Raw meat diet ?
- Thread starter greentiger
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There are different types of raw diets. I feed my dogs the recipe our veterinarian made. It consists of meat (usually chicken necks or backs), shredded vegetables, organ meat, fish (I do tuna) or raw egg, alfafa powder and a few other vitamins.
My dogs go crazy when I bring out the food, and are always ready to go, but I don't really remember what they were like "before". It does do a lot for the looks though. Silky coats, shining eyes, etc.
Raw diets are not for everyone or every dog--while they may be great for dogs with allergies etc., they are NOT great for every dog out there. They are also hard to prepare (you have to make sure you have everything, etc.) and sometimes expensive (though they are usually cheaper than kibble, if you have multiple or very large dogs, it could be rather expensive). I recommend reading Food Pets Die For by Ann N. Martin. Great book. If you have any questions, feel free to PM me.
My dogs go crazy when I bring out the food, and are always ready to go, but I don't really remember what they were like "before". It does do a lot for the looks though. Silky coats, shining eyes, etc.
Raw diets are not for everyone or every dog--while they may be great for dogs with allergies etc., they are NOT great for every dog out there. They are also hard to prepare (you have to make sure you have everything, etc.) and sometimes expensive (though they are usually cheaper than kibble, if you have multiple or very large dogs, it could be rather expensive). I recommend reading Food Pets Die For by Ann N. Martin. Great book. If you have any questions, feel free to PM me.
I'll always feed my dogs a raw diet, consisting of uncooked bones, meat, organs, and tissues, some pureed veggies and eggs, and assorted other stuff. I have found that certain compulsive (or just plain irritating) behaviors can be completely eliminated by just changing to a more natural diet. I work with a canine nutritionist that has fed a primitive diet to his GSDs for 20 years, and his dogs are the best behaved, most healthy GSDs I've ever seen. He compares feeding them kibble to feeding a person an all-Snicker's-diet--of course their behavior and health are affected! He explains--and I agree--that the key to a healthy doggy diet is variety. But what really converted me was the lack of dog farts! 
In dealing with all the different dogs I do, I can testify that dogs on a raw diet are generally calmer, easier to teach and quicker to learn, and seem to concentrate more easilly than dogs eating cooked food.
The Animal Protection Institute (www.spi4animals.org) has a lot of really interesting nutrition information. And of course www.barfworld.com has a lot of stuff, too. Oh, and here's some more:
http://www.bravorawdiet.com/
http://www.naturalpetfood.com/meat.html
Of course you'll hear from vets and companies that are affiliated with the cooked pet food industry in some way tell you how bad it is for your dog. There's something like $11 billion a year going through that industry, which is plenty of money to change lots of people's minds. But as someone who doesn't believe that huge, faceless corporations probably don't have my poochy's health on the top of their list of priorities, I'd rather know exactly what was going into my dog every day!
In dealing with all the different dogs I do, I can testify that dogs on a raw diet are generally calmer, easier to teach and quicker to learn, and seem to concentrate more easilly than dogs eating cooked food.
The Animal Protection Institute (www.spi4animals.org) has a lot of really interesting nutrition information. And of course www.barfworld.com has a lot of stuff, too. Oh, and here's some more:
http://www.bravorawdiet.com/
http://www.naturalpetfood.com/meat.html
Of course you'll hear from vets and companies that are affiliated with the cooked pet food industry in some way tell you how bad it is for your dog. There's something like $11 billion a year going through that industry, which is plenty of money to change lots of people's minds. But as someone who doesn't believe that huge, faceless corporations probably don't have my poochy's health on the top of their list of priorities, I'd rather know exactly what was going into my dog every day!
Thanks so much for the info, Gaddy and Emma. When I was a kid we knew a couple who raised Great Danes. The husband did such a wonderful job at know what went in and out of those dogs that they lived a bit longer and their quality of life was fantastic. The husband was not a vet but worked closely with their vet. Anyway seemed to do them good.
Also don't know if the vets here are wrapped up with the dog food corporate world. Seems as though the Swiss like everything in its own little box. Will look up suggested websites and let you know what happens.
Greentiger
Also don't know if the vets here are wrapped up with the dog food corporate world. Seems as though the Swiss like everything in its own little box. Will look up suggested websites and let you know what happens.
Greentiger