I am getting a shelter dog next summer and I expect it not to be as healthy as dogs that have been raised on high quality life styles. Here is my idea:
Switch to a high-quality dog food for about 4 months
If he doesn’t look better, go on a raw diet (i’ll need some recipes please) for about a month or whenever he looks nice
High quality dog food again for awhile and then switch to an okay dog food.
Does that sound okay? That will be over the course of like 10 months, is that too much switching, should I just feed raw, premium and then okay. Raw then okay. Premium then okay food?
Thank you!
PS I need to know how much to feed—- he’ll be about 45lbs with about 1 hour of exercise a day.
of course I’ll love him :) He’ll get as much TLC as the most spoiled dog in the world! Does anyone have raw recipes?
He isn’t getting crappy food!!!!! He’ll probably be a lab x whippet or something nice. Just to build his immune system on the good food and make his coat shinier and then and OKAY dog food to maintain the coat.
He’ll be young… 3-5 years

Getting an australian shepherd and going to feed it a raw diet. What must be in it? I’m feeding my dog like the wild, so don’t say any supplements please. Any percentages or things that need to be in it. Do you have any recipes that can be fed to an Aussie? Also can I have how many servings are made? Thanks so much. Where can I buy the ingredients too?

I have been looking in to (and starting the dog) feed a barf diet to my dogs and cats…my dogs have always gotten raw soup bones and pig ears. and they get most table scraps, mixed with kibble…
however after we lost our male cat at the young age of 4 to a bladder blockage…i have been looking in to feeding our other male and new female cat a raw diet…the vet told me that indoor fixed male cats get it more often then say a fixed male barn cat would. my mother also loss her indoor unaltered male cat a week before we lost ours(same food fed). So the more i looked the more i belamed the food companies that claim they care.
also the male cat is VERY over weight. and the dogs are chunky…but they get lots od exersize….so lite diets would be helpful.

so the question is have u read any good books or web sites with some free recipes?

thanks in advance.
first off CS u asume to much and are a bit of a b*itch about it….i know what caused it..i know the crystals and the male urthea..i also know that u have to watch the ash content and Magnesium ect. for males. As MY FAT CAT has had infections..i know this my cats where on the right food…
CS SAID: Funny though, your willing to blame a food company, but not your own medical management of a cat that you have let become overweight and therefore unhealthy…wonder why that is?

…my cat was over weight well before i got him….and he has lost some because i cut back his food and diet food make him sick…or he won’t eat them wasted even money on the crap the pet food companies sale….and like i said Assuming makes ya look like an ASS.

Oh and what do u think our pets ate before the pet food company’s?!

oh and thanks electro….
oh my dogs are not over weight they are just a bit chunky… it winter here it been very cold (They are not out side dogs but they do play outside for about 3 hour though out the day plus i walk them for about an hour a day….before any one belames me for that to)and they seem to gain winter bulk. they are at 73 and 75 lbs they are rottie/ border collie and ‘u name it’ mixes. so i figure they are about 6-8 lbs over ….

I’m seriously considering doing the raw diet for my dogs. I’ve read many a web page on the topic and I think I get the basic idea of how to go about it, but unfortunately, most of the sites were raw food retailers who sell in bulk and were pushing me to use their product and only gave me guidelines for the use of their product- nothing about how to do it on my own. I have a wonderful Italian market in my locale that sells every part of the animal you can think of, and at low prices. I think the average cost of a whole lamb liver is .50, and about the same price for gizzards and other body parts such as pigs feet and snouts. They also sell their meats at a great price (chicken is usually around per pound). So the tools are there, I just need to implement them. Can anyone reccommend a good online resource for a homemade raw diet? Or perhaps you prepare homemade raw foods for your pets and have valuable recipes/advice? I also have questions about feeding veggies- which ones are acceptable and do they have to be steamed before consumption (some sites say yes because steaming them brings out all the nutrients, but other sites say no because technically it’s no longer raw)? And is mixing in rice a good idea, and if so, which type of rice is best to use? And I’m kind of worried about feeding bones because while all the raw sites say it’s good to do that, many of my friends who have worked in a vet clinic before say that most of the dogs on a raw diet came in with torn intestines from the bones peices. Logic tells me they should be OK, but I’ve been scared by one to many people to just let this go without asking someone who has had succes with the raw diet. As always, any help is much appreciated and links are wonderful!

