# What made you feed raw?



## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

What were the deciding factors on raw? Where did you learn about feeding raw that made you make the change?


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## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

I'm getting ready to do a photo jouranl of switching my dogs from kibble to raw. They've been on kibble for 5 months because I'm staying with my family and have no storage space.

My dog's coats have become pale, extra sheddy and dandruffy. They've suddenly got a new "doggie" body odor about them. Their teeth are BAD and needing dentals (or raw). Their gums are pale, their muscle mass/tone are decreased (and pathetic) and they have NO endurance.

While these are significant, my main reason for raw feeding is the tiny, dry poo that is so easy to clean up.


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## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

Which kibble?


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## Geoff Empey (Jan 8, 2008)

Anne Vaini said:


> I'm getting ready to do a photo jouranl of switching my dogs from kibble to raw. They've been on kibble for 5 months because I'm staying with my family and have no storage space.
> 
> My dog's coats have become pale, extra sheddy and dandruffy. They've suddenly got a new "doggie" body odor about them. Their teeth are BAD and needing dentals (or raw). Their gums are pale, their muscle mass/tone are decreased (and pathetic) and they have NO endurance.
> 
> While these are significant, my main reason for raw feeding is the tiny, dry poo that is so easy to clean up.



I like the easy to pick up flushable smaller craps as well. But there is so many other factors why I switched. 

First is I have a very inexpensive supplier. I can feed my dog for under $30 a month including all the eggs and salmon oil caplets. 

Her teeth are white white with no tarter buildup. Breath is a little fishy from time to time but that is a small price to pay to NOT have rancid breath. Plus the coat, holy cow the coat .. The difference from before and after is like comparing straw to rose petals. 

For us to use a kibble that I trust such as Orijen or Eagle Pack would cost us more than double almost triple the price. I still use Orijen fish mix but only as training treats just to keep her used to it in case we may need to feed her that in case we have to travel where I don't have access to our regular RAW. 

I use a predone veggy mix from Urban Wolf which just needs an egg, H20 and a touch of Flaxseed oil with the meat. So preparation is a snap and a non issue.


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## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

Mike Schoonbrood said:


> Which kibble?


I've gotten the same results with Canidae, Diamond [meat] & Rice (the corn-free ones) and Taste of the Wild (grain-free).

I agree with PP - Raw is definitely cheaper than grain-free kibble!


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## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

I'll do whatever I can to give my dog a healthier leg up. The smaller, drier, less stinky poop was just my dogs way of saying "Hey Thanks"!


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## Anna Kasho (Jan 16, 2008)

My first dog, that I knew for years, but only got to bring home at the end of her life. She was 14 and had cancer. Raw gave her an extra couple of months - good ones.

The most dramatic change happened when I picked up a stray dog, rescued from a freeway. I had him for a week, fed raw. In that week he went from dull, dry coat and flaky skin, to full, soft, gleaming coat and no flakes. I didn't think it happened so fast. He LOVED his food, too. When I found a rescue to take him, and called back to check on him, they told me he starved himself for three days before eating the canned crap they were feeding...


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Anna Kasho said:


> The most dramatic change happened when I picked up a stray dog, rescued from a freeway. I had him for a week, fed raw. In that week he went from dull, dry coat and flaky skin, to full, soft, gleaming coat and no flakes. I didn't think it happened so fast. He LOVED his food, too. When I found a rescue to take him, and called back to check on him, they told me he starved himself for three days before eating the canned crap they were feeding...


Having had lots of pre-owned dogs, I've seen the differences in the dog between being fed the usual crap kibble and fed fresh food. (I have to admit that I have NOT switched a dog from excellent kibble to fresh food and so cannot comment.)

The differences are as fast and as huge as Anna mentions.

I also just can't wrap my head around how a bag of dried extruded stuff (and the same bag every day, too) can possibly be what's best for any mammal. 

Even if I didn't look at a dog and see a meat-and-bone-devouring system. 

P.S. I also think that giving a daily uneducated version of raw to a dog (who is unable to make instinctual corrections) is worse than kibble. I keep hearing about people la-di-da giving hamburger every day..... no bones, no calcium. Raw is easy, simple, and cheap --- but it's not something to do with zero questions or reading. Good kibble is better than a stupid version of raw.

Rant(s) over.


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## Tasha Pluim (Apr 14, 2008)

too bad you cannot vote for two things, because I would vote for smaller poops too. 


