Deer Meat?

My dogs eat venison (my brother's the hunter.) But we only get the parts he doesn't keep for himself.

If I had access to a whole deer or two...I'd be all over it!

I can't say whether or not your meat processor will be willing or able to grind the bones. But an adult GSD can handle all the ribs/vertebra without grinding anyway. The long legbones would probably be too hard to eat, but could be recreational bones.

Venison alone wouldn't be a very complete raw diet---variety is part of the idea with feeding this way. So you'd still probably want to feed other kinds of meats. But venison could be a staple, and the price would certainly be right.

(I've heard reports from others about venison causing some dogs to be gassy/farty. I can confirm that is the case with Luca. It's not a serious thing, but thought it worth a mention.)

Stig, There ARE deer in So Cal. Go to the mountains!

We used to live in San Diego, and Zamboni (my beagle mix) would take off chasing deer in the Laguna Mtns, and even Mission Trails Regional Park right in the middle of urban San Diego (although, this is before they put in Highway 52). All the lower So Cal mountains have deer. San Gabriel Mtns, Arrowhead; the further north you go --like the Sierra Nevada, the more deer...Yup, we've chased them all! There's nothing sweeter than a 35lb dog trailing a deer by about 30 yards -- deer bounding, beagle bounding -- but the beagle is CONVINCED that she can catch the deer eventually!

But I think hunting is really limited, if it's even allowed.

But you can come up here and hunt!

Ok, I'm so far off topic, it's not even funny....

I buy (yes, BUY) vension for my guy. He loves it. No gas whatsoever. Maybe it depends what part of the deer you're feeding the dog. But the expensive venison cuts that they sell for human consumption? (Don't tell my husband!) Nope, those don't cause any gas!

Originally Posted By: 3K9MomBut you can come up here and hunt!

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Oo, where are you located? I wonder how the heck I can fit a deer carcass in my sedan. :scratchhead: How difficult is it to get a hunting license out here? I was thinking of getting small game license back in NY, then we decided to move. I have a few woodsy friends who hunt during the autumn, and I wanted to give it a shot.

I don't think I have a very good shot, and I don't know if I have the patience to wait around for a deer. But my hubs is quite nifty with the gun ... well, compared to me. I am pretty darn good at skinning and hacking a deer carcass from all the road kills I had to deal with while working at a wildlife rehab, so I am relatively useful.

Maybe the Spikers can come along too, and fit a couple in the back of their SUV. But that would be like a dine-in buffet for Levi and Leyna.

Too bad we can't hunt the ducks & coots by my place. Janka is constantly trying to get at them. She actually caught a drake a while back, but the poor guy was OK.

I am quite sure it be beneficial to save the organ meat for Camp Puppy? I would imagine the organs would be healthier than say, farmed cattle, seeing it doesn't have to filter steriods, antibiotics, and poor quality food from its system. Also, saving the stomach and its contents would provide a nice treat for your dogs as well.

But, as mspiker03 would advice, feed that stuff outside. It really reeks. When I opened my first tin of tripe, all I could do was muster a really ugly face, and say, "Bleah".


3K9Mom, I totally did not factor in LA traffic and heat. Ew. I don't want my deer dry-roasting on my car. It will prob mess with the paint. Good thing is, drivers will probably not dare to tailgate me.

Is the hood the bonnet? Or the ... oh the trunk is the boot. I don't know about the hood. The DH would have to drive with his head out the window. Tee hee.

If it's in the fall, we will probably have a chest freezer by then. Woo! If not, I am sure Melissa will take the extra and somehow find a way to store it.