The Honest Kitchen Pro Bloom Instant Goat's Milk Review

Recently I mentioned in my blog that I was interested in&nbspThe Honest Kitchen Pro Bloom Goat's Milk for Dogs & Cats, 0.5 oz single-serve packets, box of 16 a dehydrated goat milk supplement.  The nice people at BarkBox happened to see that, and contacted me offering my rotten dogs a sample of it.

Ingredients: Dehydrated goat's milk, dried aspergillus oryzae fermentation product, dried candida rugosa fermentation product, dried trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation product, dried pineapple fermentation product; dried lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried lactobacillus brevis fermentation product, dried bifidobacterium longum fermentation product, dried streptococcus thermophiles fermentation product.

It's ingredients are dehydrated goat's milk and various probiotics/enzymes.

According to The Honest Kitchen website, it is a digestive supplement for digestive health, and overall immune support at the gut level.

I have long heard that immune health begins in the gut, and depending on which websites one visits, statistics stating that 70-80% of immunity begins in the gut.  I kind of believe this.  I try to eat very healthy, and feel that I get sick much less often than some of my "healthy" friends who consume large amounts of processed foods.  Anyways...

Each packet is meant to be mixed with 8 ounces warm water, which I did.

It is a dry powder that was surprisingly not caked at all.  I did encounter just a couple of clumps whilst mixing with a fork.  After mixing, it had a peculiar scent about it.  Not unpleasant, just different, to me.  I have never had goat milk (but LOVE chevre) so I could resist taking a tiny sip.

After my sample, I divided it up into three bowls, a bit for each woofer.

I feel that they could smell it, because they were very excited when being approached with the bowls.  Even picky weirdo Faolan showed no hesitancy regarding it.  One quick sniff and they were all lapping it up.

The princess, enjoying her Pro Bloom.

Overall, I am pleased with it.  The woofers obviously enjoyed it, so I look forward to offering them the second packet I received.  The packets are convenient, and shelf stable.  It mixed fairly easily with the warm water.  I will more than likely purchase some of these to offer as an occasional treat, or use in times of GI distress.

Disclaimer-I received two packets free as a sample, but was not asked to review it. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

Recent Raw Meals-Raw Dog Food Recipes

This week I have decided to give a bit more information regarding my dogs' various meals, as opposed to just sharing pictures and stating what the particular items are.

See How I Feed Raw for more information about percentages and weights, etc. 

I feed PMR (Prey Model Raw) which roughly equates to feeding 80% meaty meat, 10% edible bone, and 10% organ, with half of that being liver.  Heart and lungs are fed as meaty meat, and organs include liver, kidney, spleen, brain, thymus, etc.  I aim for balance over time, not daily.  Typically, if one balanced out what I feed over any given two day period, it would equal out to the 80-10-10 ratio.

As previously mentioned, chicken leg quarters are my most readily available, affordable source of bone.  When I can, I also feed various ribs, turkey necks and feet, duck necks, backs and feet, and chicken feet as sources of bone.

Each of my three woofers eats roughly 2 pounds daily, divided into two meals, with breakfast being a smaller meal.  The orange liquid seen in some photos is Grizzly Wild Pollock Oil.

Day one breakfast-goat green tripe.
Green tripe is the unwashed stomach of ruminant animals.  I purchased this tripe from the coOp I belong to, Raw Paws.  Pictured here is approximately a 10 ounce piece of tripe.

Day one dinner-beef heart, lamb spleen.
Approximately 16 ounce chunk of beef heart, and two lamb spleens totaling about 4 ounces.
Totals for Day One-26 ounces meaty meat, 4 ounces (other) organ.


Day two breakfast (not pictured)-pork heart.
I think I had to be at work at 0600 that morning, and OH fed the crew.  An average pork heart for us weighs about 8 ounces.

Day two dinner-chicken leg quarter, beef liver.
Approximately 20 ounce chicken leg quarter, and about 4 ounces beef liver.  A chicken leg quarter with a back portion is approximately 35-40% bone, depending on where one reads their information.  I will use 40% for ease of mathematics.
Totals for Day Two-8 ounces edible bone (20 ounces x 0.4), 12 ounces meaty meat, 4 ounces liver.

Totals for Days One and Two-62 ounces total fed.  46 ounces meaty meat, 8 ounces edible bone, 8 ounces organ.  This breaks down to 74% meaty meat, 13% bone, and 13% organ for this two day period.


Day three breakfast (not pictured)-once again, I had to be at work very early, so OH fed, and took no picture.  They enjoyed 10 ounce portions of frozen beef lung.

Day three dinner-beef heart, goat green tripe, lamb spleen.  Approximately 12 ounce portion beef heart, 6 ounce portion goat green tripe, and 4 ounces lamb spleen.
Totals for Day Three-28 ounces meaty meat, 4 ounces (other) organ.

Day four breakfast-turkey hearts.  Approximately 8 ounces turkey hearts.

Day four dinner-chicken leg quarter, sheep liver.  Approximately 16 ounce chicken leg quarter, and 5 ounces sheep liver.
Totals for Day Four-17.6 ounces meaty meat, 6.4 ounces edible bone, 5 ounces liver

Totals for Days Three and Four-61 ounces total fed.  45.6 ounces meaty meat, 6.4 ounces edible bone, 9 ounces organ.  This breaks down to 75% meaty meat, 10.5% edible bone, and 14.5% organ.