Tasha


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## Michelle Reusser (Mar 29, 2008)

I had been interested in it because to me, natural is always better than manufactured crap. I held off worried about cost, hassel and wanting more info. Last year when the kibble was killing off animals left and right and my new dog kept turning his nose up to the best foods I could find, my showline female wouldn't eat and suffered from renal failure, I finally took he plunge. I have never had dogs with such perfect coats, so much less shedding, soft, not straw when petted and gleaming like it has mink oil slathered all over it. Teeth are white, breath doesn't kill you when they pant in the car, the poops are just a bonus! It turned out cheaper than I ever thought, easier once I got my routine and used to handling slimey stuff. Now I actually like cutting up tripe, because my dogs worship me when I feed it. Knowing I'm giving my dogs optimum health makes me happy. I like that they eat slower when on RAW, they take their time and it keeps them busier longer and more satisfied.


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## Melissa Blazak (Apr 14, 2008)

My dog always ate human food including cooked and raw fruits and veggies, although never raw meat, along with a very good quality kibble. When the trend in organic human grade kibbles became more popular I switched him to Wellness (he was about 5 years old then). I discovered the Leerburg site around 2002 (he was 8), and did months of extra reading and researching, buying books, etc. before I gave him his first meal of raw hamburger. 
His first chicken wings were hammered to break the bones against the bricks of my house! 
Within 2 days he was crunching his chicken like a pro and loving it. In the beginning we would just sit in the kitchen with the door open to the deck and watch him eat. At first even though I believed in it (the diet) I thought to myself "I can't believe this is what I'm feeding my dog!" Tried him on lots of different meats and he had no problems. Did the usual supplements too. I was very lucky, I didn't switch him because I had to (he was quite healthy before the Raw diet), I just wanted a better diet and life for him. I still kept him on some Wellness for convenience, but in the end (he died at 13 1/2) about 75% of his diet was raw.


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## Jennifer Coulter (Sep 18, 2007)

Mike Schoonbrood said:


> What were the deciding factors on raw?


My dog had some intermittant weird, undiagnosable (saw many vets) neuro issue as a pup. It was an allopathic (regular) vet that said to me that she had heard that some dogs with neuro issues do better on raw. 

At the time I thought raw feeding was something that only weirdo, freaks would do.8-[ 

Then another vet, this one more holistic and a raw feeder herself suggested it as well so I started doing some research.




Mike Schoonbrood said:


> Where did you learn about feeding raw that made you make the change?


I was pointed to a breed related raw yahoo list. I found it very helpful as it was easy to discuss amounts and types of foods (edible bone for example) for my breed's size. They were good hand holders.

Having access to breeders on that list that have had multiple generations of healthy raw fed dogs helped to convince me my dog would not be malnourished, or grow up deformed! Feild champs, agility champs, Westminster breed winners....all raw fed and doing great.

This kind of stuff really helped to convince me that raw feeders were not the weirdo's and freaks I once thought they were...or they just managed to brainwash me and welcomed me to the DARK SIDE:-o 

My dog's neuro issues resolved (almost three years now), I am not convinced it was due to the raw food for sure, but there were other benefits that became apperent to me so I stuck with it.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Jennifer Coulter said:


> This kind of stuff really helped to convince me that raw feeders were not the weirdo's and freaks I once thought they were...or they just managed to brainwash me and welcomed me to the DARK SIDE


Mwah-ha-ha !!!!


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## Greg Leavitt (Aug 31, 2006)

I will most likely be switching to raw from Cannidae dut to rising costs of kibble. I always thought it was too much work but have since changed my mind I just need to find a good used freezer to get me started and I will get the raw diet going. Its somehing i have been considering for almost 2 years. Its just difficult for me to feed raw to dog either in board and train or for sale as most people will not continue the raw, its hard enough to get puppy buyer to feed good kibble.


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## Jennifer Coulter (Sep 18, 2007)

Connie Sutherland said:


> Mwah-ha-ha !!!!



Connie, you are a fantabulous prophet for the DARK SIDE. Think of all those you have brainwashed...I mean..converted...I mean educated:lol:


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## Alex Corral (Jul 10, 2007)

2 button tumors on my dog's rear left foot in the first year. $400 in vet fees & meds on those 2 visits, horrible gas. 

Did a little research, 14 mos later and no more button tumors and no more vet visits! Oh and no more gas! Well, just a tiny bit. She _is_ a Boxer.


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## Melissa Blazak (Apr 14, 2008)

Yes Connie, you helped convert me!:mrgreen:


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## Gillian Schuler (Apr 12, 2008)

I've had various breeds and brought them all up on "good quality" kibble.

They have all lived to be 12, 13,5, 14,5 years of age.

I don't criticse the raw feeders but I am reluctant to change, because I simply can't see the advantages.