I am just about to give up on store bought dog foods. But the alternative is very overwhelming to me. My husband is a soldier and we move around a lot and I cant find the same good bought food everywhere we go. And I now live in very small towns without many dog food choices. After the research I have done, I want to get my 6lb yorkie off of the store bought food. I dont know what to feed him though. Even now, we give him cooked ground beef, turkey, and even a few fruits and veggies (only the ones safe for my pup of course) in addition to his dog food – which is Nutro Ultra by the way. I really want to hear from pet owners that are feeding their dog a "raw diet" (I have no idea if that’s even the right term for fresh food). Even if I was to start out feeding my pup fresh foods in addition to his dog food, how would I know he is getting the right nutrition?

Please answer if you are feeding your dog fresh food and have some recipes that you are already feeding your dog.

Thanks!!
Please dont tell me to look at a website or search online. I have already done all of that. Unless you have a website that YOU use to feed your pet.

Here we go…

As you may or may not know, I don’t eat meat for ethical, environmental, and health reasons. Whether you agree/disagree with my personal choice, please don’t slight this question because of that. I am personally healthier than I’ve ever been, I haven’t been sick at all in the past two years since I went vegan and for the first time in my life I FEEL healthy, so veganism works for me. This isn’t the place for arguing about human diets, so let me go on.

I have two young, large breed dogs, and as their care provider I look out for their best interests. After doing a lot of research on dog foods I had settled on a kibble I’m happy with until I could securely start them on a raw diet. I feel at home researching vitamins, supplements, natural sources of protein, digestive properties, because I took the same care when I made the personal switch, and do the same for my dogs. And yes, I realize the requirements for me are not the same for them.

I wanted to start my dogs on a raw diet because of all the positive testimonials I had heard. Buying marrow bones for them to snack on and hot dog treats for training is one thing, but when I went into the deli to actually get prices on meats, I’ll be honest, it was a lot for me to take in when I saw the meat locker open. Hanging pigs and racks of cow, things that I don’t agree with or can even stomach anymore, and here I was getting prices on these dead animals in bulk to feed to my dogs. I felt hypocritical, and while that may be something I need to address with myself, it made me want to at least ponder other options.

I had seen Natural Balance Vegetarian formula in Petco, and was intrigued by the idea and knew a lot of people who recommended this brand. And it met AAFCO standards, if anything it is something I could try. So I started looking online, and there are a lot of vegetarian options for dogs. I’ll list them so you can view them and please give your opinion or any red flags you may see. I’ve also posted factsheets on vegetarian dog diets.

FACTSHEETS/WEBSITES:

http://www.helpinganimals.com/pdfs/Dog_Health_Survey.pdf

http://www.vegsoc.org/info/dogfood1.html (also a dogfood2.html)

http://www.vegforlife.org/dogscats.htm

http://www.peta.org/factsheet/files/FactsheetDisplay.asp?ID=34

COMPANIES:

http://v-dogfood.com/ AAFCO approved

http://www.vegepet.com/ Supplement to homemade kibble

http://www.naturesrecipe.com/recipe_detail.aspx?id=424 Nature’s Recipe AAFCO approved

http://www.petguard.com/dog-products/dry-food/petguard-organics-adult-dry-dog-food Free of Corn, Soy, Wheat, and Yeast fillers

http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/dogformulas/Vegetarian.html Natural Balance AAFCO approved

And there are more on the web sites provided. If these companies can create a kibble that is healthy for dogs, it also crosses my mind that a raw vegetable diet should be okay for dogs also, along with proper supplements if needed. I would much rather feed fresh than kibble, but I’ve found very little information on that online. Your thoughts with that would be appreciated. Also, I plan on doing trial runs with both of them on either the raw veggie or veggie kibble diets, whichever I’m more comfortable with doing. And if they’re healthy to my standards and that of my vet, I will then keep it. But I won’t make them stay on it if it doesn’t agree with their bodies. And depending on how it goes, I may go on to try a raw diet, but not all dogs do excellent on that, either.

