EP11009 - Raw Homemade Dog Food! 

Not sure what you mean? I have been doing this for years and none of my dogs have gotten it, nor any humans at my place, in almost a decade and a half. Salmonella is far more easily gotten from commercial dog foods. It is not impossible for your dog to get, but if your dog does get it from raw food it usually means there is something else wrong that has compromised their immune system. Dogs eat rotten meat in the wild every day & dont get sick. Check the latest dog food recalls and you will see!

I have been feeding raw for about 7 years, I do some of the same things that you do and I enjoyed your video. I have found that organ meat; tripe, liver, heart, etc is an essential part of the diet and absolutely needs to be included. I also go with a higher fat content than what you are using. I use 80/20 ground beef and primarily chicken quarters (whole, not ground) with the skin on. I rarely use cutlets because of the higher cost and lower fat. Fat is an energy source for dogs.

It may seem that way to you, but given I can feed my dogs healthy raw food for just a little more or even less than pet foods made in China... how is that a waste? It is not a waste if the financials work out in my favor, and given the fact that the pups are healthier than if on bag food, I have less vet bills... so in the end, it is usually a lot cheaper to do this with raw meats. I also happen to feel my pooches/4 legged family deserve quality meats as much as I do. Just a choice tho. Thanks!

I rescue Rotties. They are not always full blood, but I am partial to the breed as they are so misunderstood by so many.

Thanks for sharing this great video. I especially like the disclaimer at the beginning. UC Davis put out a study not too long ago that said that homemade dog food is deficient in most cases. I STRONGLY disagree. People just need to do the research and maybe consult a vet with a background in dog nutrition when putting together their recipes. Supplements like the ones you use also help in that area. There's nothing wrong with making food at home and I enjoyed watching your process.

would it not be easier to put the veggie stuff in the meat?

my dogs seemed fine but I went raw anyway. You can tell they love it, their stool is much less and biodegrades in less than 3 days, all the old hair blew and a healthy shiny coat that hardly sheds came out (I have a GSD&husky), all tarter on teeth just flaked off to show pearly whites, energy levels rose, even eagerness to learn increased and bad habits almost vanished! My complaint is the expense, so your video helped with ideas about bulk. Plus making weekly trips to the store is a pain! Can't wait to get a freezer off of craigslist! As for time, it really does not take that much effort or time compared to all the benefits! Thanks for the vid!

I give them frozen... just like marrow bones. I suppose it could hurt sensitive teeth... but your dog will wait if it is too cold. My female has about the worst teeth I have ever seen. We rescued her from being a bait dog in a dog fighting ring. Also a practice dummy. They filed her teeth to points, so with the enamel gone, they are rotting in her head. She has no issues with the frozen cubes or bones. She favors one side with the bones... so they know! GREAT question! Thank you!

OK only one complaint, would love to see a video of your fur babies! l want to see the ones who will be getting all this great food prepared with love for them!

WOW!!! just spent $70 on a 44lb bag of premium dog food...did some math and making my dog food will be slightly less expensive. And NATURAL!!!!. been looking for a video like this and finally found it. Thank you so much. I'm gonna consult with my vet (my brother) and find the right formula for my two 65 kilo mastiffs. Gracias amigo, muchas gracias.

You remind me of the guy from blues clues.

Hey Jason!!! YES! I have a son who is now 13 that has been raised around dogs that were on raw food. You keep them from licking you or rubbing their mouth on you for an hour or so, and if you do get licked or touched with wet saliva after they eat, we just wash with antibacterial soap. GREAT QUESTION!!!!!

You're hilarious! 😀My sister and I have been raw-feeding for close to 30 years - I'm a rescuer and she's a Swissy breeder. All dogs have been switched over at any age or raised on raw diets and live long - AND VERY HEALTHY lives! Thanks for making this video.

I got the Tasin TS-108 as I had done some research and they claimed this grinder was strong enough to do bone... and it was! I used to grind bones and all meat for our male Samson (he is no longer with us) That may be overkill for just meats though. (I also wear ear plugs when I use this thing). Any of the Tasin ones, or even Northern Tool #12 (under $100). Anything will work (even the $50 one at Harbor Freight I bet)! but maybe not for bone. Thank you for watching!!

I have been looking to change my dogs' diet for quite a while now, but never got around to actually doing it. Your video is really helpful and I finally feel capable of doing this! Thank you so much.

