There seems to be a contingent of people who, regardless of training or background, have decided that their way of feeding dogs is not only the right and true way, but it’s their mission to push and prod and bully everyone who doesn’t feed that way until they cave. (Though, in truth, most don’t cave, do they? Most adults just tune out the bullies, right?)
As John likes to say, “The great thing about the internet is that it gives everyone a voice. The trouble with that is that it gives everyone a voice.”
I’ve seen the bullying comments. I’ve seen the judgement. I’ve shaken my head. I don’t think there’s ever a reason to be mean, for one thing, but I also don’t agree with many of the assertions that some of these folks are making. I’ve ignored it. But a recent comment that I got about how I feed Cooper… well, let’s just say… this post is not ignoring it anymore.
Before I dig in, two caveats: First, not all raw feeders are bullies, not by any stretch. Several of my favorite, dearest, most treasured friends are raw feeders. They are not, however, bullies. They respect my opinion. I hold theirs dear. This is to the meanies. I honestly couldn’t care less how you feed your dog, as long as you do your best.
Second, I’m not a vet, a nutritionist, a anything other than a dog owner obsessed with my guys. Also, I love research. I love digging into things. I think it’s why I love being a writer so much. I have an excuse to dig.
So, dig I shall:
Where to start? How about 11 to 16 thousand years ago.
Raw feeders have long argued that, since dogs are direct descendants of wolves, they evolved to eat like wolves. For a long, long time, researchers thought that was true, that dogs were direct descendants of wolves. What if, though, that isn’t entirely true?
Enter the astounding science of gene sequencing.
Back to that 11 to 16 thousand years: a seemingly big span of time but truly small on an evolutionary timeframe. It’s that span that researchers say is “the plausible range for the date of initial dog domestication… predating the rise of agriculture.” (1) What these guys did was sequence the genomes of wolves, dogs, and a jackal to figure out the evolutionary history of dogs. Since their findings indicated dogs were domesticated before agriculture, they were accompanying hunter-gatherers on their food-finding journey (fascinating, right?!) and started eating alongside their people. But, germane to this discussion is this point: “We find that none of the wolf lineages from the hypothesized domestication centers is supported as the source lineage for dogs, and that dogs and wolves diverged 11,000–16,000 years ago in a process involving extensive admixture and that was followed by a bottleneck in wolves.”
I encourage you to read the full study, but it’s interesting because it goes into three large population declines in various wolf populations, further separating the evolution, along with the geographic separations… anyway… the bottom line is that wolves today are distinctively different from the wolves pre-dating agriculture. Those ancient wolves diverged into a few different kinds of wolves… and into dogs. Think of it like the common ancestors we share with apes; those guys are no longer around, but we know we were once connected. The dogs today are unlike the wolves today, and based off of statistical analyses of rates of gene mutation, turns out, dogs and wolves separated long before the wolves of today were even around.
In fact, among those gene sequences, researchers found that one of those genetic changes was specific to digestion. “Our results indicate that novel adaptations allowing the early ancestors of modern dogs to thrive on a diet rich in starch, relative to the carnivorous diet of wolves, constituted a crucial step in the early domestication of dogs.” (2)
Honestly, though, I chalk up the “dogs are wolves” argument to the lovely Maya Angelou adage, “when you know better, you do better.” Folks who decry the ancestry story are ignoring or unaware of the recent science, including behavioral studies that debunk the “alpha” theory supposedly observed in wolves–but that’s another story for another day. Bottom line: Dogs aren’t wolves.
Another thing: There are no studies–actual, peer-reviewed, published studies–that show a raw diet is more beneficial than a commercially-prepared diet. The more research I do, the more anecdotes I find along the lines of “raw cured my dog’s allergies,” “raw staved off my dog’s cancer,” and so on. Personally, I need evidence. Not “look at my dog” style evidence, but peer-reviewed studies.
So, let’s look at some, shall we?