Just warranting opinions, hopefully opinions of intelligent people who can respond as such. And don’t tell me to rehome my dogs, unless you’ll personally take them and let me have them on weekends (sike), that’s not happening. But please be open-minded and considerate, as I’m seeking out my dog’s best interest, with my interests in mind.
Marketing gimmicks that are still approved by AAFCO.

Carnivores they may be, but they are not obligate carnivores. They do not need protein from meat to survive, or even to sustain. If dogs were strict carnivores, then all the purina / ol roy / pedigree food that is mostly CORN and WHEAT would have killed them by now, but we all know dogs who are basically corn-fed and have lived long, healthy lives. Not defending these corn brands, but it’s still something to consider.
And in the amount of time it took you to respond, I can tell you checked all the links out and read what I posted in detail. Thanks.
Dachs – I am aware it is just what makes me feel better, The question is geared towards whether they can sustain. Everyone brings up wolves in the wild, and while I know they are direct descendants, I don’t know of anyone who lets their dog attack a duck, possum, squirrel, etc., and let them devour it "like they would in the wild." So no one takes care of their dogs like a wolf takes care of itself, they are domesticated after all.

GSD – If you read the ingredients in a lot of the veg foods, a lot of it is fully natural and what isn’t is vitamins and mineral supplements. You could argue the same about ‘man made chemical compounds" with over 50% of approved dog foods on the market. Plant protein and Animal protein are equal when it comes to amino acids and how they break down, the only difference is with Taurine, which dogs create on their own.

Thank you Paul, and that’s a good idea Jenny about kosher meat.

Lauren. "can’t" and "shouldn’t" have different meanings, please learn them.
Thank you, GSD. Ultimately, like I said, I’ll try it out if I do feel comfortable with it, which I don’t as of yet. I’m just trying to gather as much info as possible. I’ve been vegan the entire time I’ve had these two, and I’ve always told myself they eat meat because it’s what’s best for them, but like I said.. I’m trying to ponder all options. If only one does well on the veg. diet, then that’s great, I’ll keep the other one on the diet that works for them. If they both do poor, they will be fed what is optimal for their bodies, and at least I’ll know I tried.

Tria – I don’t want a rabbit. I may go with the idea of free range and kosher if anything, but I could never afford premade raw food for my 50 and 70 lb dogs, unfortunately.

Thanks Rachel :) Genetic makeup is another thing to consider, you’re right. There’s still a lot to consider, like if they’ll even like it! I’m glad you can tell the difference between me and some lunatic trying to feed their dogs an all-apple diet.
Thank you, GSD. Ultimately, like I said, I’ll try it out if I do feel comfortable with it, which I don’t as of yet. I’m just trying to gather as much info as possible. I’ve been vegan the entire time I’ve had these two, and I’ve always told myself they eat meat because it’s what’s best for them, but like I said.. I’m trying to ponder all options. If only one does well on the veg. diet, then that’s great, I’ll keep the other one on the diet that works for them. If they both do poor, they will be fed what is optimal for their bodies, and at least I’ll know I tried.

Tria – I don’t want a rabbit. I may go with the idea of free range and kosher if anything, but I could never afford premade raw food for my 50 and 70 lb dogs, unfortunately.

Thanks Rachel :) Genetic makeup is another thing to consider, you’re right. There’s still a lot to consider, like if they’ll even like it! I’m glad you can tell the difference between me and some lunatic trying to feed their dogs an all-apple diet.
Thank you Mayv, it’s nice to see someone who is doing it and having great results. After 13 ‘no’ responses I didn’t think anyone on this forum would be helpful with it, thanks.

Curtis – I said I’m not rehoming my dogs under any circumstances or getting a damn rabbit. Unless YOU are going to come take them, bike ride 12 miles with them a day, make homemade treats every sunday night and stuff all their kongs for the work week, cut up packages and packages of hot dogs for training, vacuum up after Josie twice a week, put up with her anxiety and velcro tendency, Zoey’s excited peeing, her tail knocking drinks and papers off the coffee table all.the.time., take them swimming weekly, drag their limp bodies into their crates every night when they try to sleep in the bedroom (they become QUITE unconscious, imagine that), buy nic nacs for them anywhere you go because they’re YOUR girls and mean their weight in gold to you.

