Creston Valley's R-T-C-SG

So what exactly is R-T-C-SG? Well that's the abbreviation that Simon from Creston Valley Meats uses on one of his new mixed Raw Dog Foods that he offers. It stands for Rabbit, Tripe, Chicken, and Stomach Grass. He started getting an abundance of rabbits and wanted to lower the cost with rabbit mixes for his raw feeding customers so had sent out an e-mail asking us what we would like to see it mixed with. He usually sells whole rabbits for a little bit under $2.00/lb and cleaned rabbit in patty form for about $4.00/lb. He made the mixture so that it would be easy on our pockets.

Not only was the price for R-T-C-SG a selling point for me, which was $1.65/lb, but it was also the fact that they came in patty form! Each patty is around 5 oz, and well if things are in patty form it makes portioning the food for the day much easier! I have gotten stuff from Creston in the past where it was just in a gallon zip lock bag and I had to just estimate how much each scoop was that I was taking out of the bag. It was also a lot messier in a regular zip lock bag. The convenience of the patty form definitely sealed the deal for me.

R-T-C-SG comes with four patties per pack, and about 9 packs per box. For Mika this would last her about 6.5 weeks. However, she doesn't get this everyday. Although not listed there is a big of organ mix in there, I only recognize it because I've gotten the organ mix before and there are parts of livers and kidneys in there very visible, especially since it is full rabbit and chicken mixed in. The organ content in R-T-C-SG is a bit too much for Mika to be eating this everyday, so that's why she gets once a week and it's usually following or will be followed up with a bone-in meal.

While everything raw has bit of an odor to it, I like this mixture better. It does have tripe in it which is awesome for the dogs, and it doesn't have the disgusting smell that tripe gives off on it's own. I'm not going to say that this smells good, because heck, what raw food smells good? But the smell is tolerable compared to tripe! Hopefully we will see these back up on Creston Valley to make another purchase. Mika loved it, and I'm sure Kyuubi will love it too when he's put on a 100% raw diet.

Posing like a good Shiba in front of her food

Finally, able to chow down~

Ostrich Tail

I finally opened the box of ostrich tails that I purchased from Creston Valley Meats. The tails are in a big ziplock bag with about 7 pieces of ostrich tail in it. Right when I opened the bag the pups came running into the kitchen sniffing out the new raw item on their menu. Needless to say they were excited and trying to jump all over me trying to figure out what I'm attempting to take out of the bag. I carefully took one out, probably with a look of disgust on my face, something about tails didn't sit right with me, but I knew the ostrich tail would make a great RMB for the pups. Sucked it up and put it on the cutting board to snap a picture of the pup's treat that evening. I mean, how often do dogs get to eat an ostrich tail? The first piece I grabbed is one of the smaller pieces in the bag. It is about 1 1/2 inches in width (at the widest part of the tail) and about 4 inches in length. A pretty decent size and definitely not a choking hazard. Even though I have been feeding raw for quite some time now, each time I give them something new I am a bit cautious, especially when it is a bone item. I wan to make sure they are able to gnaw and chew on the bone without hurting themselves. I usually do not have a problem with Mika since she chews her food and doesn't swallow or gulp down her food (unless she gets a boneless meal). Kyuubi, on the other hand, will try to swallow things sometimes so I have to be careful with him. I was glad the pieces were big enough that I did not have to worry so much about him trying to gulp the entire tail.

First pup to try the ostrich tail was Kyuubi. I laid their raw towel out on the patio and put the ostrich tail down on it. He immediately jumped onto the towel and sniffed out the ostrich tail. A few licks and then he started to try to chew the meat off the bone. He doesn't like using his paws so it was a bit difficult for him to rip the meat off the bone. He slowly started to chew the bone with the meat attached. He was happy when I came up and held the ostrich tail for him to chew on. He had the most satisfied look on his face while crunching away at the tail. He got a good chunk of the bone off and so I rotated the tail to a meatier side so he could get some of the meat. He ripped off pieces of the meat with his teeth and it helped a little since I was tugging on it a bit when he was getting a grip on the meat. Since this was a new item I did not let him eat very much of it. I wanted to make sure he would digest the tail perfectly fine before feeding him an entire tail as a bone-in meal. He did just fine with the ostrich tail and will probably get it later on this week as an evening meal. The tail is quite boney and I would most need to give him an organ meal in the morning before hand.

