Info on RAW diet please

[tosha-my-pitt]

Doberman's,
I was reading in another post that you feed your dogs raw and that you were willing to give some info on it. I have tried to get info before but didn't really get that far each time i tried. The internet wasn't much help and I don't know anyone personally that feeds their dogs Raw. I would LOVE to feed my dogs raw--But how in the world is it affordable??? Where could i get the cheapest meat/bones? ANY info that you would be willing to give me would be GREAT. And if anyone else has any extra's to add in would be great too.:)

[Becky]

I only feed a few raw meals per week, but I model mine after the ones on http://www.rawdogranch.com

I use hamburger (I try for 80% lean) for my muscle meat, chicken liver for my organ meat, and chicken wings and drumsticks for my RMBs. I've heard that getting into a co-op is the cheapest route to take, though.

[tosha-my-pitt]

Could you explain what co-op is?:confused:

[tosha-my-pitt]

I was able to look at the web site you posted and wow......good info! thanx so much! Now I just need find out where I can get meat the cheapest. Tosha would need to have almost 2 pounds a day. and if I were to get her meat that cost on an average $1.59 a pound It would cost me almost $100 a month just to feed her. If i can't find a cheaper way that isn't gonna cost me over $40 a month for both dogs.....looks like I might have to stick with dog food.:sadsmiley:

[Doberman's]

Websites to start you with :

http://www.barfworld.com/html/barf_diet/barfdiet_faq.shtml

http://www.auntjeni.com/barf.htm

http://www.njboxers.com/faqs.htm


I buy my meat ( mostly chicken ) from a chicken processor and pay 50 cents a pound for it. Before we moved here I was able to buy meat from a custom cutter ( small slaughterhouse ) for cheaper but I do not have the option now. I could also buy cheap organ meats, 5 cents a pound from this same place.

Anyway, I can still get my chicken reasonably.

RAW feeding takes time and dedication. It is not for everyone; you must do your research first ( which you are now ;) ).

Here is what I feed:

Raw Chicken, Beef, wild game, bison, pork on very rare oaccsions, fish and organ meat excluding kidney.

I feed veggies and fruit puree'd ( you must puree veggies and fruit to unlock the goodness dogs can not digest un-puree'd fruits and veggies ) I put all my vegtables through a juicer then a blender and make about 30 days at a time and freeze it. You can use most vegatble and fruits.

I also supplement with Acadian sea Kelp( vit E, trace iodine, etc ), Brewers yeast ( Vit B ), Cod liver oil( vit A ), milled flax seed ( vit E and omegas) or flax oil capsules , Q10, Omeaga 3,6,9, Salmon oil.

Some vitamins can be toxic if given too often, so please research this part well before you start supplmenting.

I add oils- Sunflower, Canola, Olive and corn. Not all at once but I alternate.

I also use Colostrum to boost my hypo thryriod dogs immune system but you can also use it for any dog, it is very benefical and healthy.

I can't seem to think of much more right now. Please ask any questions you like.

[3 goldens]

I don't feed raw. I can't eat meat that isn't WELL done, and can't bring myself to feed it to my dogs. however, I have seen this discussion on every single forum I belong to and one thing always comes up--you can't just feed raw meat & bones alone, it has to be balanced and you have to do research to figure out what all is needed. I do cook for mine. If I have fresh fish, they get fresh baked fish--even the much prized flounder. If not, they get canned mackleral or salmon (had salmon last night). When they get fish, I just mix in some canned unsalted green beans and sliced carrots. They get fish 4 niths a week. Get boiled meat the other--chicken or calf liver, chicken hearts, ground turkey. I boil veggies with the meat--fresh squash, sweet potatos, sometimes white potatos, along with frozen peas and carrots and sometimes some spinach. Boiled ground turkey is on the menu for tonight.

This all is added to about 1 cup of dry food. They get two cups of dry food in the morning and I sometimes added eggs, cottage cheese, or even jars of baby food . This morning I put sweet potatoes on their food.

[lassie]

yes i've seem many a discussion on forums and in the end it gets very heated. Not sure why tho.

[Doberman's]

yes i've seem many a discussion on forums and in the end it gets very heated. Not sure why tho.

Actually, I have seen a forum where it did not :) just like this one.

