Raw Diet: Using Ground Bone

When feeding raw, bone is a critical component.  Finding the right balance of bone is easy – just watch the dog’s stool.  Too little bone, the stools will be loose.  Too much bone and the stools will become hard and dry.  Any raw feeder knows the importance of watching the dog’s stools!

Because I prefer to feed ground foods lately, I have started using ground bone.  I’ve tried various options, but have found simply buying bone meal powder online works well.  I add about a teaspoon full per pound of raw meat.  From there, again, just watch to see what the dog needs.  (Organ meat will also affect stools as it is richer than muscle meat.)

raw meal with ground bone

Simple Way to Support Great Danes

The Great Dane Club of America Charitable Trust supports Great Dane welfare and rescue efforts, educational programs, Scholarship Programs for junior handlers, initiatives to create great awareness of breed-specific health problems and medical research efforts to improve the quality of life of the Great Dane.

An easy way to support the Charitable Trust is when shopping on Amazon, simply access the normal Amazon website via this link: http://smile.amazon.com/ch/36-4436942.  The Smile program contributes 0.5% of sales through that link to the registered charitable organization.  It’s as easy as that!  Once you log on through that link, you can shop like normal, knowing that you are making a contribution for our breed at the same time!

Gigi earns her CGC!

Gigi passed her CGC (Canine Good Citizen) test this week!  We have thoroughly enjoyed our CGC class these past 6 weeks.  My oldest son, Wade, took my mom’s Lab, Isla, through training and they also passed their test.  Proud mom!

CGC test
Wade with Isla, me with Gigi, and CGC elevator Gayle Curtis.

Grassy Fields

Beautiful, albeit muddy, evening today, after several days of rain.  The girls and I enjoyed a walk in the fields and woods behind the house.

Mantle Great Dane
Gigi at 22 months old
senior Great Dane
Kizzy at 8 years old

Pensive Gigi

Gigi contemplating the world…
Foto Danes

Foto Danes
The girls ~ April 2, 2016
Kizzy says “pfsss” to a photo shoot

First Day of Spring Walk

I enjoyed a long walk on the first day of spring with the girls.  Love these days we can take our nice long walks!

Stopped at the park and snapped a quick picture of the girls.  Long walks with my pups is bliss for me. 🙂

Great Danes and Lab
Kizzy, Gigi and Isla (my mom’s Lab)

As someone who regularly walks multiple dogs, I can’t tell you how frustrating it is to see loose dogs.  I usually modify my route, to avoid, if I see a loose dog up ahead.  It is not cool to have a dog rush me when I’m walking 300+ lbs of dog.  I’ve been pretty lucky so far and typically can yell at the approaching dog with a stern, “NO! GO HOME!” and they seem to listen. <knock on wood>  My dogs seem confident that I’ll deal with the situation and don’t get too riled up.

Gigi in stealth mode

The other night when we got to obedience class, Gigi had to drop down to super sneaky stealth mode in order to stalk her bestie (Isla, the Lab).  I bet Isla never even saw her.

She cracks me up!

Great Dane sneak attack

Dogs being dogs

Like any dog, mine love racing around, just to enjoy being alive. Makes me happy to see them happy!

Great Danes running
Gigi in the lead with Kizzy hot on her heels
Great Danes running
Gigi as the chaser
Senior Great Dane running
Kizzy in the lead… not too bad for Dane who will be eight years old in a month!
Great Dane running
Gigi
Sneaky Great Dane
Gigi in ultra-stealth mode, doing a super sneaky attack on Kizzy
Mantle Great Dane
Kizzy…watching Gigi’s “sneak attack”

head profile Great Dane

Two Great Danes sitting