# Allie and the raw diet



## Jelpy (Nov 8, 2009)

I thought I'd try the raw diet idea-just for a short period to see how it worked. Tried it tonight on Allie. Total failure. She took one look at the raw meat and flat out refused to touch it. You could just see her wheels spinning. "This doesn't look like dog food. It's not round and crunchy, it doesn't come out of a bag. It's chilly and-Oh Gross, it that blood. Is this raw? Are you trying to feed me RAW FOOD? Are you insane? This is disgusting. Take this away and don't bring it back until it's been fried."


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## Doubleminttwin (Aug 21, 2009)

haha o no! Baya loved it right off the bat but our friends husky hated it the first time they tried to give it to him. They mixed a little hamburger in with dry food and then switched to just the meat with some chicken and so forth from there. He was so cute when he turned his nose up at it too, but it grew on him


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## StGeorgeK9 (Jan 5, 2008)

hehehe, definately NOT the problem with Ava! she will eat ANYTHING!! the grosser the better I think!!


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## Bennett (Nov 17, 2009)

I've been reading so much on the forum and wondering if we might switch, too. She's on a prescription diet, though, since most things give her very soft stools (a euphemism for something very unpleasant). I think she'd eat raw meat, though, because she salivates as soon as I start fixing any kind of meat.
I don't blame Allie, though. I have to force myself to handle it at all.


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## lucymom (Jan 2, 2009)

Zuzu had it from her breeder when I got her at 8 weeks, but when she saw Aik's kibble and canned, she had no interest in raw and wanted his food. So I took her off it, I wasn't familiar with/comfortable with it anyway. Thing is, Aik was VERY interested in her raw!

6 months later, I'm giving it another try with some more information. NOW...she really likes it and does not leave a smidge. With her kibble--even her favorite, fish-based kind, she sometimes didn't finish or was easily distracted. Not with the raw. I put some plain yogurt in with it and a squish of fish oil.

Did you leave her for a bit with it in her crate so she might be tempted to try it???

I'm still getting used to the idea, it kind of grosses me out (see worm thread) but I want to stick with it for a time to see how they (Aik is on it too) do.

good luck.


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## Bennett (Nov 17, 2009)

Jennifer,

I saw the worm thread--ugghhh! But I've also seen some pretty icky things in my veggies, especially organic. Once a big hairy spider walked right out of a head of Romaine lettuce and onto my kitchen counter! I had just brought it home from the grocery store. 

If you've read up on feeding raw, what digestive benefits are there? As I mentioned in my earlier response, my girl Hildie is on Prescription Diet ID because everything else has unpleasant results.


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## Brightelf (Sep 5, 2001)

Actually, Grimm had always had diarrhea off-and-on, when he was on kibble. The raw has settled his tummy, fluffed out his coat, made him much healthier. It's noticeable.

To begin raw, it really helps to do your research first-- then only begin when you have what you need ready, such as a scale, chicken quarters & chicken breast meat in quantity, and chicken liver. You wanna have enough research that you feel comfortable and ready.







Best EASY read? "Give Your Dog a Bone" by Ian Dunbar, an Australian vet. It explains why we feed what we feed.

After doing your reading, going to http://www.RawDogRanch.com can tell you why we only start with one protien source for the first two weeks, how much each meal should weigh for your dog, and other fun, important stuff to read.

Feeding raw is easy and fun. It makes a huge difference in how a dog feels, and looks, and even a difference in how a dog behaves. (increased ability to settle, to focus, calmer indoors) 

But, even though it's easy and fun, it takes some planning at the start. After a month or so of feeding raw, it is basicly effortless. And, one can feed raw cheaper than a quality grain-free kibble. It takes time to locate cheap sources and having a stand-alone freezer (Craigslist, Freecycle, or I got mine for $168 with free delivery from Best Buy ) makes things cheap.

So, there's a safe, easy, sensible way to begin raw slowly using one protien source, following the meat-bone-organ ratios suggested on http://www.RawDogRanch.com and feeding each meal at the weights listed for your dog on that website. 

Welcome to feeding raw! The board is great for questions. Lauri, MSpiker and others have lots of great info! Some of us feed Preyt Model, and some of us feed BARF. Some say the difference in those styles of raw feeding are the bone to muscle meat ratio, some say the difference in styles is that BARF usually tends to include veggie glop. I add a bit of veggie glop and occasional green tripe. I love the results on raw, and for a dog with sensitive intestines/digestive issues on kibble, they've all gone away on raw.










Just be sure to enjoy some research on meat/bone ratios, weight per meal, and start with only the chicken RMBs and MMs and teeny bit of OM for the first week or two.







Research first, then start with the 1 protien source in the right rations and weights. NOT hard! Plus, the board is great for guidance, thank goodness.


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## lucymom (Jan 2, 2009)

I don't think I can do justice to the digestive benefits, but the raw has the enzymes and other elements that dogs need. It's their natural diet. I second patti's recommendation for learning about it.