All my dogs were large breeds, ranging from 70 to 40 kgs.

I feed my 2 GSDs on "sshhhh" GSD 24 dry kibble frrom Royal Canine and they are surviving extremely well.

Food is not the only factor to having a healthy dog- something such as "breeding" can creep into it. And stress factors have a role to play when training\\/ 

I wouldn't knock raw feeding, I would just be anxious as how to get it right, maybe.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Gillian Schuler said:


> Food is not the only factor to having a healthy dog- something such as "breeding" can creep into it. And stress factors have a role to play when training\\/
> 
> I wouldn't knock raw feeding, I would just be anxious as how to get it right, maybe.


No one said that food was the only factor.  Not even me, Dark Side Guide! :lol:

In fact, genetics is almost certainly the biggest factor in longevity.

Also, I think that many people are anxious about getting it right, and I say again that a very good diet is absolutely possible on commercial foods. (I would add that adding fresh elements is a good thing.)


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## Lacey Vessell (Nov 18, 2006)

What enticed me to try raw, was that my new (at that time) puppy's breeder had already started the pups on raw. I had always been interested, but to be perfectly honest to lazy to research and thought that it would be to time consuming to feed. What little time I did have between shifts, PSD training and more training, taking care of family/house etc., was devoted to sleeping Wish I would have known way back when..... how little extra time it actually takes to feed and all the benefits my dogs and my purse obtains from it. 

Special thanks to Carmen (my pup's breeder) and to Connie for helping me in my research and making the transition that much easier

I'm not against good kibble - and still use kibble (Wellness Core) when traveling at times. I have had numerous dogs over the years that have thrived on good kibble and lived to ripe ol' ages but never had the beautiful teeth, coat, energy levels that I have seen from my dogs that are fed raw. I switched my ol' Rottie girl over to raw and not only was she actually eating regularly again, her energy level increased substantially, her coat looked beautiful, her gas was gone.....non-existent, her teeth turned sparkling white again. The vet was amazed when I brought her in for a check-up. He was equally impressed with my pup (now 17 months old) that was growing at a slow rate, very nice muscle tone, very healthy (blood tests etc.,) and his teeth were spotless. 

First dog in all the years of owning dogs that I have not had to take to the vet or who has not been sick (other then the runs one time, lasted half a day and cleared up with the help of pumpkin...thanks again Connie) or to a vet, other then for tests/shots that I personally want (heartworm, blood, urine, PennHip). 

I don't think I will ever go back to feeding kibble 100%.......with the changes that I see/saw in my two older dogs, I don't think I could personally deprive them or any of my dogs of the benefits.


**NOTE from Connie: I hit "edit" instead of "quote" -- didn't change anything but ended up with a lil "edited by Connie" thingy on the bottom. Sorry!**


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Lacey Vessell said:


> First dog in all the years of owning dogs that I have not had to take to the vet or who has not been sick (other then the runs one time, lasted half a day and cleared up with the help of pumpkin ..... or to a vet, other then for tests/shots that I personally want (heartworm, blood, urine, PennHip).


The whole lowered-vet-costs thing..... I wish I could say it in a not-fanatical-sounding way. I'll just say that I would feed fresh food even if it cost twice as much because of the vet-care savings. JMO.


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

I love the "instant great coat" BS that I hear about raw,(dog finally got a bath, DUH) or the lowered vet costs. I am curious as to why everyone is constantly going to the vet?????? It has never been unusual for me to not go to the vet. WTF are you guys doing going to the vet all the time and how is it what you are feeding ???????


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## Lynn Cheffins (Jul 11, 2006)

I fed "raw" before it was the fashionable thing to do as it was the norm in mushing to feed meat. I find it less expensive and easier to do and easier to get hold of than a really good kibble. The dogs perform good on it and look well. I like being able to vary the diet and tweak it to seasonal or performance needs.

I don't feel it is all that difficult way to feed if you are set up well though if you have multi-dogs you do need alot of freezer space and buy in large quantities. I finally broke down and bought a meat band saw but have developed an awesome axe swing over the years.

I picked "other" on the poll as I didn't seem to fit in the other categories.


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## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

Lynn, you mushers have always been ahead of your time!


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## Pam Tyler (Apr 2, 2008)

I picked "other" in the poll as well. My husband has an 8 mo old GSD who was growing too quickly and my husband was overfeeding him on Royal Canine, which seemed to contribute to the problem. We switched him to raw at about 6 mo, and he lost weight and really seems to love the raw. I also have a 6 yr old GSD who was switched at the same time, and he was always a picky eater on kibble, but is now always excited to eat his raw meals. 

