Raw Food Diet

Discussion dedicated to promoting the well-being of your dog through diet, exercise and general health tips.

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***Melissa***
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Re: Raw Food Diet

Post by ***Melissa*** »

Very interesting info - thanx for sharing
There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face. ~Ben Williams
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leslie123
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Re: Raw Food Diet

Post by leslie123 »

So I've now been through this thread twice and I think it will take me a couple more times to actually absorb all the great information. When I first read that some of y'all were feeding raw I couldn't believe it. I had never heard of this. The more I read the more sense it makes though. I'm very seriously considering trying this now. I also have two cats and I know this would be great for them too. I found a site called RawLearning.com and I'm going to look for the book Emma suggested too (growing puppies on bones). So, I have a few questions that I didn't see covered previously, but please forgive me if I missed it in all the posts!
1. Does anyone have cats they do this with too and are there any special considerations for cats?
2. What's the best way to start? My thought was one or two types of meats and one or two veggies, then work up and figure out what he likes as I go. Is it best to completely switch over to raw, or should we keep one meal a day kibble at first?
3. What about training treats? Do you make your own? Do you use raw for that too?
4 Can you reccomend a favorite site with concise information? I'm all about keeping things as simple as I can, especially when I'm learning something new. I like to start basic and build that way I know I can stick with it and not get too overwhelmed.
*EDIT* Thought of one more question: What do you do if you need to board your dog?
Honestly I still can't believe I'm even asking these questions and considering this, but as I've talked with my family about it, we all agree that it does seem like a very healthy thing to do for our pets and so we're open to trying it. Thanks all!
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***Melissa***
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Re: Raw Food Diet

Post by ***Melissa*** »

Feeding raw is great - you'll never be sorry :D

I think to start with you can make a veggie mix with mostly spinach, and a few other things too. My 1st mix had like 5 or 6 different veggies in there (I think what I used is somewhere in this thread). And maybe start with chicken wings, and after a few days you can move to red meat too, and later even try fish. It is important that they do get chicken and red meat though - but I think it will be easier to start with chicken.

I started with one meal raw, one meal dog food, did that for a few days. I'm sure they will be fine if you switch to raw immediately though.

For training treats I use cheese, hot dog sausages, dried liver (I make my own), carrots, broccoli. All cut up into tiny pieces,
There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face. ~Ben Williams
easilyconfused
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Re: Raw Food Diet

Post by easilyconfused »

I feed my cats a Raw diet. The hardest part was figuring out how to get a cat to eat veg mix, but if you mix it into chicken mince it tends to go down fairly well.
Cats have a higher protein requirement than dogs and also need things like taurine in greater quantities, which they get from spiders in the wild (ox heart is a good source). With my cats though I leave a bowl of good quality kibble on a shelf (out of dogs reach) for them in case they fail to catch any prey when out at night. They tend to supplement their raw food very well on their own, and the bowl will stay full for a long time then suddenly empty lol.
Good boarding kennels will feed your dogs on what ever diet you ask them to. If they refuse find a different kennel
wishing_away19
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Re: Raw Food Diet

Post by wishing_away19 »

I don't have time to read through all of the posts, so I don't know if anyone mentioned this website. Here it is: http://rawdogranch.com/ It's an awesome website, and has a lot of great information. :D
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leslie123
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Re: Raw Food Diet

Post by leslie123 »

Thank you so much for the replies. I'm still digging up and digesting information so I hope to begin on this soon. I just hope we can do it. Even though I read that everyone here was able to settle into it fine, it feels like such a radical change and I wouldn't want to mess the whole thing up.
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***Melissa***
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Re: Raw Food Diet

Post by ***Melissa*** »

leslie123 wrote:Thank you so much for the replies. I'm still digging up and digesting information so I hope to begin on this soon. I just hope we can do it. Even though I read that everyone here was able to settle into it fine, it feels like such a radical change and I wouldn't want to mess the whole thing up.
I also felt like that, but I assure you, it's really not necessary :wink: It's easier than you think. :D
There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face. ~Ben Williams
runlikethewind
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Re: Raw Food Diet