Now it's Mika's turn. I figured she would do just fine with the ostrich tail since she's been on a raw diet for almost a year now. She does what she usually does when she gets a RMB. She sits excitedly waiting for me to put it down for her. After putting it down and giving her the "ok" to go for it, she slowly walks up to it, sniffing the ostrich tail. Slowly, she starts to lick it, trying to figure out if she really wants to snack on it. She also doesn't like to use her paws on RMBs so after a while I come save the day again and hold the ostrich tail for her. She immediately opens her mouth and gets the tail in between her molars. She knows exactly what to do when wanting and needing to crunch up bone pieces. I felt more comfortable with her eating the tail than I did when Kyuubi was eating it. She chews the bones thoroughly before swallowing it. Mika has always been good about eating bones and has never thrown up any of the RMBs she's eaten. After a while I remove the ostrich tail and put it back into it's ziplock bag with the other tails. Unfortunately, Mika scared me a bit after eating the ostrich tail. She was hacking a bit 30 minutes after eating some of it. This is the first time she has showed signs of wanting and needing to throw up after having something bone-in.

Kyuubi's rating of the ostrich tail? Best RMB he's had to date! He is tired of the boring chicken cuts and the pork neck.

 Mika's rating of the ostrich tail? Loved it, but probably won't be having it very often. I will try it again with her to see if she can handle it better than she did the other night.



As for me, I will probably purchase ostrich tails again when I run out. Kyuubi did very well with them. It's also another protein that they get that is different from the normal cuts that I can easily get at the supermarket. Oh, another plus? It's only $.60/lb. Yeah, I'll definitely be getting these again in the future!

Beef Trim

One protein Mika is on quite frequently is beef. She's had beef shanks and ground beef. Lately, her beef has been the beef trim offered by Creston Valley Meats. Beef trim varies between different suppliers and butchers. I am very pleased with the beef trim I have received from Simon. Mika also adores the beef trim. Kyuubi will be getting some in the next few weeks. I will be adding bits of beef trim to his meals to get him used to a different protein. He's been eating chicken for the past few weeks and I think he's ready to add in another protein.

This box had 3 bags of beef trim

The beef trim comes in boxes ranging from 10 - 20 lbs. The beef trim that I get from Simon is very lean, sometimes having tendons attached to it and has the silver skin covering of muscles. The beef trim is from spare parts after aging the beef for human consumption. The rest that are not approved for human consumption is put together for pets. Since the beef is aged, when thawed it doesn't give off much water content. What I love most about the beef trim is that it has already been cut up, which make it very easy to portion and pull apart when thawed. The only con I have experienced so far with the beef trim is that it does give off an odd odor, possibly because it was aged.

Overall, I am very happy with the beef trim from Simon and will continue to purchase it from him. It is probably one of my favorite products I have gotten from him.

Isn't messy compared to other products

Creston Valley Meats

Finally getting a freezer chest has allowed me to have the luxury of buying in bulk from Creston Valley Meats. I got word about Simon and his processing plant through the Dogster - Raw Food Diet forum. I asked where people were getting their meats from in the OC area and one member responded with a few places and one being Creston Valley.

Simon makes biweekly trips in CA. One week to Northern California and the other to Southern California. He has various stops throughout CA, so we place our orders and let him know which drop off location we would like to pick up at. Simon also uses twitter to tweet his locations so people who are waiting for him know exactly which current drop off location he is heading to and the estimated arrival time to said destination. He also has someone helping him who calls all the clients to let them know they will be at their said drop off location at said time. He has a $5.00 flat rate charge for delivery to said location. It doesn't matter how much you buy, the delivery/shipping charges is always $5.00, therefore buying in bulk would be ideal. Before having the freezer chest I didn't want to make any purchases because it just wasn't worth it to me if I couldn't get what I wanted or be able to fit it in the freezer. Every order made is at least 10 lbs and I just did not have the room to fit 10 lbs worth of meat at a time. So going to the grocery store weekly and sometimes even a few times a week was normal until I finally got the freezer chest.

The first time I looked at Simon's site I was heaven! I envied all the people who were able to feed their dogs more than just the regular cuts that anyone can get from the grocery store. The different organs offered that I couldn't find at the local market, great prices, and most of all the green tripe made Simon my main supplier for dog food. Of course I have to try to stomach the smell of a lot of these products because it is for pet consumption, not human consumption, so the smell can be a bit overwhelming and hard to handle than the smell of regular raw meat. Plus, tripe isn't supposed to smell good anyway!

