My TWO Finally Arrived!!

Poops were firm this morning! []
 
I fed him some more sirloin (cut up really small) into his Elk kibble for breakfast. I also added just a small dollup of yogurt to the middle of his kibble. He tried to avoid it...but eventually ate it because there was sirloin attached to it! [] I don't blame him for not wanting to eat it, though. I opened up the container and smelled it and was like "Yum Yogurt!" so I took a big bite and just about gagged! It was soooo sour?! [:'(] I guess the plain is like that, no wonder I never get it! Maybe next time I will get vanilla. Is it ok to give a dollup a day of yogurt, or not everyday?
 
The cat devours the sirloin, too! It is so cute to watch the little carnivorous cat make that meat disappear so fast! He is a cute cat. My Max is more of the dainty eater...[] But, he ate ALL his breakfast again without being moistened, so I am really happy about that. The meat is absolutely delicious! I even sneak in pieces to munch on while I am cutting it up for him. []
 
This does seem like it will much cheaper, much better nutritionally, and a lot more fun to cook up meat and stuff for him! I am so excited to give it a whirl. I still have a few more days of the sirloin, and then I will be cooking in my crock-pot! I think if I add in the green peans and carrots then, if I cut them up really small too, he will eat it. How much is too much? Should he only get veggies once a day, every other day, once a week? One time carrots, one time beans, or both together? I have no clue?! [8|] What about potatoes?
 
I don't even know how to use the crock-pot yet. Do I just put in the piece of meat, some veggies, water, and then turn it on? Or, do the veggies need to be put in separate than the meat because they cook faster? [:-] High or Low setting?
 
I am in another dilema...I think I will need to order up another 16.5lb bag of Elk on Monday or so...and I still have not heard anything from the TWO lady. Should I order another bag, or wait? Should I just order Ocean Blue? How many bags of Bison did you go through before you are going to get the Ocean Blue?
 
Thanks! I know I have soooo many questions! [&:]

I think Ella would eat me if she didn't get yogurt on a daily basis.
I don't know how well it is for them, but I don't believe it'll hurt. Not for short term, anyway.

I think Ella would eat me if she didn't get yogurt on a daily basis

What kind of yogurt do you feed her?

Twin,
Put everything in your crockpot at the same time. Sure, the veggies will cook faster, but that's ok. They won't melt away and they'll be that much easier for your pup to digest. In fact, I'd smash them up to almost a puree before giving them to him.
Depending on how long you're planning on cooking, I'd cook it on low. I mean, low if you are ptlanning on having it in the pot for more than 8 hours. If you're wanting it all to be done faster, cook it on high. I usually cook it on low (well, high now because our crockpot is old and the low doesn't work right) for over 8 hours. The meat comes out nice and tender.
Are you going to add potatoes? I wouldn't think so if you're going to have beef, but I was just curious.

I feed her plain, nothing added, dannon yogurt.

They won't melt away

[sm=rotfl.gif]That's so funny, Rebecca! I was actually thinking along those lines...[] What happens to the veggies if they just keep cooking?! He he..that's funny!
 
Thank you for your advice. You addressed many of my concerns! I have never used a crock-pot so this is my first time and am extremely excited. I was thinking I would cook it overnight while I sleep...so the low setting would be just perfect, then! [] Shoot...and I sleep (12 hours +)...so much I might even over cook the meat! [] I guess I will have to get up and check when I take the Max out to potty.

Are you going to add potatoes? I wouldn't think so if you're going to have beef, but I was just curious.

I have no idea?! I was thinking about it...but I don't know. Do you think it's a bad idea? Would you feed both veggies together at the same time, or separately? Should they be fed with the meat, too? Probably...

I feed her plain, nothing added, dannon yogurt.

It's so bitter! [:'(]
 
 

I don't even know how to use the crock-pot yet. Do I just put in the piece of meat, some veggies, water, and then turn it on? Or, do the veggies need to be put in separate than the meat because they cook faster? High or Low setting?

