Doggies Dinner: BARF Meat Porridge

Since we started a modified BARF (biologically appropriate raw food) diet for the dogs the entire family is much much happier!  This is how they end their day.

1.5 lbs Raw Beef heart

1.5 lbs raw Beef Kidney

2 lbs raw Beef Liver

10 lbs raw Hamburger (23 – 27% fat)

1/2 C EVOO or Wheat Germ Oil

4 C stabilized rice bran

Loosely chop all meat into 1/2″ pieces.  Place in a baking pan which is quite large.  Add the remaining ingredients mixing well; hands work well to blend this but if you have a big electric mixer that will serve as well.  Bake at 350 F for 1 – 1 1/2 hours.  Cool completely and then package for freezing. NO MICROWAVE DE-FROSTING please!  We don’t nuke people food so we don’t nuke dog food either!  The stabilized rice bran is a great way to help with coat and skin issues as is the olive oil.  The pack LOVE this dinner.  I supplement two or three days a week with “busy” bones; raw beef ribs complete with fat and meat.  This makes about six nights dinner for three large dogs! 1 – 2% of their ideal body weight for in active dogs.  2 – 3% for moderately active and 3 – 4% for active dogs.

Mastiff -x whose ideal weight is 140 lbs gets 2.5 lbs a day so 1.25 lbs am and pm.  He tends toward bloat so his bowl is elevated and is encouraged to eat slowly.

Pit Bull whose ideal weight is 80 lbs gets 2.4 lbs daily so just about the same amount as the mastiff.  Again a dog who tends toward bloat so he’s fed little bits at a time and slowly.

Am. Staff whose Ideal weight is 60 lbs gets 1.8 lbs daily so .9 lbs am and pm.

Chihuahua – 6 lbs ideally so she gets 1/2 c am and pm.

Morning Meatloaf for the Doggies Breakfast!

Okay not only do I cook for the human family I also cook the canine family!  Since we have big dogs (two pits and a mastiff cross) who tend towards bloat, we also have big “methane” issues with traditional dry dog food!  Corn, wheat and dairy have been eliminated and replaced with beef, chicken and organ meats along with raw bones (beef only).   Here is what my doggies get for breakfast every morning 1 lb at a time!

8 lbs chicken thighs, no bones or skin (I save these for making soup!)

2 lbs chicken livers

1 lb frozen spinach (fresh is fine but triple the amount)

2 dozen eggs

8 cups brown Hinode rice

In a large pot make the rice well in advance, allowing to cool.  Grind together the chicken thighs and chicken livers, mix well.  Blend the entire egg (shells too) and add to the meat mixture.  Fold in Rice and spinach.  Pour into a very large lasagna pan and bake at 350F for 1.5 hours.  Turn off oven and allow meat loaf to sit in oven another 30 minutes.  Cool.  Active dogs need 2 – 3 % of their weight a day in food and low energy and older dogs need 1 – 2% of their weight a day in food.  This meatloaf is packaged into 1 lb quart bags for my dogs.  This is Breakfast ONLY.  Dinner is quite different!