Great video! My hubby would appreciate it even more! At first I thought either NY or NJ....but after hearing you totally drop the Rs off the end of words...I'm thinking MA? Love the accent! You're a funny guy! Thanks again for the info. My hubby and I are starting to do this for our furbabies. It's good to have a baseline to work up from. Appreciate your time!

Thank you for watching! AND for the compliment!

still waiting to hear back from the rescue association regarding my adoption application, but will have a new pooch soon. look forward to seeing the new videos man. you need your own show on television! your stuff is absolutely great. really informative and super entertaining. keep doing what you are doing!

I adopting a pit puppy in a few months and have been contemplating what type of food regimen to start him/her on. After seeing your video, of how easy the process actually is, and of how CLEAN and healthy for them the raw diet truly is, I've decided this is the way I'm going to go. Thanks so much for sharing, your dedication means tons of dogs will get the privilege to eat like this! cheers

Hey there! Thank you for watching and asking this! You are ABSOLUTELY right. In fact, I went past it quickly, but they do get whole drumsticks as well. I only grind the breast meat to make it easy to weigh out 30-60 days worth. I like only opening a bag in the am when i am half dead!...lol But you are also correct in that the only other reason, would be to grind bone for an older animal that cant break it up by chewing it. You guessed right! Thanks again!

ive never been happier finding your video! i already feed my shih tzu pom mix raw but i love learning from other raw feeders and getting fun ideas! thank you!

LOL, thank you so much PeckhamKopite! I have a lot of fun doing this stuff. I also spend a fair amount of time in Lastingham visiting the inlaws! I love it over there... of course Lastingham is a very small town, but gets a lot of visitors to the pub! Cant wait to go back! Thank you for the comments and for watching!!!

Hi there do you think this diet would work for a picky eater small yorkie?

Awesome...like the intermissions especially...Thank You!

LOL! I gave him the Sardine (the whole fish with still the innards inside) I froze yesterday. He took a bite, drop it immediately, sniff around it then looked at me like, "Err, mummy what is that funny thing you just gave me?" It was so funny that I burst out laughing and he still sat there looking at me then at the fish several times. Oh well, he didn't eat the sardine so I threw it away. Guess, I'll have to stick to salmon for him. :D

I have been doing raw meat for our two dogs for about a month now. Thanks for the NZymes tip. Couple of quick questions. Why use salt when you make the jerky? Does it help preserve the meat? Also, would it be ok to just mix the veggie mixture up with the raw meat? Finally, I got a sausage stuffer for my meat grinder and now make sausages rather than using the bags. Works great.

It is so neat when I get people in other countries watching! Thanks for doing that!

Very good, informative video. I appreciate you showing the way that you prepare food for your pups, and I am definitely going to try doing this.

i jsut get whole chicken for $1.19/lb and it comes in two for $11.20 and i think its cheaper so i feed them raw. its way more economical and natural for them. If any of you who view this video live close to where there are asian supermarkets, i noticed that they have cheaper meats. you can always shop around for cheaper cuts that are good for your dog.

THANK YOU for this video! I'm definitely going to try making those veggie treats and beef jerky.

Thank you for the comment! Cats also eat animals that live off of fruits & veggies and the stomach contents. So they do actually eat fruits & veggies, just not a lot. This is why we grind them up so fine, so they can digest some easily in their short digestive tract. Also why we give so little daily. For a cat, I would 1/2 or fourth the veggie cubes. Admittedly cats need taurine to survive from meat, but they do get certain vitamins from the partially digested stomach contents & why we do this!

Thank you so much for this video. I've been researching BARF/Raw food diets for my new Rhodesian Ridgeback pup, but even spending a small fortune on books does not really give the practical guidance that clips such as yours has done. We've now invested in a chest freezer to help us prep in bulk for both the pup and our 10 year old moggie. I'm making lamb's liver jerky for the pup as I type this, after the confidence yours and other videos have given me! Looking forward to your new season too!

This is a great video! I've been very hesitant to give my dogs bones especially since everyone I know tells me nothing but horror stories of how it can harm them but I was wondering do you give one dog both the drum sticks or is it one drum stick per dog?

Hey there! Thanks for the question! When I talk about offal in the show... that is what I am talking about. I usually take the organs from a chicken or turkey and use them... but only once every other week or once per week. Contrary to popular belief, you CAN give too much organ meat... so do it sparingly. The Alpha gets it in the wild... but that is because it is so dense with vitamins & they may not eat but once per week, so they need it... not so much when they eat daily though!

