Before Grain dog food? - Page 2

Okay, here's the site I've been researching through.  As I mentioned, I like the idea of raw.  However, when traveling with dogs or having somebody else take care of the dogs, dealing with raw can be a bit much.  I'm going to try a different premium kibble (6 star rating) and do raw a few times a week.    There are many grain free kibbles listed.  This seems like a good compromise.

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/

It's unfortunate that owner convenience is a determining factor in not feeding a dog properly.  I'm not trying to be insulting, but I hear it all of the time and it's frustrating.  People so often feed kibble because opening a bag of dog food is perceived to be easier than opening a store bought chicken package, for example.  There are no recipes in feeding appropriately.

More important than which kibble is best, please understand what is in kibble:  http://www.healthyhappydogs.com/APIarticle.

When traveling the dog's food can be prepackage in zip bags and placed in a cooler.  Or, grocery stores are all over.  It's very easy to simply purchase the necessary foods daily or for the time that you have to be there.  If storage is a problem, go daily.  Also, remember, or know, the food does not have be stored cold all day if you need to set a time to buy the food. 

There should be no problem finding a spot to feed the dog.  In a hotel all you need is a towel.  Or use a patch of concrete or grass.  Ensure no spillage on the concrete and no chemicals on the grass.

Getting proper percentages of food.  Don't worry about it.  Percentages are "over time," so if you can't feed organ for a few days or a week, don't worry about it.

Afraid of what other might think.  Don't worry.  You're feeding appropriately.

If someone else has to watch the dog(s) then simply prepare the food as needed and store in a zip bag and a plastic shoe box.  This works great for me.  The baggie has exactly what I want the dog to eat and all the person has to do is open the bag and pour it out.

Great site regarding recipes for raw feeding. Just what I've been  looking for. Thanks, GunnarGSD!!!

As far as using a grain does anyone use oats, oat meal, rolled oats?

Blitzen - no problem.

Two Moon - If you had horses, would you feed them a roast?

There's no reason to feed a carnivore oats, oat meal or rolled oats.

Gunnar, for somebody trying not to insult a dog owner you did a find job.

How is that insulting?  It simply brings to light the need to feed animals species appropriate food.  Feeding dogs oats, in any form, is akin to feeding a horse meat, in any form.

I'm sorry you felt felt insulted by a question to someone else that was meant to provoke thought.

Gunnar, this is your quote I was referencing, not your comment to Two Moons about feeding a horse a roast.    "It's unfortunate that owner convenience is a determining factor in not feeding a dog properly.  I'm not trying to be insulting, but I hear it all of the time and it's frustrating."

Just because I feed predominately kibble, does not mean I don't take time to research it and get a premium, grain free product.  Yes, convenience is important, especially when I take a couple dogs traveling with me and need somebody to come in a take care of the ones left at home.  And as far as putting a towel down on the motel room floor and using prepacked raw from a cooler, or finding a store, I do quite a bit way off grid camping with my trail mules.  There is often no way to carry an extra cooler for prepackaged raw dog food and having the closest store over an hour away is not unheard of.  Heck, having a paved road within 30 minutes of camp is not unheard of.  So yes, I need some convenience and do feel I can also feed my dogs properly. 

I'm not insulted.   I mix feed often and do use oats sometimes as have other trainers I've spoke to.    And I know some animals like cattle and poultry are feed meat by-products.  No I dont think I ever gave my horse a roast.  I just wondered if anyone else had ever used oats, I dont mean horse oats,  I meant like rolled oats or oatmeal as a gruel mixed with meats and other goodies such as cheese or vegetables.    Anyway I took no offense as I have much tolerance for different opinions, usually.

animules - I apologize.  "Traveling" was not defined as camping, which does put a different spin on things.  In this case, have you looked at dehydrated foods?  Dehydrated is not cooked, so nutrients aren't lost like in kibble.  Honest Kitchen comes to mind.

If I recall, this product has vegetables in it, which aren't appropriate, but if you are only going to be camping for a few nights it should be OK.  If you're gone for weeks or months then there would have to be other solutions.