BARF Information: Prey Animal Model

Consider what your dog might catch and eat if he or she were a wolf in the wild. Dogs would eat the whole carcasses of animals such as mice, rabbits, and birds. They would eat much of the large animals such as deer except for the large bones. In loose terms, your job is to recreate this somewhat.
Let us use the rabbit as an example of the ideal prey animal model. In nature, a rabbit is a lean, mean, hopping machine. The rabbit's bones, easily consumed by dogs, are covered by muscle and very little fat. Inside the body are numerous organs and the digestive tract containing the rabbit's last meal. Your dog would probably eat the entire rabbit (unless he is like Travis and just will not eat rabbit - very suprised!).
Balance your pet dog's diet using the prey animal model as a guide. Bulk of the diet (80%) should be raw meaty bones (RMBs). The rest of the diet should be veggies, organs, and extras. I truly mean this to be a simple guide to consider. I go through periods of time when my greyhounds eat 100% RMBs simply because I have run out of veggie mix. Other times, they eat a lot more veggies. Regardless, my guys always look great.
RMBs should be large enough that they cannot be swallowed, but small and soft enough to be chewed. Turkey necks, turkey backs, chicken backs, chicken wings, and rabbit are suitable for Greyhounds. Bones covered in large amounts of meat such as whole chickens, chicken quarters, and legs should not be fed on a regular basis, but by all means take advantage of a good sale price when you see one.
Fruits and veggies must be pureed in a food processor or juicer. The cell walls in plant material contain cellulose that cannot by digested by our canine friends. Shredding, juicing, and pulverising the vegetable matter makes the nutrition more accessible to dogs.
1. Use a wide variety and do not follow a standard recipe.
2. Use at least one leafy green, one fruit, and several vegetables in each mixture you make.
3. Add organs or muscle meat to the mixture to make it tasty.
The more nutritious organs to feed are kidney, liver, and heart.
Dogs do not need dairy products or grains. However, I sometimes add oatmeal, cottage cheese, or yogurt to the veggie mix. Do not feed onions or grapes/raisins. Again feed a wide variety.
Dr. Tom Lonsdale recommends no supplements. Dr. Susan Wynn recommends a multi-vitamin. Dr. Ian Billinghurst and Kymythy Schultze recommends powdered kelp and alfalfa. Do what you are comfortable with. I use kelp and alfalfa when I am on a supplement kick.
Reduce food portions for those that gain unneeded weight. Remember that BARF is not fed like kibble. It does not have to be the same amount everyday. If you feed chicken backs, your greyhound may gain weight if 3 are fed daily, but lose weight if 2 are fed daily. You can adjust by alternating between 3 and 2 backs each day.
Most constipation and diarrhea problems can be easily corrected by keeping in mind that fat, veggies, and muscle meat have a laxative effect. Bones have a firming effect. Adjust according to your dog's needs. Greyhounds seem to need more fat than other breeds of dogs, however, it is best to start slow and limit fat in the beginning (turkey necks are low in fat).
During the first month, some dogs pass or vomit bits of bones. Again, digestion becomes more efficient and this problem usually subsides. Don't be alarmed.
When switching a greyhound to a raw diet, I recommend starting with turkey necks. Necks contain little fat and usually are very agreeable. Start by feeding just one neck. If all goes well, try another 12 hours later. If all goes well, try feeding two necks. Maybe start adding in chicken backs. Depending on how your dog is doing, you may need to cut the fat off the backs to begin with, gradually leaving more and more fat on the backs as your greyhound adjusts.
As you get into a routine, adjust meal portions according to how your dog looks. There really is no formula for how much you should feed.
Special precautions are taken when preparing meat for people. However, most of the same rules do not apply to dogs. It is ok to re-freeze meat. It is fine to completely thaw out meat to a room temperature. In fact, I often thaw meat 12 - 24 hours on the counter.
Keep canned mackerel on hand just in case you forget to thaw a meal. Canned mackerel offers a quick fix.
When travelling, keep dog food simple. There is no need for elaborate veggie mixes. Focus on feeding RMBs primarily. Food can be bought daily at grocery stores in the area or you can pack a cooler to take with you.