An Alternative to Golden Paste: Raw Turmeric Liver Treats

Are you looking for an alternative to golden paste for your dog? When Neeko became hesitant to eat her golden paste, I brainstormed and came up with a solution that works for us. Her golden paste didn't go to waste, I ate it without hesitating. I'll be sharing *our* recipe for a golden paste that actually tastes good later.

I won't go into the details about how good turmeric is for you, that is very well known, and it is easy to find plenty of documented evidence and studies showing it's benefits. I have written about and have been giving my dogs (particularly the princess) turmeric for a long time now, with various delivery methods. At first I gave it alone, then learned it is better absorbed with a fat. So I would mix it with salmon or coconut oil. I then made a golden paste that actually tastes good (to me, anyways.) Neeko, with her recent struggles, began refusing and eating around the golden paste, so I wanted to come up with an alternative.

Neeko has texture issues, so I decided a frozen treat was in order, as she typically eats stuff frozen that she won't eat thawed - like fish, organs, etc. 

I came up with what might be the most disgusting thing I've made to date.  Raw liver turmeric treats. I used all the same beneficial ingredients of golden paste, and combined them in a form that my dogs love, with the added bonus of raw liver.

Ingredients

1 lb raw liver. I used lamb liver from My Pet Carnivore, but pork, beef, or other liver would work.

1/2 cup organic turmeric powder. It's more cost effective to buy turmeric powder in the supplement aisle, as opposed to the spice aisle.

1/3 cup organic, virgin coconut oil. 

3 tablespoons peppercorns.

Method

I started by cutting the lamb liver into somewhat uniformly sized chunks, 1-2 inches in either direction. It's a pretty disgusting task, so I highly recommend these poultry shears I recently raved about on Facebook.

Toss them into a food processor. I'm a huge fan of my (older model) KitchenAid mini processor. Add in the coconut oil, turmeric, and whole peppercorns. The processor action will grind the peppercorns.

Pulse until well combined and of a smooth consistency. You may have to use a rubber scraper to scrape the sides a time or two. (There's a funny story about me offering the scraper to Bruce to lick. I didn't think that one through. He jerked it away from me and took off with it.) WARNING - turmeric stains. It stained the plastic housing of my processor blade. It still works fine, is just now a lovely yellow shade instead of white.

Divide mixture evenly into a freezer-safe silicone mold/tray. These are the molds I have. It helps to place the mold on a baking sheet BEFORE attempting to add the product.

Depending on the size of your molds, the treats may need to split the treats in half or quarters after freezing. My molds gave us 16 treats (with a small amount of leftover slurry) using the ingredients above.

They are not necessarily the prettiest treats.

Each of (our) treats contains:
1 oz lamb liver
1 tbsp turmeric
1 tsp coconut oil
almost 1/2 tsp black pepper.

The dogs all eat them willingly, which makes me happy.

Do you offer your dogs turmeric?

Rewarding Behaviors with #StellaandChewys

It's no secret that I am a fan of Stella & Chewy's raw food. My dogs are as well. While I haven't personally tasted it, it's apparently delicious.

So much so that my dogs are willing to work for it.

Stella & Chewy's freeze-dried raw makes a great reward or training treat!

I admit, I regularly bribe my dogs for good or desired behaviors, or for doing "tricks" that I want them to do. They typically comply, but the reward has to be worth it in their opinions at times. Stella & Chewy's is nearly always worth it to them.

My Rotten Dogs are Stella & Chewy's ambassadors. We are compensated to help spread the word about Stella & Chewy's, but all thoughts and opinions are our own. 

I am not a trainer, nor do I claim or desire to be one. But my dogs all know several behaviors and/or tricks, and I encouraged them to learn them with tasty goodies.

I haven't taught any new tricks or behaviors recently, with the exception of teaching Faolan to "crawl." However, we still do regular sessions of their known tricks and behaviors, to keep them sharp.

When I do these outdoors, there are distractions. My chickens, other birds and critters, each other my neighbors tractor, lawnmower, golfcart, etc. So have to have something very high value to keep their attention.

Stella & Chewy's is just that to them-high value.



Notice how intently (for the most part) are paying attention to me? I believe it's because of the pieces of Stella & Chewy's I was holding. Faolan in particular wanted MY attention and the treats, and was being pretty demanding (but still cute) by barking at me.

It's quite easy to use the food as treats. Though it is freeze-dried, it is not super crumbly. The patties easily break into smaller pieces to be used as treats.

My dogs definitely go nuts for these, and are willing to work. I need to put my thinking cap on, and come up with new tricks and behaviors to teach them using these as a reward.

Do you have any trick suggestions for me?



This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Stella & Chewy's. The opinions and text are all mine.

For Healthier Pets Make a #RawFeedingResolution in 2017

I have been feeding Neeko and Bruce a full raw diet for nearly six years, and Faolan has been fed exclusively raw from the moment I adopted him 4.5 years ago.