What a dedicated dog Daddy you are, its so nice to see people treating there animals like family, I love your videos, I have cats but the dog videos are just as good :-) thanks for sharing

I wish I had mentioned cats more in this... absolutely great you switched yours over! Cats needs are a little different, but same rules apply! Good for you! Keep me posted!

love THIS! Fantastic raw video. :) thank you so much for a great raw video!

I have Rotties... not always full blood because we only rescue, but that is the breed we rescue! Thank you for watching!

Thank you!

Thanks for sharing this! We love your veggie cubes!

Great video. I will save and watch again for later

Awesome! I've been feeding raw for the past ten years and never will go back to feeding kibble. The ending was hilarious lol

You know that it a great question! I would... as I believe it is cast iron, and I oil my cast iron after every use. You can usually bring it back just by cleaning it with olive oil a few times. You can usually find the hand cranking ones pretty inexpensive if you need to replace it (used of course). Thank you so much for the comment! Email me any time! & THANK YOU for doing this for your pup! (I love Chocolate labs!)

Great video but intermittent fasting for animals actually increases their lifespan and there are many studies proving that.

Outstanding video. I wish more people would feed their dogs this way! I started my dog on this type of diet after watching your video and doing some research. She's a black lab/plott hound mix and loves her raw meat and veggie cubes! One thing I would suggest, is that you use fish oil instead of flax oil, since it's animal based instead of plant. I usually alternate between the fish oil, and olive oil for the cubes.

Thanks!!! I give the veggie cubes once per meal. So they get one with every meal. You do not have to do that, some people give veggies once per week... others never use them. I find it a way to give vitamins too, and as we pulverized everything, we dont have to worry if the cell walls will keep the veggies from being absorbed (which is a point of contention lately) Grab that book "The Barf Diet" it has exactly what you are looking for!

Hey thank you!!!! I know that I tend to make things longer than they need to be, and maybe explain/show things that could be done faster... but I never know what someone will feel I left out, so I try...lol (Plus I am long winded...lol) Thank you again!

Hello, Haverhill! I'm from Winthrop now living in FL. Just bought a machine to make my own food. Not sure I can be as exuberant as you but I'm going to try! Thanks for the indepth instructions.

Thank you so very much for this video! I just purchased Bravo raw food for both my Australian Shepard puppy (11 weeks), Great Dane (7.5 years) and my three cats and I have been wanting switch over to a more natural diet for a few years, my oldest cat just packs on the pounds with the dry food (Fromm was what I was using) not knocking Fromm, it was pretty decent for dry food. I am looking forward to making my own Raw pet food! Thank you for sharing your method! :D

Thank you so much!!!!

It actually can be a fair amount of work... but you also do not have to make 45 days+ at a time. You can make 2 weeks worth, and it would be a lot less time! Also, you can cut down on time if your dog(s) are smaller than 100lbs...lol OR if you go with a meaty bone approach (whole drumsticks or wings). Also, just start with one part... then get that down & work on another... before you know it, it is just routine!

Very informative and helpful vid, and I like that you have modified Billinghurst's diet to your own needs. I have one question. I see you went from aluminum to plastic pans. I understand your concern with aluminum turning the food colors but I always heard plastic absorbs and retains germs. Since chicken is a particularly nasty meat that's full of bacteria, how do you get the plastic clean?

You can if you like, but the outside of eggs are made of the same thing bones are made of, so it is safe for the dog to eat. The egg cracks when the food possessor is turned on... and I am lazy so I let it do it for me...lol Also, just wash the eggs with antibacterial soap... just to be on the safe side... rinse well, & drop in! Thanks for the question!

My dogs love it... I have started giving them whole raw almonds (unsalted) as treats and they love them! (and obviously have no nut allergies) But they loved peanut butter so I thought I would try! $9.99 for a 3lb bag at Sams & BJs! Last a long time and they love the crunch!

Until I see a dog use an oven to cook it's food I will continue to give it raw meat. Their insides can not process cooked meat properly. I have 2 English bulldogs and 2 cavalier spaniels. I buy raw chicken frames and mix them with boiled rice, raw veg, vegemite, calcium powder and some peanut butter and they have muscles on muscles and the shiniest coats. Every 2nd day I give them all a raw egg mixed in with their dried biscuits. 1 day mate n veg, the next is egg and dry food. My English bulldogs are 3 yrs old and together have dragged my car over 20meters from a standing start till I stopped them and gave then some kangaroo jerky.

You might like Earth Song Ranch dog zymes:) just a thought,my doggy is on them,flax and spirulina..now wanting to go to raw..great video!

