My first race at the track was against a decently modded Integra, and I beat it with a 14-something time. Since modding it more it got faster, but they're a real pain to launch for some reason (I assume front wheel drive has something to do with it). They're okay cars I suppose. It's never had any problems, and I run the hell out of it. Plus it can fit way more people than my single cab truck could. Still, though, I'd much rather be in a truck. I sure love the new Hummer SUT coming out ... too bad I don't have 50k to spend!! I think a nice new F150 stepside would look tight on 33s, but I'm not sure about getting a Ford. :)

Thanks for saying that about my mom. She has a 6 pack and I don't, dammit!

13's is very good imo :)

Speaking of trucks there is on in birmingham - the biggest street-legal truck I've personally seen - it's license plate was XXXXXL. The damn thing was sick! Next to my sentra at the time its wheels totally dwarfed me. Such excess, but it was very impressive. He probably gets 3 mpg.

Yeah high 13s, not bad I guess. But last time I was there a Lightning blew my doors off. :)

I would never want something that big. It just gets corny at that point in my opinion!!

I love the tribute you did for Kodi. It did not take long to download at all. I wish I could do that for my babies. I don't even have any video of them, just pictures. I can tell how much you miss him, and am sorry for your loss. I kow how hard it is and I know I will never forget how I felt the day mine died, or the days following afterwards. I still cry whan I think about them. They were my heart and soul. I bond to animlas much better then people. I know I can trust my dogs with all my heart because they will never burn or hurt me... until they die.

If you don't mind me asking... How did Kodi die?

Give me an email at my2rotties@shaw.ca if you want some info on how I train. I can't really say it is anything huge. I just use body language, eye contact and pack instincts to get them to do what I want. It typically does not work on dogs that do not live with me or have their owners around though. I think a huge part of my training involves establishing a bullet proof bond with my dogs. My guys won't even chase a rabbit if it is itting right in front of us, if I tell them not to. None of my dogs walk on leashes either, which freaks people right out. I have better control with them off leash then on a leash any day. Mosty people think bullying tactics work for Rotties. I find Rotties to be extreemly sensitive and they get their feelings hurt pretty easily. I never bully or get mad at mine. If I turn my back on them they fall all over themselves with guilt.

I saw the new Hummer, that would be nice wth some nice 24 on it. They are about $90000 here in Canada. I guess I'll drive my Tahoe forever. I want to put the aftermarket Escalade front clip on it, if I can ever afford it. I think a 2 door Tahoe with that Escalade front clip would look sick. I have a ton of things that I want to do to my Tahoe. Our winters here suck and I don't ever have much time to do stuff. Plus all the hard work gets trashed in the nasty climates. I have to have a 4x4 around here. I drove an IROC Z one winter and it was a death machine. It would start doing donuts for no reason at all.

Damned, I wish Chip Foose would come steal my truck for a week. I dream about him doing my ride. If I could afford him, he would be the one doing my stuff. I love his style and when he did the Elenor Mustang, I just about died when I saw it. Man, I need to win a lottery.

Your mom has a six pack. I hate her. All I ever do is abs and diet and don't think I'll ever have a six pack. I have to say your legs are not too shabby... so don't sweat the abs.