Feeding raw is a choice just as any food is a choice, no one should be flamed for it. It is not for everyone, you must reseacrh and know what you are doing but it is not difficult to do either .

Here is a link about what goes into most bags of commercial foods:

http://www.nexusmagazine.com/articles/petfood1.html

http://www.nexusmagazine.com/articles/petfood2.html

This is the major reason we switched to RAW plus Rudy is hypo thyroid and it has made a huge difference in his health. He is much healthier. :)

[lassie]

Actually, I have seen a forum where it did not :) just like this one.

. :)

Well lets hope not :rolleyes:

[CamzKees]

I have mixed feelings on RAW feeding. I think that unless you have a really good idea of the nutritional needs of a dog, you shouldn't do it.

If you feed too much meat, it can be harmful.
If you don't feed enough meat, it can also be harmful.

Also, dogs are omnivores, which means (just like people) they can eat both veggies and meat- their nutrition can come from a variety of sources.

Some common foods are also very toxic to dogs, like raisens and raw egg white. Some dogs are lactose intolerant, just like people. And, all dogs are allergic to caffiene.

Doberman's, I enjoy your posts, but I must disagree with you that feeding raw is easy. I think when done correctly, it's extremely expensive and time consuming.

My suggestion is to get an excellent kibble (such as Timberwolf Organic, Solid Gold, Fromm's Family Foods, Royal Canin, etc) and then to occasionally supplement it with real bones, the occasional cooked egg, and maybe an occasional raw liver treat.

As for the heated part- I've seen that happen to. Everyone has their own opinions. What is easy to some is difficult to others. We're all here to learn and make friends. :cheers:

Hope this helps, enjoying this thread.

[tosha-my-pitt]

{quote}My suggestion is to get an excellent kibble (such as Timberwolf Organic, Solid Gold, Fromm's Family Foods, Royal Canin, etc) and then to occasionally supplement it with real bones, the occasional cooked egg, and maybe an occasional raw liver treat. {quote}


one of my main problems with feeding those kinds is the expense....that being said..probably the only reason that I havn't started the raw diet sooner. With Tosha being almost 80 pounds (although needing to loose some weight) and then with Coal going to be a big boy cuz he's a lab I can't afford those pricy dog foods. I'm stuck.:( Tosha does okay on the cheap food but I don't think that Coal will. He is always itching But has no fleas or rashes. For now I changed over to Pedigree But now Tosha is farting REALLY BAD and it REALLY STINKS. And the more Ped. she gets in her the more she farts and I don't know if her body needs more time to accept the food or if she can't be on it. And whatever food I would get for them it would have to be enough for a month, which sucks too.

[mysterydog1]

Tosha You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth! I Was Wondering About The Barf Diet Too. Since You Can't GET A Dog Food Without Something Wrong With It.

[CamzKees]

Well, good luck, hon. Let us know how that goes for you. :)

[Becky]

Umm, raw is easy once you get the hang of it and understand it.

I don't shop all that wisely, so I don't get stuff the cheapest... but, for $30 I was able to get 2 weeks worth of raw food and extras (salmon oil, vit E, green tripe, etc). It took me an hour to prepare that 2 weeks worth on top of that. Imagine if you could just give your dog a whole chicken or rabbit for dinner?

Also, veggies must be pureed or cooked for the dog to be able to get nutrients, in significant quantities out of them. Whole, raw eggs are also fine to give as the biotin in the yolk binds up the avidin in the white... thus preventing the biotin deficiency... also, the whites aren't toxic. If fed in excess, they do cause a biotin deficiency.

I don't agree kibble is best for dogs (JMO though). No animal was designed to eat 100% 'balanced' dinners every meal. Also, carbohydrates (found in kibble) cause the build-up of tartar on most dogs teeth (although some are genetically predisposed to it).

[CamzKees]

Definately sorry for giving innacurate information, and having a wrong opinion. Perhaps you should create your own thread on raw feeding, and just give pointers and such. :) :)

[Becky]

No need to apologize, forums are a great place to disagree, learn, and have a good time. :D You have your opinion and I have mine... that doesn't make yours wrong and mine right. That's why I added the JMO... because it isn't fact.