Neeko was about a year old, and Bruce 1.5 years old when I first made the transition to a raw diet for them. Faolan was about nine months old when I adopted him.

My Rotten Dogs is a brand ambassador for Stella & Chewy's. We only share information we feel is relevant to our readers.

My initial raw feeding resolution many years ago came about because of a variety of reasons. I wanted to offer my dogs the best life possible. Neeko had chronic GI issues as a puppy and young dog, unrelieved by the most expensive and desired kibbles. Bruce had bald ears and was gangly. I took the plunge, and switched my dogs to a mostly homemade raw diet, and haven't looked back or had regrets since.

Everyone, and every dog has different experiences with raw feeding. The changes I initially witnessed astounded me. Neeko, who regularly had unexplained diarrhea and couldn't keep weight, developed a healthy, iron gut, able to tolerate any food offered to her. Bruce's ears filled with fur, and he put on some needed muscle. Faolan's thin, stiff, poor coat became soft, thick, and lustrous.

Neeko has bright eyes, a lovely coat, and a solid, healthy gut.

The things I witness every day keep me feeding raw. My dogs are all healthy weights, with good, balanced energy. They don't stink. They don't shed as much. Faolan and Bruce haven't had baths in over four years. My dogs each see the vet exactly once a year, for a wellness visit. No illnesses or unexpected vet visits. Their teeth are clean and their breath doesn't have a smell at all.

Clean teeth, no doggy breath, and well-furred ears.

I feed a mostly homemade raw diet, but I love the convenience and ease of Stella & Chewy's freeze dried raw. It makes the perfect breakfast for my crew, who are fed twice daily. They are complete/balanced meals, so I don't have to worry about my meat/bone/organ ratios being correct when I feed them. Plus my dogs love the taste, and I love being able to offer them variety in their diet.

I have recently made the resolution to incorporate more raw into my cats' diets. Cats are obligate carnivores, meaning they require meat protein in order to survive. My cats are picky beasts, but are loving their Stella & Chewy's.

I always encourage others to feed raw, even as a supplement to a kibble-based diet.

Stella and Chewy's wants you to make a raw feeding resolution in 2017 for your pets! They are encouraging all to try raw or incorporate more raw into their pets' diets. Follow @stellaandchewys on Instagram for a chance to win a free bag of their food.   For raw feeders share what you love most about feeding raw and encourage others to give raw a try. For those who’ve yet to try raw, share what has you most interested in giving raw a try or what your questions/concerns are. Be sure to include #RawFeedingResolution and #StellaAndChewys in your post. They will select posts from both groups of pet owners to receive a bag of their food. Contest ends on January 31, 2017.

If you feed any raw, what benefits are most important to you? If you haven't tried raw but are interested, what are your concerns?

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Stella & Chewy's. The opinions and text are all mine.

Protein Allergies are No Problem with Stella & Chewy's

Did you know that beef and chicken are among the top food allergies for dogs?

Whether one feeds kibble, raw, homemade, or a combination of the three, avoiding chicken and beef can be difficult.

Stella & Chewy's offers a variety of dinners that do not contain chicken or beef, and many of them are single source protein.

Clean Teeth are a Benefit of a Raw Diet

February is National Pet Dental Health Month.  One of the benefits of feeding raw is the improvement or maintenance of a dog's oral health.  My dogs all have clean teeth and healthy gums, thanks in part to their diet.  Another big perk - their breath has no smell at all.  No doggy breath here!!

I wrote recently about some of the best cuts of meat for dental health benefits.

I admire those who brush their dog's teeth daily, and if my dogs ever needed it, I would definitely attempt it. 

Faolan is nearly 4.5 years old.  He has been raw fed since the week I adopted him at approximately 9 months of age.

Bruce is nearly 6.5 years old.  I have never seen a 6 year old dog with teeth like his.

Neeko will be 6 in a couple of weeks.  I love the lack of tarter on her teeth.  Both she and Bruce have been raw fed for about 4.5 years.

The Best Raw Meats for Cleaning Your Dog's Teeth

February is National Pet Dental Health Month.  I am fortunate that my dogs all have excellent dental health, without any intervention from me, other than feeding a raw diet.

One of the most widely-touted benefits of feeding a raw diet is improving or maintaining a dog's dental health.  In my opinion, any form of a raw diet is better for a dog's dental health than kibble, but some meat items are renowned for their teeth cleaning abilities.

Photo via Flickr creative commons.

Many people, even those that don't feed raw, know to give a dog a bone to clean it's teeth.  Large, weight-bearing bones are not considered edible, and not appropriate for all dogs, including my dogs.  My dogs, and others, might try to eat these bones, resulting in tooth injury, and sharp shards of bone that can potentially injure the mouth or digestive tract.