Post by runlikethewind »

Hi there

I recently bought this book because I subscribe to Alexandra Semyonova's way of thinking about dogs. However, my decision to raw feed was yet again brought into question as detailed in her myth numeber 90. Has anyone read it? She categorically states that dogs are not descended from wolves but from 'pre-dogs' she calls them who would never have hunted but instead that evolved to forage around human 'dumps'. She makes the points that:

1. many dogs won't eat a raw meat diet
2. viruses and bacteria like aujeszky's disease in pork will kill a dogin 72 hours ( our last record of this disease in the UK was 1989.. I'm not sure I should feed pork now??)
3. These dogs - as not related to wolves - do not need so much protein
4. Dogs do not need a fast day. They are not like wolves with huge stomachs who can eat a huge meal then rest
5. She says Innuit dogs who eat only meat and fish die young
6. The pet food industry invests millions to get the diet right and they pin their reputations on it

What do you think about this?
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***Melissa***
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Re: Raw Food Diet

Post by ***Melissa*** »

I'm not an expert on dog nutrition, but here's my thoughts...

My dogs loooove RMB, more than they did their dog food. :D

There's an awfull lot of nonsence in most commercial dog foods - flavourants, colourants, preservatives. Also things like wheat & corn (which is really not something dogs eat) used as fillers. Wheat & corn are also the ones responsible for most food allergies dogs suffer. Yes, you do get really high quality dog food - which ingredients are meats and veggies.

I honestly don't have knowledge about viruses and bacteria, but I think sometimes it's a matter of hygiene.

My dogs are still young, but Nettle and Emmabeth both feed raw, and both has / had very old dogs.

All I can say it that there is a notable difference in my dogs since I switched to raw - their hair is shinier, their teeth are healthy, their breaths don't smell, they are more "chilled" (I think the preservatives in dog food made them jittery), their poo is much less & doesn't smell, Striker itched a lot when he was a puppy (the vet gave me antihistamines) he doesn't itch anymore and I don't even know where his antihistamines are, and I don't have any health issues with my dogs.

It's everybody's own choice, but I'm glad I switched, and I have never regretted it a day in my life :D
There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face. ~Ben Williams
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Nettle
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Re: Raw Food Diet

Post by Nettle »

. many dogs won't eat a raw meat diet
2. viruses and bacteria like aujeszky's disease in pork will kill a dogin 72 hours ( our last record of this disease in the UK was 1989.. I'm not sure I should feed pork now??)
3. These dogs - as not related to wolves - do not need so much protein
4. Dogs do not need a fast day. They are not like wolves with huge stomachs who can eat a huge meal then rest
5. She says Innuit dogs who eat only meat and fish die young
6. The pet food industry invests millions to get the diet right and they pin their reputations on it



!. In my experience, almost all dogs do very well on a raw diet; however like all dietary changes it has to be introduced properly. A very few dogs have damaged digestions/organ response and the raw diet doesn't suit them.

2. Dogs have a far stronger digestive system than we have. If we source human quality food, store it properly and use normal hygienic precautions, it is highly unlikely that raw feeding will make the dog ill. Salmonella is often found in commercial dog food, so there is a risk in feeding anything. If the last recorded incident of disease in pork was 1989, and we have no record of how that pork was sourced or kept, IMO that isn't worth worrying about.

3. Raw food is not pure protein. Meat is largely water, connective tissue and protein, with vitamins and minerals. Correct raw feeding also involves bones, fruit and vegetables.

4. I have never given my dogs a fast day.

5. I would like to know a whole lot more about the lifetime care of Inuit dogs before I quoted them as an example. I doubt they get kept in retirement. My dogs do pretty well: they are working dogs with an average life span of 12 - I have had one almost make 18, and have a nearly 14 year old at home now. But you know it isn't a growing older competition - it's a staying healthy aim.

