The Raw Diet. - Page 2

With the guidance of some very helpful people on this board, I switched my 9 week old pup to a 100% raw, species appropriate diet a couple of months ago (80% meat-10% edible bone-10% organs with liver being 1/2 of that...no fruits or veggies).

Personally, I couldn't be happier with the results. His coat is amazing, and he is strong, lean and muscular. His growth is slow and steady. I have yet to see any lanky, awkward growth spurts. He has amazing white teeth with zero doggie breath. And, I only have to "pick-up" after him once every 24-36 hours because he's absorbing almost everything instead of passing all the grain and cereal fillers his body can't digest/use.

My vet also tried to warn me off feeding raw, but his arguments grow weaker every time my pup goes in for his check-ups. In fact, he doesn't even mention it anymore. You can't argue with the results.

Yes, there is bacteria, but there is bacteria everywhere!! I know people who freeze their meat for a period as a precaution, but I think it only helps them to feel better. I guess it comes down to a personal comfort level.

I have also found that with careful shopping, I feed my dog cheaper on a raw diet than I would with a "quality" kibble.

A very valuable online discussion group (with a great archive) can be found at.....

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/rawfeeding/

Now that I have my first raw fed dog, I will never feed kibble again.

Thanks again to everyone that helped me make the switch!! My happy, healthy pup thanks you too

Karen

the benefits of a raw diet?

Dog Pooh doesn't smell as much. or no smell at all.

Not only does there pooh not smell, the dog specially the mouth does not also smell.

This translate to less time consuming baths! By the way, dogs clean themselves without taking a shower.

They smell because of dog food (kibble)

I raise GSDs (German Shepherd)

Thank you soo much for helping me out. Ill switch to raw slowly and ill let you know how he does on it.

Mixing raw and kibble in the same  meal can caus a "traffic jam".

Raw food processes in a few hours.

Some kibble can take 24 hours. (haven't you seen a dog throw up the next day a pile of puffed up undigested kibbles?)

Michele and Pharaoh

Beepy, I dont place much value on vets nor what they sell and how they insist about vaccinations.Vaccinations perhaps another thread.I hope someone starts that up.I failed to mention that if there were a few beaks on the ground and some feathers my friend was happy.Given her situation..area.She has to to do the crock pot Chicken.I try to be very careful when answering a question when there is a "Topic" as you dont know who they are and how it will affect them in caring for their dogs health.People tend to switch from food to food..supplements to supplements ect..Pesticides to pesticides  errr. I would like to go raw with the three dogs I have but not in any commercial food... nor  buying this meat..some organ..some bone to balance the dog.Yes the GSD is a carnivore...very close to the wolf.My preference would be for them as a pack Take down a rabbit..a goat etc to get the full result...instead of buying this or that...over the counter.What you buy is so over processed/radiated..preservatives added..and color added..not just for your dog but for you as well.The best scenario is to have a herd of sheep or South African Boer goats.Feed them.Use the dogs to tend to them.When you butcher what you need..Give the dogs the rest.For now I am feeding kibble..My dogs do not smell and I rarely wash them.They eat what they need for the day throughout the day as I creep feed(free choice) feed them.There feces has no odor and it is always consistent.Not one barfs up nor eats their own feces.I do not kennel them.They have alot of freedom

Rainhaus - all Bruno181 was doing was asking for personal opinions and thats what I did.  What I didnt explain is that all the mean sourced for my dogs comes from an organic farm and is from the butchers offcut pile.

I do use kibble, and have been lucky enough to discover a working breed one here in the UK which is only a portion of the cost of the big names and the combination does my dogs well.  As for bathing - they only got a bath recently due to getting something obnoxious on them, my oldie hasnt had a bath for many many years.

Oh and another thing that i wanted to ask was how do i clean the meat. How do i get rid of the bacteria from the meat? Some websites say that soaking the meat in apple cider vinegar is the best way of getting rid of the bacteria. Some say freezing the meat also helps..

I was fortunate enought to buy a puppy from a breeder that fed all her dogs a Raw diet. Ater picking up the puppy i took him to a new vet who advised i should switch him rom a raw diet. I asked why, to which the reply was "Bacterial infections".

Given the breeder is one of the top GSD breeders in North America and not wishing to "stress" the new puppy i continued to feed raw. I did my own research and red countless articles both for and against a raw diet. One of the most disturbing articles I read is the one below.

http://www.api4animals.org/facts.php?p=359&more=1

Needless to say, I continue to feed raw; like others have mentioned, there is no bad breath, an amazingly shiney coat and a puppy that is both healty and happy.

If you are truly concerned about your dogs health long term, you might wish to read up on the parctice of "Over Vaccinating" and the side effects associated with it. While this may not be possible for all breeders and while i believe each is entitled to their own opinion, the breeder of my dog only gives one set of Parvo and Distemper (single virus, killed, in seperate vaccinations). with the recommendation of Titer testing at 4 months.  Both tests came back positive for antibodies on my puppy.  Read the research on Duration of immunity to the common vacinations and draw your own conclusions. There is some interesting information on this link, note specifically the practice Dr. Shultz has adopted for his pets;

http://www.weimaraneraddict.com/discussion/vaccines-distemper-hepatitis-parvo-vt6928.html

Enjoy!

The reason that it is recommended to freeze meat is that this is the only way neospora caninuum is eliminated; freezing will not eliminate E-coli, campylobacter, salmonella etc until and unless you freeze at specific temperatures for a specific time.

Dogs are designed to cope with bacteria (we re talking about animals that eat poop from various sources and lick their bottoms after all) so I think you do not need to worry over much.