I’m talking about dogs in this post, but there is a study that compared feeding whole chicks, ground chicken, and canned chicken diets to African wildcats. They found that the cats did almost equally well on all three… and recommended close monitoring of whole prey diets because they may cause long-term nutrient deficiencies. (3) Another study looked at raw versus kibble and found that the African wildcats did equally well on both. (4)
And cats, unlike dogs, are obligate carnivores. I’m totally fine, by the way, feeding Newt freeze-dried, commercially-available raw.
I’m going to keep an eye out (well, Google Alerts is) for good dog studies, for sure. But for now? The science that shows raw is better/cures whatever just isn’t there.
Notice that I haven’t cited the AVMA on any of this. They have a ton of, what I consider, helpful information. Useful and rigorous. I chose not to cite them, though, because I’ve noticed a trend of raw feeding folks–the bullies–slamming the AVMA left and right for being “in the pocket” of pet food companies. I purposefully left them out because of that. They do make some points that I agree with–like raw meat and immuno-compromised mammals, like dogs and people with cancer, i.e. my family. Google the AVMA’s stance on raw feeding to get their policy and explanation.
I also think it’s important to cast a very critical eye on the food sources available to dogs 11 to 16 thousand years ago and wolves before that. Even if a wolf 17 thousand years ago ate a chicken that looks an awful lot like the chicken you give your dog, it’s not. The soil and air are different, so the feed the chickens eat is different. The available nutrients are simply not the same, and since wolves and dogs evolved since then–as did available food sources–it doesn’t make sense. It’s akin to people who claim to eat like our Paleolithic ancestors. <—– Awesome article that actually reflects a lot of my feelings on this raw food movement among dog owners.
To sum up:
Dogs diverged from wolves way earlier than previously thought, and those wolves aren’t even the same wolves we have today. The food they ate isn’t around today, and even what’s similar looking is nutritionally different, but it’s actually okay because dogs have a genetic variation from wolves that helps them digest starch easier. And there aren’t any studies to show that raw is more beneficial for dogs anyway. (So, if you skimmed this whole post, I guess I just needed this one paragraph… that would’ve save us both some time!)
All that, though, is why I don’t feed my dogs raw. But none of that matters if you feed your dogs raw.
At the end of the day if you want to feed your dog a bucket of chicken necks and call it your dog’s ancestral diet, go for it. I believe that what you should feed your dog is what you (and your vet) think is the best and fits in your family budget.
For me, that’s The Honest Kitchen for Cooper and a rotational kibble diet mixed with canned food and some home cooked for Emmett. We stretch our budget for THK because it’s the only thing Coop can tolerate.
If, for you, that’s a raw diet, great! If you think what you’re doing is right, your dog is healthy, your vet’s on board, then who am I to say it’s wrong? Who’s anyone to say that what I feed my guys is wrong?
Answer to both: Nobody.
You do you and feed what you feed. I’ll do me and feed what I feed. No shame.
And we’ll all just be super nice and nonjudgmental about it, mk?
{Incidentally, one of the big things raw feeders always say is that they never have to clean their dogs’ teeth… Cooper eats gloop, and he’s never had a dental. He’s five, and he’s got some pearly, pearly whites!}
Sources:
(1) Genome Sequencing Highlights the Dynamic Early History of Dogs
(2) The genomic signature of dog domestication reveals adaptation to a starch-rich diet (This is the abstract. You can access the full version at your public library or university library.)
(3) Apparent total tract macronutrient and energy digestibility of 1- to- 3-day-old whole chicks, adult ground chicken, and extruded and canned chicken-based diets in African wildcats (Felis silvestris lybica)
(4) Influence of feeding raw or extruded feline diets on nutrient digestibility and nitrogen metabolism of African wildcats (Felis lybica)
First of all, how in the world did you get him to pose showing all his teeth, LOL ? Secondly, I completely agree with you. Dogs have evolved to become omnivores, and they thrive on that diet. I’ve been that round also, cooking for my dogs and feeding them raw. I feed my dogs a totally dry food that I sometimes add bone broth to, and they will eat just about any raw vegetable that I prepare in the kitchen, well, they don’t like celery very much, but they love green leafy veggies, along with cauliflower stalks, and fruit. Heck, my two will eat just about anything. As long, as they don’t puke or have bloody stools and maintain their coats and weight, I am happy. I totally agree with you, feed your pets what works for you and them.