I love and take care of them, so thanks for NOT reading my full post

I have a14 week old shiba inu puppy, duke. I currently feed him Artemis: Small Breed Puppy Formula. I know this is really good food however i want to give him a healthier diet. How would i go about doing this, raw diet? what is raw diet exactly? Also could i do like cooked chicken, or steak pieces along with mashed fruits and veggie?

Links to websites or recipes for some good homemade food to go along with his dry food would be greatly appreciated.

i don’t want the barf or raw diet i just want like some simple recipes that are delicious and nutritious for my dog while that i can mix in while im mkaing food for my family
she hates dog food
and nothing too difficult to make but has all nutrition for a dog in one meal
thanks :D

I was asking a question last night about a cat food by Taste of the Wild and I had a couple answers that informed me of how bad dry food really is for cats…I was shocked to find this out. So apparently more canned food would be better or just switching to a raw diet. I would like to do the raw diet if someone can give me a good, easy, cheap recipe to do it. I also don’t have a meat grinder, so is that something you HAVE to have in order to feed raw since cats are supposed to eat a small amount of bones?

If you feed your cats raw, please list what foods you buy and how much you feed them daily and WHAT meats you feed them daily. Also, how much a month approx would it cost to raw feed 2 cats? Tell me all you know! I looked at some sites, but none were really explaining the types of meat to buy.

One last question-one of my cats is a kitten, would a raw diet give him all the nutrients he needs?

THANKS!
Ok, now i’m getting confused. Everyone was saying that a raw food diet is so much better because cats are carnivores and most of the proteins in dry food are plant proteins while proteins in canned food or raw diet are animal proteins.
I don’t want to risk them getting a disease from infected meat so I guess I will continue to offer them dry food at all times, I’m going to use Taste of the Wild Rocky Mountain Feline and then I’ll give them a canned food once a day…That sounds easier anyway. I just was curious about the raw food because everyone said it’s the healthiest for them.
I too know of several cats that lived solely off of dry foods and they lived to be 15+, I just thought maybe raw would be better…but I’m too afraid to do it because I’m afraid I wouldn’t get the right amounts of different nutrients etc.

I currently have my cat (about 8 mo.) on Wellness, which is a great dry food, but am thinking of switching him to a raw diet. I’ve done some research and a lot of the recipes I’ve found online call for bone, which I then have to grind. Unfortunately, I don’t have a meat and bone grinder and its too expensive for me to buy at this point in time. Is there something I can use as a substitute for bone? Maybe bone meal or some sort of vitamin? And if not, is it better to just stay with the Wellness dry food rather than feed my kitty a recipe without bone?

I’ve been considering getting a pair of ferrets next year, and have been doing some research and have heard that they are obligate carnivores, and the ferret dry kibbly can cause them cancer.

Do any of you experienced ferret owners have any raw diet recipes you’d care to share?

Additionally, I have also heard they have some difficulty adjusting to new foods. How do I go about feeding them a varied raw diet, and ensure they won’t become picky and eat only one type of meat?

Thanks in advance!
**And feeding the ferret dry kibble can cause them cancer

@_@ This is what happens when I don’t sleep for 3 days…

ok heres the thing……and my cat hates canned food and the "raw diet" so please don’t reccomend that. my cat was on nature’s recipe chicken and rice and had horrible smelly stool (it looked like butterscotch pudding) took him to the vet (he is 5, neutered, and fully indoor, and hasn’t had any contact with other cats in years) his bacteria and parasite test came back negative. the vet gave me probiotics and nutro indoor weight management food, but still the "butterscotch pudding" stool. when i was away for the weekend my mom ran out of food, went to petco and bought meow mix dry for indoor cats (since it was cheaper) and BAM his stools are normal cat stools like he used to have! and he has a shiney coat and loves the taste. so am i a bad mom? his problem cleared up! i know by-products and corn products are bad in cat food, but he seems healthy and happy and his tummy is all better….
ken……….you don’t have to be such a d bag! he doesn’t like wet or raw he sits by his dish and cries and cries and cries. HE DOES NOT LIKE IT. should i starve him? would that make me a better owner? i care a lot about my cat that is why i am asking. if i didn’t care then i would just go to the dollar store and get whatever i could find, but i don’t. i take my cat to the vet annually and care about him a lot and that is why i asked. and i know all about the raw diet, i read several books on it. he doesn’t like it. but wait im sorry what do cats eat in the wild? feathers? ya they might swallow some! intestines? probably. so if you are going to use that approach you are an uneducated fool…o ya and a douche bag btw and o have you ever even had a gf? or are you just a lonly man with a lot of cats?

