Raw feeding for sighthounds and puppies - please help

[Idog]

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I'm at my wits end with my IG puppy who will not eat the same food for more than couple of times! I could open a shop by now with a wide variety of puppy food we have that won't get eaten, believe you me!

I have heard lots of positive from other dog owners about raw feeding. I did some research on it and discounted it mainly after I read an article about salmonella and even ecoli occurring in dogs stool (found on average in more than 60% tested dogs) and supposedly even in their saliva.

That put me off as our puppy is licking everything and everyone, mainly my kids. Salmonella has always been big on my mind as we had a bad experience with it in my family (a relative ending up at the hospital with Salmonella in a serious condition).

But I have also heard that it is not suitable for every dog.

Is there anyone out there who found raw feeding really beneficial for sighthounds, particularly IGs and puppies?

Is it really safe and risk free? Given the frequent occurrence of salmonella in shop bought chicken these days it's bound to be in some given to the dog?

I'd love to feed the best to our puppy but don't seem to be able to find it

 

[excuseme]

The more you swap and change the food that you give to your dog the more he will keep testing you again and again for another !

However, I am a raw feeder and have fed raw to my dogs for 40 years with no problems of salmonella to either the dogs or ourselves.

Our dogs lick and cuddle with us as much as any other pet dog would. I do however always use a little bleach in my washing down water and when washing the dog bowls.

Our dogs are canines, their teeth and stomaches are designed to eat , tear, and gnaw bones/meat.

Our dogs do not have the grinding teeth like cows,sheep, horses etc, that would indicate these animals should be more likeky to eat hay, grass, corn.

If you decide to change to raw you will not be disapointed, it is an easy product to feed, all types of meat are fine, the fats and gristle too, vary your products like tripe, different meat types, chicken wings/carcasus, offal, (offal is essential in small quantities) and the green tripe is full of essential goodness. Raw bones are full of goodness too. (never feed a cooked bone af any kind)

.

You will be able to change your chaps textures and flavours without actually changing his type of food "Raw".

If you are worried about not feediing a "ballanced" diet try using some "Smart Barf" suppliment or again Natures Menu produce a nice frozen mixed veg product too.

There are loads of pet stores that now have freezers in store , Natures Menu products are very good and very convenient too.

Don't worry it is a perfectly natural and safe product to use.

Enjoy!

 

[bevjordan]

Problem is the more you swap your pups food around the more fussy it will get. Also you will need to watch out for the balance of the food. Too much protein, although pups do need it more, can cause the dog to be more hyperactive unless getting the required level of exercise which for a young pup is only around 15 mins twice a day as the bones are still developing. You will need to ensure the pup also has the right balance of all the necessary vitamins fats so beneficial to also add some good quality balanced biscuit, great for the stomach, teeth and from a nutrient perspective. The Barf diet is a good one, smells terrible and looks disgusting, it has veg etc included. What ever you do you need to make the change gradually over a period of 7 to 10 days so add a little bit at a time to the usual food so as not to cause a bad reaction "poop".

 

[excuseme]

Raw meat itself is not a high protein product !

16% to 20% of meat is protein the remaining 75 to 80% is water/fluid combined with fat, carbs, vitamins and minerals.

Unlike the un natural kibble type foods that can produce up to 32% protein!

In my opinion and experience of 40 years feeding raw, Introduction and change over to an all raw diet can be done very quickly with no problems !

 

[Idog]

I'm tempted to go for raw feed as I have heard a lot of good about it but is it suitable to all breeds? Also how quickly can you change over?

I tried her on raw feed a couple of months back. It was Natures Menu and Nutriment but she threw it up undigested so I gave up

I did it as a straight swap because I got some samples of Nutriment puppy raw food from a dog show where they had their stalls and the person (Nutriment employee I presume) told me that there is no need to do it gradually.

 

[excuseme]

Some dogs will throw up first time but this will do no harm. You could try a day of starvation first and then introduce it. Don't give up, if the dog wants to re eat the sicked up food this will be absolutely fine! (just turn your back and don't watch !! )

Do try again but maybe offer a little less to start with.

Try the Natures Menu freeflow tripe.