12 replies to this topic

[Rustyslug]

Hi there.

My name is Rudi Franken. I have a one female husky, Xena.

She is very lady like and she is the first Husky I have seen that is afraid of water. Went to walk in a nearby field with her brother and my friend and the brother went nuts in a little stream, she chose to stay clear of the mess.
Was always curios about the BARF diet.

[Steve]

Welcome to the forum Rudi
Huskies with water - some like it and some don't, simple as that. You could keep going to the same spot with her brother and maybe one day she'll jump in to see what all the fuss is about, who knows.
I'm glad you're curious about a BARF diet although we advise on a RAW diet here so no vegetables as with the BARF diet as your girl has no need for them whatsoever.
Have a good look about the forum and ask questions where you're unsure and we'll go from there.
Look forward to seeing some pics and chatting
~Steve

[Rustyslug]

Hi Steve.

Thanx for the warm welcome.

The reason why i am looking into every kind of diet is trying to find a solution to a problem that i have.

Xena gave birth Friday 7 weeks ago to 6 very healthy and strong pups. 2 males and 4 females.

We moved two days ago and since then it is a battle feeding her. you have to almost feed her with the hand. I tried the egg trick over her pills but nothing, the pups has still a major appetite but i am getting worried about Xena.

Unfortunately Xena got pregnant to early as we did try our utter best to keep her and my friend's (House Mate) husky apart as she went into her first heat, but some where it happened.

She is a excellent mother from day one and went through labour with out any difficulty.

I am just worried bout her because one can see that she took a knock. she is very thin and bony. She is on Montego Classic from before the pups was born and never seem to have trouble eating.

Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

[Tekisyen Husky]

Welcome to the forum
I hope you enjoy it as much as everyone else does.
I suggest that you start reading through the raw feeding section this will give you an idea what and how much to feed.
Any questions you have just shout and someone will be able to help you out.
Paul

[Awesome Bikerbabe]

Hiya Rudi welcome to the forum, hope you get all the information you need.
How old is Xena ?
If she is still feeding her puppies then she needs extra food but she will only eat as much as she needs.
But make sure you give plenty of red meat as well as chicken to keep her iron levels up.
Pregnancy and birth in any animal and human can sap the iron levels badly.
If you have any questions were all here to help and we all know plenty thanks to Paul and Ivan and the help they have given.
I hope you like your stay with us.
regards
Bev xx

[Steve]

I'd definitely start introducing some red meat, maybe steak, heart & other organ meat. Liver is normally fed sparingly, I'd be giving more in this case.
I'd take her off the processed food and give her 800g - 1000g of raw food until she gets back to normal, higher than recommended but within the 2-3% guidelines.
Normally it's 80& meat, 10% bone, 10% organ & 10% offal. For now I'd be more interested in getting high iron meats into her, obviously with 10% bone if you can.
If you're interested in a weekly diet plan there are many people here that can advise you, just ask. If so let us know what meats you have access too and we'll go from there.
~Steve

[Rustyslug]

Morning all.

Xena is now a few days short of a year. That is why is wanted to kick myself for what happened. I am just thankful everything worked out in the sense that there was no complications and that mom and pups are all alive.

Some of the pups still go for it if they can find a gap, but then just let them kindly know by means of a faint growl that this is not working for her no more. lol

Some good news. Last night while all the pups were passed out she "asked" me to go out to where her food bowl is. and about 10 minutes later saw that she ate all her food. This morning as well with a huge appetite. So one thing is sorted now just to get the fat % up. Will the RAW diet help her with her skin as well. she has a sensitive skin and start scratching as soon as she is a little bit dirty. Can you tell me as well what shampoo you guys use. there is so much different opinions out there it funny no more and all say they are the best.

Thank you again.
Really do appreciate the help

[Tekisyen Husky]

Pork is a good fatty meat to build a body back up,
However for the first week keep to bone in chicken then slowly introduce other meats.
Almost all skin problems clear up on raw fed dogs, it's the chemicals and additives they put in commercial food that usually cause any skin problems.
As for shampoos try and use as natural one as you possibly can they are all very much the same.
The idea with raw fed dogs is to put the least amount of chemicals in their bodies as you can.