i am familiar with the nutro recall and it wasn’t the recalled food that he ate, and i know how to properly switch a pet’s food. thanks for the advice though!
and thanks p and pack leader for telling me everything i already know after i asked you not to

I am going to be starting my huskies on a partial raw diet, and will be making it myself. I am buying my meat grinder Friday, and I already have the recipe I will start with. I am just looking for any tips or advice from those of you already making your own. What is your dog’s favorite, things you add in, etc.. Thanks in advance for any ideas and suggestions !
Added: I will not buy raw. I am going to be making it on my own for quality control reasons and because I have one with allergies.
Added:
Yep, gizzards and all. I am buying a commercial grinder, so i will be grindong the whole bird. I will also be feeding to my cats, and the heart is loaded with taurine, so I am doing the whole bird. I am also doing a venison batch.
Added: mechanic- One of my guys is very allergic to wheat. The only grains i am using are oatmeal and quinoa.
Added:froesaken- during transition they will be on a high protein/meat kibble. Also, grindong the whole bird guaratees optimal nutrition. if you read the back of a package, or talk to a manufacturer, they all grind the whole bird. DHA comes from the brain, Taurine from the heart, etc. And in the wild they eat all internal organs plus neck and bones. (dometicated dogs also don’t run 30 miles to catch and kill their prey, therefore you cannot compare nutritional requrements.)
Added: i will be using oatmeal and quinoa as grain for binders and to aid in digestion. Also, my dogs get plenty of natural ches and get their teeth brushed, so it is not a concern. And I’m looking for tips because it is new to me, but trust me when I say, I know what dogs can and cannot have.
Also, once you cook meat, you lose about 70% of the meat protein. Second, once you cook veggies, they lose almost all of their nutritional value.
PLEASE: If you are not giving advice on recipes, etc. I don;t want it. I am looking for tips, not someone to talk me out of it. Thanks.

I am going to put my dogs on a Raw Diet, but I have some questions on what and how much to feed.

To feed a dog a raw diet, does this mean, I go to my local grocery store, pick up bags of chicken drumsticks/wings/necks and start feeding to them raw? Or do i need to do something else to it?

Also, how much should I feed? I have two boxer puppies (6 months, 40 pounds). And what about vegetables. What types should I give? I also read that you shouldnt give raw vegetables, but you have to grind it up. Is this true?

I know you can buy packages of raw/barf food, but I would like to do it on my own. I have been searching through the web, but if any of you can provide some experience or recipes, that would be great. Thanks!
Please, if you dont believe in Raw diets, do not answer. I understand that many dont like it, so just skip the question.

We ran out of dog food again, we called to order more (we have to order it from the feed store) the guy said he would order it, then we called to see when it would be in, now that were out, only to find out he never ordered it! so they said there not sure when it will be in.. Gah! This is the second time this has happened! We’ve been feeding them Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul Adult Formula. So now were totally out, last night i made some plain white rice, with a chicken breast cooked into it. Which of course the dogs really enjoyed, but i feel this isn’t a very complete meal. I’m hoping the food will come in tomorrow, but i fear it may not be until next Monday. So i need to figure out what to feed them until then. What else can i add to this rice chicken mix to make it more complete? things i thought of might be eggs (hard boiled maybe?) Carrots, frozen veggies, or canned pumpkin (i give them pumpkin when there stomach is upset and they love it) We also have plain oatmeal maybe that would be better than rice? or mixed with the rice? I really have no idea,
I’m not sure what else we have that might be good to add, we might be able to go buy some more veggies or something tonight, if my fiance doesn’t have to work too late. What else might be a better meal? I haven’t really had time to look into feeding a raw diet, but i have considered it many times, especially since its so hard to find good dog food here. If anyone has some basic dog food recipes, hopefully ones that don’t call for a lot of fancy ingredients, because we live in a small town and only have a basic grocery store.