If you currently live in CA and do raw feed your dog(s), you should definitely consider using Simon as a supplier, he has great prices and has different meats and organs just for your furry friend. Believe me, Kyuubi and Mika are in love with the variety they are able to get and plus I don't end up breaking my bank raw feeding two dogs.

Why RAW Feeding is SAFE by Olivia Hudson

My mom was given The OC Dog newspaper to read and there was an article by Olivia Hudson, the President/CEO of OC Raw Dog, on why feeding raw is absolutely safe! I actually got to meet Olivia, she is a very nice lady and she also gave me some free frozen pumpkin to eat that she had just made and packaged! Here is her article that she wrote on why raw feeding is safe. I hope this article will help inform the pawrents of my other doggie friends.

Why RAW feeding is SAFE

I manufacture a raw pet food and have been feeding raw to my 18 dogs for over 6 years.  I have made it my personal mission to educate people about the benefits of raw feeding.  When I go to dog events or speak to people about the food, I am consistently asked the same general questions.  How is feeding raw safe?  What about raw meat and bacteria like salmonella?  Is it dangerous to feed my dog bones?  Why can't I just feed them raw chicken?  Here are my answers:

Raw feeding is a philosophy which is based on what wild dogs, coyotes, wolves, lions, panthers, etc. would eat in the wild.  There are some people who follow a "like the wild prey model" of feeding using a large variety of different protein sources like beef, pork, deer, fish, and chicken to feed their animals.  This hunting philosophy may be easy to visualize with a coyote, wolf, large German shepherd or Rottweiler but may not be as easy with  Pomeranian or Chihuahua.  Regardless of size, on the inside they are all the same. Same type of teeth, esophagus, stomach, and intestines.  They are all built to eat raw.

The number one question I am asked is "what about Salmonella?"  The bacteria we are inundated with as the source of countless recalls.  The first line of defense against salmonella is biologically inherent in all dogs and cats- The Stomach.  When a dog starts to eat, the pancreas releases a chemical in the stomach to lower the pH balance of the stomach which breaks down the food.  When a dog ingests food, the pH of the stomach plummets to a level between 1 and 2.  At a pH level of 2, salmonella bacteria cannot survive.  When the dogs pH level reaches 1, the dog's stomach roughly equals a 0.4% solution of hydrochloric acid, an acid so corrosive it would burn holes in your skin.  People on the other hand cannot tolerate salmonella because our pH level never goes below 5. This is why we cannot eat raw meat and need to take precautions like cooking to kill the bacteria.

The second line of defense against the bacteria found in raw food is - The Intestinal Tract.  The average length of the intestinal tract in a dog is a meager 16-36 inches compared to an average person's intestinal tract which can measure up to 30 feet in length.  On average it takes a person 24-48 hours to digest their meals.  Allowing whatever bacteria present to fester and multiply.  A dog can completely digest its raw food in under 8 hours - a time frame which does not allow the salmonella bacteria to grow. FYI, a commerical kibble can be digested between 12-18 hours but has known to take up to 24 hours.

The concern regarding salmonella is not on behalf of the dog or cat but on behalf of the caretaker.  Safe handling instructions are labeled on most reputable commercial raw foods.  I urge you to read and follow them just like you were handling raw meat for your family.  Recently the FDA has gotten involved in the regulations of dog food. Go to www.regulations.gov and search "salmonella in animal feed" to see all the comments and new regulations the FDA is considering.

Another issue regarding raw feeding is the bones and if they are safe for dogs.  It is NEVER safe to feed cooked bones to dogs or cats.  When you cook meat wtih the bone the moisture from the bone is transferred to the meat making the meat more tender and juicy.  After your delicious dinner is cooked, the bone is dry and brittle bones which can splinter and cause severe intestinal damage.  Dogs and cats have the ability to break, chew and digest raw bones.  Subsequently, bones are a natural source of calcium and phosphorus.  Not to mention nature's tooth brush.  Obvious precautions need to be taken when feeding raw bones if your dog or cat is a "swallower" not a chewer. Use common sense.  If you think your dog is too small to chew a large beef bone, then they probably are and opt for a smaller less dense bone like a chicken or turkey neck.


