# Can I mix RAW with kibble



## nicoleprice84 (Dec 28, 2012)

I have read some comments that it is not wise to mix raw food and kibble. The RAW diet is appealing to me, but the availability of meat is limited. We live in a relatively small town and Wal-Mart is the only place to get meat. 

Ideally, I would like to mix the kibble and raw, though not necessarily at the same time. 

Tonight, I mixed the following tonight: (total of apx 8-10 oz) 
Fromm puppy kibble 
apx 2 oz chicken gizzard and heart mix
apx 2 oz pork spare rib (bone removed)
(pork and gizzard heart mix was chopped in the ninja)
a drizzle of ground beef liquid fat
All ingredients were mixed thoroughly.

He ate almost the entire bowl. I haven't measured exactly, but he has eaten approximately 3 cups of food today, mostly kibble, and a slice of Quiznos prime rib. (He loves to ride with me on errands and is spoiled to getting small treats if I stop for food.)

I want him to be happy and helathy, smart and strong and live a long full life. Although I am not concerned with making him a "health nut" pup. He is my companion and though we will have him formally trained, his only real job is to love his people.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

How old is your puppy? I would be a bit concerned that his digestive system may get out of whack when you are mixing what you just posted.
I never give liquid fat(pancreatitis) and always give bone to balance the organ and meat when I feed a raw meal. 
Of course he'll eat it, yummy!
But he won't feel very good for the next several hours. 
Either research the raw diet and how to balance it, and feed it exclusively or stay with the Fromm. 
That is a pretty good kibble and no reason to add toppings.
You may end up with a picky pup if you have to top it. I'd rather do a cooked scrambled egg instead of organ meat as it is easily digested.


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## nicoleprice84 (Dec 28, 2012)

He is between 3 and 4 months. Thanks for the advice. I feel bad now for giving him something to make him sick.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

He may be fine...but most dogs can't handle too much fat so be prepared to clean up pudding poop. If he does have digestive issues, slippery elm bark(human grade from grocery holistic herb pharmacy section) helps heal the gut. Mix a capsule with some plain yogurt before you feed him.
If he doesn't get sick, that shows he may not be sensitive to food, all good! 
Remember over feeding can cause runny poop too...so smaller more frequent meals is recommended for pups.


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## nicoleprice84 (Dec 28, 2012)

Am I safe to stick with the kibble and healthy treats on occasion or as supplements (eggs, good meat, yogurt)? As a kid, our dogs were never given special food, low-grade grocery store brands (pedigree, Purina, etc.) but not the bargain brands. That combined with table food has always given healthy results. The Fromm is expensive (almost $2 a pound!!) but if that is what he needs to be healthy, that's what he will get. If there is a more budget friendly, healthy alternative, that's great too! He isn't too picky so far!


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

When training use good high value treats that can be eaten quickly. I use natural balance rolls cut in pea sized portions for training. I do feed raw, not kibble. If I fed kibble, I may use kibble for tracking/training. I've used cat food for that with no problems. I am using right now bil-jac frozen food for tracking/training because my dog absolutely loves it, but it isn't the best or even good. Though one bag had green tripe as the first ingredient, so I wonder how consistent the quality is? 
As far as kibble, I'm not real versed on price/brands but do know that the Fromm company is family based and not Diamond related so all good! And your location may have a local manufacturer that produces quality kibble at a good price. 
Table foods are fine, IMO....I wouldn't want to eat the same thing over and over and if your pup can tolerate different proteins it is best. But limit the fat always, that can cause pancreatitis as it hits hard and fast.


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## nicoleprice84 (Dec 28, 2012)

Do you recommend any websites with good raw diet plans? I have yet to find anything specific--just forums and questions.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

A Place for Paws - Columbiana, Ohio - Reference Articles
Welcome to the Raw Dog Ranch
My Pet Carnivore | Raw dog, cat, and pet food including: tripe, beef, bones, chicken, duck, rabbit, turkey
Carnivore Carry Out - SE MID MICHIGAN RAW DIET CO-OP FOR DOGS & CATS


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## Jag (Jul 27, 2012)

I've had the same issues with regard to the cost of kibble! I've been feeding Innova, and have found that pretty much all of the 'decent quality' kibble is near the same price. I did read that Purina Pro-Plan is about the same quality wise (I haven't looked up the ingredients yet for myself, though), and I'd expect a lot cheaper. I know the dogs I grew up with were fed Purina and the like. I don't know if those foods have gotten a lot worse content wise or if we're just more concerned now about what we're feeding. The dog I had as a kid was fed Purina dog chow and lived to the age of 14 without any real illnesses. I'm feeding Grim the most expensive dog food I've ever bought, and sometimes it does put a real strain on the wallet! I looked at some raw diets, and I really don't think we could afford to feed raw. We limit our own meats due to the cost.


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## Rosie428 (Jan 16, 2013)

Feeding raw is not as expensive as one may think, but it can be rather time consuming to find the bargains! I pay less for my 5 year old female's raw diet then I would for the quality kibble she would need due to her allergies. 
A great book for anyone looking to feed any sort of partial/complete raw diet is Give Your Dog a Bone by Dr Billinghurst. It is an awesome guide to the basics of a raw diet.


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