HA! He actually “smiles” naturally. It’s a matter of snapping the pic at the right time. A friend of ours caught this one for us when he was thrilled to see her!
And, YES! These guys love veggies, though they differ in preference. Emmett dislikes greens, but Cooper will eat nearly any. My thing with Coop was that he was losing weight, he was losing fur, and he did have bloody stools. We found a solution for him (YAY!) but I kept getting comments saying that I wasn’t do the right thing for him. In my book, the right thing = what gets him to keep weight on, keep his fur from falling out, and no more bloody stools! Mission accomplished!!
Thank you so much for weighing in and for sharing your feeding routine! We’re all doing our best, and that’s what matters!
Great Post!!!
Thank you!
I love that I came across this post today. This has been the week when I decided that I don’t to blog anymore. I’m truly fed up with everyone. Last week, someone left the nastiest comment on my blog about what I feed my cat. This person isn’t a nutritionist, isn’t a veterinarian, and insinuated that I love my dogs more than my cat, because I feed them raw and not my cat.
That was when I hit the wall with blogging. I happy to be one of those people who believe that raw is better, but I add to that “for my dogs.” I would love to say that everyone should feed raw and I often do, but I don’t believe it, because (1) raw isn’t for every person and (2) raw isn’t for every dog (or cat). Who am I, a blogger, pet owner, and accountant, to tell strangers how they should feed their dogs?
I’m not a fan of many brands, but I don’t bash those brands, because it’s too easy and it’s expected. People expect raw feeders to hate on Pedigree and Purina, so I don’t. I stick to what I know are the facts and leave personal attacks out of it.
I disagree with many things in this post, because I’m so passionate about raw feeding, not because you’re wrong. Doesn’t make sense? I know. DNA tests have shown that dogs are closely related to wolves (I learned this in an interview with a Wildlife expert) and I’ve come to dislike the word “anecdote,” because I feel (and this is my feeling and not a judgment on others) that it discounts very real experiences by comparing them to a fairy tale or a funny story. But again, that’s just me being WAYYY too sensitive after dealing with too many veterinarians who are dismissive.
When Rodrigo was a puppy a veterinarian told me that he’d have a short life and that he’d need a leg amputated. After two years of drugs and antibiotics; his health turned around because of raw feeding. That’s not a joke or a cute story; it’s a miracle. But that doesn’t mean others should feed raw. Instead, I think we should share our experiences to give others hope.
I look at it the same was as bloggers who write about training – Rubicon Days and ZoePhee gave me hope that I could work with my reactive dogs. I guess the difference is that there probably are many studies that show that positive based training is successful.
The point of this way too long comment is that you’re right that what someone feeds their dog is no one else’s business. I can’t possibly know a stranger online’s story and I certainly shouldn’t harshly judge them about their choices.
I love blogging, but I don’t like how cruel people get when they’ve decided that only their opinion counts.
Well said Kimberly. Maggie, your article is rather hypocritical.
Hi, Carli! Thanks so much for weighing in. I really appreciate Kimberly’s points, too, and I admire all that she’s accomplished in the raw feeding community. As I hope my point came across: I’m thrilled she’s found what works and is passionate about it. No judgment here!
That said, I am an obsessive researcher and massive book nerd. I’d love to know which points you’ve identified as hypocritical. I hope with everything I write to foster a spirit of discussion and openness, so would you be willing to expand on that criticism so that I can look into your points further?
From now on I can say “what she said” and refer to your post.
We feed raw. It is what our vet recommends and has been very beneficial in helping the dogs lose weight. (They both lost at least 30 pounds.) Truthfully, it’s a pain. It’s messy and requires so much planning on my part, but I cannot dispute how it has helped keep their weight down. I do add supplements because I’m unsure if they are getting al the nutrients they should have in that diet.