So you might be thinking, since raw is safe and bones are good then why can't I just give my dog an extra chicken thigh with his kibble.  You can and I recommend it.  But you will not be taking advantage of all the benefits raw has to offer.  If you really want to see a significant improvement in your dog, I challenge you to feed your dog or cat raw for 30 days.  Dr. Beckie Williams, a Veterinarian at Yorba Regional Animal Hospital (and my personal favorite) "encourages people to feed commercial raw food because it is balanced.  Too many people's idea of raw food is chicken and oatmeal and they don't pay any attention to the vitamin and mineral requirements.  A major cause of fertility failure is feeding an unbalanced raw diet."


As I mentioned earlier there are people who do very well with raw feeding based of the prey model.  If you are new to raw but don't think you can afford a commercially available raw product there are books which help educate how to make your own raw food at home, websites dedicated to the right ingredients, co-ops developed to making bulk meat available to anyone, and online communities to help support the philosophy and lifestyle of RAW FEEDING.


I understand raw is not for every dog owner but I believe raw is a "better choice" diet for most dogs and cats.

Olivia Hudson, OC RAW DOG

I hope that article was somewhat informative for you doggie and kitty pawrents who was ever curious about raw feeding. Just a little note that Olivia didn't mention in her article about bones is that dogs and cats shouldn't be given weight-bearing bones to eat. It is too hard and can crack the teeth. If you pawrents want more information a good place to start would be the dogster forums. They have an entire section dedicated to Raw Diet.

To end this blog post, here are some pictures of me munching on a chicken drumstick last week!

I like to start from the smaller end first!

Munch, munch on the bones!

OC Raw Dog

I've been eating pre-made raw for a while now. My pawrents put me on it cuz they think it will be better for me than kibble. Of course I love the pre-made raw! I would eat it over kibble any day of the week! I've eaten Bravo!, Primal, and OC Raw Dog. I cannot say which one is my favorite because they are all so delicious! I only ate Bravo! for 2 weeks, before my pawrents got Primal. They tried Primal for about a month, and this lady named Carrie who my pawrents always buys my food and treats from gave my mom samples of OC Raw Dog. Ever since then I've been an OC Raw Dog!

According to OC Raw Dog, here are 10 reasons why a Dog should be a RAW DOG!

• No More Messy Poop Pick Up
• Significantly Smaller Stools
• No More Room Clearing Farts
• All Natural
• Chemical Free
• Preservative Free
• No Animal By-Products
• Dogs Love It
• Human Grade Fresh Meat & Vegitables
• Dogs Eating How Nature Intended

OC Raw Dog is also a local company. They are based very close to where I live and my pawrents decided to switch me to their food to support their business. Not only that, with the money they save from switching me to OC Raw Dog they have more money to buy me treats and toys! Yay! The other week I saw my mom calculating how much my pawrents have saved each month by switching me. Comparing Primals' chicken formula to OC Raw Dog's chicken formula my pawrents save about $22 a month on my food! My mom hasn't calculated other formulas yet, but she says the price Primal charges for formula other than Chicken & Beef is a bit pricey compared to OC Raw Dog's. Of course Primal has more selection, but OC Raw Dog is just as good and we are supporting smaller and local business! Plus, it's yummy and that's all that matters to me!

My pawrents says if any of you doggies or doggie pawrents are in Southern California to check out OC Raw Dog!
www.ocrawdog.com

Me enjoying my OC Raw Dog, Chicken & Produce formula for dinner!

Back to Basics

"Why would you feed your dog that?" is what I hear a lot when someone asks me what I'm planning to feed Mika. Mainly my family, asking me what she's eating, asking if I feed her dog food. Well, isn't most human food dog food anyway? Many people (and myself included at one point) didn't realize that dog food wasn't actually made until the 1930's when they had to find something else to do with the food that was rejected to be used and sold on the market for us 2 legged beings.

So what exactly am I feeding Mika? Right now she is still on kibble. She currently eats California Naturals No Grain formula to test for allergies. Her eyes do not tear as often, but I still have to wipe them a few times a day. This morning she got her first pre-made raw turkey patty (see pictures below).

She is very food driven and gets excited when she sees me get her food ready for her, but today when she smelled that raw turkey patty, she went nuts! I could barely get her to calm down to get her food in her bowl. I hope to keep her on a raw diet since I firmly believe that raw is the best diet I can give to her if I want her to live a longer life. I also want to keep her on kibble since there will be times in the future where I may need to go somewhere and cannot take her with me. Having her on a half kibble, half raw diet will be beneficial for when I may need my family to feed her if I end up not being able to feed her.

So I feed her some raw, what's wrong with that? Before the 1930's how else did dogs get their food?