Also, on raw, I control the portion size. On kibble, my husband could look at the quantity, decide it did not look like enough, and increase it. He never asks if I'm going to add another chicken back. lol


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

susan tuck said:


> Lynn, you mushers have always been ahead of your time!


:lol:

I have to ditto that, because it was musher dog studies that led the way to findings about fat and dogs, and the use by the dog athlete of fat in the way that the human athlete uses complex carbs.


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## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

Jeff Oehlsen said:


> I love the "instant great coat" BS that I hear about raw,(dog finally got a bath, DUH) or the lowered vet costs. I am curious as to why everyone is constantly going to the vet?????? It has never been unusual for me to not go to the vet. WTF are you guys doing going to the vet all the time and how is it what you are feeding ???????


I wish I knew, I'd stop doing it immediately!!  Frikkin dogs. I hardly ever went to the vet until these 2 snot nosed puppies came into my life, its been nothing but getting sick and other issues since day 1.

I doubt its food related, but the dogs have all been kibble fed since I moved.

Their coats all look awesome though, but I found out I can feed raw for a crap load less than this Orijen stuff is costing me over here (fancy imported Canadian food....) so I will give this raw stuff a 2nd round on a new continent now that I found a supplier....


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## Gerry Grimwood (Apr 2, 2007)

I had sled dogs back in the day, they were fed raw. In the Yukon it was fairly normal because we bought frozen blocks of ground chickens or beef, lamb etc.

When we were in the NWT we fished for the dogs, started in August and this is commitment. You dig a 3ft x3ftx4ft deep hole and cover it with some plywood with a stove pipe attached to the center. The bottom of the pit is covered with a layer of willows for drainage. You check nets daily and empty the fish into the stovepipe, cover with a pail when not in use. The fish basically decays and by the time the ice gets too thick to fish anymore it's full, around Christmas you open er up.

The fish is then layed out to "dry" it never really freezes after this because..I don't know but it doesn't. Then you store it in a box of some type and feed whole. The clothes you wear when taking the fish from the pit get burned because you just can't imagine the smell. This sometimes gets cooked with rice or other meats. It's called pit fish, mainly whitefish.

We made "stick fish" as well for the fall months, inconnu, whitefish and some char. Herring ran the rivers in the late summer and these were fed fresh because of the short run.

Buying from a farmer or getting raw from a store is very easy compared to this LOL


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Gerry Grimwood said:


> The fish is then layed out to "dry" it never really freezes after this because..I don't know but it doesn't.


Oily fish, maybe? Fatty enough not to freeze solid?


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Gerry Grimwood said:


> Buying from a farmer or getting raw from a store is very easy compared to this LOL


I'll say! :lol:

I will never whine about not enough freezer space (or ANYTHING to do with raw feeding) again!!!


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## Gerry Grimwood (Apr 2, 2007)

Connie Sutherland said:


> Oily fish, maybe? Fatty enough not to freeze solid?


I think it was something to do with the decomposition, when we took the lid off it was warm but stinky enough to gag a maggot. It was usually about 2 hundred lbs per pit of somewhat flattened fish, there probably would be about 6 inches of juice in the bottom. It was really sickening until it aired out.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Gerry Grimwood said:


> It was really sickening until it aired out.


But then .... yummy?

:lol:


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## Gerry Grimwood (Apr 2, 2007)

yup, tasted like chicken then. I put a picture from the 80's of them(dogs) in the gallery.


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## Jennifer Coulter (Sep 18, 2007)

Gerry Grimwood said:


> yup, tasted like chicken then


You made tea come out my nose:lol:

Cool picture.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

"Admin" mentioned that a couple of people voted "too nervous about doing it wrong" and that maybe it would be good to say that anyone who would like resources, info, even total hand-holding -- should just post in the Health forum: http://www.workingdogforum.com/vBulletin/f25/

Or even send me a PM. ;-)


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## Michelle Reusser (Mar 29, 2008)

Uh no Jeffery, no bath required. Whats great about my dogs coats is they look glassy even when they are dirty and stinky. I had my dogs running behind my truck on a dirt road 3 days ago and you wouldn't know it.


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## Carol Boche (May 13, 2007)

Mike Schoonbrood said:


> What were the deciding factors on raw? Where did you learn about feeding raw that made you make the change?