Zuzu has been on about three weeks and her poop is proof for me. Small, neat, tidy, it is the poop of an animal who is making very good and efficient use of their food, which says a lot about the food to me. Aik is older, and we have not gotten to the 'magic raw poop" stage yet, but that is not cause for alarm, I just have to be patient.


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## Brightelf (Sep 5, 2001)

Jen, the poop of Zuzu getting to the small, firm stage means you're feeding her the right ratio for her at the right weight per meal. And, it's proof that you began slowly. Way to go!









Aik will catch up.







Older pooches may take a longer time to acclimate to the change. After a week on raw, if you'd like Aik's poops firmer, you can up the bone in his ratio of bone to muscle meat per meal. You can toss in a chicken wing, and remove a lil bit of the MM, but have the meal stay the same. Also, feeding less weight per meal can help firm things up. But... I would keep him on what he has for a week or so, as I am thinking that after a week and a half on raw, his poops will really be doing better as he adapts! Seniors rule! I LOVE
 






AIK!! (not, like, that's a secret or anything..)


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

Look at it from the dogs point of view.

Kibble - loaded with grains and sugars (carbs), sprayed with animal fats to make it SMELL good.

Raw meat - little to no aroma.


It's like asking a 6 year old to choose between a small salad and a lean piece of turkey or a McDs cheeseburger and fries.









Kibble fed dogs EXPECT the aroma and when it's not there they aren't quite sure it's food. You can try lightly sauteing the meat in some butter and garlic at first. OR just place it in some REALLY hot water to lightly boil the outside of the meat. This will release the odor of the meat and help the dog realize it IS food.


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## StGeorgeK9 (Jan 5, 2008)

Wow, and easier question is what digestive benefits ARENT there! Actually, Ava was fed kibble as a pup, then we switched to raw, skin issues, infrequent "loose stools" etc went away. At first, there can still be loose stools as the body adjusted to the new food, but then......golden. There are no fillers, no corn, no wheat, no garbage. I guess the question is what is in the food your feeding now?


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## Bennett (Nov 17, 2009)

I am hearing much about the benefits of feeding raw. Can any of you share any drawbacks or negatives so I can weigh pros and cons? (beyond whether there is a smell that is appealing to dogs). My special concern is about bacteria from raw meat. Any information to share?


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## Brightelf (Sep 5, 2001)

Bennett, dogs need "yuck" in their diets to help digest things and be healthy. So in the wild, wolves (and dogs living in a free-roaming situation) nosh on roadkill, raccoon poop, long-dead squirrels, garbage, cow poop, vomit, rotten bird's eggs, etc. But in feeding a raw diet, we are feeding fresh, USDA-inspected, human-grade foods that have been refrigerated, frozen, etc. So... we have to ADD yuck! We simulate natural yuck by adding yogurt to their meals, as well as brewer's yeast, to provide the nutrients needed in the living and dead bodies of microorganisms.

Salmonella? If there might be any in the fresh foods fed in a raw diet, the dog is equipped naturally to easily do just fine with it. The strong tummy acids and zippy-fast, short digestive tract means that the dog (made to consume carrion, poop, etc.) can safely, happily nosh what the human can't.

What about handling raw foods? No big deal. I wash my hands after preparing raw, I use a cutting board just for the raw meat, and tidy up my counter afterwards if I were messy. Warm soapy water is fine!


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## Brightelf (Sep 5, 2001)

Drawbacks to feeding raw:
1. You can't just jump in without doing a bit o' research. The research is easy, raw feeding is easy-- but it's best to learn the bone-to-meat ratios, the weight per meal for your dog, and how to start with just chicken for a few weeks.... before trying to feed a chicken quarter here, kibble there, etc.

2. The doggy odor goes away. For me, this IS a negative.. I miss the "home-y" smell of doggy odor.

3. You'll need to buy a little stand-alone freezer. (Craigslist, Freecycle will have them.. mine was cheap, brand new at $168, free delivery from Best Buy)

4. If you are fostering dogs, and one of them poops in the house, you may not be able to smell it.

5. You'll need to be comfortable about feeding raw when you mention this to your vet. Vets are catching up, I have had two awesome, incredible vets who thought raw was phenomenal. I briefly saw one vet who was not open. "All natural, species-appropriate" raw diet is a good phrase to use.


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## Bennett (Nov 17, 2009)

Thanks, Patti! Lots of good info. in both your posts. After the holidays I will begin research in earnest.


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## ch3ckpo1nt (Nov 30, 2009)

^ Me too. A local pet supply store I go to for Damian's food sells pre-packaged RAW food. I'm going to look into it. My only downside to feeding raw is the time to prepare the meals. If the pre-packaged stuff is sufficient, than I have no more problems. Has anyone ever heard of this? This pet supply store is the only place that sells the healthy foods, and she sells them all.


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