[Awesome Bikerbabe]

I have never used a dog shampoo ever, I have only ever used baby shampoo, and added tea tree oil and lavender oil.
If you take a bottle of baby shampoo and pour 15 ml into a jug 2 pint jug, then add 3 drops of lavender oil and 2 drops tea tree oil to the jug, top it up to the top with warm water and stir it round (or pop it in a squirty bottle clean of course), use that one bottle for that bath.
Rinse your dog with a warm shower afterwards, making sure you get under the legs and belly.
If she is itcy have you made sure she hasn't got any fleas?
She is very young to be having puppies i'm presuming you didn't see the mating and didn't find out til she started to show?
She will be putting everything she has into the puppies so you do need to give her plenty of food.
Raw is natures way, its how they should be fed and yes it should ease her itches as the toxins from the processed food get flushed out of her system.

[Rustyslug]

Hi there Biker Babe.

I actually asked my girlfriend to go and buy baby shampoo yesterday night, lol. I will add the tea tree and lavender oils.

As for the mating, no did not see it and just thought she picked up some wait being at my mom's place and knowing how she would be spoiled.

Ive been all over the net reading articles regarding raw diet and watching videos. and I think I am a 100 percent convinced that it can only be better for her then the processed food. I do how ever see a lot of people only feeding their dog chicken.

Can somebody perhaps help me in getting started and how to go about changing over, do I do it gradually or just bam, don't want to shock her system more.

I must say, there is a slight change in her personality after the birth, almost a bit more playful.

Is there some kind of diet program I can get or download that would help me?

[Steve]

Tekisyen Husky, on 02 September 2011 - 06:10 AM, said:

Pork is a good fatty meat to build a body back up,
However for the first week keep to bone in chicken then slowly introduce other meats.
Almost all skin problems clear up on raw fed dogs, it's the chemicals and additives they put in commercial food that usually cause any skin problems.

As Paul mentioned, start with chicken and slowly introduce other meats after a week.
Normally you feed 2-3% of their ideal adult weight however in this case I'd be feeding her as much as she wants to get her strength back up bit I'm sure I'll be corrected if I'm wrong about that.

I would personally make the switch to raw in one go, no need to introduce gradually and the quicker she's off the ki**le/processed **** the quicker her body will be able to get rid of the toxins and other **** from her system.
I asked previously for a list of meats that are available to you where you live, obviously ones that you can afford. We could advise more when we know this.
Have a good read in the Raw Feeding section of the forum and please post any future questions regarding feeding in there rather than in the Introductory thread that way it's easily accessible by yourself and others.
~Steve

[Rosemary]

Hi Rudi, welcome to Eskimo Huskies

I am also from from the Western Cape. We tried Montego Classic with Ozzy as a puppy, but he could not handle it at all. We then tried a few other brands including Mera which is supposedly one of the better (?) foods available in SA, but eventually, at just over 5 months old, moved him onto raw and haven't looked back. He is now almost 2 years old.

We are feeding our two huskies on ±R600/m. This includes everything they need for a well balanced and 100% healthy diet. We buy our chicken in bulk from a poultry abattoir in Grabouw, the prices are excellent. I think we paid R260 for a 16kg bag of top quality chicken last month. The raw meaty bones we get from our local butcher, the heart from another abattoir in Grabouw, and everything else from Pick 'n Pay or Spar - whichever is cheaper.

Let me know if I can help in any way

[Eskimo Ice]

Rustyslug, on 02 September 2011 - 11:11 AM, said:

Hi there Biker Babe.

I actually asked my girlfriend to go and buy baby shampoo yesterday night, lol. I will add the tea tree and lavender oils.
As for the mating, no did not see it and just thought she picked up some wait being at my mom's place and knowing how she would be spoiled.
Ive been all over the net reading articles regarding raw diet and watching videos. and I think I am a 100 percent convinced that it can only be better for her then the processed food. I do how ever see a lot of people only feeding their dog chicken.
Can somebody perhaps help me in getting started and how to go about changing over, do I do it gradually or just bam, don't want to shock her system more.
I must say, there is a slight change in her personality after the birth, almost a bit more playful.
Is there some kind of diet program I can get or download that would help me?

Read the following topics, these will help you further.
http://eskimohuskies...-domestic-wolf/

The following Topic is for "Raw Feeding" a puppy, however it will give you a guidance of what "Variety Meats" to feed an Adult Husky - Make sure you feed a Minimum of 500 Grams daily to a Siberian Husky. Some may eat more, especially a pregnant Husky or one that has just had pups, some may eat less, others may choose to guard their food for hours before they eat it. "Know thy Husky".
To build your Husky up, you could try this puppy menu for a month, then feed 1 variety of "Raw Meat" one day, and another the next, still feeding to a Minimum 0f 500 Grams.
http://eskimohuskies...ing-puppy-menu/