Shouldn't "Because of Connie's EXCELLENT help, knowledge and guidance." be an option too?????=D> =D> =D>


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Carol Boche said:


> Shouldn't "Because of Connie's EXCELLENT help, knowledge and guidance." be an option too?????=D> =D> =D>


See, THAT's what it should be called -- not cult-leadership and all that other stuff earlier in the thread! :lol:


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## Natalie Heath (Apr 18, 2008)

My dogs' coats are gorgeous on raw but they still shed like crazy, especially the Border Collie Husky mix. My Malinois with allergies has actually grown some coat and now sheds (which I'm happy about!) She get's all confused when I brush her because for the first 5 years of her life, I never had to touch her with a brush. She tries to walk away me from with a look of disdain on her face when I start brushing her! :mrgreen: She is getting used to it and is starting to enjoy the one on one time.

And Michelle is right....no bath required. The Mal with allergies would get oatmeal baths regularly to help with the itch and the odour. She hasn't had a bath in a year now 

Natalie


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## Marie A. Iulo (Jun 30, 2008)

Before I got my second Dobie I did a lot of reading about raw-I looked at them all and decided on Primal Organic.My breeder clued me on some supplements and my Dobie is doing great. His coat is beautiful. I added Hooka mix recommended by my breeder for shedding--He hardly sheds...My holistic vet said he couldn't be healthier.No throwing up...I love raw...Yes, it is expensive but it is well worth it.:smile:


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## liz shulman (Aug 28, 2008)

I coulda voted on a few of the options - I actually started raw because Ares had so many health issues and allergies, after a lot of research and many thanks to the k9nutrition list, I decided to try raw for him. I saw a lot of improvements.

I went with "anything fluffy wants, fluffy gets" because that's kinda why I ended up putting Morgan on raw. She is so totally spoiled having been the most untrainable dog :-o ...I also put her on it for the health benefits, but it was so much fun watching her enjoy her first chicken leg or turkey neck. She'd play with it before eating.

I'm very happy with the kibble they're on, but I'll be supplementing with some raw by the end of this year. I don't know yet if I'll switch entirely back to raw.


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## Guest (Aug 30, 2008)

Whole rabbits...$1.00 per pound
Chicken parts (necks, nearly expired leg quarters).... always less than a $1.00 per pound
Livers....on sale under 1.00 per pound
Deer parts from the road or hunting friends...free (25% of the year, I'm talkin').

Anne Vaini complimenting his smell...priceless.


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## Chris Ciampi (Dec 10, 2008)

Been researching some raw and interested in it but wondering what about dogs with a pretty sensitive stomach. I have tried to feed some higher grade food (wellness, solid gold) with both my dogs and it didn't work our very well. Made for a messy clean up.

Anyone have that issue or know how that would workout.

Lots of benefits from it is what i keep hearing that makes it interesting


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Chris Ciampi said:


> Been researching some raw and interested in it but wondering what about dogs with a pretty sensitive stomach. I have tried to feed some higher grade food (wellness, solid gold) with both my dogs and it didn't work our very well. Made for a messy clean up.
> 
> Anyone have that issue or know how that would workout.
> 
> Lots of benefits from it is what i keep hearing that makes it interesting


The answer to what makes me feed it: It's actual fresh food. 

But it's not as easy as kibble.

If you are willing to learn a little and go slowly at first, and to do it right (a package of hamburger is not a raw diet), my personal opinion is that fresh food is the best of all diets.

Let me know if you need info/help/resources.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Chris Ciampi said:


> Been researching some raw and interested in it but wondering what about dogs with a pretty sensitive stomach. I have tried to feed some higher grade food (wellness, solid gold) with both my dogs and it didn't work our very well. Made for a messy clean up.
> 
> Anyone have that issue or know how that would workout.
> 
> Lots of benefits from it is what i keep hearing that makes it interesting


What are you feeding?


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## Tina Rempel (Feb 13, 2008)

I feed some kibble and some raw. I have to admit I'm still nervous about the bones.... I do feed chicken and turkey necks sometimes but haven't reached the point I can give them a chicken section. I get a prepackaged raw from a local company and really like it. However, the costs for raw in the Seattle area are much higher then some have posted here also.


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## Polliana Oliveira (Jan 8, 2009)

If you feed raw, what do you use for treats? I'm looking into clicker training and it looks like a lot of treats are involved


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Polliana Oliveira said:


> If you feed raw, what do you use for treats? I'm looking into clicker training and it looks like a lot of treats are involved


I often use cooked bits of meat. I use real food (including some of the tiny eraser-size soft training rewards from Leerburg, like Simon & Huey's; they look spendy, but there are hundreds in that bucket) in a mixed bag of rewards. I don't use anything that I wouldn't feed as part of a meal. That way, the number of food rewards you may use in teaching a new thing is nothing you have to think about.

I feed raw, but have no problem giving cooked bits of meat (for convenience and extra smell :lol: ).