All that being said, I feel like people should feed their pets the best they can afford and what fits into their lifestyle. And you certainly can’t dispute that dog food has come a LONG way in the past few years as far as quality and availability goes. If a time comes in the future where I can’t afford to feed the raw, I will look for a good quality kibble instead. I’m also pretty sure future dogs I have will also be on kibble. It’s just so much easier (IMO).
As for the bullying, this world is so anti-bullying, but it seems like everywhere I look, all I see are bullies. What’s up with that?
YES!!!
I don’t get into the arguments with people about feedings raw because… well i’m clearly not as patient as you are – i would just start throwing around 4 and 5 letter words. But one point I have made about people feeding assorted cow parts and insisting it’s “natural” … “Right, like your little pug there was able to take down and eat a cow ten thousand years ago? Cow isn’t natural for him! Try squirrel. Or maybe raw grasshopper!”
I hadn’t considered the fact that a cow ten thousand years ago wouldn’t have the pollutants or antibiotics or … the whatevers that make him the modern day cow – but i’m gonna add that to my arsenal, my pre-cursing arsenal. thanks!
Couldn’t agree more! So glad you’ve found food options that work well for your guys! That’s the most important thing!
Love this! LOVE! I am raw feeder who thinks you should feed your dog what you decide is best for them! And all the ‘they were wolves’ or ‘it’s how their ancestors ate’…none of that matters to me. I feed raw because Melvin had two food options in LIFE…ZD ultra and raw. ZD ultra was not, in my opinion’ what was best for him. So we went raw and he thrived and his allergies stayed in check and he got some variety that he would not have gotten with ZD. Jake eats raw…because Melvin did! So scientific, right!? Bullies need to get out and get some fresh air and sunshine.
What I find frustrating about the internet sometimes is that there is TOO MUCH information out there, and if you research enough you can find both sides to every story and simply end up totally confused. That’s where I’ve been on raw….but ultimately feeding raw doesn’t fit into my lifestyle and I’m not sold enough on it to feel like I have to make that change. I was surprised when reading The Dog Cancer Survival Guide that Dr. Dressler does not advise raw food for dogs with cancer (I was relieved!).
I’m much more comfortable with some homemade food added to a high quality kibble. But I don’t have a problem occasionally adding some freeze dried raw too.
I don’t understand the bullying either. You can gently tell someone “maybe my way is better” but as you said, my experience with people is that most times their minds are already made up and you’re not going to change them by beating up on them anyway.
Great post, Maggie! I love how Cooper very nicely was willing to illustrate your point about his teeth (they’re awesome!).
Thanks for this, Maggie. I feel the same way about the Paleo diet for humans, by the way. Why would we want to die at 30 or whatever young age it was determined that cave people died at? I admit to a good deal of schadenfreude over the scientific discoveries that cave people ate carbs whenever they could mill the grain; and that, in all likelihood, they had heart disease. Incidentally, I am obsessed with Madeleine’s teeth and give her raw marrow bones AND also Milk Bones dental chews, which are recommended by the Veterinary Oral Health Council. Talk about hedging my bets!
Interesting research, thanks for sharing. I feed my dogs raw but it has more to do with me and my feelings than them. Honestly, I haven’t seen any drastic changes in them since I went raw. Actually, I haven’t seen any. To be fair, my dog’s didn’t have any serious issues before we went raw… so I didn’t expect a big change.
I like feeding them raw though (frozen prepared because a) I’m lazy and b) I know the nutrient balance is right) because I feel better feeding them “real fruits and vegetables” instead of “processed food”. I am certainly not anal about it though. They’ve been eating, and enjoying, a gran-free kibble for about a month now as a “treat” while I discuss their diet with my readers. I am also fortunate that I can afford to feed them raw most of the time. It’s out of a lot of people’s price range.
This post is fantastic.