After my ferret has gotten sick, i want to change him to the raw diet, does anyone have a good recipe?
Also, does anyone know a good tip on how to get your ferret to eat it, mine is a bit pick nickey about food, the only food he will eat thats not made for ferrets is, cookies so.. please help!!

I’m trying to bring my diet from a mostly processed one to one that deals more with natural foods. I’m not talking about a raw diet, but a vegetarian one is okay and the goal.
Also, any book that talks about the health issues and benefits from natural diets would be great.
Thanks for your recommendations.

We have a seven year old great pyrenees who has been on traditional kibbled food his whole life. We just bought an AKC female German Shepherd puppy who was already weaned to a raw diet.

My pyr has been getting more and more arthrititc and has been eating less, so I have switched him to a raw diet too. Now, much to my joy, he is a greedy eater and already has a thicker, softer hide, and seems to have more "life" in him again.

I’ve gleaned about 7 articles and recipes to come up with this master list of ingredients. I would like to submit these ingredients and get feedback from other raw food enthusiasts to make sure they are acceptable for both a puppy and arthritic senior.

Keep in mind, not all of these end up in every batch every time, but usually about 90% based on what we have on hand.

Meats:
73/27 beef (would like a leaner grind, but I buy the 5 pound "tubes" and that’s all the store has)
Ground turkey
Beef/chicken livers
gizzards and chicken hearts
beef kidney
canned salmon

Steamed:
Carrots
mustard green (finely chopped)
collard green (finely chopped)
spinach (finely chopped)
celery
garlic

Fresh:
Parsley
cucumber

Dairy:
Cottage cheese (puppy only)
raw eggs

Bones (for the senior dog):
Beef bones
Beef neck bones
Marrow bones

Supplements:
2000mg Glucosamin / 1600mg Chondroitin (for senior dog, weight 130 pounds)

I am curious for feedback on additional ingredients, dangerous combinations, and ingredients that ought to be removed.

Also, what kind of bones should I give the puppy?
Oh, I also forgot we steam sweet potato and mix it in as well.

I am curious, what other vegetables are good for dogs?
I am curious about how much liver is too much.

I usually mix one pound of ground beef, a one pound container of liver, one beef kidney (about a pound), and a half pound of chicken hearts for the meat composition. In the full mix about 15 – 20% of the food weight could be credited to liver.

The site says no more than "three servings of liver a week" but fails to define a serving, and also fails to define a weight ratio. I need more information on this

my cat hates the raw diet and wet food so please don’t lecture me on that, i have tried several flavors and brands and as a topper and he either cries for hours or eats around it. he has a water fountain at all times. and i always acclimate him to food. i think the junk foods like friskies and meow mix is better for him actually, shiny coat and solid stools. whenever i give him "premium" or "organic foods" like natures recipe, solid gold, or nutro it seems to be too rich for him, he gets diarrehrea and his coat is full of dandruff. now the junk food is what he enjoys (friskies, meow mix) and it is affordable. but its junk and i would wnat him on something healthier, without the dandruff and messy stools, and he refuses to eat science diet, which is ok because it is just overpriced junk food. what do you recommend? and please no raw or wet diets i have tried them he hates it and im not going to let him starve so i can say "o ya i feed raw only"

I am getting an 11 week old standard poodle puppy and he is coming on a raw diet. I want him to have all the proper nutrients, I have put the entire recipe in nutritiondata.com and can see the amounts of all of the nutrients and calories. I have been trying to go by the AAFCO dog food requirements. But they are in percentages and nutritiondata.com is showing me in mg.

I may be just making a stupid mistake but for example aafco says dog food needs 1.0% calcium. And in 100g of food there is 143mg of calcuim. So my answer ends up being 0.143% calcium. If this calculation is true then the puppy will be extremely deficient in this vital nutrient. Maybe I should focus on how much of the nutrients a day they need?

I’ve read good words on the raw diet.It sounds great, cats evolved to eat meat & you can be sure that they are get proper nutrition assuming you get a proper recipe.

