Should I Switch Both My Dogs Over To Raw Food?
I have 2 dachshunds, a boy & a girl. They both just turned a year last month. They are super healthy and are very active dogs.
Since I got both of them, I put them on some great high quality dry dog food. I have them on “Wellness”. They love it, but they are deffinetly not picky eaters, they will eat absolutely anything I put in front of them. I also give them a vitamin, every other day that has minerals, vitamins and things they may not get in the food (which my vet has said is fine, but I should give them once every other day because “Wellness” is such a nutrient packed food).
ANYWAYS my question is this. I have read on Y/A about Raw feeding. And it seems like there is quite the debate on whethere dry food or Raw feeding is better. And truthfully I have not a clue.
I want the best for my dogs, and I want them to live a long, happy, healthy life.
I want to understand what you feed to your dogs when you are RAW feeding? How much it costs (weekly, monthly etc)? Is it really that beneficial to the dog?
Oh and if it matters my little girl (Kahlua) is about 12 lbs & my little boy (Kona) is about 14 lbs.
Thank you!
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Hey there!
Great to see a responsible dog owner asking a question here for the benefit of their dog!
I have three dogs who are all on a raw diet… I will let you know my own personal reasons for this, and how I have seen it benefit my dogs…
-I believe that all canines are descendant from wild dogs (that is just fact), and all wild dogs eat raw food, be it raw meat, raw fruits and vegetables, grasses etc. A dogs digestive system is built to eat this food raw, not cooked, and keeping it raw keeps in all the healthy nutrients a dog needs to be happy and healthy and lead long lives. Cooking their food boiled out a lot of the nutrients they need.
-I truly believe that dogs eating processed foods every day with preservatives etc is just like is eating mcdonalds every day… No being on this earth should eat only preserved foods in my opinion.
I feed my dogs a great balance of food which includes raw meats, raw bones, raw fruit and veggies and raw eggs. They also get kibble a few times a week for breakfast. I make up 2 weeks worth of food for them and freeze them in portion sizes…. I use:
-minced beef/chicken/pork/kangaroo/turkey (one of the minces, not all)
-raw carrots
-raw broccoli
-raw apples, cored and seeded
-2 eggs
-teaspoon of flax seed oil
-handful of crushed all bran cereal
-beef heart or kidney
-I juice the veggies and add the juice and pulp to the mince, then add the rest, mix well and portion off to be frozen for daily meals.
They also get raw carrot sticks as treats as well as raw meaty bones.
Many people argue about the grains I use in my dogs meals… (I also sometimes use a small handful of crushed oats)… though this doesnt sit right with many, it really works for us and our dogs, as although they are descendant from wild dogs, they are domestic, and the domestic evolution has changed the dog somewhat, so grains (in my opinion) like what I have used are great for he digestive tract.
Since switching to a raw diet, I have found in my dogs:
-brighter eyes
-nicer coat
-firmer stool
-less acidic urine
-higher ability to learn and concentrate
-much less trips to the vet
and much much more.
I would recommend a raw diet to any dog owner, though it really is personal choice. If you are considering changing their diet over, remember to take it slow and mix the raw foods with their current foods to avoid upset tummies. Also, start off with a less rich white meat like chicken mince or pork mince rather than kangaroo or beef.
Good luck with your dogs and I hope you find the right solution that works for you and your dogs
*Edit to Add*
Sorry, I forgot to mention that feeding raw costs me a lot less that feeding packaged food
The idea of RAW diet is that dogs should eat what they naturally hunt in the wild. What so many people fail to realize is that when animals hunt and kill, they eat the meat at body temperature so that any infection or bacteria is still being fought off. The RAW diet doesn’t do this and could put the dog at risk of contracting parasites or pathogens. It’s best to stick to a high quality dry food. It will also help prevent tarter build-up.
NO! never feed a dog raw food ever it is bad for their digestion our are feeding them tin dog food dont give it that ethier give it the dog nuts you can get in pet section in your local supermarket its not that deer about £10 for around 10kg
always happy to help!
I’d say that since your dogs are doing very well with their current diet, try sticking to it unless there’s special needs for either one of them.
raw food diet articles:http://lnk.nu/dogtime.com/ved.htmlhttp://lnk.nu/dogtime.com/vee.html
I have been feeding raw for over 10 years, i have two dogs that have never had kibble in their life, and have came from raw parents, I also have another dog that was switched to raw as soon as he came here as a puppy. I also feed raw to my three cats.
I have also raised five litters on raw.
None of my dogs have had any major health problems. Really, i can count on one hand the number of times my all my dogs (past and present) have been to the vet for medical problems, total of 10 dogs.
Here are some benefits of raw diet
White teeth, fresh breath
Poop Patrol
Yard Stains
Hot Spots
Water Consumption
Doggie Gas
Bloat Prevention? Possibly.
Great Health
Usually cheaper then the high quality dog food (especially when bought in bulk) There are plenty of co-op groups who come together and buy food together to get better pricing.
Dont have to worry about recalls, like all the recent kibble recalls.
I feed the prey model diet, but another popular diet is the BARF diet.
Also have you seen what they put in dog food, dead animals (even ones who have diet of illness), different chemicals, grains that dogs dont need, peanut shells (check science diet)
There are plenty of websites out there, just google about the raw diet and whats in kibble.
I thought about feeding raw, but ultimately I decided against it b/c of the complexity of developing a balanced diet.
Good information about feeding raw:http://www.dogforums.com/5-dog-food-foru…http://www.dogforums.com/5-dog-food-foru…
I think that feeding a premium kibble vs. raw is pretty much a personal preference (check out dogfoodanalysis.com for ratings/reviews of store bought foods)
Are you feeding wellness core or one of the formulas that has grain in it? If you aren’t currently feeding grain-free, I would look into it before switching to raw.