Author Topic: Feeding a greyhound  (Read 22021 times)

Offline Greytmom

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Feeding a greyhound
« on: May 07, 2005, 05:32:47 am »
Just wanted to let you know what I have learned about feeding greyhounds. The commerical wet dog food is not good for them. I have been making Jessica and Oz's food since Feb. what I do is take about 2 lbs of chicken legs and thighs, I cook them in a slow cooker on low with enought water to cover the chicken, I add a clove of crushed garlic. You cook in on low for 24 hours. After 24 hours I drain the liquid and you can then you can use a potato  masher to mash the chicken and bones. The bones will crush down with the slightest of pressure. I then cook 2 cups of brown rice and add it to the chicken mixture, I put in a 1 lb bag of thawed frozen mixed veggies, in the U.S. you can add some canned pumpkin (good for loose stool) and add it all together. I sometimes get chicken mince and if I use that I also add a lb of hamburger with it and cook it in the garlic and water for about 3 hours instead of the chicken with the bones. I add this to the dry kibble we give them and they love it. I also give them a few times a month some canned sardines. It is good for the coat.  The food I make for them are all human grade. I get what is on sale and free it until I need to make another batch. This usually cost me about $10 but I get 4 to 6 lbs of food out of this. I feeze all but 1 container of cooked food and this will last me with 2 greyhounds a little over a week. Not bad when I have a growing puppy who is always hungry.  Oz the puppy even loves to have apple, plum, watermelon and nearly any fruit I am eating. The do not seem to like green beans. Don't feed them onions, grapes or rasins they are all not good for dogs.

Hope this might help anyone with a new greyhound.

Toni, Jessica and Oz's mom :)
« Last Edit: May 07, 2005, 05:36:39 am by Greytmom »
Toni

Greyhounds are great

Offline imogen

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Re: Feeding a greyhound
« Reply #1 on: May 10, 2005, 04:54:43 pm »
Hallo!
I just registered and this was the first post I saw.

I was in town yesterday buying pet mince for Gingko and got some really good advice from the man (he'd done a dog feeding course a couple of weeks ago)
He said to keep feeding COOKED veggies in meal but don't cook the meat. Apparently its harder to digest like that. Also, don't add grains. You can add some pasta or rice if you wish to bulk it out a bit but its really of no nutritional value to greyhounds. Then the usual stuff about raw bones etc.
I asked about Gingko's wirey 'kennel coat' for when he wasn't with me and he suggested adding cod liver oil (Gingko loves the taste) for fatty omega 3 and a vitamin suppliment which has the added benefit of settling the nerves a little.
Dunno if this helps.
Any opinions anyone?
Imogen

Offline Dragonflyte

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Re: Feeding a greyhound
« Reply #2 on: May 11, 2005, 11:34:48 am »
I have been fostering greyhounds for nearly 10 years now and have adopted 9.  (Not a bad average, I'd say.)  *VBG*  I've learned a lot about them and their eating habits along the way.

I have to agree with the second poster on this thread.  Raw is better than cooked,(both meat and veggies) but you have to start very slowly with a BARF (Bones and Raw Food) diet.  You can't just jump right in or the dog's digestive systems will take a 180 on you.  Also not only are onions not good for your dog, (can cause anemia when fed long term) but garlic does the same thing.  They are closely related.

Having said that, some racing kennels feed their dogs a mixture of meat and veggies including red onions.  They claim it thins their blood.  I'm not sure it's really worth the risk.

  I have been using Safflower oil on their food, (at the suggestion of my vet) for about 8 years now and I can't extoll it's virtues enough.  Shiney bright coats, no more dandruff ot dull dry itchy skin.  Wonderful stuff.  I use about a TBLSPN once a day on each dogs food.  It even makes the white dogs shiney!
I also add the same amount of yogurt each day.  It helps with digestion and cuts down on gas.  (Don't feed canned food to your GH unless you like sleeping in a seperate part of the house!)

BTW, the canned pumpkin is also good for curbing coprophagia, (stool munching) as is pineapple juice.
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Offline imogen

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Re: Feeding a greyhound
« Reply #3 on: May 11, 2005, 05:39:17 pm »
Phew! I'm glad I'm doing something okay! I am a bit of a newie to this after adopting my first grey about 3 weeks ago. I have been researching and knew not to feed commercial food but had a  bit of conflicting advice. I have been feeding some cooked food but will begin to cut back more now.

you say a little yoghurt will stop the dog farts? Gingko does some whoppers... I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to be able to TASTE them! Ewww!

