thanks! - Page 1

So it's been several weeks since the dogs were switched to a raw diet and I want to thank all who posted with advice, Nan, Pete, Lou and pt1 come to mind.  Sorry if I missed anyone.

I've been very happy with the results.
They've all been doing really well.  Energy levels are great, their coats are getting....uh.....well, the word luxurious comes to mind.  It has been a really good move.

The first raw meal had a funny outcome.  I prepared the food amidst what I call pre-game antics.  I have one girl who has pogo sticks on her feet and has no problem doing a 4 foot vertical, which she loves doing.  Then there is the usual milling around and barking/whining.  This occurs at every meal until I tell them to sit and zip it.  Sometimes that happens right away!  Then they go to their spots to get fed, I put the food down and they dive in.  Afterwards, everyone is happy and tussling with each other and checking each others bowls for missed crumbs (yeah right, as if). 

This time, I put the food down and they all looked at it for a minute, Dickie actually took the chicken leg out and placed it on the floor, out of the way, sniffed and then slowly proceeded to eat the liver.
Everyone's eating was very slow and methodical.
After, they all stood there and looked at me and then each other andthen at their bowls, as if to say, Wow!  What the heck was that!
Honestly, I thought I  thought I should pass out cigerettes!
Well the second meal was nothing like the first.
The sit and zip it needed to be repeated a few times.  They are so totally food driven.
Luv 'em to death and I feel better than I have in a long time about what they are eating.

So thanks everyone!

That's fantastic! I am a raw feeder too. I'm curious to know what kibble brands you tried before going to raw and what made you decide to try raw.

I can't remember all the brands over the years!  Some of the ones I do remember were touted as premium foods at the time like:

Eukanuba, ProPlan, Biljac, Solid Gold and others.   I've also tried cheaper brands when the kids were growing up and money was tight like Pedigree, Alpo, Dad's.

I either did not know about at the time or they weren't available yet or I couldn't afford foods like Orijen, Blue Buffalo, TOTW, etc.  Recently I have tried TOTW and was fairly happy with that.

There are many reasons I switched.   One because I got tired of the hype surrounding the dog food industry.  The attitude implied in some ads that "no one knows how to feed your dog like we do".  
  
And it happened more than once that I would be feeding a quality dog food (I thought), things would be going well and then the dogs would get soft stools or diarrhea or their coats would look like crap or they would lose weight even though I was feeding the same amounts.

I would be running to the vet with stool samples buying the Panacur or Drontal just in case that negative stool sample was really positive.

Eventually it would come out that the manufacturer of that particular company had sold out to P&G or the bag would say "new and improved" which is never good even in the human world. 

So I would switch to another "quality food" and repeat the whole process.  Good for awhile and then the downhill slide.  It gets old.

Second, when I stopped to think about it, the number of dogs I have lost over the years to various types of cancer was a little ridiculous not to mention heart breaking.
I've also lost a number of family members to cancer and the one thing stressed in avoiding or battling cancer is DIET.
So where was my brain all these years?

Then there was the melamine tragedy.
Reading subsequent articles that stated there is no control in the dog food industry is what started my little brain to thinking......so it has been a gradual realization, no lightening bolts, or sudden revelations.  It took awhile for me to put it all together and say enough is enough.

Anyway, this seems to be working and they are definitely happier, once they got over their initial shock!



 

I have to agree with you; raw was the best thing I have done for my dogs.  I am glad I could pass along the info I have learned and am still learning;  it does take some time to pull it all together.  So your very welcome and if you have any questions during this phase I will try to answer.  If I cannot answer I do know where to find help.  Best of luck  Nan