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## Gerry Grimwood (Apr 2, 2007)

Polliana Oliveira said:


> If you feed raw, what do you use for treats? I'm looking into clicker training and it looks like a lot of treats are involved


Cut up some weiners and dry them out in the oven, very tasty for man or beast :lol:


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## James Downey (Oct 27, 2008)

Polliana Oliveira said:


> If you feed raw, what do you use for treats? I'm looking into clicker training and it looks like a lot of treats are involved


 
I use RAW meat for training...Venison, chicken hearts, livers, gizzards. I keep baby wipes and purell hand sanitzer in the car. 

And as for the sensitive stomach...I do not think there is any gentler food than RAW. 

And to answer the OPs question. I have a 14 y/o Catahoula. at 9 y/o she refused to walk down 2 steps to go eat her kibble. My wife had heard of RAW and asked to try it. I was skeptical and admentaly was against it. My wife inisisted we try it. In 2 weeks I noticed her starting to become more energetic, less arthritis problems and her teeth were turning white again. 2 weeks after that she was romping in the yard, going on walks and playing ball again. I then switched all the other dogs over. I did not notice a huge difference in the younger dogs. but I come home late at night at times and the dogs slept in the bedroom. I would get choked out by the dog smell sometimes...I have not smelled that since I switched to RAW. Every once in awhile I will forget how much kibble deteroiates my dogs and switch back. Last time I did it, my Fila got a huge infected hot spot on his neck. I did not go to the vet. I switched back to RAW...Gone in 3 days. Now, I do not believe it's the cure all to everything. But bad nutrition is the culprit of many problems. I have feed all the good kibble also...The problem is not only the grain...the fact it's cooked and given preservatives ruins the food.


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## Emilio Rodriguez (Jan 16, 2009)

> What made you feed raw?


The question should rather be what made you feed kibble. The answer is usually convenience and brain washing because I find a raw diet is not more expensive once you have your sources lined up. Conveniet almost always doesn't translate into better.


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## Martine Loots (Dec 28, 2009)

My dogs only get raw food.

Had been doing this for many years and then switched to a good kibble (easier...)
5 yrs ago one of my dogs bloated. Fortunately he survived and it made me turn to raw food again immediately.
Ok, it takes more work and you need a lot of storage (I have 6 freezers, only for the dogs...) but I'm convinced it's better for them and they love it!


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## Tracey Hughes (Jul 13, 2007)

When I first fed raw I did it because I wanted to see for myself if the "hype" was worth it, that was back in 1996 fed it to my GSDs at the time for 3 years. It was ok, only thing I noticed was different stools. For me its not worth the effort and hassles when I travel and train. I can feed kibble as cheap as raw, I buy my dog food by the pallet.

I feed a performance food made for sled dogs. It is 32 protein/32 fat. Love it. It has been the only winter I haven't had to supplement with lard/oils to increase the fat content to keep weight on the outside dogs.

Very rare I see a vet.


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## Rachel Schumacher (Oct 11, 2006)

When I got my firstB Bengal cat I switched to a raw meat diet within one week. Their stomach (close to the wild due to their hybrid heritage) is not made for corn and other stuff in kibble (cats do not eat veggies!).These days all dogs and cats are fed raw. However my first dog - a Bernese Mountain dog - lived to be nearly 15 years old and was fed some form of kibble. Back then the kind of kibble we got was less about marketing and unecessary crap in it.


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## Sidney Johnsen (May 31, 2009)

What made me start feeding raw? Witnessing corpses being taken from a veterinary freezer to the rendering works and thrown into the "mess" with everything else, that then went on to provide some of the "meat" in kibble.

I realize that crap probably doesn't go into the higher end kibbles.. but still, that was it for me. 

Raw has turned out to be cheaper in the long run for me, too. Can't say anything about noticable health differences in my dogs because they were all healthy before the switch, but I ALWAYS see an amazing turn around in rescued cats that were previously kibble fed after they switch over to raw.


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## Anne Jones (Mar 27, 2006)

I started looking into raw feeding about 7+ years ago, before I got my female. (she is now 6 1/4 yrs old) The breeders of all my dogs had already weaned their pups onto raw, so I never had to switch a dog onto raw. But I would have if they had not done so. I love the 'side effects' of raw feeding......clean white teeth, no bad doggie breath, beautiful shinny coats with no doggie oder, small compact poops, slow healthy rate of growth in pups, all that extra energy in already high drive dogs, ha, ha, happy healthy dogs that really LOVE digging into their food & crunching those bones. 

