Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Raw Food Diet, Day 465- True Prey Model Feasting

***
Big Pupi breaks it down: Heya fellow feasters. Every so often we get all science-y and medical-ish on this blog, and this particular post is going to (sort of) be one of those times.

As all of you know, my brother and I are fed a prey model diet. What this means (in a really teeny tiny nutshell) is that all of our feasts are constructed from fresh, raw foods and follow percentages based on the physical make up of prey animals. There is a fairly strict calcium to phosphorous ratio that must be followed, and those amounts are based on the ratio of muscle (phosphorous) to bone (calcium) in animals on which we'd like to hunt and feast. We also include organs (kidney and liver) at about 10% of the overall diet to ensure we are getting proper nutrients. Finally, some raw feeders - like my parents - give blended fruits and veggies each day to mimic the stomach contents of a kill. When a wild canine takes down prey, the stomach and liver are always the most coveted parts of the animal, and I know why... they are SO TASTY! While adding fruits a
nd veggies is debated amongst the raw community, my folks like to think that this pureed plant matter adds fiber and additional vitamins to our diet.

Most of the time we need to feast on a variation of the raw diet. Since it is just not possible to toss Stanislaw and me a whole rabbit, my people have to manufacture ways to ensure that the proper ratios are met and we are provided with a proper and varied nutrient profile. In the past, we have always eaten 2 meals per day: one RMB meal (Raw Meaty Bones that are about 50% meat and 50% bone), and one meat and organ meal. That's a pretty common method for raw feeders, especially those with small dogs. However, large dogs may get a whole chicken or rabbit as a day's meal - organs and all - and that would prove to be a balanced feast.

Another major aspect of raw feeding is the idea of balance over time. We believe the practice of feeding a 100% "complete and balanced" meal twice a day every single day at the expense of variety is a huge a mistake. Our parents don't eat the same exact, "100% balanced" meal for every meal every day... they don't even feed their CHILDREN 100% balanced meals every single time they feast! Proper nutrition in humans is met through variety and balance over the course of a few days or a week, and we apply these theories to canine feasting.

It is super important that Stanislaw and I get many diff
erent types of protein over the course of a month, week, or even throughout the day. We also get different types of fruits and veggies, from apples to carrots to green beans to squash. This helps to prevent allergies from developing and it also exposes us to many different amino acid profiles, vitamins and minerals.

Now onto our meaty menu for next week, and what exactly it was that made me look so beggingishly at my mom~

Since Stanislaw and I are too small to feast on a whole prey animal in one sitting, we've always feasted on the "homemade" version of the diet using RMB meals and meat meals. But things are about to change. After spotting a coupon for "buy one get one free" whole fresh chickens, mom decided to pick one up for each of us and feed us in true prey model style. For less than $1 of cheese money per pound of feast (an AWESOME deal!), Stanislaw and I have an entire week's-worth of breakfasts and dinners lined up.

Mom broke down each chicken, removing the skin and excess fat as she went. The pieces were then weighed and divided into 8 oz. of feasting per day for me and 10 oz. for Stanislaw. The meals kept coming until there was literally nothing left (except the skin and fat which went into the trash). Even the baggie of guts was used - the necks counting as an RMB piece, the gizzards and heart as muscle, and the kidney and liver as organ meat. Stan and I were even allowed to give our chickens a test by snacking on the hearts while we waiting. Delish!

We already have a meal defrosted and waiting for tomorrow, but after that we'll be feasting on chicken for a week until the entire feasts are gone, with each of us eventually consuming our very own, whole bird. Some days our phosphorous intake will be high, and some days our calcium intake will be high, but by the time we have finished our chickens we will have taken in an overall ideal ratio of meat:bone:organ... a perfect balance over time. And that's what prey model feasting is all about.

As mom broke the tasty bird in pieces, Stan watched the floor carefully in case a morsel escaped from the counter. A chicken tail wound up flying off, but Stan had it in his mouth before it ever touched the floor. Great success!
The human meat locker has a few baggies chilled and ready for feasting, and the rest of our chicken deliciousness is in our meat locker being kept fresh and frozen solid.
We're excited! Since wings and necks are the easiest things to get, Stan and I have always eaten those chickeny parts. But this time we get to have backs and breasts and ribs. Crunchy yumliciousness!

We'll let you know how it goes. (It's going to be fabulous!)
Jealous?
Big Pupi.

21 comments:

Mack said...

YES! we are very jealous!

Occasionally mom will boil some livers and gizards for us, but that's about all she wrote.

Do you guys ever eat fruit? I don't particularly enjoy it. And my sissies are the same way. I know some bloggers who just love melon and apples and stuff, but we always spit it out! We do like our veg though!

Happy feasting lucky dudes!

Niamh said...

Jealous? I am sick with jealousy right now looking at your chicken. I wish I had my own meat locker so that I could eat raw all the time. We get some raw additions to our food but I am just drooling over the thought of an entire chicken. Enjoy your feasts.

Your friend,
Niamh

Suzuki said...

NOPE! Couldn't do it! Mummy would nevfur let us kiss her again if we ate raw meat :(
Big licks to you
Suzuki
xxx

Biggie-Z said...

