Why would a Prey Model Raw feeder include greens with the dog’s meals?
When we lived in the beautiful mountains of sunny California, our dogs had almost year round access to lush green grass, weeds and bushes. Our first Spring here in Idaho when the snow began to melt I noticed the dogs desperately looking and digging to find grass. The first sprig of a green bush or grass blade to appear was quickly gobbled up.
Contrary to popular belief, dogs who eat grass typically do not have anything wrong with them. Grass aides in digestion and provides a form of fiber for them.
The following winter I decided to add freeze dried vegetable mix from the pet store. I gave one cup twice a week. It worked well to satisfy the desire for greens as long as I made sure something tasty like liver was mixed with it. The down sides included a high price tag and too many starchy vegetables mixed in which can cause itchiness.
Our 3rd winter here I experimented with my own green blends. We are going into our 4th winter here in the far north; Kim at Gallant Boerboels is about to experience her first! So here we are mixing a 90 pound batch of greens and organs for our crews. You can mix smaller batches of course and if you don’t have a grinder, just use a blender or fine chop your organs and veggies.
Our recipe includes:
VEGGIES: Green Kale, Red Kale, Spinach, Winter Squash. ORGANS: Beef & Venison Liver, Pork Kidney, Beef Thymus Gland. Our mix is 1 part veggies to 2 parts organ blend. This blend is rich in Vitamins K, A, B6, C; Iron along with Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium and Fiber.
Those of you who are familiar with my ‘feeding style’ know that I am a believer in balance over time, rather than daily balances. My dogs eat organs about 3x per week, not daily and so this mix will be fed the same way.
There are so many options that you could try for your own dogs! Experiment and pay attention to your environment. Location does make a difference in supplements/specific foods your dog may need.
***It can be difficult for dog to break down veggies, so I freeze all of mine first and then run them through the grinder. You could also steam them.