I got these from Sams Club... I think they are dish washing buckets. Make sure you get plastic (wont turn the meat colors). They weren't expensive either. I have seen them in other stores, but they should be with the plates/cooking/restaurant supplies! Thank you so much for watching & for the question!

great video! keep up the good work hope we'll get to see more videos on making dog food in the future.

I love your video and I like your method and I'm using it. I was going to ask where you got your large pans and someone already did. The little veggie cubes are such a neat idea. I'm about to make the treats. What lucky dogs we have !!!!!! Thanks heaps.

thanks for the recipes

I bought mine on Amazon... but years ago. I got the Tasin TS-108 as I had done some research and they claimed this grinder was strong enough to do bone... and it was! I used to grind bones and all for our male Samson (he is no longer with us) That may be overkill for just meats though. (I also wear ear plugs when I use this thing). Any of the Tasin ones, or even Northern Tool #12 (under $100). Anything will work (even the $50 one at Harbor Freight I bet)!

My wife loves your video, so I guess I can watch ya too. Good video by the way, we started our Dobermans on the Barf diet, your video helped a lot. Thanks.

I know in the beginning you said you can add ham burger, my question is. Is it ok to mix the burger with the dark meat chicken? To save on cost. And second question I grind a lot of deer meat throughout the year. I feed my dog raw deer meat all the time. Could I actually use the deer burger combined with the chicken? Third question my dog is a 100 on black lab. What would be a good amount to feed the dog? Great video btw!!

Amazing video!

Thanks for taking your time and making this tutorial. =) Cheers from Sweden! =D

Hey thank you for the info! Do you think Olive oil would work as well?

Nope, you didnt miss anything! Chunks work fine as well, but trying to cut to an exact measurement isnt always easy. If I need exactly 8 ounces, and each breast is between 10 ounces and 13 ounces... there is going to be a lot of cutting. Grinding just makes it easier to weigh out and do a whole 1-2 months ahead of time. This way I can just thaw and serve... which works out REALLY well when i am only half awake in the mornings!...lol Thank you for the question!

What HP is your grinder?

I should have included cats... I keep saying this over and over....lol I was nervous, so I forgot to keep including cats! I LOVE hearing about people taking the time. I prefer raw foods... but ANY food, especially that takes effort to prepare on your part, made at home is WAY WAY better than poisoned commercial foods! Good job! Thank you!!!!!

I bet there's never a dull moment in your house. lol.

What grinder did u buy?

Angeline! Thank you for watching! Tripe can be used instead... but be prepared, the time you save will be made up for by the scent of the tripe...lol Veggies should only be given if they are pulverized, or you are okay with the cellulose passing right through them undigested. You can go without the cubes though... some raw diet people never feed veggies. It depends on you! Hope that helps a bit in less than 500 characters! thanks again!

Geat episode. I changed one dog's [then 3, down to 2 now] to prolong his life with 'my variation' of a BARF diet. Your presentation was not only informative but 'funny' qt times. Question: What meat grander brand do you have--it sure beats hand grinding! Glad you love your dogs enough to be a preparer of a BARF/RAW diet. Love to see more of dog diet videos in the future showing, or telling, about your variations.

Sir, you're wrong. So wrong. MY pee pee dance is the best. THE BEST

Great video, I really enjoyed this;) My wife and I have started to feed our 4 legged kids homemade food as well.

Bruce! Thank you so much for the comment!I hope you got your pooch and that with some practice you have found it clean and easy too! I have a second episode coming for dog food that should make things even easier too! Should be up in a month or two! Thank you for watching!

If you dont mind me asking what kind of puppy did you get

Great video very informative. Your dogs are very lucky. Just switched my cat to raw food abd he loves it

Where did you get the big plastic tubs you made the raw in?

Hey Bulldog! Thanks for the question! This will be different for your dogs, but I have a 100lb Rottie female that is about 6 years old (she was a rescue so no idea on age) She is not very active, and she gets 11-12 oz per meal, twice per day. We have a 1 year old male at 110lbs who gets 20-22oz per meal 2X per day, but he is far more active (puppies)...lol Your dogs will differ, but send me an email from the site & I am happy to help you, limited characters here so I cant say what I need to!

This was a great video...you are very informative in a fun way. I only have one question. I thought chicken bones are a no no for poochies cuz they splinter? I may just be ignorant on that but just askin. I have a French Bulldog and they have issues. Lol all that store bought food is so bad. I want my poochie around for as long as I can, and as healthy as I can have him. His name is "Angus" after Angus Young from ACDC. Keep up the cool videos! Thanks!

