Feeding Raw Food

[Guest]

I have read many post's stating that since they have been feeding their dogs 100% raw feed their skin and general health has improved rapidly.

Please can someone explain what you mean by "raw food".

I feed my Jack Russell a combination of cooked chicken, raw chicken bones and dry biscuits. The Chicken is boiled with rice and mixed vegies. This is his main meal along with a chicken wing to give him something to chew to clean his teeth. He also gets a cup full of IAMS (for seniors) biscuits in the morning.

But many posts I have read about the benefits of 100% raw diet, makes me wonder if this will benefit my boy. He suffer's from itchy also.

Could those in the know please explain?

[Cavandra]

Raw means feeding nothing processed or cooked , you feed a diet as close to what a wild dog would eat, and what Canines are designed to eat.

Grains & cereals, things like rice DO cause skin problems also ear infections.

My dogs basically live on chicken carcasses/necks/wings/lamb ribs, and get muscle meats & organ meats also, occassionally other things like eggs & fish.

[Jed]

Mine have raw too - chicken mince with grated veges or fruit, meaty bones + eggs, organ meats, and a couple of times weekly, sardines, sunflower oil, cheese - and very occasionally, cooked brown rice, and rolled oats (raw) - not a huge quantity.

Meat, whether chicken or beef would comprise about 80% of the diet. So, everything is raw - except the cooked rice, sardines and rice (which would only be on the menu once a month).

Pasta and rice are fillers only.

Cavandra, do you feed only meat, chicken etc, no veges?

[Hazz]

Try doing a search on the BARF diet, you'll find loads of information

But as it's been said above raw if about basically feeding raw meat, bones and veggies (and some supplements like sardines etc) - no cereals or grains.

[Cavandra]

Cavandra, do you feed only meat, chicken etc, no veges?

Hi Jed

I hardly ever feed fruit & veg, maybe once a month they would get a tablespoon of blended raw mix in some mince. Last night they had mackeral with left over brown rice & grated carrots as a filler, as I didnt have enough out for 2 extra boarders that were meant to have gone home LOL.........If I am having fruit they all get a bit of apple as a treat occassionally too or carrot while Im cooking, they get excited about things falling off the chopping board, which I deliberately do, liek celery etc

[Dog_Horse_Girl]

Raw diet is exactly what it says, "raw" foods. No cooked or otherwise processed foods with the exception of occasional treats if you feel it appropriate. Dried liver makes an excellent treat and is not processed in any way other than dehydrated.

I feed my dogs a raw, whole foods diet. Whole body parts or broken into smaller pieces...I use chicken, lamb, beef, roo (when I can get it) and turkey. I use offal from beef and lamb. I use vegetables and some fruits pulped by a juicer (use the pulp and a small amount of juice to combine). I use sardines or mackerel. Eggs occasionally. Full fat yoghurt for two weeks in four. Occasionally add pieces of cheese just b/c the dogs love it.

Processed foods contain a lot of stuff that isn't digested or can cause reactions in sensitive dogs. Dogs don't need cereals, grains, colours, artificial flavours or preservatives and in some cases, these extra ingredients cause harm to the dog.

A good home prepared raw foods diet may not 'cure' all ills but it certainly helps IMO.

Try reading anything by Dr Ian Billinghurst for starters. You may wish to also look at Tom Lonsdale's Raw Meaty Bones book.

[Jed]

lillysmum

A good home prepared raw foods diet may not 'cure' all ills but it certainly helps IMO.

IMHO, additionally helps prevent them contracting a lot of problems.

Current research indicates that some heart problems in dogs can be greatly alleviated by diet. Diet does play a part in HD, and by feeding raw with no artificial preservatives/fillers/colourings/sorghum/wheat, there is a vastly reduced chance the dog will contract a skin disease.

The addition of sunflower/safflower/sesame oil will provide linoleic and alpha-linoleic acid, which promotes healthy skin and coat.

Thanks, Cavandra, always interested in learning what others feed and do.

[Sayreovi]

I feed completely raw now :rolleyes:

I started only a week ago and am making changes along the way to suit the boys individual needs. Really i dont know who enjoys the new diet more, me or the dogs! Its the only food that after a week Darcy, who is notorius of being a picky eater is jumping all over me and quickly eating all of his food.

I know it sounds weird but their poo is excellent!

[Red Mal]

I feed my Jack Russell a combination of cooked chicken, raw chicken bones and dry biscuits.

If not already mentioned, Please, please DO NOT feed cooked Bones :rolleyes: They are extremely dangerous.

Raw is an excellent diet. Look up BARF, Dr Ian Billinghurst and Tom Lonsdale for information on feeding raw. There's a lot to take into consideration when feeding this and many get it very wrong which is detrimental to the health of your dog.

There is also a list of foods you should never feed that are dangerous and it's wise to know this. Do a search there are some great topics on it. ;)

Also you should not be feeding raw chicken with biscuits. The two digest at different rates through the dog, and therefore can cause potentially lethal health problems. I would stick to biscuit/kibble, until you have researched Raw, then change over.

With certain veg, like carrot, it needs to be blended to break down the cell walls, or feeding it is a waste of time nutritionally. grating it does not do the job.

hope this helps

They're a great lot on here and will give you loads of advice ;)

[wylie]

Hi All

A lot of you think that a raw diet contains vegetable matter and as such it doesnt.

BARF is what you are feeding. Meat vegetables and other additives in the form of different oils and supplements

RAW is just that meat meat meat and bones, occasional eggs and canned or raw fish. The only thing a raw feeder might add is salmon oil to there diet.

If people are interested there are plenty of yahoo groups on feeding either BARF or RAW.

Billinghurst is BARF and Lonsdale is RAW.

They are totally different diets.

But what it all boils down to is what your dog does best on.

[Red Mal]

Hi All

A lot of you think that a raw diet contains vegetable matter and as such it doesnt.

BARF is what you are feeding. Meat vegetables and other additives in the form of different oils and supplements

RAW is just that meat meat meat and bones, occasional eggs and canned or raw fish. The only thing a raw feeder might add is salmon oil to there diet.

Billinghurst is BARF and Lonsdale is RAW.

They are totally different diets.

I will disagree with you here :rolleyes:

Billinghurst and Lonsdale are both BARF which means 'Biologically Appropriate Raw Food'. The only difference between the two is that they differ slightly in theories. Their goals are one and the same.

It needs to contain veg, because a dog needs veg. Veg helps with many processes within the dogs body, not just the nutritional side of it. many different wild Dogs and wolves will eat veg, because they know they need to. When eating the carcass of an animal, they will also eat the stomache, which will contain veg matter etc.

You cannot have a balanced BARF diet without Veg. You only need very small portions, but neverthless, it is needed.

[wylie]

I will not argue with you Red Mal but no where in either of Lonsdales books does he mention vegetable protein at all is needed for dogs.

Check out rawfeeding and rawchat on yahoo groups. Both of these groups are modeled on Lonsdale and they do not tolerate vegetable matter of any description.

BARF is exactly that Biologically Appropriate Raw food. Billinghurst and others add vegetable matter and other supplements. I am sure that there are also plenty of yahoo groups dedicated to them.

I have been feeding RAW for nearly 5 years and did start with a BARF diet originally after dealing with 2 dogs that refused to eat a lot of the kibble that they were given.

[Red Mal]

I will not argue with you Red Mal but ..................

:rolleyes:

[Cavandra]

Dogs are carnivores and they dont need any vegetable matter. There is evidence that dogs in the wild often leave the gut & its contents.........They often graze on herbs & grass etc, but who knows why.

I mainly feed greens & herbs on the occassions I feed it. They are natural scavengers & will eat most things whether or not it is good for them. :rolleyes:

[Staranais]

Dogs are carnivores and they dont need any vegetable matter. There is evidence that dogs in the wild often leave the gut & its contents

I have heard that wolves often eat fruit though, when it is available. Not sure if that is true or not.

The feral dogs I saw in Nepal ate absolutely anything, but I think they were pretty hungry. :rolleyes:

Can't wait to do the course involving animal nutrition (in vet school) next year, will be so interesting to actually read all the scientific studies all these theories are all based on! Seems like everyone has a pet opinion about what wolves do or did eat.

[poodlefan]

Wylie:

I will not argue with you Red Mal but no where in either of Lonsdales books does he mention vegetable protein at all is needed for dogs.

Neither does Billinghurst. The point of the vegetable matter, first and foremost is for bulk. Dogs don't digest vegetable proteins like soy at all well.

Dogs eat their prey fur, feathers and all. If you can't feed dogs like that then they are going to need some kind of bulk material to keep things "moving". There are some minor nutritional benefits from feeding vegetable matter that is broken down in a form that dogs can access (ie pulped) but I feed it keep my dogs regular amongst other things.

Dogs rarely eat gut contents.

[wylie]

Have never ever had an issue with dogs being fed only raw food and no vegetable matter.

My dogs thrive on raw only so I will stick to it.

[Eileen]

Dogs are carnivores and they dont need any vegetable matter. There is evidence that dogs in the wild often leave the gut & its contents.........They often graze on herbs & grass etc, but who knows why.

I mainly feed greens & herbs on the occassions I feed it. They are natural scavengers & will eat most things whether or not it is good for them.

I know what you mean re the herbs. I had a lovely big ornate terracotta pot in the backyard that our staffy loves to curl up in and munch on the basil. Followed by the parsley. She's not too fussed on the rosemary though. Lol