Raw Food Diet for Dogs 101?
I don’t feed raw, probably never will go the whole route, but I’m interested in it, interested in learning more about it, and interested in incorporating it into my dogs’ diets.
If there were one or two raw food diet "things" I could do for my dogs that was relatively easy, relatively convenient, relatively not-too-messy, what would you raw diet experts recommend it be?
and where would you recommend I go to find it?
Tagged with: diet experts • diets • dogs • raw diet • raw food diet
Filed under: Raw Food Diet
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Before you go get the stuff, figure out what you believe.
Do you feel dogs are carnivores or omnivores?
If you want to feed carnivorous i.e prey model then here are some things to feed:
raw meaty bones i.e chicken thighs, chicken quarters, chicken backs, turkey drumsticks, etc. My dogs staple diet is chicken and typically the chicken quarters, but I venture out and give them turkey, lamb, venison, bison, kangaroo, pork, etc. The list is really endless.
I go to my local kroger, publix, walmart(tends to have the best price for the 10lb bag of chicken quarter) for my dogs food.
Start slowly and dont mix kibble with raw. For example, feed the raw in the am and feed the kibble during the pm at least 8 hours after. Feed raw 12 hours after feeding the kibble.
http://www.rawfed.com/myths
http://www.rawmeatybones.com
http://www.rawlearning.com
http://www.bigdogsporch.com
I can’t be bothered w/the whole concept.
IF I had a HUGE freezer & was hauling home lotza carcasses we’d taken & any fresh road-kill spotted,I might.But there’s the hassle of portioning & clean-up,too.
I’ve been feeding right-outta-the-bag for decades w/no problem. Why change now?
My dogs are fed a raw diet, raw meat with raw vegetables blended to a pulp in the blender. I make their food myself and don’t buy commercial raw food because it contains too many grains. Google the BARF diet for some good ideas.
http://www.barfproducts.com/?gclid=CODRjN_W_JcCFQFqxwodMDk9pQ
http://www.barfworld.com/
i think raw diets are good and more healthy for your dog.i suggest feeding a small amount of raw meat with the normal dog food as well it’s not something i would do a raw diet as i could never afford it.
I suggest you post this question to some Yahoo group like Dom’s Kefir group. You might need to pretreat anything raw with sufficient bacteria like those in kefir to keep your pet healthy. Ask your vet as well. Those pet feed companies just don’t grind up old horses anymore. Most feeds have been well researched to provide your pet with a balanced diet that is convenient for the pet owner.
Nature’s Variety makes a raw food that comes in frozen patties or smaller medallions. This is a simple way to incorporate raw food into your dog’s diet. Any *good* pet food store (especially the holistic or natural food stores) will have it in their freezer. Or Google Nature’s Variety and get on their web site to see where it’s available in your area.
I fed it for awhile, but I have 3 dogs and it was too pricey for that volume.
I feed mostly raw but my dogs do have ordinary mixer (not complete) as a filler. I suppose it’s marginally more time consuming in that I’m not just pouring food out of a bag. I feed raw meat – minced, frozen & supplied wholesale because I have multiple dogs. They have beef, chicken or tripe (whichever’s at the top of the freezer. They also have raw bones & chicken carcases (free from my butcher). raw eggs (free from my neighbour!) plus liver (cooked as treats because too much raw gives them the runs), and raw veg chopped in the food processor. I don’t worry about a well balanced diet any more than I do for myself.
My dogs never have upset stomachs (even when they eat a dessicated rabbit carcase they’ve found) and do not suffer from any allergies.
I wouldn’t want to live on a diet of 100% processed food which is what commercial dog food is, and don’t expect my dogs to either.
Google BARF and check on Yahoo for raw feeding groups.
Go to your local grocery store and buy some non-enhanced chicken. Either quarters or thighs. Not to messy and easy to feed.
If you want more information check out Works Wonders by Tom Lonsdale.
I feed raw. My dog gets duck necks for her to chew on and for the bone content, picnic pork portions for her to chew and clean her teeth, a little liver every 2-3 days, freeze dried green tripe, and Dr. Harvey’s Veg-to-Bowl dehydrated veggies which we rehydrate, topped with a pump of salmon oil.
She also gets one of these meats, depending on the meat we purchased: Llama, ostrich, buffalo, kangaroo, venison, rabbit, and other exotic meats we could get at our pet store. It is good to feed an assortment of foods to your dog. It’s healthier, like you would feed yourself.
She could also eat beef, chicken and turkey, but we don’t feed that because she ate so much of it while growing up. She HATES chicken and turkey anyway. Chopped beef has too much give. She can’t clean her teeth if she doesn’t chew the meat. Steaks and other cuts are out of my price range.
You could feed your dog eggs or freeze dried medallions. Rehydrate them if you want. If you have a good pet store, you could also buy tubes of exotic meats to feed as treats. Simply defrost the tube, cut it into small sizes, put them into baggies and freeze them. My dog gets treats this way because she doesn’t like her treats soft.
Good brands are: Oma’s Pride, Aunt Jeni’s Homemade for Life, Bravo, Primal, Nature’s Variety, and Wysong.
Google these brands for stores around you.
Here’s what "The Dog Whisperer" website has to say about raw food diests … "The idea of this approach is that raw food is closer to what a dog would eat in the wild. Unfortunately, dogs in the wild do not live very long, which, to me, is a flaw in their logic".
I own 2 dogs and personally would never feed my dogs a raw diet.
I am considering a raw diet for my dog to increase his protein intake and to make sure he gets the vitamins and minerals he needs. There are several different models and methods of feeding raw: some say grind the food up, some say not to. Some say feed frozen, some say no. Some say BARF is the way to go, some say prey model. It really depends on what you are comfortable with and what works for your dog. You can supplement a kibble diet with raw meats, but don’t feed them together. The kibble contains grains which slows down the digestion of meat allowing bacteria a chance to grow and make your dog sick. Good luck finding what works for you!
Edit for "me": That is a ridiculous statement. Yes dogs in the wild do not live very long, but could that be due to lack of shelter, lack of food, lack of healthy water? Could it be due to them not recieving vet care when they are sick or injured? Could it be due to them never being vaccinated against diseases like distemper and rabies? Nope, clearly diet is the only thing influencing how long they live. Obviously domesticated dogs living before kibble was invented and mass marketed (any time before about 1950) never lived more than a few years…oh wait, they did.