Hey Bernado!!! Glad you figured that out!!! It is strange that premium dog food costs more than whole meats now... man alive! So glad you are going to do this! Email me updates please! Also any questions. I dont get to email often, but I would love to get updates (from all off you not just Bernardo). Good show, and thank you again!

Great info. Thanks for taking the trouble. Would it be as well to mix the veggie stuff into the meat rather than freeze it separately?

Awesome video.. Ty for sharin..

Damn that's good

I will do the switch over... as I am always learning as well... will it help with the bowel movement the same way the claims state for the flax-seed oil?

That is a "Mutt" accent!...lol That is New England, mixed with a bit of NY they tell me. Thank you so much for the compliment! Thank you as well for watching!

Loved your loving and caring "work" for that ultimate friend! Haven't been around feeding her raw meat just yet but have always cooked dinner for both of us with fresh meats. Your "fruitcubes" were exactly what I was searching for, THANK YOU! First time dog owner (found her 2 months old) I never believed in the commercial pet foods, done my research & have proven myself right & my ex"bitch" wrong! Will see about the raw meat for I'm worried about raw chicken. Respectfully from Greece.

hello, i just started investigating into making my own dog food and i was wondering, how much per month would you say you spent for all of the food for your dog? thanks

This can work with those really lean meats as well. Your alternative to veggie cubes would be tripe. Now, I go through all the extra expense and work to not have to use tripe...lol I just do not like working with it and my family hates when i do it as well... but it can be added instead of the veggies/yogurt. Venison can be gotten really easily and cheaply from hunters in the fall (at least here) Bones and all... just need BIG freezers so you can get a year's supply!

Lynda! Thank you! As I said earlier... I should have mentioned cats too as I could have had it for them as well... but I was a bit nervous doing this as it is something that can bring a lot of yelling and hate from people that do not agree... so I was trying to stay simple... but I was nervous...lol Thank you again!

never enough room to do a reply, lol as I was saying we should b eating the same way, the raw food diet when I eat that way im not bad and doing all the research I did I found out that animals get the same problems we do when eating the gmo processed food and that when the animals got off the bad food they also got better, im glad u posted the video, coz im telling my wife the same things u said about our dogs living longer. and how r ur dogs teeth?i herd it takes care of bad teeth, have fun!!!

Awe shucks ma'am... I'm blushing... I actually just feel old!...lol I do get a lot of comments stating about how it is a lot of work. I am just so used to doing this every couple of months, that it does not seem that way to me... HOWEVER! I have put together a technique that is MUCH quicker and closer to the bone/meat ratio needed... I do understand not everyone has the time to do things my way!...lol I will show this in my next dog food show! THANK YOU so much for the comment & compliment!

I know in some countries (the UK for instance) the butchers sell pork ribs (the whole ribcage) for very little money. I was shocked given how much it costs in the US. Any kind of meat that may be considered not "desirable" in a certain country might be considered really great food in another. You may be able to find one that will sell you beef/pork meat at a nice discount... keep looking! I will be doing a follow up show to this one for season two! Keep up the great work! Keep me posted too!

We rescued a Rottweiler puppy that was born in rescue! We usually go for the older dogs, but it had been almost 18-20 years since we had a puppy, so we needed one again. The wonderful girls at Mountain Rottie Rescue sent us Vader... We could have had a puppy a year earlier from "4 the Love of Dog" but we ended up rescuing the mom dog instead (Maxine)... cuz we are a sucker for the older ones...lol

Hey, thanks for encouraging a raw diet, hopefully dog owners will realize that a species appropriate diet will give their companions the best chance to fight off environmental and genetic challenges. I recently learned in my 'small animal nutrition' course work that flax seed oil is not processed by dogs as it is in the human digestive system; maybe save you a few cents in your ingredients! It looks great, very similar to our own; 3 years in the making. Thanks for getting the word out!

Just to make it easier to weigh out for meals and freeze in serving sizes. Otherwise, I only really do it if I need to grind bone for older dogs. Thanks for watching!

There are a few out there. I live out in the woods and we have never run into fleas... so I do not really bother with that... and I usually handle the ticks by treating the yard and keeping the grass real short. As I have a huge yard, they cant get across it without drying out. I will look into this though!

great video! educational and entertaining.

What kind of grinder are you using? I've been trying to find one that does bones.