Friday, July 31, 2009

Anybody feed their dog"raw" food?

I have been putting thought into starting my G.S.D. on a raw food diet. I have lots of questions though. About what would it cost to feed him? (he is a year old and 90 lbs.. and very active) Are there some brands that are better than others? Is there anything about it that can be harmful to my dog? Any ingredients I should look for.. or avoid?
Answers:
"Create a Nutritious Raw Dog Food Diet
Formulate and prepare a home-made canine diet that includes raw meaty bones.

By Mary Straus

Countless dog owners have witnessed the benefits of feeding their dogs a nutritious home-prepared raw dog food diet, such as cleaner teeth, brighter eyes, thicker and glossier coats, more lean muscle and less body fat, and better energy level – hyper dogs often become calmer, while couch potatoes may become more energetic.

In last month’s article, “Have Dinner In,” we discussed those benefits at length and introduced the fact that there are many different styles of homemade dog food diets. In this article, we’ll explain how to create a raw dog food diet that includes bones –perhaps the most commonly used “evolutionary” diet for dogs. In a later installment, we’ll…"

http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/...

http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/...

This will help.
more info, what do you mean by "raw"?
The breeder who sold my mom her dog feeds all her dogs raw chicken, bones and all, right out of the package. She swears it's the best thing for them. I never heard of it before that, but that's what she does.
Hello
We lasted one day on the BARF diet. While it makes sense, having my aussies take the raw chicken out of their bowls, on to the rug and hearing them crunch raw bones gave me the willies! I did find %26 have them on a FABULOUS holistic food.

tina www.havedog.com > nutrition page
I feed mine raw beef bones, but everyting eles cooked.
Oprah had a show the other week about training and feeding your dog and they professional said the best food for your dog is raw meats and vegetables. You should be okay with meats that are high in protein. Carrots, potatoes and cooked rice are also very good for dogs. My dog loves carrots, broccoli, lettuce, cucumbers, green beans, bananas, strawberries, apples and cheese. They are healthy alternatives to processed treats and dog foods.
yes. there is harm.1 he is still to young.and raw meat will make him wormie. and if he gets the taste of blood he will always want blood and become dangerous and hard to handle.
I have been feeding raw for only a few months, and the benefits are really showing through. I researched it a lot, and was inspired by the raw diet my breeder was feeding when we got our Rhodesian Ridgeback.
I alternate between raw chicken necks with Nupro supliment, juiced veggies and sometimes plain natural yogurt or cottage cheese (my own mix) and Nature's Variety Raw Diet Frozen. I usually feed 4 days my mix and 3 days Nature's Variety. I find this works for me, though it is a little more pricey than kibble. My dogs are very healthy and strong and happy. My ten year old looks better than ever and my 5 month old is doing wonderful.
I have the book "Raw Meaty Bones", and I recommend it as a great resource to have on hand. I also look at the following websites for inspiration as well.
The main things to remember are:
NO COOKED BONES!
Pay attention to your suppliments.
Raw beef has an enzyme that helps keep teeth clean.
Hormone and Antibiotic free meat is best.
Organ meat is a must (ie. heart, liver, etc.)
and Always clean the bowl after your dog eats.
Marrow bone once a week to keep teeth clean and bones healthy.
You should ask this question on http://www.dogster.com I do not feed my dog and entirely raw diet, but there are many people on there who swear by it. Plus their dogs are thriving. I think that one of the great things about this diet is that you have the freedom to make it as cheap or expensive as you want. You are not confined to commercial pre packaged food. Your dog can eat what you think is healthy and what he likes. There are two kinds of RAW diets that I have heard of.

A prey model--Tom Lonsdale is there spokesman, it is modeled after what a wolf would eat in the wild-- which is considerably more meat/organs/bones.

A barf model--Dr Billinghurst is the main spokespman, and it incorporates roughly 15% vegetables and the rest is meat.

I feed my dogs Canidae, and supplement cottage cheese in the mornings, a meat like tuna or lamb at lunch, and kibble for dinner. They are doing great. Both of those guys have books and websites, but Ill include a few other good recources.
Good Luck

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