Imogen

Offline Wildlonewolf

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Re: Feeding a greyhound
« Reply #4 on: July 02, 2005, 06:27:53 am »
With Lucy I feed her Nutra Max. I give her two cups in the morning and two cups at night. I only give her milk bones in between when she's been good for a treat. This is the best schedule for Lucy as I've finally managed to contain the "gas" to a minium, and keep #2 real instead of you know what. Runny! Gross!


Offline Denjen323

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Re: Feeding a greyhound
« Reply #5 on: July 03, 2005, 08:30:00 pm »
I have never ever thought to feed my GH chicken..I would be too nervous of choking on the bones and isn't it read somewhere that bones will splinter in their tummy's? Or am I wrong in reading do you take the bones out or am I being way to parannoid...
By the way THANKS alot for the advice about the yogurt and the oil....I will be buying some at the grocery store tomorrow.
Interesting facts..
Thanks
Jennifer

Offline imogen

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Re: Feeding a greyhound
« Reply #6 on: July 10, 2005, 05:42:49 pm »
I think its just cooked bones that splinter. Never give them cooked ones.

I'm going to have to start cooking Gingko's food again. Last night I gave him some gravy and cooked stew that I had made for my partner (he didn't like it) well... Gingko went crazy after eating it and came in to give me a big snuggle and a lick... he loved it.

Looks like gravy and cooked mince with veggies from now on!

I know its not as 'nutritional' but he is healthy and LOVES cooked food.

SPOILT!

Offline bigdoglover

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Re: Feeding a greyhound
« Reply #7 on: July 11, 2005, 05:48:31 am »
i am so glad i saw this thread and will tell my niece to add safflower oil to her greys food. he has the dry flaky skin and some bad gas. she does give him yogurt but i'm not sure how often so i will pass this on to her. thanks so much

Offline imogen

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Re: Feeding a greyhound
« Reply #8 on: July 11, 2005, 04:39:55 pm »
Gingko used to be a 'farter' and had awful kennel fur and skin.
I was told to give him a spoon of cod liver oil in his evening meal for his skin and coat.
It took about 2 months and I never thought it would happen  but with the oil in his dinner and daily brushing, his coat is coming up all shiny and smooth and he hasn't as much doggy-dandruff!
He seems to like the fishy taste the oil gives to his dinner too.
On occasion (once or twice a week) I stir a RAW egg into his dinner for the same reason.
His farts are also easing up, but he can still manage to let one rip in the car... you could almost taste it! Ewww! I think he isn't farting as much due to a better diet.
I've heard a spoon of plain yoghurt in their meal daily works too but I haven't added it as often as I should, so I can't make a reasonable judgement as to if it works or not.

Offline GreytGirl

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Re: Feeding a greyhound
« Reply #9 on: August 15, 2005, 07:21:47 pm »
We do the plain yogurt thing with Madison, and it really helps with her gas.  It was never BAD... but it had it's moments... uhm... for a really smooth coat, I have one word for you: TUNA.  As in... Chicken of the Sea brand tuna, nothing special, just those little cans.

About once a week Madison (and the cats) get a saucer of tuna (they each get 1/4th of the can, she gets more chunky, the cats like the water the tuna has been in.)  Madison loves the tuna and it's gone in seconds, her coat is AMAZINGLY silky, I've petted softer greyhounds, but none of them have been as silky... that and her skin isn't dry at all.

Just a suggestion... but watch out for those tuna kisses... I'd almost prefer the farts!

Offline Hound

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Re: Feeding a greyhound
« Reply #10 on: August 27, 2005, 06:30:29 pm »
Just a quick bit of info about the veggies.  You will want to grind or mash them so that they get the nutritional value of the veggies.  Dogs lack the enzyme to digest the all the vegetable therefore vegetables will pass in their stool pretty much whole.
Also for gas, we just give an acidophilus tablet once per day.
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Offline Hound

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Re: Feeding a greyhound
« Reply #11 on: August 28, 2005, 09:58:02 pm »
Another good point too!
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