However, many bones are considered "soft" and edible.  Most of these are ideal for teeth cleaning.  I do not believe in offering any "naked" bones.  Bones should be surrounded by meat if a dog is going to consume them.

Many boneless cuts of meat are great at improving or maintaining a dog's dental health. 

The ideal cut of meat (bone-in or boneless) for cleaning a dog's teeth is thick and requires multiple chomps or gnawing to get it down to a size that a dog can swallow it.

If you're interested in photos of raw meals for dogs, click HERE.

Meats that Clean a Dog's Teeth

Large chicken leg quarters.  These are a staple in my dogs diet.  The quarters I feed are large, typically weighing 16-24 ounces.  They require multiple chomps, and the shearing force against the teeth keeps them clean.  Duck quarters can also be effective.

Pork butt or shoulder with skin.  Raw pork skin is an awesome toothbrush for dogs.  It is tough, and attached to a thick chunk of meat that the dog must also work to get through.  Some raw feeders refer to pork skin as "nature's toothbrush."

Turkey necks.  Or duck or chicken necks, depending on the size of the dog.  Turkey necks are full of soft, edible bone and cartilage, and with each bite or chomp, this bone and cartilage scrapes the teeth, cleaning them or keeping them clean.

Beef tongue.  Beef tongue is large, thick, and tough. Three necessary components for a good teeth cleaning meat. It can be cut into smaller portions. My advice is to use a serrated knife to do this.

Pork, venison, goat, or lamb ribs.  Ribs should be fed in at least two to three bone slabs, with the meat on them.  Some dogs cannot safely consume ribs.  If the dog is a smart eater, and will not try to consume ribs that are too hard/large for them, they still make good teeth cleaners, as the dog will have to work to get the meat off of and from in between the bones.

Chicken and duck feet.  While these can be given to large dogs, they offer more dental benefits for smaller dogs.

Any large, thick cut of meat.  Feeding a large cut of meat partially frozen, even if it is a tender meat, can increase it's dental health benefits. Examples include beef hearts, beef roasts, pork loin, pork roast, turkey breast, venison hams.

Tripe.  Some feel that feeding tripe, even ground tripe, is good for a dog's teeth due to it's acidity.  Even though I am a huge fan of feeding tripe to dogs, I am still somewhat skeptical of this claim.

This is far from a conclusive list of raw meats that are good for a dog's teeth and dental health.  These are just some that I regularly or semi-regularly feed my dogs.  If you have any others to add to the list, please let me know in the comments!

Do you ever "throw your dog a bone" for their dental health?

Raw-Fed Dog Poop. What's "Normal?"

I have a confession to make.

I am a reformed member of the "Poop Police."

I used to obsess over the quality and quantity of my dogs' poops.  Part of it stemmed from the multitude of GI issues that Neeko had as a puppy, and some of it was because I was not a confident raw feeder, and was worried that I was constantly doing something wrong with my dogs' diet.

Kibble-fed dogs typically have poops that are the same size and consistency, because they eat the exact same thing, day in and day out.  Most raw fed dogs are offered a variety of foods, and their poops will reflect this.

I no longer obsess over dog poop.

In fact, I don't even regularly check it.  I notice it when scooping, and can usually tell which meal caused that poop.

ONE liquid poop is NOT diarrhea.  A mushy poop is not a problem.  (unless it's in the house...)  A one time gelatinous poop is not cause for concern.  The GI tract produces mucus if something irritates it, like a twig.  I'm looking at you, Bruce.

Raw-fed dogs can have black, brown, tan, grey, and white poops, along with every color in between. They are all "normal" except bright red blood red poop.  They can be hard, firm, soft, mushy or liquid.  Just like humans.

In the beginning...

Raw feeding is kind of scary.  Most groups "teach" people to be weary of digestive upset and explosive poops when transitioning a dog to a raw diet from a kibble-based diet.  This creates diligent members of the "Poop Police."  This is not necessarily a bad thing, as some dogs do have some GI issues during the initial transition phase.  All dogs are different.

I have read of raw fed dogs who have explosive diarrhea if they eat a single bite of kibble.  Raw feeding has made my dogs have incredibly healthy guts that can tolerate anything.  Faolan ate over a pound of grain-free cat kibble last week, without a single ill effect.

Bottom line.

Variation in poop color and consistency is perfectly normal and to be expected, unless the dog is eating the exact same thing, day in and day out.  Unless a dog cannot control their bowel movements, has several liquid stools, or is passing bright red blood, try not to over think or over-complicate things.

WARNING-poop pictures after the break!

Recent Raw Meals and Prep

Duck necks, beef heart, lamb liver.



Beef heart.



Some cut of beef steak.



Ribeyes, I believe.



More beef heart.



Pork chops.



Chicken leg quarter, beef liver.



Turkey breast chunks.



Pork hearts, venison steak, lamb spleen.



Pork shoulder chunks.



Chicken thighs, lamb liver, bone broth cube.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone