Raw Diet

[joee]

Hello all

Is raw diet better than commercial puppy food?

I have been doing lots of research and seems to be pros and cons about this thing.

Im considering to change my puppy diet to raw food..

Anyone can give me suggestion on where to start? He is 10 weeks now.

and where to buy? im in WA.. =)

and what about those roll dog food sold in coles and woolies, are they considered as raw?

Cheers

[huski]

Hello all

Is raw diet better than commercial puppy food?

It depends what your dogs do best on. My dogs do best on a raw diet so it is better for them than commercial food. There is however a lot of good quality dried food out there too. Raw feeding will always be my first choice.

I have been doing lots of research and seems to be pros and cons about this thing.

Im considering to change my puppy diet to raw food..

Anyone can give me suggestion on where to start? He is 10 weeks now.

and where to buy? im in WA.. =)

I would suggest reading Dr Ian Billinghurst's book "Grow Your Pups on Bones" and "The BARF Diet". You can buy them here:

http://www.barfaustralia.com/products.php?pid=2

You can successfully feed a pup on raw BUT you need to have a solid understanding of how BARF is not the only way to feed raw, but it's the basic guide that I generally follow (80% raw meaty bones - within that 50/50 meat to bone ratio - 20% vegies/fruit as well as offal and extras like raw egg, fish etc).

You can buy premade BARF patties, the suppliers can be found on the website I linked to above under 'Distributors'. Or you can do it yourself which can take a bit more work (but is what I do).

and what about those roll dog food sold in coles and woolies, are they considered as raw?

Nope, they are cooked meat, and IMO not the best thing to feed

Edited June 15, 2009 by huski

[Staranais]

In my opinion, a good raw diet can be a great way to feed a pup, but a bad raw diet can be really bad. I definitely don't want to discourage you from feeding raw, but I would encourage you to do your research before you jump right into raw feeding a tiny puppy.

There are plenty of good commercial foods you can feed while you're making the switch, so it's not like it's either raw food or a terrible diet. What are you feeding right now?

Remember that you can also always go "half way" - kibble at one meal, raw bones or meat at another - so that can help both you and pup make the switch (best not to mix the two in the same meal, from what I understand).

Remember to switch foods really slowly with little puppies or they can get terrible tummy upsets. & at only 10 weeks old, I'd probably ask your breeder for advice about diet before making any switches.

[joee]

Thanks HEAPS for the help.. really really appreciate that..

im feeding him Advance dry food and sometimes Optimus canned meat puppy formula..

I gave him half boiled egg to mix with his meal the other day and he had a runny poo..

I think im just being paranoid with the opinions that commercial dog food can make ur dogs life shorter, because its been processed all the vitamins and mineral are gone, and some people actually use kibble as treats..

ah.. confusing really

[laylatheprincesss]

Thanks HEAPS for the help.. really really appreciate that..

im feeding him Advance dry food and sometimes Optimus canned meat puppy formula..

I gave him half boiled egg to mix with his meal the other day and he had a runny poo..

I think im just being paranoid with the opinions that commercial dog food can make ur dogs life shorter, because its been processed all the vitamins and mineral are gone, and some people actually use kibble as treats..

ah.. confusing really

Your'e not wrong about it being confusing I have been researching for a week or so pretty intensely and don't feel any clearer than when I started. I have decided to go with the premium kibble for one meal and raw at the next, I also understand that it is not a good idea to feed kibble and raw at the same meal because kibble takes a fair bit longer to digest and can cause dramas with the proper digestion of the raw.

I don't have time to prepare a 100% raw diet and as I have 3 dogs I also have to keep in mind the practicalities, time, etc. From what I have gathered chicken carcasses are good, I am going to feed mine carcasses that have been ground up to avoid the problem of possible splintering with the bones, I figure that way they get the nutritional benefits without the danger. Also will be giving them all a large raw meaty marrow bone twice a week for their teeth and general dental health but they are all kept seperate (to avoid fights) and are supervised and once they start to break up the bone into fragments I will discard it (again to minimize the risk of obstruction etc from bone fragments) The only other thing I am going to do is to give them some sardines (tinned) once or twice a week which I will give before the kibble, as I understand fish is a good source of omega 3 and 6.

I am not saying my way is perfect or even "good" the biggest judge will be my dogs. At the end of the day dogs are naturally opportunistic feeders, who have a diet made up mostly of meat and bones but also of whatever they can find (which isn't always a good thing but at least gives some insight into how they are designed physiologically)

As I can see benefits and downfalls of a raw diet (prey-model and BARF), and of kibble I have decided to use both (good quality kibble tho ), also taking into consideration my personal circumstances. I guess I will try it and then monitor my dogs and make adjustments accordingly......good luck with your puppy, please keep in mind what another person on here said about changing diets gradually, particularly with a baby, as their tummies are fragile.......enjoy

[Tiggy]

You can buy the Dr B's BARF patties from Better Pets and Gardens and if you live anywhere near Midland the Pet Chef sells a BARF mix to.

[cassie]

I don't have time to prepare a 100% raw diet and as I have 3 dogs I also have to keep in mind the practicalities, time, etc. From what I have gathered chicken carcasses are good, I am going to feed mine carcasses that have been ground up to avoid the problem of possible splintering with the bones, I figure that way they get the nutritional benefits without the danger. Also will be giving them all a large raw meaty marrow bone twice a week for their teeth and general dental health but they are all kept seperate (to avoid fights) and are supervised and once they start to break up the bone into fragments I will discard it (again to minimize the risk of obstruction etc from bone fragments) The only other thing I am going to do is to give them some sardines (tinned) once or twice a week which I will give before the kibble, as I understand fish is a good source of omega 3 and 6.

I would be wary of feeding marrow bones too often. They are too hard and can severely wear down your dogs' teeth. Bones that can be completely consumed are better - brisket bones, necks, tails, any chicken parts, etc.

[joee]

Should I start with soft bone like chicken neck? or maybe chicken frame?

He is a labrador, should I give him big bone?

Cheers

[Faolmor]

I would give chicken wings, rather than necks, to a Lab. Having said that, some labs can't tolerate chicken (like mine!), so introduce any new food slowly and watch for PERSISTENT issues which might result. (Eg, diarrhoea when introducing a new food isn't uncommon with puppies...persistent diarrhoea, that doesn't go away over time, means there's a problem; also look out for suddenly itchy, dry or flaky skin).

Turkey necks are also good, if you can find them. Woolies sometimes have them. When his jaw is a little stronger, you can also give turkey wing pieces.

I feed my dogs a mix of raw and prepared (meaty bones, vegies, yoghurt, fish and Eagle Pack kibble). Raw diets can really work for your dogs - but if you feed 100%, you have to be prepared to make sure your dog is getting everything it needs from the diet. My personal preference is to feed the blend of both. Vegies and raw meats and bones spice up the dog's diet and make life healthy and enjoyable for them. A good quality kibble fills in the dietary blanks for my dogs.

[joee]

I have just bought raw meat, bone, etc for my dogs.

They also gave me tounge and cheek as a bonus... DOes anyone feed dogs with tounge and cheek before?

THanks!

[Sandra777]

I have just bought raw meat, bone, etc for my dogs.

They also gave me tounge and cheek as a bonus... DOes anyone feed dogs with tounge and cheek before?

THanks!

Tongue, not usually because it's too yummy

The only thing I would suggest is that for a small dog or one not very experienced with raw food, you might have to peel the toughest bit off the tongue, or perhaps just cut into it so the dog figures out there's something underneath that rough exterior.

Cheek is a dog food staple, not a biggy but can be tough. Both are muscle meats.