[MaxMommy]

I have been trying to learn as much as possible about food that is best for them. I keep coming across raw food, and am thinking of adding it, once in a while. They say it contains the enzymes dogs need?

Anyone do this?

 

[MaxMommy]

hmmmm?

http://www.rawlearning.com/rawfaq.html

 

[mousern]

From what I've read, if you use a commercially prepared raw food all the computation is done and you don't really need to add anything else. I use a mix of a frozen raw food (FarMore or Nature's Variety) and a dehydrated raw food (The Honest Kitchen). The dehydrated food has the additional supplements, but the raw frozen is strictly the food and usually salmon oil.

I do add some Missing Link ocassionally but other than that I serve the foods by themselves (and any prescribed meds).

I think that the raw diet has been beneficial for my furkids, especially the 16 y/o Pekapoo. HTH!

 

[MaxMommy]

What they say really does make sence for better health of a dog.

I took down the names of the products you use. I am going to look them up. Do you have to get them at an organic health food store?

 

[mousern]

Unfortunately, I don't live in an area that sells the frozen or dehydrated food. I order online direct from The Honest Kitchen and Only Natural Pet Store for the frozen since they are located in CO (I'm in NM). The shipping for the frozen can be a killer, but the furkids are worth it!

I could drive 2 hours to purchase the FarMore, but the pet resort that sells it only has the 2.5# chubs and I prefer the 1# chubs. They also sell the Nature's Variety medallions but they are about 2x the price from Only Natural and the cost of filling the gas tank is about the same as the shipping from CO, so ordering online is more convenient for me.

I've found that on either coast it's easier to locate a distributer for many of the frozen foods (Aunt Jeni's is highly recommended if you're on the East Coast). Places like Whole Food Market and some larger health food stores do carry some varieties of the natural dog foods. HTH.

 

[LexiAndNikkisMom]

The member CookieCat feeds all of her dogs raw food. She hasn't been on the site since August though. You can try going to her member page and then emailing her. Also do a search on her for raw food. I know she had some posts about it awhile ago.

 

[BrookeB676]

We also feed all of our 3 the Nature's Variety (already prepared pattied) raw food. I take them out every night and let them defrost in the fridge for the next day. They also get their flint river ranch dry food and occasionally some merick canned. Since the raw diet & flint river, they all have been doing wonderfully. Maya's tear stains have also completely dissapeared!

 

[MaxMommy]

I have been doing some extensive reading on the subject. I am going to check out some of the natural food places and see what they have. I haven't desided, yet. I read Innova Evo's product cooks their food at 104 degrees which is supposedly the temp it should be cooked to preserve the nutrients. I am still thinking about that one.

All this debate on whether dogs are carnivores or omnivores, I still can't figure out who is correct. If they don't need vegies and fruits why do they eat them? So much conflicting views.

All I know is, I tried to vary his food a little yesterday. I cooked some brown rice and liver, gave a little canned and a little dry. He only ate the home cooked stuff and later in the evening had the runniest stool with rice in it???? I thought they could digest brown rice. I guess I have to be more careful, he is still a baby.

Also, the Iams bacon flavored food sauce, I tried it over his dry today and he stretched over the saucy area to the plain dry....he hated the sauce. Oh well. Poor thing...I am trying to do what is best for him.

I have been also feeding the mint flavord treats. He likes them BUT, is mint known to give diareah? Because I thought I read that somewhere...and I have been giving these treats because they make his breath nice.?????

everyday is a learning experience.