Day five breakfast-beef heart.  Approximate 12 ounce chunk beef heart.

Day five dinner-pork heart chunks, lamb spleen.  16 ounces pork heart, 3 ounces lamb spleen.
Totals for Day Five-28 ounces meaty meat, 3 ounces (other) organ.

Day six breakfast-venison.  Approximately 16 ounce piece of venison.

Day six dinner-chicken leg quarter, sheep liver.  18 ounce chicken leg quarter (shown with bully stick flakes from this month's BarkBox) and 3 ounces sheep liver.
Totals for day six-26.8 ounces meaty meat, 7.2 ounces edible bone, 3 ounces liver.

Totals for Days Five and Six-68 ounces total fed.  54.8 ounces meaty meat, 7.2 ounces edible bone, 6 ounces organ.  This breaks down to 80.5% meaty meat, 10.5% edible bone, and 8% organs.

Weekly Totals-191 ounces total fed.  146.4 ounces meaty meat, 21.6 ounces edible bone, and 23 ounces organs.  This breaks down to 77% meaty meat, 11% edible bone, and 12% organ.

As I have mentioned before, I feel that large dogs are easier to feed raw to than smaller dogs, because one has a larger amount of wiggle room with dealing with percentages.  When I was first starting out, I measured EVERYTHING precisely.  I no longer weigh chicken quarters, knowing the ones I purchase always weigh 16-20 ounces each.  I can easily eyeball a 3-5 ounce serving of organ meat now, so I no longer weigh organs when portioning for individual freezing.  I will weigh whole beef hearts or other large chunks of meat, so that I know how many pieces to cut them in to. 

I am happy to answer any raw feeding questions I can, and there are a variety of websites and FaceBook pages that are super helpful.  Perhaps that will be an upcoming blog entry.

Black & White Sunday-Taking a break

Neeko and Faolan, relaxing for a moment.

Friday Photos

Bruce and his favorite person.



"I has no brakes!!"



Neeko and Bruce, relaxing in the front yard, after a walk.



Cozy Neeko.



An antler Les found while walking around some property we hope to buy. Fingers crossed!



Derpy Bruce.



Derpy Faolan.



Derpy Neeko.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Recent Raw Meals and Prep

Frozen beef lung.



Chicken leg quarter, beef liver.



Pork hearts.



Beef heart, goat spleen.



Green goat tripe, in the sink.



Meal of goat tripe.



Food thawing for dinner-beef short ribs, ground venison, beef liver.



Dinner of above items.



More frozen beef lung.



Turkey hearts, chicken egg.



Huge pork hearts.



Chicken leg quarter, beef liver.



Portioning out lamb spleen to individually freeze. It's larger than goat spleen, and smaller than pork spleen. Obviously much smaller than beef spleen.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

August 2013 Spoiled Rotten Box Review

Yesterday we received our August Petflow Spoiled Rotten Box!  We also received our August BarkBox.  Previous month's reviews can be read HERE.

The Goods



 Sea Mobility Mini Chicken Jerky Squares\.  Approximate retail value $5.99.  We received a similar product in our March Spoiled Rotten Box.  They were a hit, and I chose to give them mostly to Neeko, who seems to have joint issues at times.  I am excited to receive these, as we have received other treats/products from Ark Naturals in the past, and I was pleased with them.

 Bamboo Combat Triangle Tug.  Approximate retail value $9.99.  What seems to me a flimsy, stuffingless toy that is quite small.  While it might be appropriate for a 40 lb dog, it is not appropriate for most 90 lb dogs.  Supposedly can withstand hours of vigorous play, but they have not met my dogs.  This will be going in the bag to be donated to the shelter. 







GRANDMA LUCY'S Organic Baked Cinnamon Treat for Dogs.  Approximate retail value $7.76.  These smell AMAZING.  Like Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal.  Good ingredients, organic, yeast free.  Neeko and Bruce gobbled theirs right up when offered, and Faolan turned his nose up at it.  I've come to expect this from him, so I am overall pleased with these treats, and their apparent quality.  Now to keep myself from sampling one...

 Smokehouse Pork Pizzle Twists Dog Chew-- (2).  Approximate retail value $0.49 each.  Bully sticks made of pork, as opposed to beef.  I am sure they will be a hit with the two lucky woofers who get to enjoy them.  What dog doesn't like a bully stick.  They are small, and thin, so I don't expect them to last long, but I am tickled to have received a variation of a bully stick.

Earthbath Hypo-allergenic Grooming Wipes .  Approximate retail value $4.99.  Hypoallergenic, scent free wipes in a convenient travel pack.  I have heard good things about this company, but have yet to try any of their products.  I am pleased to receive these.  I still have plenty of paw and ear wipes from previous subscription boxes, but these will definitely be put to good use.

Overall I am pleased with this month's Spoiled Rotten Box. With the exception of the toy.  I do realize that my dogs are larger than average, but more toys that are appropriate for large, aggressive chewers would be great.

Disclaimer-I am a Spoiled Rotten Box subscriber.  I am not affiliated with Petflow, nor was I asked to write these reviews.  All opinions are strictly my own.