# Is Kibble and Raw okay?



## FGOliveira83 (Jun 26, 2016)

Greetings Everyone,

I was wondering if it's okay to feed your puppy kibbles during the week and raw on weekends? I really want him on a raw diet, but it just seems to expensive. I just switched him from Orijin from Canine Caviar duck because he seems to be itching a lot of Orijin (6 months). Based off of what I read online, he would go through 10 pounds of meet per week, not including the other supplements to fulfill his nutritional requirements. However, I also read that these foods digest differently and to also fast your dog for 24 hours before transitioning from Kibble to raw. 

I have zero experience feeding a raw diet, I was just planning on some turkey meat with eggs and some veggies on weekends. Is it worth is? To all raw feeders, how much are you spending a month on food? I hear that depending on the brand of kibble, raw can be cheaper. A 25lbs bag of Caninae Caviar is $82.00, is there a way that raw can cost less or close to that? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. 

Thanks kindly in advance!


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## brookwoodgirl (May 5, 2016)

I raw fed my last dog, but also would give her some kibble/treats at times (not to mention her stealing cat food too). Sometimes when you are traveling, it can be hard to feed raw. Also, I tend to think a varied diet is best - my dogs almost never had bad stomachs/digestions, in part because I think they had varied food. 

That being said, when I fed kibble, I favored the good stuff . Castor and Pollux organix was what I used with my last dog when I wasn't raw feeding, apart from the stolen cat food).

I have a new 11 week old puppy, and haven't started him on raw yet. I'm feeding a mix of Nude kibble (I and Love and You) but because I worry that is a little too high protein, I'm cutting it with Rachel Ray's Adult Grain free Turkey and Potato. I like the Nude, but again, I worry about the protein levels. The Rachel Ray I doubt I will stay with. However, I haven't settled on a feeding plan for this one yet.

ETA I should say I am feeding the new puppy a mix of kibble and raw, putting a little raw food with the kibble each meal, but the majority of the food right now is the kibble.


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## voodoolamb (Jun 21, 2015)

Raw can be done super cheap. 

If you have a walmart and can order supplements online... walmart has 10 lb bags of chicken quarters for like $5.50 You can get a vitamin/mineral premix like fresh oasis canine (I like them as they source no ingredients from china. The formula was originally designed for zoos housing wild canids). The guy 5lb pail of oasis is $87 including shipping and would last a 75lb shepherd for just over 4 months. 

So like 40 some bucks a month. 

Personally I would like add more variety in the types of meats and I would add fruits and veggies. I would probably also do a few supplements like krill oil too. But sticking to meats on sale or marked down for quick sale by sell by dates and using the good veggie scraps from your own diet. And yeah. You can get away with it pretty cheap. And would be human grade fresh meat and basically the same synthetic vitamins in the dog food you buy. 

That said. I spend a sickening amount on my dog's raw diet. Mostly because I choose to feed organic grass fed beef as my staple.


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## Zaxx (Jun 15, 2016)

I don't know anything about raw diets, but I do mix some raw with his kibble.

I have Axl on Victor Hi Pro Plus kibble, and throw him a chicken quarter a couple times a week. He has no problem with his stools. I don't go from all kibble to all raw and back again though....


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

voodoolamb said:


> Raw can be done super cheap.
> 
> If you have a walmart and can order supplements online... walmart has 10 lb bags of chicken quarters for like $5.50 You can get a vitamin/mineral premix like fresh oasis canine (I like them as they source no ingredients from china. The formula was originally designed for zoos housing wild canids). The guy 5lb pail of oasis is $87 including shipping and would last a 75lb shepherd for just over 4 months.
> 
> ...


here is your ingredient list for the canine oasis vitamin and mineral pre-mix 

Ingredients:
Calcium Carbonate, Dried skim milk, MonoCalcium Phosphate, Choline Chloride, Calcium pantothenate,Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate,Vitamin E supplement ,Primary Yeast dehydrated (source of mannanoligosaccharides),Yeast Extract, Niacinamide, Pyridoxine hydrochloride, dried whey, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, lysine, potassium Iodide, Sodium Selenite, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Yeast Culture, dried Bacillus subtillus fermentation extract ,dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus plantarum fermentation product, Lactobacillus fermentum, dried Aspergillus niger fermentation extract, dried Aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract, dried Bacillus subtillus fermentation extract ,Sodium silico aluminate ,DL- Methionine, Vitamin B12 supplement, Riboflavin, Thiamine Mononitrate, milk calcium complex, Folic Acid, Vitamin A Acetate, Biotin, Vitamin D3 Supplement.

