Rotating Proteins

J

JoyB

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3 cockers
I feed my 3 a grain free kibble. I have been rotating proteins within the same brand, but have had a few people tell me it is not a good idea. I would love to hear input from this forum about rotating proteins:paws::paws:
 
I homecook. I do alternate between ground beef and chicken.
 
I try to alternate proteins as well. My crew seems to get bored (although not lately with Polly Stew) with one same protein. As long as yours don't have any particular protein allergy, I would think it was fine.
 
I also rotate food. I have 2 or 3 bags at a time that are 15 lbs and they get something different every meal usually. I make Polly's stew also about once a month and they get that until it's gone. They really like the stew!
 
I don't rotate. Farley has a tricky tummy and he doesn't do well if his food is changed. They seem more than happy with eating the same food.
 
I don't typically rotate but have been thinking about switching either brands or food type. My Belle has a sensitive system so right now she is on Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Duck and Potato but she also eats some of the Taste of the Wild Sierra Mountain formula (Lamb) that the other two get. This seems to be working for her but I would love to get them all on the same food. Thinking of either trying a different TOTW like the Wetlands Formula (fowl) or maybe switching to Fromm brand...just not sure yet.
 
Thanks for your thoughts !! I would like to have the stew recipe , please:paws::paws:
 
Polly gave me the real recipe which I wrote down and put in a safe place...so of course I can't find it. My stew is a variance of hers though and I use an 8 qt slow cooker, put in about 3 lbs of chicken or beef, add lots of veggies ...probably about 2 to 3 pounds, or until the cooker is about full. This last time I used frozen green beans, some dried pinto beans, carrots, and broccoli. Then I fill the cooker with water and cook on low for 10 hours or more if the meat is frozen. I'm pretty sure that some also add oats to the stew but I cook them separate. I've read recipes on a few sites but it was Polly who inspired me to try (thanks again, Polly!) and you can add other ingredients as well or substitute. My next batch will be chicken with tomatoes, squash, carrots. peas and beans. Oh and I forgot I added chicken livers to the last batch as I felt didn't have quite enough chicken. One batch lasts me one full week feeding a 14 pound dog, a 45 pound dog and a 120 pound dog and the cats get some too. Hope this helps.
 
Alternating is a good idea to do. If you have dogs that can tolerate it. I try to add a different protein to their food. Fenway is raw fed, he gets beef but I do add some turkey in there as well. Amelia gets s bison kibble but as soon as do another nutriscan I will switch to raw. I do cook turkey for her. My kitty is raw fed a variety of protein sources.
 
They like it so much Polly that they refuse to go outside when it's near dinner or breakfast time, I guess they think they will miss out, lol!
 
:D As my boys age, I usually up their supplements. Pogs is going on 11 now, so, he does take a joint supplement, it's a capsule, but he will chew it. Since I have had 2 that were diagnosed with renal problems late in their lives, I have started Pogs on a cranberry/de Manos supplement. I can't get him to agree to chew that one LOL I think it's bitter, so I give it to him with a spoon full of stew every morning. Down the hatch it goes!

I think I have mentioned before, I buy all of our supplements from Puritans.com. My boys take a multi, one 1000 mg fish oil on top of what I mentioned above. I buy our supplements there also. Hubby loves dried pineapple as a snack, I get it there also. When needed the boys also take a chewable probiotic, but that we get from The Vitamin Shoppe.
 
Denise said:
Polly gave me the real recipe which I wrote down and put in a safe place...so of course I can't find it. My stew is a variance of hers though and I use an 8 qt slow cooker, put in about 3 lbs of chicken or beef, add lots of veggies ...probably about 2 to 3 pounds, or until the cooker is about full. This last time I used frozen green beans, some dried pinto beans, carrots, and broccoli. Then I fill the cooker with water and cook on low for 10 hours or more if the meat is frozen. I'm pretty sure that some also add oats to the stew but I cook them separate. I've read recipes on a few sites but it was Polly who inspired me to try (thanks again, Polly!) and you can add other ingredients as well or substitute. My next batch will be chicken with tomatoes, squash, carrots. peas and beans. Oh and I forgot I added chicken livers to the last batch as I felt didn't have quite enough chicken. One batch lasts me one full week feeding a 14 pound dog, a 45 pound dog and a 120 pound dog and the cats get some too. Hope this helps.
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Denise, I'm still trying to find the right amount to feed Teddy who is 25-26 lbs (needs to lose a couple) and Chuck who is 75 and is at his optimal weight (75-78. When I make a batch, it seems it only lasts 3 or 4 days at most, so maybe I'm over-feeding. I give Teddy about 1/2 cup twice a day, but Chuck gets 2-3 cups total a day. I go by calories, so it's hard to determine how much I'm giving them.
 