I am particular about wanting fresh healthy food for myself, why would I not feel the same about what I feed my dogs. I am able to purchase a good deal of my raw food from a restaraunt whole sale supply, so it keeps the coast way down. I would feed raw even if it cost more to do so. I feel the benefits are more than worth the little bit of extra planning it takes to feed a homemade raw diet. 

I also think that it is cheaper then the high end grain free kibbles when you can buy & store large quantities of food at one time.


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## Denise Gatlin (Dec 28, 2009)

Lynn - yep, I too have developed a heck of an ax swing. Looks like Lizzy Borden has been slaying somethin' when I get to processing the venison for my dogs.  Have four large freezers that I use for approx 80-90 deer carcasses I acquire each hunting season from November 1 thru mid Dec. Bro-in-law belongs to a large hunting club and they save the carcasses for me. Towards the end of the season, I usually get almost the entire meat with exception of back-strap. My 8 dogs (GSDs & Dutches) have the whitest, healthiest teeth, plush thick coats, muscle tone to die for and super strong jaws! 
I do mix in great kibble along with veggies frozen from last year's garden. Needless to say, we have seldom trips to the vet, if any except for required rabies. It is all worth it to me to see the quality of health in my guys.


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## Zakia Days (Mar 13, 2009)

I feed both raw and kibble. Sometimes all raw for a week or two straight. I feed a high quality kibble, usually at night and feed raw early in the morning. I have a pit with sensitive skin. If I feed the wrong kibble she gets patches of redness (allergy) on her skin. A little raw and a few supplements here and there and her skin clears up beautifully. My malinois looks beautiful!!! Clear eyes, beautiful muscle tone, good endurance, strength, etc. I also like the small firm stools. I almost never make trips to the vet except for vaccinations. I love it. Soon as I find a really good distributor I'm going all raw.


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## Kat Hunsecker (Oct 23, 2009)

In Germany i was feeding a high quality kibble. I came to the sates nd all sudden my dog started to react to the dogfood of the same brand. 
Little did i know that the processing and what sort of regulations are on the meat beeing put in the dog food are so different from Europe to here. My shiny healthy German sheppherd turned into a paw chewing dog with veery dirty ears. Her coat that always looked like freshly waxed got dull still not too bad but compared to before... very dull! Added came over a relativly short time occational vomiting in the morning and ear infections. I tried a few other kibbles but finally i moved to an area where greyhounds dominate the scenes and so I found meat sources of high quality. 
And this is why I switched.


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## Lindsay Janes (Aug 9, 2007)

Mike Schoonbrood said:


> What were the deciding factors on raw? Where did you learn about feeding raw that made you make the change?


 White teeth!  I learned it from Leerburg..


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## Meghan Rabon (Feb 10, 2009)

I can't say my dogs had any problems on kibble, but as I read more about raw feeding, I really wanted to try it....especially as I learned more and more about what goes into kibble  

I was feeding high quality grain-free kibble. I tried many different brands over the last few years. The dogs did fine but one was eating a ton - 6 cups a day and she was still thin. Her coat always felt like straw. 
I switched to raw over the summer, and within a month or so her coat was beautiful and so soft and shiny. I switched my other two, they are also doing very well but the transformation in the first was the most obvious. She also isn't eating a huge amount of food like she was before and she's gained muscle tone.

Raw is more expensive for me. If I can keep it under 80 cents a pound it's about the same price as kibble, but really only chicken quarters, pork, or other meat on sale is so cheap.
I can get ground venison in the winter for 1.25/lb, and I'd rather spend a little extra for "wild" meat. I can also get whole free-range/grass fed sheep (have to slaughter ourselves) in the fall for $100 a head...I'm told they are about 175 pounds each but some is hide and waste...so I'm not sure how much edible meat/bones I get off them. I get ground tripe for about $2/lb but I only feed that once or twice a week. The rest I can usually keep under a dollar a pound...turkey (especially around the holidays), pork, chicken, sometimes beef...

The small poop is nice too, especially when it crumbles into powder after a few days...it doesn't sit in the yard for months if I don't clean it up!

I did have to get a freezer to feed all of my dogs, but I found a 19 cubic foot freezer for free on Craigslist. It took a few weeks of watching the ads (most were not big enough, I wanted something at least 15+ cubic feet) to find but it is wonderful!


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## Tammy St. Louis (Feb 17, 2010)

does anyone cook their food for the dogs , I feed Urban wolf cooked and kibble at the same time , dogs look amazing and are healthy , but i cook it because i feed them both in the same meal ..

anyone feed premade raw, Like the Ultimate diet , or urban carnivore?