[sm=rotfl.gif][sm=rotfl.gif]

Dying here! you are so funny!!

[]
  Tablespoon of yogurt a day is just fine! Many greyhound owners add it daily because it helps with gas, and boy do greys have horrible gas!  

The vanilla would be fine too, but I would look for one without artificial sweeteners maybe. Mine prefer the vanilla but like the plain just fine too. He may get use to it if there is really yummy stuff in his food bowl every meal.  For now just try to add in a tad to 1 meal a day and see if he continues to eat it.   I am so glad the poops were firm. .. how are his itchy#%92s??   If I put meat in my cats dishes, they run off with it piece by piece and eat it in the other room. I swear, you would have thought they made a kill! Cat#%92s are so nutty!![8D]  

Crockpotting is a VERY good way to give him variety and I know it makes you happy to do it for him and to see him so happy about eating. I think the crockpotting will work out well for you. And in the long run, will probably be cheaper too!
  Does Max like veggies?? I probably wouldn#%92t add in more than ½ cup into the crockpot but it depends on how much meat you are putting in. Are you gonna try beef or lamb first??  

I only add in veggies every other time or so and I add it right in with the meat. They aren#%92t as picky as people so if their veggies turn to mush it will be fine.   You could add in potatoes but the nutritional value in other veggies is much higher.  

As far as cooking I just make sure there is enough water to cover the meat completely and add in some of the spices (you still want it bland for human taste, so don#%92t add in too much). Then whether you do high or low depends on when you are cooking it. If you cook overnight or while you are at work then do low. If it is on a day you are home then high for about 4 hours is fine. I just make sure it cooks long enough so that the meat literally falls apart with only the touch of a fork. It is really hard to overcook it in the crockpot as long as there is enough water for it not to burn.
  As far as your TWO. . . maybe Monday e-mail the woman again and let her know you are needing to put in another order ASAP so you didn#%92t know if you should do it or if they expected to ship your replacement bags out soon.    If you get into a bind, let me know. I seriously will ship you some elk if you need it []
 

I have 2 full (33 #) bags of Bison left and about ¼ of another bag I am just finishing. Technically I have enough to go 5 more weeks, but I promised myself I would try to put in an order at least once a month and no later than when I am just ready to open my last bag.  

I do plan to order more TWO in about 2 weeks, BUT next weekend I will go to the store and buy a 4 pound bag of Ocean Blue and add it in for a week and see how they do. If they do well, then I will order 1  33# bag of Bison and 1 (33# or 16#) bag of ocean blue.  If they do poorly, then I will just order 2 bags of bison.     

SO I plan to start my ocean blue trial in a week or so. I tried to order the 4 pound bag online with my last order, but they were out of stock.  When were you thinking of starting?  Does Max know he has a crockpot yet?? [sm=biggrin.gif]

 

Depending on how long you're planning on cooking, I'd cook it on low. I mean, low if you are ptlanning on having it in the pot for more than 8 hours. If you're wanting it all to be done faster, cook it on high. I usually cook it on low (well, high now because our crockpot is old and the low doesn't work right) for over 8 hours. The meat comes out nice and tender.

Exactly what I do too!  I can tell you are a mommy Rebecca![]

.. how are his itchy#%92s??

He itches and bites every now and then. Nothing major at all. He is definitely not shedding like he was on the Canidae. His coat is way shinier and less smelly too, thank God! It is just still annoying because I don't know if its a reaction to what he is eating now. But, he is off of the EVO and everything else. So, he is just getting the Elk and sirloin, with the occasional yogurt dollup! [] I don't think the millet or oats in the Elk would cause a problem..he hasn't had those before. I know millet is good for people/animals that are sensitive to wheat...and I don't think oats are too allergenic. Those are the only 2 grains in the food.

Does Max like veggies?? I probably wouldn#%92t add in more than ½ cup into the crockpot but it depends on how much meat you are putting in. Are you gonna try beef or lamb first??  