Lori, I agree on knowing (and not knowing) how much to feed and the calories. Since my last post I've had to make some changes. The oats (I'm guessing as they are a grain) blew out ears on my big guy, so no more for him. I've put them back on a mix of kibble and stew but the girls, especially my smallest, have put on a little too much weight so I'm backing them off a bit. Also, the slow cooker I'm using is considerably larger than my regular so that's likely why it's lasting longer. I've noticed that none of them are eating with the gusto they had when we started, even with switching proteins. A friend of mine who feeds raw told me once that variety is key. Sounds great in theory but I'm always cautious with stomach issues. You know, it's harder to feed my dogs than it was 4 boys! :confused:
 
I find it so much easier to cook the grain separate. I make the oatmeal in my largest dutch oven on the stove, and, I make it very firm.. then freeze it in tupperware that lasts my 2 about 2 1/2 days. They get 1/2 C of the oats twice a day. I make the rest of the stew separately. I have made it in the crock pot, but to me it's just as easy to make it on the stove then I freeze it in the same size tupperware they each get 1/4 C as a topper. And I have never had a problem with weight with the stew.. sometimes I see a little weight if we get too generous with the cookies which I also make myself.

Denise maybe your big baby is allergic to oats. I know it's not as bad as wheat. I fight ears with Pogo also his are sensitive. The only protein I use
is ground beef, chicken (I buy leg quarters) and sometimes turkey. I don't do any other proteins. I will add a handful of dried beans that I have soaked first or lentils right from the bag. I use a water base when making the topper, I use at least 2 pounds of meat 1/2 the very large bag of frozen veggies and
the bean protein source, I also chop celery into the mix, it's very good for the dogs. I season with garlic and sometimes italian seasoning sometimes
parsley.. I try to make the seasoning different. Then the frozen I alternate, one time poultry one time beef.
 
Oh and the veggie mix I use will always have carrots in it.. If I use the Italian blend which I like to use for the squash, then I add frozen peas.
 
Our stews sound very close to each other, the only proteins I've used so far are beef and chicken. I think one of the biggest issues is that none of mine are very food motivated...my rescue girl was more so when I first got her almost 2 years ago but she was literally skin and bones then. I've often wondered why they aren't especially food motivated (?) but even the new pup so far is not especially fired up at meal time. In some ways it's nice as there is no food aggression but it can make training frustrating when a high value treat even is often ho hum to them. Maybe with nicer weather I can pump up the exercise and it will make a difference.

My big guy is unfortunately allergic to many things, food and environmental. He actually loved the oatmeal, which was awesome. I had hoped his system would tolerate it but as I had feared, it didn't. Good news is that I tried an at home ear remedy and it cleared right up.
 
I'm hoping for more food motivation from my Cocker and found out this evening that he does like hamburger..yay!! The big guy I have who has the least food motivation is half Lab...I guess he got his tendencies from his other half (Greater Swiss) :-/ lol.
 
No they can't digest raw carrots or corn. But.. they can digest pre frozen then cooked carrots, I always choose a frozen veggie what has carrots in it.
Lori, my topper is watery when it's finished, just like soup. I just make sure that part of the broth goes on top of their cooked oats along with the veggies/meat. It doesn't thicken since there is no thickener in it.
 
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I don't think that Hannah has ever turned her nose up at food, she would eat anything. BUT I am very picky about what she gets, she has been on Orijens for quite now and seems to do well on it. We did swith her to the senior formula a couple of years ago. Since her weight is good I don't see myself changing it much. I do get samples of other foods that are in our range and use them as treats.
 
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