1. what was the deciding factor to switch to or start a raw food diet 2. did a raw food diet satisfy the reason you decided to switch/start 3. did you have any cons about feeding raw, if so what 4. since feeding raw, do you still feel the same about #3 cons 5. if you had to for whatever reason, what dog food would you feed (non raw) 6. do you think there is ever a time a healthy dog would do better on kibble vs. raw, and why 7. do you think there is ever a time a sick dog would do better on kibble than raw, and why, for what illness 8. and for fun, what's the most unusual or exotic thing you fed your dog
thanks!!
Anonymous2010-06-18T10:26:19Z
Favorite Answer
1. what was the deciding factor to switch to or start a raw food diet It was a multi-part decision. A b*tch who died from a small intestine cancer - older veterinary oncologist informed me of a tremendous increase in the numbers of cancers since the advent of kibble especially low residue kibble failing to clean out the intestines. Noting that my grandparent's dogs of the same breed lived longer 40 years ago and they had not fed kibble (nor vaccinated). Discussions with European breeders of Bernese and the fact that those who were raw feeding seemed to have dogs that lived longer.
2. did a raw food diet satisfy the reason you decided to switch/start
Yes - and then some. Decreased vet bills, no teeth cleaning and no yard clean up (poop melts away in the Seattle rain)
3. did you have any cons about feeding raw, if so what
None - unless you count an uber thick lawn where the dogs poop. I was concerned about sourcing meat inexpensively.
4. since feeding raw, do you still feel the same about #3 cons I I'm frugal by nature and get a kick out of finding inexpensive meat.
5. if you had to for whatever reason, what dog food would you feed (non raw)
Solid Gold's Barking At The Moon - I use it for treats now
6. do you think there is ever a time a healthy dog would do better on kibble vs. raw, and why
No. Unless the owner is incapable of learning how to balance a diet or how to source meat well.
7. do you think there is ever a time a sick dog would do better on kibble than raw, and why, for what illness
No. I'm not a vet. But I haven't run into anything.
8. and for fun, what's the most unusual or exotic thing you fed your dog
1. what was the deciding factor to switch to or start a raw food diet
well my ferals eat rodents and hardly touch the food I set out, I Noticed they were healthier than my indoor pets and the only real difference was diet.
2. did a raw food diet satisfy the reason you decided to switch/start Sure did
3. did you have any cons about feeding raw, if so what Lack of convenience. Plus when I'm fostering or pet sitting I have to hid all of the kibble or mine will find away into it. 4. since feeding raw, do you still feel the same about #3 cons Well yeah LOL It's not that big of a deal though
5. if you had to for whatever reason, what dog food would you feed (non raw) Ummm natural balance is what I was feeding, I'd have to look at their ingredients again but we'd probably go back to that.
6. do you think there is ever a time a healthy dog would do better on kibble vs. raw, and why Probably not.
7. do you think there is ever a time a sick dog would do better on kibble than raw, and why, for what illness Again probably not.
8. and for fun, what's the most unusual or exotic thing you fed your dog
Well I haven't fed it yet, but I got some bison for them =) Besides that probably deer. Or if you count the cats- mice. Holly won't touch mice but the cats love them lol
Okay...I am not an exclusive raw feeder, but I'm choosing to answer anyways....because I want to :P
1. what was the deciding factor to switch to or start a raw food diet My Bullmastiff puppy had massive allergies to most foods which made me look into other alternatives. After reading information on raw feeding I thought it was awesome to feed a dog the way it was intended. However, having 2 small children at home and being generally busy between them, work, and the dogs, I didn't feel I had the time or energy to make sure their diet was balanced enough on raw to provide proper nutrition. I will go fully raw maybe at some point in the future. I instead feed Orijen kibble and supplement raw when I can. The improvement in all three of my dogs is drastic.
2. did a raw food diet satisfy the reason you decided to switch/start As I said in the last question, they all improved drastically. Shankly finally had non diarrhea poop. My 13 1/2 year old dog seemed to be 5 years younger. My little cavalier seemed to have a softer coat and have more energy. Although I don't feed the raw exclusive, I have seen improvements just switching off of grain filled kibble to the Orijen combined with the raw supplement.
3. did you have any cons about feeding raw, if so what The biggest con for me is the time involved. Obtaining the different meats, organs, etc and then making sure it is balanced out and appropriate weight for each dog...it's just too much for me right now. The other con is that it can be on the messy side...at least with one of my dogs. I have to clean after I feed them raw whereas when I feed them kibble, I scoop food into the bowls and then all I have to do is pick up the bowls when they are done.
4. since feeding raw, do you still feel the same about #3 cons I used to be WAY more worried about the bacteria, not from them eating it, but left on surfaces. A simple clorox wipedown is sufficient for me now.
5. if you had to for whatever reason, what dog food would you feed (non raw) I would stick to my Orijen or another grain free food.
6. do you think there is ever a time a healthy dog would do better on kibble vs. raw, and why It is hard to say. I do think each dog is an individual and each will respond to things differently. I could see the argument for an extremely elderly dog or one with dental issues needing a wet food diet vs a raw or dry kibble diet....but that isn't a healthy dog now is it?
7. do you think there is ever a time a sick dog would do better on kibble than raw, and why, for what illness As stated above...elderly dogs with trouble chewing might do better on wet, canned food vs raw. Obviously you can cut up the meat small, but the bone and such might still be hard. I really don't know.
8. and for fun, what's the most unusual or exotic thing you fed your dog OH OH OH....I just scored myself some antelope and elk. My dad knows hunters. They are stripping the "good meat", but giving me everything else. I'm excited to see how they like it.
Well, one thing could be that it's closest to the ancestral diet of the dog. It's the basic form of what's IN the dog's kibble, but it's unprocessed, uncooked, and untampered with, so it has more nutritional value. Have you ever fed a dog (or any other animal) a raw diet? My ferret is fed raw, and within days of switching him from the Marshall crap, he had a lustrous coat, cleaner teeth, and more energy. You can't say that it's unhealthier if you see all of these benefits. I'm all for feeding a good quality kibble. Some dogs don't do well on raw. While it may be acclaimed as the 'best' diet, it doesn't work for all dogs. ETA: Feeding raw is also good if your dog has food allergies and you need to limit the ingredients your dog gets. You get to know exactly what your dog is eating, whereas with kibble, there are so many ingredients (except for with limited ingredient foods), it's difficult to rule out exactly what's causing the food allergy sometimes.
1. what was the deciding factor to switch to or start a raw food diet- Ladys allergies 2. did a raw food diet satisfy the reason you decided to switch/start- yes 3. did you have any cons about feeding raw, if so what- nope 4. since feeding raw, do you still feel the same about #3 cons- yeah 5. if you had to for whatever reason, what dog food would you feed (non raw) Taste of the Wild 6. do you think there is ever a time a healthy dog would do better on kibble vs. raw, and why- yes, my pom who has little to none good working teeth can't eat all the bones so he is on a high quality do food. 7. do you think there is ever a time a sick dog would do better on kibble than raw, and why, for what illness- not to my knowledge but I am not a good vet either 8. and for fun, what's the most unusual or exotic thing you fed your dog-raw pigs ears.. nothing out of the ordinary really.