Max does NOT like veggies, fruit, anything! He is the pickiest of picky! My last dog would eat anything but lettuce. This kind of pickiness is definitely not what I am used to. [] I wanted to add the veggies, though cuz I know they are good for him. Maybe just one carrot or bean...he he. I am going to do beef first...my mom said that the lamb would smell up the house, and not in a good way! So, I will probably try it later down the road.

You could add in potatoes but the nutritional value in other veggies is much higher.

I think I was more thinking this for ME! He he...I love potatoes so I thought I could throw some in for me to eat. I don't have any though, so I won't for the first crock-potting experience! []

As far as your TWO. . . maybe Monday e-mail the woman again and let her know you are needing to put in another order ASAP so you didn#%92t know if you should do it or if they expected to ship your replacement bags out soon.

Yes, that is what I was thinking of doing. I don't know if I can wait though, because Carol said I would need to give the lady the shipping numbers for the holey packages...so that might take even longer to get an e-mail back from that. I might just go ahead and put in another order for the Elk. Then just wait for the replacement bags to come later. So, that would total 3 16.5lb bags of Elk. That would put me in perfect time for a rotation to the Ocean Blue. Yeah, so I guess I will order another bag and just wait to here from them. I can't not do that or I know I will be out of TWO for sure by the time they get me my replacement bags. Sorry, I am totally thinking out loud right now! []

When were you thinking of starting?

So I guess after this 16.5lb bag I order up next week and then my replacemnt bag. That will probably put me at 2 more months of Elk, before I switch to Ocean Blue. Too many things to think about!

Does Max know he has a crockpot yet?? 

Nope! I keep telling him but I don't think he quite comprehends! But, I know he will understand when he smells it cooking the meat and veggies! YUM! I think I might just eat it too! []
 
 
 

I think I was more thinking this for ME! He he...I love potatoes so I thought I could throw some in for me to eat. I don't have any though, so I won't for the first crock-potting experience!

[sm=lol.gif]  Who knows, maybe you and Max will be eating the same food (without the kibble of course [])

Probably with time you will notice less itching (unless of course he has an allergy to something in the TWO), but right now, my bet is on something in the EVO.

Lamb does smell! SO work your way up to it!  I may eventually do it but probably not for a couple more months.

As far as the TWO Ocean Blue is concerned I think I started the bison almost 5 weeks ago and I had planned to wait to try another formula until after a 6 week trial. Of course, we did have the elk "trial" but that was sort of out of my control.[&:]
So the timing is about right if I try it in another week or so. I am hoping that they have no transition problems between the 2 formulas and thus I can rotate every other bag between the Ocean blue and the bison.   Who knows though!

I think you are probably making a good choice to wait a bit longer with Max and get him on some whole foods and off of the canned to see how his itchy skin is. Then if he is still having problems 3-4 weeks down the line you can maybe try the Ocean blue and see how he does without any grain.

ORIGINAL: jjsmom06

Depending on how long you're planning on cooking, I'd cook it on low. I mean, low if you are ptlanning on having it in the pot for more than 8 hours. If you're wanting it all to be done faster, cook it on high. I usually cook it on low (well, high now because our crockpot is old and the low doesn't work right) for over 8 hours. The meat comes out nice and tender.

Exactly what I do too! I can tell you are a mommy Rebecca![]

Ha!
See, I have this FABULOUS Italian beef recipe. Oh my, it's DELICIOUS. And the first time I ever made it for my soon to be in-laws, I made it in my fiancee's old crockpot. WELL, when he told me that I might want to cook in on high I thought he was crazy. I cooked it on low and 8 hours later the stuff STILL wasn't done! I was SO upset. I had to resort to taking it out of the crockpot and cooking it in a regular pot on the stove top. I was VERY upset. I think almost in tears.
Anyway, if you're interested in some good italian beef, I'll PM you the recipe. It's for human consumption though, not for the doggies![] There's too many spices and too much onion in it for them.[]

ORIGINAL: jjsmom06

thanks everyone for their replies. i think lucky is pooping way too much?!?! He is a 5 month old shih tzu, about 6-7lbs... and he poops 3x a day

Oceantm- I don't necessarily think this is bad, but I am not sure. It sorta depends on how much he poops each time. What are you feeding your puppy??

i feed him wellness puppy mix... about to start mixing in natural balance venison + brown rice.

