Prey Model Diet – concerns

Just to carry the subject on from the other thread, but in a different direction. I have my concerns, and I would like confirmation (facts not feelings) about why you do what you do?

So far I have the following concerns:
- To get all the minerals in the diet (because veg is missing) prey modelers are giving liver instead – containing too much vit A (retinol) and lots of toxins as it is the bodies filter - more than a couple times a week can be very very bad
- The model is based on a wild wolf diet, however I have major concerns with this
1. Wolves do not eat every day
2. When they do eat, they eat their full, and then lounge about for a couple days.
3. We don’t actually know what supplements they themselves take – prob. mud/berries/bark (I will remind you that certain parrots when in captivity, before it was known that they ate clay, had a high mortality rate as they were denied this mineral rich substance)

hmmm, lot's of people viewing, but no one attempting an answer, should I take it personally?!

hehehe.. just found this thread... give me a sec and ill try and find something that may be relevant.. if i can locate it!!!

I only feed a small amount of liver once a week, I have never found any 'prey model' site or book that recommends any more than that.

There are indeed some prey model feeders who allow their dogs to gorge feed, as in eat as much as they want and then not again until they are hungry. Thats controversial though and very much dependent on the dog, some would no doubt eat and eat and eat, others can self regulate'. I don't do this.

Honestly- I feed the type of raw diet that suits my dogs and I'm not afraid to tweak things here and there in order for it to suit a particular dog, they all have different needs.

The idea of 'prey model' is nothing more than a term to try to get people to think about a whole prey and what ratio of things there would be in it. For example- how much meat to bone, organ meat to muscle meat etc etc etc.

It is, when you think about it quite useful to imagine lets say a whole rabbit and what quantities of different foods would be in it and use that as a starting point to what to feed your dog.

My dogs eat,

Raw muscle meat, raw meaty (consumable not recreational) bones, raw organ meat, raw green tripe, raw eggs and live yogurt. They do absolutely fantastically on this diet, better than ever, my older two's health dramatically improved from the switch and my youngest 2 dogs have/are being raised on it with incredible success.

hi jess.. found something, not as relevant as the study i can't find.. but still.. its called "Foraging and Feeding Ecology of the Grey Wolf (Canis Lupis)". It does mention their kill-feeding methods and feeding patterns, but it doesn't go into depth about supplements... you may have already seen it.. but i can try and send it somehow if you like!

The point of the prey model diet is that it mimics the percentages found in prey that dogs would naturally hunt in the wild. Taking into the wide range of prey that dogs would hunt these preportions are roughly as follows:
80% meat
10% edible bone
10% organs

Of that 10% organ around half is usually liver. So in general terms, roughly 5% of the diet. I don't think this is a huge amount, perhaps others will disagree?

I've never heard a preymodel feeder advocate feeding lots and lots of liver.

There are some feeders that go the gorge/fast route. I generally feed mine once a day. But if I want to give them a large piece to work on I reduce the feeds the day before and the day after. Also restricing exercise after the big feed. Personally I don't really go in for the gorge/fast option.

There is a Yahoo group called rawfeeders that are all prey model feeders; Lots of experianced people on there that can help answer any queries.

Yup send it over, if you have problems pm me and I will give you my 'proper' email address.

Would you guys ever consider having bloodwork done to see if everything is alright underneath? This is something I have considered myself recently. Might be interesting to compare the results every 6 months or so....

I have never considered having bloodwork done to check things. I know my animals and they are a hell of alot healthier than when they were on kibble. Energy levels (without complete hyper mayhem tha Archie used to be when he first came to me) are good, and their condition is fantastic. I'm always getting compliments on their coats etc when out walking.

All raw feeders, whatever method, know their dogs are better off. Perhaps it should be those feeding kibble getting the blood works done to test how healthy their dogs are?

How dare you, it's sentences like this that really annoy me about raw feeders you really think you are superior to those that chose to feed kibble, my dogs have NEVER been ill on kibble and you really must remember that DOMESTIC dogs do not have 'prey' they have been given their food by humans for thousands of years.
Maybe it's about time raw feeders stopped thinking of their dogs at wolves, because quite simply they aren't.
I don't need to separate my dogs to feed them, I don't need to fast them, I don't need to restrict their exercise. What better life for a dog, being warm, happy, well fed and properly exercised.
Becky

Ermmmmmmm, nor do I. I don't do any of those things.

My dogs are warm, happy, well fed and properly exercised. I have never claimed that raw feeding is superior to feeding kibble, or that every dog does better on raw. What I do know is that my dogs do better on raw, quite simply because I can see that they do with my own eyes.

I am well aware that some raw feeders can have a 'holier than thou' attitude but don't tar us all with the same brush. Some of us raw feed simply because our dogs enjoy it and do incredibly well on it.