There are so many things I could say, but I’m going to keep most of it to myself because I don’t feel like arguing 😉
BUT, I will say that Wynston is almost five and his teeth are “pristine” according to his veterinarian. I don’t feed him raw…I do give all of my dogs fresh fruits and vegetables along with their kibble. I personally feel it’s a good balance and they are getting all of the proper nutrients they need. A recent study showed that if you feed your dog leafy greens at least three times a week, they are 90% less likely to get cancer. 90%. I think I’ll stick to kibble, leafy greens and fruits!
Thank you so much for this, seriously. I’ve had a draft called “Why I Won’t Tell You What to Feed Your Dog” that I’ve been writing for ages, and for whatever reason I couldn’t get the tone right. I’m glad you did though – it makes me feel better about the research I’ve done. (which hasn’t shown conclusive evidence either way – even when it comes to keeping a dogs teeth clean, as you mention)
Even with all the research I’ve done I’d never be comfortable telling someone what to feed their dog, and it’s really disturbing how nasty the argument gets. (especially in fb groups)
I love that people are dedicated enough to feed raw, and I love seeing people do their research. It’s a great conversation to have when done constructively. But that being said it’s a personal choice, and just because someone else chooses not to shouldn’t have any bearing on how we judge them as a pet owner.
Great post Maggie. We don’t feed a full raw diet – tried HK but it didn’t sit well with Jack. A full raw just isn’t for me – I don’t even prepare meals for myself. We do give a lot of food advice, but would never judge what folks feed other than to say feed the best quality you can afford.
All I can say is – YES. This is exactly what I’ve been trying to communicate but in far less eloquent words 😉
I love this! 🙂
I don’t even bother getting into the raw vs. kibble stuff on social media anymore. It’s just not worth it and YES everyone gets really nasty which is sad.
I have considered and thought about feeding raw, but to be honest it’s a lot of work, lots of prep, lots of cleanup/sanitization, and it’s expensive with two large breed dogs who exercise like maniacs.
I see nothing wrong with a high quality kibble diet, I love to research so I make sure the ingredients are good high quality and often human grade. We do grain/soy free, with no artificial colors or preservatives and for fun – because I want to and enjoy spoiling my dogs, I give them fun supplemental stuff like kefir, goats milk, carrots, occasionally potatoes (not often since I consider it junk food), the occasional raw scrap when i’m cooking, sometimes eggs….really whatever I have on hand but only as treats they primarily just eat their kibbles.
Being on a all kibble diet hasn’t harmed my dogs at all, they are just as soft, gorgeously coated, allergy free, with pearly whites as any dog fed on raw and I know this because I’ve met some dogs who eat raw. 🙂
As long as they remain healthy I see no reason to stop doing what i’m doing.
Great post, Maggie! I’ve heard the bullies, too; but I ignore them these days. Last week – or maybe two weeks ago – one of the PetMD vets wrote an excellent article about the dangers of a raw food diet. In it, she mentioned the fact that the feces of a raw-fed pet can still contain bacteria that is potentially dangerous to the very young, the elderly, and any other humans with compromised immune systems. Like you, my husband has dealt with cancer. And, at 62 years old, I’m getting closer to the “elderly” stage of my life. Both of my parents were cancer victims. I’m not going to take any unnecessary chances at this stage in my life. Ducky and Shadow are both doing great these days with the food I give them, so I’m not going to make the mistake – again – of experimenting with different foods without our vet being on board.
PS. I also have friends who feed raw but do not berate me for not doing the same thing. Nor do I berate them for doing so. We all do what we feel is best for our dogs (or other pets). And that’s what it’s all about in my mind.
We are not raw fed but we are rare fed. I prefer my meat to have a seared outside and warm inside. . When I was on canned food, ma would warm it a little warmer than room temp. It was the only time I would eat it.
When raw feeders hear that I prefer my food warm and seared , ma gets slammed with bullies. We have been told that we might as well be feeding canned because we are killing all the good stuff in the food. We have had some tell her she is slowly killing us by feeding us what she does. Our friends tell their friends that ma doesn’t cook for her hubby. She lets him take control over the meal but she does do the dishes. However, she does cook our meals every night. She says she enjoys cutting the meat up and doing a flash fry on it. I will only eat on fine china too. My fine china is a paper plate. Don’t give me a fancy paper plate. I want a plain white paper plate. BOL!
