Massages, Updates & More on Raw Feeding

Saturday, April 07, 2007
Massages, updates & more on raw feeding Category: Pets and Animals

Massages... One of the best side benefits about owning a pug is the massages. I will lay down across the bed for a minute to relax or stretch my back, and wherever I go, they follow. They will play on and around me and they are just the perfect weight. As they walk on my back, it feels like a nice massage! Pugs bring a whole new meaning to the term "therapy dog." Did you know that they used to be used like we use heating pads and hot water bottles? And I even read one source that said they were used under the covers to warm the feet before central heating was invented. So for those of you who pack emergency survival kits, don't forget the PUG!!!!

Rawfeeding - the current problems with pet food have launched us into raw feeding. As you can tell from some previous posts, we have been doing lots of research. There are still a couple of unanswered questions for me, but in the meantime Tony has taken the bull by the horns. He ordered a grinder, retrieved his venison from a friend's freezer, and made 40 lbs of ground for us to start using right away. I've also found some chicken thighs and turkey legs on sale and have been giving those to select dogs whole, under supervision, and they are doing quite well with them. Because I'm still in tax season and there just aren't enough hours in the day, I will still leave some kibble for them to access when I am low on time. Once some time frees up for me, it's all raw, though! We just invested in a deep freeze and 200# of chicken parts, but haven't had time to thaw them yet!

So even though we haven't made a full transition, we're seeing happy dogs. Their stools are better (smaller). Daisy's puppies already had thick fur, but Ellie's pups had somewhat thin fur which will grow in thicker as they age. But on raw, their hair is already growing in more thick and softer. The adults are handling it VERY well. I thought we'd see more resource guarding, but they're all on their best behavior for the "good stuff."

I'm still monitoring Daisy from her bout of pancreatitis. Some days she seems up to eating, and other days she just isn't really that hungry. I remove the skin from the chicken/turkey before giving it to any of them, and her health is definitely improving. She turned her nose at the venison at first, but now she's scarfing it down like a champ. This is a good indicator to me that her body is coming back around. It's time to get a follow-up blood test on her to see where things stand clinically.

The pups are getting stir crazy. All that wonderful time outside came to a screeching halt as the most recent cold front came through. In addition to their playtime, I've been taking Daisy's pups one per night and allowing them to sleep with me and some of the adults. They love their special time. Some settle right in (Shang) and some want to play till all hours of the morning (Rizzo). The boys personalities are really distinctive now. They are making it very easy for me to place them in the right homes for them! The girls are still really similar in personality and looks, but one is turning on the sass (Penelope) and one is turning on the sweet (Carmen).