I wouldn't want to start my own thread with pointers because I don't even raw feed most of the time. I give a raw meal a few times a week and that's it. I don't know enough about it (as I haven't put the research into it that others have) to feel comfortable doing it 100%, but I do know that I find it fairly easy to prepare a meal for my dog at home and I use a general cookie-cutter outline on the website I posted. Once you have a formula, if you will, you just follow it and it becomes easier. The formula can be flexible and varied, but the same, basic concept holds true :) (i.e., sometimes I add a veggie mush, sometimes I don't... sometimes yogurt or cottage cheese).

I wanted to point out that whole raw eggs aren't bad (they are actually great for healthy coats) and that, if feeding veggies, to get the best bang for your buck you should puree :)

[sheplovr]

I do NOT feed raw like one said my meat is well done. I do give my dogs once a week a RAW beef soup bone, small pups knuckly bone RAW.
I feel feeding RAW u must give good supplements just as I do with dog food. How many vitamins are in RAW other than alot of protein.? I do not trust RAW feeding and I know about it, and it is very costly when one has six Shepherds also. I buy Flint River Rance, Eagle Pack, depending on each dogs needs.

[Doberman's]

Doberman's, I enjoy your posts, but I must disagree with you that feeding raw is easy. I think when done correctly, it's extremely expensive and time consuming.

.

It is not so expensive, I have done it at a lower cost then premium dog food for years, you just need to go out and find suppliers and not buy your food at a grocery store.

Like I stated, it is not for everyone, you MUST be dedicated, you MUST have the time and your MUST read and research, if a person is unwilling to do all those things then don't feed this way.

It is easy once you get going. The mistake a lot of people make is getting to involved, by that I mean they worry far too much about proper amount etc etc. It should not be a balanced meal everytime, that can actually do far more harm then good.

I will never go back o kibble of any kind, my dogs are far more healthy then they were will kibble and I was feeding the 80.00 a bag stuff. :rolleyes:


How many vitamins are in RAW other than alot of protein.?

Far more then there are in a bag of commerical dog food. You are feeding healthier foods, foods that are not cooked and have not been stripped of essential vitamins and minerals. Cooking meats also depletes the enzymes that a dog needs. Dogs are ominvores and that is why you need veggies and Becky is correct that they must be puree'd.

Feeding RAW is just like feeding any other kind of healthy meal to your dog.

No one should be bashed for doing what they feel is best for their dog. Everyone is entitled to their opinion on such and is free to express it however please keep the discussion respectful.
:)

[dogsouth]

I've been feeding raw for maybe two months now and I am really liking what I am seeing.

Jed developed a dark patch of skin on his tummy. It is not there anymore. All pink. Also he would pile on the pounds when feed dry. It did not matter what dry I fed him and how much exercise he got, his weight was a constant battle. I got tired of having to taking him in to the vet to be weighed or weighing him at home and not seeing results. I couldn't feel his rib cage really. Today was the first day I could feel them with only light pressure. His energy level has increased, like I need that ;) I thought I knew what small poop was until I started raw. I don't really bother picking up after him in my yard anymore. I let the sun take care of breaking poop down.

As far as expense, for me it is not hard to go up to meat merchants and ask about bulk prices. I know not to go to Walmart and pay full price for anything, instead I get the marked-down-gotta-get-it-out-the-door stuff. Going to independent grocers is extremely helpful and I feel good about going to locally owned businesses. I am paying well below $1/lb for everything. Everything fits in our preexisting freezer.

This is very easy once you get the hang of it.

[tophat]

been looking at the pros and cons of feeding raw verses dry I think whatever suits your dog is right for it, was feeding raw until early April decided to try Charlie on a new Holistic food called Robbies.Charlie is my 5 year old OLd English Sheepdog who has suffered with a bad skin problem for the last 4 years, vets unable to find out the cause so been having her treated Homeopathically and have seen a improvement but she was still itching anyway seen this leaflet for this Robbies and thought nothin to lose by trying it so contacted land of holistic pets(Scotland) to give it a go and must say she seems to be improving growing back coat even the bald patch has got a good covering of fur vet said she's lookin good, so I say feed what suits your dog or what you feel confident feeding and don't feel guilty because some say this is right or that is right

[CamzKees]

Like I stated, it is not for everyone, you MUST be dedicated, you MUST have the time and your MUST read and research, if a person is unwilling to do all those things then don't feed this way.

I agree. :D