We also have a kibble in our bowl at all times in case we just want a snack. I prefer Purina Pro Plan. Sometimes if ma does our meals in the crock pot she will throw a 1/2 cup of Pro Plan in it to help absorb the bone broth.
For being a 10 year old dog who is also a medical alert dog, I have to stay at my best so I can do the best job possible. A couple of months ago I had a full series of blood work done. Our vet who is mostly a holistic vet (always wants to try a natural approach before medications) said I have no problems showing up in blood work. Everything was right dead center of the charts. He said my blood work is like the results of a 4-5 year old dog. I have never needed a professional teeth cleaning. I do have my teeth checked but I have very minimum tartar . If people want to go by what a dog’s teeth look like to know they are feeding right, they are looking at it all wrong. Teeth of the healthiest fed dog can still be bad if their parent line had bad teeth.
We won’t eat HK. Ma has tried to add it to our meals but the meals will go to the stray cats because Scooby and I won’t eat it. We did find a few things of Dr. Harvey’s that we liked but the cost is over our budget. Ma says that feeding us like she does is low cost. Many think that feeding raw is much more expensive but we do it for around $70 a month. The cat is a pro plan kitty but loves her albacore tuna. It cost $25 a month to feed her.
Thank you for writing this excellent post.
I started with raw in an effort to relieve allergies. And it did work however the risks with raw food concerned me. And that’s why I love The Honest Kitchen so much. THK offers all the benefits of a raw diet with a lot less risk. Unless you count the risk to your pocketbook… but for me its worth it. Allergies gone and the dog is eating healthy food.
http://www.thehonestkitchen.com/blog/benefits-of-raw-vs-dehydrated-pet-foods/
Oh, self righteous bullies, tell me about it! It’s funny how people don’t know how to be more respectful towards other people’s choices. I really love how you wrote this post – very objective, informational yet non-judgy! I don’t feed my dogs raw food either and yes, I wouldn’t judge others if they decide that’s what they want to do. LOVE the pic by the way 🙂
Good for you Maggie! At the end of the day you have to do what is right for you and your dogs. I’m truly of the mind they are scavengers.
I feed raw AND prescription diet, regular dog food and human food, and my fur kid is trim and healthy with great bloodwork and energy. Works for him, so works for me 🙂
I love this post and I love that great smile on Cooper’s face! I’ve been toying with switching to a raw diet for quite some time but haven’t taken the plunge yet because I’m not yet fully convinced about it. Haley eats home cooked food along with some high-quality kibble and she does well on that.
When I read the articles about amazing results people have with raw diets, from allergies to dental health and even cancer cures I feel a little guilty for not giving it a try. At the same time, there seems to be a lot of raw-fed dogs out there that have digestive and other health issues. I guess it all boils down to doing what you feel works best for you and your dog.
Holy moly, you guys! After I wrote this post, I told myself to give it a few days, then come back and read the comments. (Of course, that was a month ago…) To be honest, I was a bit nervous. But, clearly my nerves were unfounded. This has been an amazing discussion. Thank you all for sharing your thoughts and opinions in such a kind, open manner! We may not all agree (isn’t that what makes the world so interesting?!?!) but I love that we can have the conversation. Thank you!
I was prompted to come back today when a new comment reply popped into my inbox, and that at least I did respond to in the hopes of continuing a dialogue.
Thanks, all, for being such a kind pet-loving community!
I’m am confused.. Honest kitchen is considered raw dehydrated under 118 degrees.. So you feed raw?