Feeding Directions:


The first ingredient is CHALK , the third ingredient is a leavening agent -- 

very far from a whole food , natural , green, source of vitamins and minerals.


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## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

My breeder suggested adding raw to kibble but it made my puppy very sick. He couldn't handle the mix. I didn't have time to shop and prepare daily food for the dog, so I decided not to go raw, but it's always an option in the future. He can't eat chicken or chicken products so I'm limited, and beef made him ill so that is out, too.


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

people that feed raw don't want "basically the same synthetic vitamins in the dog food you buy."

they want to do better , get better results .


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## mego (Jan 27, 2013)

I do both. Currently in an apartment for 3 months and my big freezers are at home. We do 1 to 2 meals kibble a day and a big raw meal at night. Totally fine. They can eat it both mixed or separate. 

Raw is more work than just chucking some meat in though. I make sure the raw i add is balanced


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## Sabis mom (Mar 20, 2014)

I can't afford raw. Nor do I have the room or time. I feed a good kibble and supplement with all the veggies fruit and berries I can along with a chicken quarter a couple times a week and whatever innards and necks I can find. 
I have fed all my dogs including fosters this way and never had a problem. 
Do introduce any new food slowly.


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## voodoolamb (Jun 21, 2015)

carmspack said:


> The first ingredient is CHALK , the third ingredient is a leavening agent --
> 
> very far from a whole food , natural , green, source of vitamins and minerals.


Then first ingredient is, yes, technically what chalk is made up of. However, Calcium Carbonate is also what makes up almost the entirety of egg shells, which are often recommended as the calcium source in home prepared diets where bone is not fed. It's also widely used in human calcium supplements. It is absorbed well by healthy individuals. 

Yes, the 3rd ingredient is a food safe leavening agent. It is also another source of calcium. Fromm, one of the most recommended commercial food on this board, uses it as their calcium source




> people that feed raw don't want "basically the same synthetic vitamins in the dog food you buy."
> 
> they want to do better , get better results .


What raw feeders want is to do what most of us on this board want to do - provide the best diet that we can for our dogs. 

Unfortunately not everyone is able to provide the wide variety of organs, meats and bones to provide a balanced diet raw meat diet. There are budget, space, time, availability and comfort level constraints. 

A diet of fresh, human grade meats, and a vitamin/mineral mix is still miles ahead of commercial dry dog food. It is an affordable and convenient option for those who want the benefits of raw whole foods, but cannot (for whatever reason) commit to being able to balance it out purely by their food options.

There are many styles of raw feeders, using supplements is just another one. 

Note to anyone interested in this way of feeding: There are many companies out there that offer premix products, some of which do use whole foods if that is something you are more comfortable with.


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## Galathiel (Nov 30, 2012)

Right now I'm transitioning my dog. He still gets some kibble as I'm not just going to toss the bag <Acana Pork and Squash>. I also am using The Honest Kitchen Preference Base Mix right now as I'm starting out for my peace of mind. He's been eating this way a week and is enjoying it. I had bought some ground turkey for me but it got a little icy so he gets that mixed with his THK Preference currently. I bought 40 lbs of a beef blend mix (beef meat, chicken backs and beef and chicken livers) and I will be mixing that with his Preference next and feeding chicken leg quarters for the rest of his meal. Sorry Varik, he will probably be getting just chicken leg quarters for a while as they had them for $.37/lb last week. I'm going to see how he does with this much organ meat (never had it) before adding in non-liver organs. 

So yes, I'm mixing my mediums so to speak. He gets kibble, some cooked meat (the ground turkey), and some raw (chicken quarters, turkey necks). Because he's been getting some raw treats all along, I didn't start with just one protein. He also got a can of sardines this week. HUGE hit although he had to share a few bits with the cat who caterwauled until she got her share. Big mistake opening the can in the house ... oh the smell!


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