Tripe – How can they eat that stuff?
Smells like a barnyard, isn’t exactly easy on the eyes either … WHY do they love it?? Well there are a couple of theories….
Erica is holding a whole beef tripe.
Dogs have way more scent receptors than humans but far fewer taste buds hence a lower sensitivity to what humans would consider “bad” tastes! So while flavor is 80% smell and 20% taste, when you have as few taste buds as our canine companions have, taste isn’t that important after all it seems.
But you ask – how can they want to EAT something that SMELLS that bad??? Stands to reason that if something smells rotten nobody (human OR canine) would want to eat it, right? Doesn’t seem to be the case surprisingly enough! Scientists have found that rotting or fermenting foods are actually enjoyed by dogs AND their humans (think limburger cheese and aged beef) for an interesting reason – these foods all have in common a very high level of glutamic acid which both dogs and humans experience as “meaty” tasting. This acid, which occurs naturally, is familiar to most of us in synthetic form as monosodium glutamate – a common flavor enhancer.
So what’s the bottom line? Dogs are likely enjoying the savory taste of “meatiness” when they consume that tripe or even that “thing” that they found in the woods …. not so different from some of what we ourselves eat!
10 Raw Feeding Myths
1. “It Won’t Be A Balanced Diet” – Raw diets are generally balanced over time just as our human diets are. It is not necessary to completely balance any diet daily so long as over time all nutrition needs are met.
2. “My Dog Will Die From the Bacteria!” – Dogs are not humans and have a much shorter and stronger digestive system. They are built to eat raw meat and unless immune compromised will have no problem dealing with any bacterias.
3. “Eating Raw Meat Will Make My Dog Bloodthirsty!” – Nonsense. Your dog no sooner relates the meat in his bowl to an actual living and breathing creature than he would the kibble in his bowl.
4. “Chicken Bones Will Kill My Dog!” – Cooked chicken bones WILL potentially kill your dog. Raw bones are something completely different and even the smallest of dogs can chew these flexible easily digested bones up and enjoy!
5. “My House Will Be Full Of Bacteria!” – You handle your own raw meat and it doesn’t kill you – no difference with your dog’s food. Employ the same handling techniques and cleaning protocols and nothing to worry about!
6. “I Can’t Feed Raw And Travel” – Your dog’s next meal is as close as the grocery store down the street. You can either bring food with you in a cooler or simply hop on down to the market and pick up some chicken thighs. Its that easy
7. “Feeding Raw Is Way Too Expensive” – In reality by feeding a mixture of pre-made mixes and whole bone in pieces you generally won’t spend more than you do for a bag of quality kibble and likely even LESS
8. “I Can Just Feed My Dog Chicken Every Day” – The basis of a quality raw diet is VARIETY. In order for your dog to remain healthy you must feed a variety of protein sources to give him the different nutrition offered by each kind of meat
9. “It Takes Too Much Time” – Feeding raw takes no more time than feeding kibble. Simply put it in the bowl and set it down for your dog. There are no extra steps!
10. “How Will I Find Exotic Proteins?” – You don’t need to. Certainly its nice to feed stuff like quail and emu if its available to you but don’t worry if its not – your dog will do fine on less exotic things like beef, chicken, turkey, lamb and pork.
The Pro and Cons of Feeding Bones
Feeding Bones – Should you or shouldn’t you?
Should you be feeding bones to your pet? How many and how often? Are there some reasons they shouldn’t be fed? Are there types of bones that shouldn’t be fed? Are there some dogs that shouldn’t have bones?
Beef Marrow Bones make great recreational bones for your dog.
Bones are a great way to occupy your dog, give your dog a snack and help his teeth stay clean and tartar free. Raw bones of varying sizes are appropriate for nearly all dogs including those with few teeth! Raw beef bones come in a variety of sizes and types and one is bound to be perfect for your dog.
You can overdo bones in your dog’s diet. Some dogs are more sensitive than others so too much marrow as is found in beef marrow bones can cause havoc with their digestive system. Try only giving the bone for a limited time to help this. Other dogs get constipated if given too many edible beef bones so feed them according to your dog’s individual needs.
Puppies have little teeth and little mouths, giving them large recreational bones such as marrows and knuckle bones can be a little too much for those tiny teeth. Try rib bones or neck bones rather than the more dense inedible recreational ones. Time enough for those when they are older! If your dog is older and has lost a few teeth the same rule applies. Recreational bones can be a little hard for touch chewers causing chips or breakage. If you have a heavy dedicated chewer, stay away from recreational bones and feed the softer more edible ribs, necks and other edible bones.
Most all bones are appropriate for dogs but feed size appropriate – if your dog could swallow that bone whole its too small for him to be left with. Make sure the bones you feed fit your dog’s chewing ability as well as mouth size such as mini marrow bones for small dogs and regular marrow bones and huge bones for larger dogs.
Many beef bones are a great way to give your dog a snack on fast days. If you choose to fast your dog, why not throw him a bone to entertain him and give him some satisfaction.
Raw meaty bones are generally things like chicken backs, necks, turkey necks, chicken leg quarters and the like. These raw meaty bones are meals in and of themselves due to the nice balance of meat and bone. Beef bones, while fun and great for your dog, are often not covered with enough meat to make a good meal. Either add meat or try beef neck bones which a usually well covered and can ultimately make a great whole meal for your dog!