Hi, Cindy! The Honest Kitchen is distinct from raw, and they have a SUPER useful page on their site that goes into those details… the gist is in this quote: “In short, dehydrated pet foods are a healthy and safe alternative to raw with all the benefits and fewer risks.” Here’s the original link if you’re interested in reading more (or, they’re really fast and friendly answering Qs, too!): http://www.thehonestkitchen.com/blog/benefits-of-raw-vs-dehydrated-pet-foods/
Another source on their site is on the Minimally Processed page, where they compare their food to all other forms of feeding. It’s animated so I couldn’t get the link to the exact, but here’s the text with the link below: “Raw feeding and our base mixes go together like dogs and walks. Raw food offers untouched nutrients and live enzymes. If, however, raw is something you or your pet can’t stomach, our dehydrated meals are a tasty alternative. Unlike meats you’d find in the grocery aisle, our recipes are pathogen safe, sourced from trusted suppliers and human grade. No risk of salmonella or those sad puppy eyes.” http://www.thehonestkitchen.com/minimally-processed
Hope that helps!!
Wow! This was a very helpful discussion. I will be picking up my puppy next SAT, and it was my intention to feed her, (a Standard Poodle, 8 wks old) raw diet. Now, as I read these comments, I am having an educated change of heart. I was getting very uncomfortable reading what feeding a completely raw diet to a dog, consisted of. I do not want to handle all of these raw meat products. I did feed my previous dog, a Papillion a chicken wing, at night, and she lived to be 16. I would like to do this with my standard poodle puppy, but was advised that I could make her sick of she got fed a raw meat product, and kibble at the same time. Is this true? I am still confused as to the best formula for feeding kibble, and the occasional raw food, added to her diet. I do think an egg daily is also good, raw with the shell. I need to read more about this, before I pick up my puppy.
Congrats on your puppy! Such joy to add a new family member!
This is definitely just my take on a complicated discussion. As for the raw + kibble at the same time, I’m honestly not sure. I’ve heard that before in a different context, but I haven’t personally looked into it. If you’re interested in digging into the raw diet world more, I highly recommend https://keepthetailwagging.com/. It’s thoroughly researched, and she brings many years’ experience into the conversation. Also, chat with your vet! That’s always my go-to because I’m lucky enough to have a vet I like and trust and who trusts me to bring thoughtfully-researched questions his way.
Best of luck to you and your new pup! So exciting!
Love your article!!!
I have recently likened the bullying advocates of only feeding RAW as similar to Trump supporters!
I am a KC assured breeder and home boarder ( 5 star rated ) and have fed all types of food over 15 years. My dogs lost a lot of weight when on Raw. But they loved it! With eight dogs i could not continue with raw. Just dont have the freezer space and the weight loss concerned
me.
Thankfully kibble quality has advanced so much in recent years and with the help of a few websites you can find out the nutritional value of each brand of kibble. We changed from Royal canin at 31% nutritional value to Dachshund Superfood at 83% !!! Which is not far off raw food and i dont have to worry about bacteria- freezer space and serving a complete and balanced meal anymore.
Thank you again for the blog…
Ps all eight of my dogs all love it!!
Thank you for sharing your experience, and I love that you made the point about kibble quality. It really is incredible how far dog food manufacturing has come. I really appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts. Lots of love to your 8 pups! 🙂
I wasn’t bullied into feeding raw as my dog would not eat properly on kibble, I turned to a raw diet for him. Now he cleans his bowl at every meal and actually shows that he enjoys eating.
Over the 5 years I have had him he does not seem to have enjoyed one kibble meal, only ate them because he needed something to keep going. There are many sides to feeding raw food, not just the opinionated drivel given by bullies.
I made 2 attempts feeding my dog some raw food..both times I gave her a reasonably small portion of raw beef to start..She is on a high quality kibbleof which I’m mixed it in..Diarrhea began the next day and proceeded into very bloody diarrhea and nausea. Both times I tried it, she ended up in the ER. Mind you she ate like a normal dog for the year and a half I had her..She has been diagnosed with AHDS.. Acute hemorrhagic diarrhea syndrome.. This gives me a lot of stress, and I am honestly petrified to give her anything but what she’s currently eating. All I wanted to do was feed her a healthy diet. Prior to the 2 raw imcidents,she ate eggs,freeze dried raw and her kibble…and some fresh greens…now I’m too scared to do anything. Luckily,I had purchased pet insurance.. if anyone has any ideas,please don’t hesitate…