I'm eating a chicken leg quarter right now! Backs and necks are sort of my favorite. Well, I like the meaty breasts, too.

Momma is hard at work on my meat post, too, but it's probably not going up any time soon because she's working on a big case and stuff. but dog, that looks so good that I am hungry all over again!

Fenway said...

What's wrong with me, Stan?

Ms. Alpha has tried feeding me raw livers, gizzards and hearts from my chickens and I shun them like yucky medicine. Countless wasted cheese $$$ dollars went into the trash when I made my druthers known. Even tho' my Mama Dog LOVES carrotsnackies, I shun these, too. In fact, I made the yuck face at even bananas.

If it's not a RMB, cheese, dessicated liver or my Wellness Super 5 kibble I won't touch it. Ms. Alpha would love to get off the kibble, but to make sure I get all my nutrients she's resorted to supplementing my raw food.

Am I a picky eater or nuts?

GSD Adventures said...

We ARE jealous!!! Can't wait to hear!

Wags,
Pruett and Daphne

Nelly said...

Oh yummy, big Pupi.
My Mummy does the same as yours. She does it with chickens (but our hoomans get the meaty chicken breasts) and rabbits. It's sooooo luvly.
I can sit for 5 whole seconds before my dinner now but Mummy thinks she might not make me anymore - she says the amount of drool I produce in 5 seconds is phenomenal! ... what is phenomenal?Nibbles
Nelly xx

the many Bs said...

hi Stanislaw & Big Pupi,

we think your diet sounds wonderful. the scientific stuff is such a turn off for our mom though. she's just not smart that way at all. she says she would love to feed us the raw feasting that you get, but she worries about how much of what and all of the preparation - grinding, chopping, etc.???? so what we have to settle for is a turkey neck, some kibble and frozen raw food. it's good, we love it, but yours sounds the bestest.

maybe your mom could recommend a starter book for our mom to read to learn about this so that she can feed us good, like how you eat.

we are doing better with our allergies, but we know we could be totally free of them if our mom would put a little more effort into feeding us properly. she's kind of lame....

woofs.

Arran, Arthur and Mum said...

ah, heaven in a bag!
When I beed a pup I was on wings, but now Our butcher does quarters with the leg, so I getting ribs and leg and things, only Mum has beed chopping them up like your mum has. I gets chicken liver but no hearts and gizzards and stuff. I bet chicken heart bees the best!!
~lickies, Ludo

Petra said...

Yeah, I am jealous because all I get is yucky nibbles. That's why I only eat one meal a day and beg for cheese and carrots and apples. And popcorn!

I'll be waiting to hear how this goes for you. I'm sure it will be PERFECT!

Sophie Brador said...

Never mind QR codes. I think those pics of chicks blew my mind. And I may have even tasted a chicken neck.

xo
SB

Joe Stains said...

I am very jealous. Mom is jealous of the price of that chicken too! You guys are going to have the best week ever!!!

NAK and The Residents of The Khottage Now With KhattleDog! said...

How many khats is that ekhwual to?

Hugz&Khysses,
Khyra
PeeEssWoo: Woo both look so handsome AND hungry!

Tadpole said...

onmydog I could barely even READ this blog entry.... And I vow to shun my prescription dry kibble all week as I vicariously live on your feastables. I'll let you know how long I make it.

Molly the Airedale said...

We are drooling! All of this food sure looks yummy to us!

Love ya lots
Maggie and Mitch

The Oceanside Animals said...

hello stan and big pupi its dennis the vizsla dog hay yoo guys and us guys eet almost eksaktly the saym way its the graytest isnt it??? i think dada is jellus becuz we git all this fresh gud fud and he gets frozen pizza oh wel dada deel with it!!! ha ha ok bye

Mason Dixie said...

Wow your weeks sounds delicious, I am drooling.........

Betty Saenz said...

I am so glad you have a superior raw diet. Bet you feel sorry for all those poor dogs eatin' that junkyard dog kibble...Blah!! My name is Schatzie and I eat like that too. Will you be my friend? I am a black and white parti poodle puppy.

Anonymous said...

I love this blog, what lovely dogs. I just wanted to add for those whose dogs won't eat veges, that it's fine. They are actually not meant to. Wolves/dogs are carnivores not omnivores - their teeth prove this, and the fact that they lack the digestive enzymes to digest vegetable/fruit/grains matter. There is much research on this, including research that proves that the wolves didn't eat the contents of the stomach as widely believed. They shook the contents out and ate the stomach/lining. Wolves/dogs are at the top of the food chain and get their vitamins from meat, bones and organs. They don't need vegetables or fruits. They only ate berries, seeds and grasses when prey wasn't available. So feel comfortable when feeding your lovely dogs meat, bone and organs that you are giving it all the nutrients it needs.

Anonymous said...

My owner feeds me vital Essentials raw it is made up of organ meat. I can't wait each time she is getting my meal together. I spin around like a crazy man, walk on my hind legs heck I would talk if that is what it takes for her to put the food down. Last I just have to say my bones are to die for. I can spend hours working on a bone.

Anonymous said...

You shouldn't buy Vital Essentials Raw, while the food is ok, the company has bad moral ethics. They tell people to starve their animals in order to get them to eat their raw brand. This is dangerous and scary, especially for cats.