Did someone say food?

POINTS TO PONDER ABOUT FEEDING 

GREAT DANE & BORZOI PUPPIES

Our puppies are fed :

Remember this:
     High quality diet + free choice of exercise + regulating the pup's weight = good health  

*    The notion that over nutrition in rapidly growing giant breeds of dogs causes skeletal and other growth defects may not be true.  It depends on what you mean by OVER NUTRITION!  There has been some suggestions that high protein and fat diets contribute to "over nutrition" and  cause problems...so some breeders and veterinarians resorted to actually suggesting that rapidly growing breeds be fed a poor quality food with lots of grains (carbohydrates) and low protein and fat.  The (erroneous) theory was that this diet would under nourish the dog and thereby slow the growth rate. The dog would grow more slowly but eventually attain its normal stature at a later stage of life and it wouldn't acquire those nasty skeletal defects. Unfortunately this theory benefited no one... especially the poor dogs.

*   If over nutrition means the dog is ingesting too many calories for its energy demands and is overweight, then there will be a much higher chance for skeletal problems.  Newer research is showing that it isn't the protein or fat levels in a well balanced diet that causes problems but rather the excess weight a pup may be carrying while growing that is the real culprit.

*   Never allow your growing puppy to become overweight!

 I will say it again...

*   Never allow your growing puppy to become overweight!  I don't care how much it begs for more food.  The major problem that is at the heart of these giant breed growth difficulties occurs when... 

THE GROWING DOG IS OVERWEIGHT.

The goal is to be able to easily feel the ribs with a minimal flesh/fat covering, but not be able to see your Dane's / Borzoi's ribs, hipbones, etc.   

RECOMMENDED AMOUNTS TO

Satin Balls

This recipe is mainly used for putting weight on animals quickly, as some use it for putting a couple extra pounds on a show animal prior to the big day. Other uses are for animals that may have been ill and needs a weight gain program,  a periodic/as needed very healthy treat.  It has also been reported that this recipe will help with some forms of hair loss, such as when your dog(s) blow their coat, to keep the 

coat healthy and shiny.  

Royal Sooner Danes & Borzoi are fed raw Satin Balls 

on an as needed basis. 

This recipe is intended to be fed raw.

MORE ON USES AND COMMENTS LISTED BELOW 

8-10  lbs hamburger meat
1 jar wheat germ or bulgur wheat (18 oz.)
1 lg box of oatmeal (uncooked)
1 1/2 Cup vegetable oil
1 carton of eggs
8 sm pkgs unflavored gelatin
1 1/4 Cup lightly or original flavored molasses or pancake syrup
A pinch of salt
1 lg box Total cereal (1lb)
1 tablespoon garlic powder - for flavor

Mix all ingredients together well (I roll mine into the size of tennis balls for adult Danes & Borzoi, golf ball size for puppies).....put into separate freezer bags and freeze, thawing out as needed. It puts weight on in a very short time, not to mention the gloss in their coat. You can use it every day when they have a show to do and it does not produce diarrhea. 

Uses

Take a them frozen (zip lock bag -approximately 8 balls) to dogs shows with you, kept on ice.  Dogs go crazy over this stuff...but you have to be careful, it will put weight on the dogs pretty fast if you feed enough.

You can feed a zip lock bag day...half in AM, half in PM, If you want to increase the weight on a dog, feed more. My Danes have never gotten to the point where they won't eat anymore. I can vouch that it does make their coats shiny & soft.   

**Comments**

Note : Always listen to your breeder first! They know their Danes & Borzoi better than anyone else. They have experience with their lines and have already tried all the possibilities. What works for one dog may not work for another, so anyone's suggestions are just that, Suggestions.

Satin Balls is a total canine diet. It can be feed by itself,  

supplement, or as a periodic as needed healthy treat for however long you wish. 

The only problem with feeding it by itself is figuring out the amount. It's different for each Great Dane & Borzoi - it depends on the age, the size, and the metabolism.  It will put weight on a dog in a few days...that's why it is so great to feed just before a show. If you have a dog that is in good weight, but you just want to build coat/endurance, you would have to figure out how much to feed (cal per kg), or you would end up with a fat dog in a very short time. 

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Question : Is it safe to feed your Dane/Borzoi raw hamburger???? 

What about salmonella, e-coli or other bacteria?????

Answer :    

With all the frightening headlines regarding bacteria and food, it is no wonder some people are scared to feed raw meat to their pets. Luckily, our little carnivores were designed to digest and even thrive from a variety of microorganisms. After all, to clean their bottoms, cats and dogs lick themselves, and dogs are notorious feces eaters. They pull us off the sidewalk to go munch down a long-dead rodent or bird. The fact is, they thrive on stuff that makes us cringe and hold our noses. Rotten organic matter is full of nutritious things, like vitamin K and pre-digested proteins. So when you present them with a yummy chicken wing or ground beef, it actually does them good. Yes, as with any diet change, upset tummies can occur. Dogs CAN and DO handle enormous amounts of bacteria daily. The more pets are exposed to it, the stronger they become. 

Question:  Are Satin Balls to high in protein for Great Dane/Borzoi Puppies??

Answer:   Amounts should always be based on a moderate calorie food intake. This is only a general guideline so they do not consume too many calories before 6 months of age disrupting their growth patterns causing accelerated growth and potential bone problems. Older dogs and puppies should NEVER be placed on a light or restricted protein/fat diet only. The only time an animal should be fed a restricted protein or fat diet is due to a specific disease. Cut back the amount you feed rather than switch to a lower protein and lower fat. They need the nutrients or their brains, organ functions and coats will suffer dramatically.

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 One last thing, when you mix this, you might as well start out mixing it in the sink, because this stuff grows...............I didn't have a container in the house that would hold it all.