Raw Duck

A previous post described the initial experience gunner had with Duck. Other variables aside (a bad day, he ate something I didn’t see, too much variety too soon, etc.) I’ve been curios why DUCK, and not pheasant or chicken, gave him a bad time.

He’s been on the Raw Diet for two months now and we are havign some real sucesses.  Thanks to festidious recording efforts I can look back at our calander and identify meals that don’t work for him.   This has been a helpful piece in our transition to an all Raw diet for our dog.

So, it turns out Duck meat is darker and fattier than the meat of a chicken or a turkey. Being waterfowl, ducks have a layer of heat-insulating subcutaneous fat between the skin and the meat. You can read into this a bit more as “oil”, which just like a human, can be a little more difficult to digest. 

We tried the only “species” of duck that Columbia River Natural Foods makes (or “grind’s up” as you might simplify it as).

Muscovy Ducks are considered lean when compared to the fattier meat of mallard-derived ducks, its leanness and tenderness being often compared to veal.  Muscovy Duck breeds are also popular because they have stronger-tasting meat – sometimes compared to roasted beef – than the usual domestic ducks which are descendants of the Mallard.

I think it’s a fair assumption to say that at least in the beginning, an initial raw diet should consist largely of medium-rich meats. 

In my own research I came across another post that I feel is well summarized. Thanks “Abby”   [link to post]