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Tammy St. Louis said:


> does anyone cook their food for the dogs , I feed Urban wolf cooked and kibble at the same time , dogs look amazing and are healthy , but i cook it because i feed them both in the same meal ..
> 
> anyone feed premade raw, Like the Ultimate diet , or urban carnivore?


You mean you cook the meat that you add to the Urban Wolf? U.W. is a produce mix, right? That you add raw or cooked meat to?

Why are you using kibble too? Just curious.


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## Tammy St. Louis (Feb 17, 2010)

yes i cook the meat then add urban wolf mix to it 

I feed kibble because its wayyy expensive to feed raw around here, i get all my meat at the grocery store, and work at a pet store and get a good deal on my kibble , so it saves alot of money , I have 8 dogs so need a break on cost for food, 
my dogs do great on the kibble and urban wolf, my shep just died last yr at 14 yrs old


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Tammy St. Louis said:


> .... I feed kibble because its wayyy expensive to feed raw around here, i get all my meat at the grocery store, and work at a pet store and get a good deal on my kibble , so it saves alot of money


Gotcha. 

Well, I do know a couple of folks who add cooked meat to The Honest Kitchen. Similar.


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## jack van strien (Apr 9, 2009)

I voted other because there are more than one factor that made me decide.Over thirty years ago while in Lethbridge Canada i used to get frozen bags of tripe almost for free,cut it up with a chainsaw and fed it during the winter.
Now i have the dogs eating raw again and the market is closeby and i always feed frozen meat.
The dogs really enjoy their meal and even my mix toypoodle growls at me when i get too close.LOL.


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## Anjum Danielle (Mar 14, 2010)

I had never heard of a raw diet when I stumbled upon it doing research on cats. I read up quite a bit on the diet in relation to cats & decided to switch mine. It just made so much sense to me to feed carnivores a fresh raw diet. 

Our dog was technically my boyfriend's, and he thought I was crazy. But after seeing the cats thrive on it for a few months, he agreed to let me try it with the dog. It was a huge stroke of luck that I just happened to switch my dog a month before the worst food recalls. He had been eating a kibble that was on the recall list & most likely would have been affected! He's been thriving ever since.


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## charles Turner (Mar 2, 2009)

I have a young female that eats extremley fast, we used to fight when I would pull her away from the kibble, but most of the time, she would vomit up the kibble, started her with raw and she has done great, yes I wetted the kibble, special bowles, nothing helped, doing well with raw, does well on can food too, just choose not to feed can.


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## mike suttle (Feb 19, 2008)

I have always fed raw deer meat to my dogs for many years, but it is a pain to feed 40 dogs raw deer meat because that means I have to shoot a deer every week. Even with the crop damage permits which allow us to kill them, it just takes too much time to work the up and prepare the meat.
So I went to Sears and bought the biggest chest type deep freezer they carry (24 cft).
I buy chicken backs for .21 cents a lb ($8 for a 40 lb box). I buy 1000 lbs at a time which lasts me for about 3 weeks. It is less than 1/2 the cost of the kibble that I was feeding and the cleanup is way less than half the time. The feeding is faster and easier too because now I dont have to wash 40 feed bowls every day. I just throw it on the clean kennel floor on the inside runs and let them in to eat.
I feed 2-3 chicken backs every morning, and every other evening I feed about 1 cup of kibble (RedPaw 32K) between the raw food and my new Wysiwash kennel cleaning system it is really like I have added another worker here at the kennel in terms of the time and money that I save now.
*cheaper than kibble
*much better for the dogs
*way easier to clean up after them
*faster to feed a large kennel full of dogs
*easier to keep weight on the crazy ones (in fact they will get too fat very quickly)
* super clean white teeth
*for the first time I can honestly say that I do notice healthier coats with raw food. I never believed that crap with other types of foods, but with raw for sure I can see a difference.
* much less chance of bloat


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## Dave Colborn (Mar 25, 2009)

My dogs got into a pile of bunnies and finished them off lickety split, so I guess they are members of the raw feeders society. 

Can anything bad come from them eating bunnies this time of year?? anything the rabbits might carry?


Thanks


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## Anne Jones (Mar 27, 2006)

I believe that rabbits cary tape worms. You might want to get some wormer from your vet.


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## Meng Xiong (Jan 21, 2009)

I like raw because its cheaper vs. a high quality kibble, and I like the fact that the turds are small and don't stink as bad.


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## Keith Earle (Mar 27, 2006)

We Got a new monster mal pup from mike suttle that,s what he was feeding so why change perfection, now the other seven are on chicken backs and good kibble in pm, working great they love it and look great.


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