Poops were great again on the walk...well he walked...I rode the horse! [] He had just a tiny bit of "excited" mush poo towards the end, but that was somewhat expected. We go on nice long walks on the trail, through the creek, all over. It is really beautiful and today was an exceptionally "perfect" weather day. Absolutely splendid to go out in. I have to take in these last few days of warm weather before it starts getting cold and rainy. I love the rain, don't get me wrong, but it isn't exactly riding weather...and I know Max hates the rain. [&:]
 
I think I'll order up another bag of Elk on Monday (it's a Holiday, do you think they would process it on Monday?). Either way, at least it will be in their system. Then they can always send me out my replacement bags when they get around to it, hopefully sooner than later. That way I won't have to worry about ordering for quite sometime! [] I think I might rotate every 3 bags or 3 months. I am hoping to rotate between Wilderness Elk, Ocean Blue, Dakota Bison...and I would like to try the Lamb/Apples when he is 18+ months old, because that one is pretty high in calcium/phosphorus. I want to make sure his bones are well developed! We will have to see though, I might experiment with some rice before then and see if he reacts to it...if not then I can pretty much assume its the chicken that's causing the problems. Which is too bad because chicken meat is sooooo cheap compared to the other meats. Oh well, doesn't matter if it makes him itch, now does it? []
 
That is so cool that you have Greyhound's...I don't think I ever talked to you about them. I know nothing about that breed except for the fact that they use them to race. I remember seeing them in that movie "Cheetah" or something like that, where at the end the cheetah races in the Greyhound race. How fast can they run? I heard you mentioned in another thread that you cannot have Grey's off leash, why is that? When I take Max out with my horse he is off leash, he has to be, there is no way I could ride and hold the leash at the same time, he would be likely to get stepped on. I just now am able to do that too, because he is older and better trained now so that he stays right with me and doesn't run off or anything. I never ever seen Grey's around here where I am. I would really like to see one in real life...they are so unique looking and probably have the neatest personalitites and the most obnoxious farts, he he. [] At least you don't have a Boxer too, then they would really be clearing rooms!
 
Oh yea, you said you were thinking about giving your pups some canned fish, maybe? I think that would be a great idea! You only need to give them canned fish once a week. I guess your not supposed to overdue it or something. But, that would be a great "natural" way to supply the fish oil, much better than the supplement I think. So, I just mix in the sardines or mackerel with his kibble one day a week (morning/night)...or else if its mackerel since its bigger you can feed two days a week. Either way it is great for their skin and coat. I am going to see how it goes...it would really be nice not to have to get the Wild Salmon Oil...cuz I don't know if it would be too much to give the oil supplement and feed the canned fish, too?! [8|]

Anyway, if you're interested in some good italian beef, I'll PM you the recipe. It's for human consumption though, not for the doggies! There's too many spices and too much onion in it for them.

yum, yum. . .yes please I would LOVE the recipe!   Once fall hits I like to start using my crockpot for us humans too []

So I gotta ask, how did the roast turn out with the in-laws??

i feed him wellness puppy mix... about to start mixing in natural balance venison + brown rice.

hmmmm. Well a couple thoughts on that. . .it could be the wellness . Some pups have poop problems on their new formulas.  

Also, don't puppies usually poop more??
Hey Twin & Chewbecca. . .you both raised from puppies right?  Do they poop 3 times a day??

How is the consistency though. . .OK??