B.A.R.F. diet

The dogs are taking a much deserved nap. Neither of them has been on tie down for days now. They are a lot more active than they were just a week ago.

I've been doing a lot of research on a raw diet for the dogs. There is so much conflicting information. I've already started feeding them the diet, but I'm constantly researching. So far they have had sardines, salmon, mackerel, tuna, chicken thighs, hamburger, yogurt, and cottage cheese. Skooter doesn't like the cottage cheese or plain yogurt. He does seem to like flavored yogurt though. :-) I'm going to add in a veggie patty starting tonight or tomorrow (depending on how lazy I'm feeling ;-) ). The dogs seem to be eating better than when they were eating kibble. Kibble has to be so boring for them. And it's not their natural diet at all. In the wild they would never eat anything like kibble. I couldn't imagine eating the same thing for every meal, every day. Yuck!

I'm going to talk to the trainers and ask them what their sample menu would be for a week. I need to get some idea of what other people are doing. I don't want to do the wrong thing for the dogs. They may refer me to the nutritionist they recommend.

I bought the carpet squares today but don't know how to get the dogs to use them for their 'spot'. I also bought a food processor to help with the BARF diet. I'm wondering though if I should have bought a blender instead, but I'd like to have something a bit more powerful so I can process RMB.

As I was practicing 'sit' with the dogs today, I realized that I am not doing it correctly. I'm not sure if I should re-treat if they continue to sit. I'm not sure if I need to get them up after every sit so that they are always going from all fours to the sit position. I don't 'break' them after every sit. I don't always say game over when we are done. It's the most basic command and I don't know that I'm helping them learn it appropriately. They know how to sit but do not do it unless they get a treat or are at a door. They know 'flat' too but won't do it from a distance. I have to have a treat or tease into the 'flat' position. These are things I can ask Misty about or talk to Ruth in the 15 minute private session. I want to do it right so that the dogs can succeed at each behavior. It's not like they aren't making any progress. They are making tremendous strides, but it only goes so far right now.