6. I'm still laughing :lol: pet food manufacturers are in the business to make money, and some are less ethical than others. While a few appear to have good standards we must not lose sight of what is actually in the majority of pet food - mostly waste from the human food industry. Lots of chemical additives and colourings. From time to time a major scandal erupts because pet food is killing pets eg the melamine found in pet food a couple of years ago. Not all pet food is risky, but none of it is ever going to be as good as well-sourced fresh food.
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog

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leslie123
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Re: Raw Food Diet

Post by leslie123 »

Wow, that is all some interesting information. I suppose its like a lot of things and no one thing works for every situation. I can tell from reading all the posts that those who do feed raw here are doing it because its been proven to be the best for their dogs. I'm sure if they acquired a dog that couldn't tolerate it for some reason, they'd find whatever was best for that dog too. I'm trying my very best to do that for Sulley right now as well. I'm not going to be able to do the raw diet right now as my husband is not on board (I mentioned that in another thread too, so forgive my repeat) I know it won't work if we aren't both committed so I guess I just have to do my best to find the food that works for him and won't break our budget too. Its a little bit frustrating right now, but I'm sure it will work out somehow.
easilyconfused
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Re: Raw Food Diet

Post by easilyconfused »

aujeszky's disease was eradicated in the UK in 1981. For you American's if your meat is passed by th USDA then it is also fine. If you are unsure then freezing for 24 days is proven to kill the virus.

Feed what you think is right for your dog and your lifestyle. There will always be cases of dogs getting ill from their food, regardless of what that food source is. There will be healthy, happy dogs fed raw and on kibble.

Personally I feed Raw. My dogs are healthy and happy, so I am happy. However if I ever get a dog that suffers on raw food, I will find it a good diet it can handle. There is such a wealth of contradicting views and evidence on what food to give our pets but if you're looking through threads about raw food, what kibble is good/bad, what foods are bad for dogs etc then your dog will get a better life than most :)

Here is a picture of a Puppy eating a cows knee :) makes me laugh as she is a 30kg lump of muscle now, snoring next to me on the sofa...

Image
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Appa_valley
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Re: Raw Food Diet

Post by Appa_valley »

Yahoo! Groups have ALOT of raw food groups. This is a link to the largest raw group: http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/rawfeeding/ I don't think most of these people give the veggie mix, though, can't remember. This one seems good, but I'm not a member so I don't know much about it: http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/rawpaws/ Aaaaand, here's the last link for raw cats: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rawcat

There is alot more groups on there to search through, so give it a shot!!
Mrschefiinny
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Re: Raw Food Diet

Post by Mrschefiinny »

Hello, Everyone!

Firstly, I just want to say that this posting was UBER-informative and I am now truly a believer! We should be getting our first family pup here in a couple months -- Christmas present for the kids -- and I am nearly sold on the RAW food diet.

There is one concern that I haven't seen addressed here, or maybe I am just an oddball. :oops:

We live in an apartment and don't have the luxury of allowing our dogs to have meal times in the "yard" which would make it much more hygienic (for the humans). What is a good strategy for keeping chicken/beef "juice" off of my rugs, furniture, and --- most importantly --- my children? I may be wrong, but it seems as though it takes the pups awhile to knaw the bones and I'm not sure if I really want chicken wings carried throughout the home. :(. I keep envisioning our pup licking the last of his meal and then kissing my kids a minute later . . . . :shock: Any advice would be much appreciated
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Nettle
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Re: Raw Food Diet

Post by Nettle »

Decide where you want to feed.

Put down some absorbent cloth - a folded sheet, towel, whatever.

Screen it off however you like with whatever you like - put a barrier around it that pup can't get out of.

Pup gets fed in there. By the time pup is bigger, s/he will be used to eating off the towel/whatever.

As an alternative, you can feed inside pup's crate with the door closed, but personally I like to feed elsewhere.

Children should not be anywhere near pup when pup eats - pup should not be near children when children eat :wink:
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog

SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS
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