I was just wondering if I could get some feedback on my planned menu for Kenzie. I'm basing it around Ziwipeak because I don't have freezer space for true raw, and it's a little bit easier for me, at least to begin with.

Just wondering if you think I'm feeding too much or too little of something, particularly the chicken wings and the yoghurt?

I feed her twice a day. The Ziwipeak is venison/fish/lamb or a combination and is essentially dry/tinned raw.

Monday: 1 chicken wing, Ziwipeak dry and raw egg including shell

Tuesday: Ziwipeak Wet, Ziwipeak dry and Probiotic Yoghurt

Wednesday: Ziwipeak Wet, Ziwipeak dry and purred veges

Thursday: 1 chicken wing, Ziwipeak dry and Probiotic Yoghurt

Friday: Sardines/Pilchards in tomato sauce, Ziwipeak dry and purred veges

Saturday: 1 chicken wing, Sardines/Pilchards in tomato sauce

Sunday: Fish4Dogs Salmon Mousse, Ziwipeak Wet

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Sounds like a good starter menu to me, the Ziwipeak is a complete food so you don't need to worry about ensuring all the raw food is balanced, and chicken wings are perfect to start with.

One thing I would recommend though is a bit of tripe - in Pets At Home they do 400g blocks of Prize Choice tripe mince - which are about the size of a CD case and around 1 inch thick - would you be able to fit a couple of these in your freezer? (I know you've limited space). Tripe is extremely nutritious and dogs love it, it's a good staple item of a BARF diet.

Veggies aren't needed so if you don't particularly want to feed them, then it doesn't matter - dogs don't really get anything from them anyway. I do give blended fruit and veggies though, and whole raw carrots (these are great for teeth). You can also add garlic cloves to your blended veggies for flea/tick protection I'd also personally add some fish oil to the diet.

But yes, a good starter menu - I'm sure McKenzie will love it

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''Dogs are like chocolates, you can never have just one!''

Blimey - a feast fit for a pwincess

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Kindness in another’s trouble, Courage in your own”

Great, thanks for the feedback. I do like that the Ziwipeak is complete so I have a bit of peace of mind that she's getting what she needs.

I'll definitely get some tripe - my friend downstairs has said I can keep some stuff in her freezer - that's where the chicken wings are - so I'm sure she won't mind if I put a little bit of tripe in too. Would you feed the tripe just by itself for a meal?

I don't mind adding the veges to the Ziwipeak, I think it probably just makes it a bit more interesting for her to eat even if she doesn't get any nutrition out of it, and it bulks it up a bit since you feed so little Ziwipeak.

Would you add fish oil even with the salmon mousse and sardines/pilchards? Every day? And does it have to be a special dog fish oil?

Thanks

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Yes, tripe alone is sufficient for a meal. You'd get several meals out of one 400g pack with just a Westie. Although of course you can mix it if you want to - with chunks of beef or lamb (chewing through lumps of tougher meat is great for teeth), raw egg, vegetables etc. I normally use fresh green tripe for my lads but on the occasions we can't get that they do have the Prize Choice mince and they enjoy it - it's very mushy and watery when defrosted though, so you might prefer to feed it frozen or partially defrosted.

The fish oil isn't essential, so don't feel you have to give it, it's just my personal preference - and with a breed like a Westie and all their potential skin problems, extra essential fatty acids can only be a good thing Fish4Dogs do a salmon oil which is a good quality and well priced (that’s what I use) but you can get salmon oil from health food shops too, it's all the same stuff. I give it everyday, except on the days I feed raw fish, because they're getting the fish oil from that anyway.

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''Dogs are like chocolates, you can never have just one!''

I'm pretty sure tomatoes are on the 'don't' list for dogs.

Other than that looks like she'd fed better than me lol.

Toxic Foods for Dogs: Learn What Foods are Poisonous to a Dog | Suite101.com

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Great, thanks SixStar, that's really helpful

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Ripe tomatoes are fine, it's green ones that should be avoided

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''Dogs are like chocolates, you can never have just one!''

My apologies, I knew I'd heard it somewhere. Just thought I'd mention it in case.

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