My vet’s against raw diets b/c of the risk for bacterial infection.I understand.I’m a medical student and even the human stomach’s pH can go down to 1 during digestion, but raw foods are also risky for humans.

Assuming that I am careful with the source of the meat (I’m thinking of whole rabbit carcass cut into chewable pieces, much of the bacterial infection is from grinding meat and mixing meat from an infected animal with meat from other animals), storage, and get a proper recipe, is this ideal compared to highly respected cat food brands like Wellness?

What were the opinions your vets had?

What have you found helpful? Just like human medicine, vets are trained to use commerical products like meds and Rx foods. Little education is given about preventative nutrition. Have you had any useful reads on nutrition?

My dog, Boo, a ten pound pap may have food allergies. I say this because she allways itchy, and no fleas to be found. Because the cost of special food is irritating, and I don’t know what I’m getting, I want to feed her "real" food.

My thought is to brown some ground turkey/beef/whatever, throw it in a blender with a little water and some raw veggies, and freeze in ice-cube trays. Then I can pop out cubes, thaw, and feed along with some (brown?) rice as filler (got the idea from my trainer tonight.) I don’t know how much of anything to throw in, though.

Should I cook the veggies? Add garlic as flea repelent? Any recipe I plan to run by my vet, first, but does anyone have one? Raw diet is not so grand an idea for me, as I don’t like having raw meat around and the food-cube idea sounds fairly easy in terms of feedeing and prep.

Also, what are the most common canine food allergies? I want to know what to avoid.

I don’t know if it is possible to become a vegetarian because I am having trouble giving up meat. I know it is going to be harder to become vegan! I would like to go all the way and go raw. Any body know how I can get some help? I have tried the recipes on the internet, but nothing comes out right. I go to a raw market but the only have it is only on Sat., and it is .00 lb to eat at the raw bar. My stuff never tastes like theirs! I went raw for 3 weeks and felt like a million dollars!
Please tell me why I gained weight on the raw diet. I thought I’d lose weight. Thank you in advance!

Hi, my sister and I are considering going on an organic, mostly raw diet. We are not vegetarian, nor do we really care to be, but as far as meat goes we plan to eat mainly chicken and fish. We love most fruits and veggies, so this probably won’t be a huge problem for us.This is not to lose weight, but to be healthier and cleanse our bodies of preservatives. I was just wondering if anyone had some suggestions, and maybe recipe/meal ideas? We are fairly petite, so plans for the day should be no more than about 1500 calories. Also, we can’t have any foods from the nightshade family (potatoes, tomatoes, bell peppers, eggplant, and other kinds of peppers), so keep this in mind when suggesting recipes! Thanks in advance!
Oh, and the reason for no peppers, etc., is because we thought we had a bell pepper allergy, but it turns out that our bodies can’t digest the solanine (a toxin found in all of those vegetables that just passes through most people). So basically, eating those things has been poisoning us until we realized it.

Hello,

I have recently started trying to eat a mostly raw diet, and while I have been successful at eliminating most cooked foods from my menu, I have run into some problems. Most significantly, I have been experiencing mild to severe nausea following some 100% raw (or close to) days, and even some meals. For example, last week I made a raw ‘sunflower pate’ and ate it between two romaine leaves- it tasted great and I felt alright for about an hour after eating, but then I got a terrible headache and very nauseated. Around 4pm, I threw up, and was dry-heaving the rest of that day. The next day I still felt awful, and had trouble keeping anything down. The next day I felt fine… but still everything I ate seemed to not sit well with me.

I have a few guesses as to what went wrong with the sunflower dish, but nothing too conclusive. The seeds had to be soaked before they were used in the recipe; is it possible that they were rancid, or moldy? Was it a problem with food-combining? (recipe also included a lot of garlic/onion and pungent items, maybe it was just too much for my digestive system)? Any ideas or resources would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Hey Jen- Thanks for the info. I don’t understand what you mean by ‘made private’- I just started using answers and made some preferance changes- not real sure how it all works. Anyway… yeah I have been an outdoorsy person most of my life; I do fish, but my shooting is trap and skeet, which are clay targets. I’m interested in natural health and just looking for new ways to hopefully improve mine. Thanks again for your input!