raw diet?

[kitty]

There have been alot of people on here that have mentioned a raw diet. What is it?

[feminvstr]

The link below explains
http://www.njboxers.com/faqs.htm

the most popular is the BARF diet...I dont agree with it but I know many breeders love it!

[kitty]

Thanx for the link.

[livingdustmops]

If you review this website you will see that all the planning is done for you. You buy the frozen patties or medillions at a pet store. I was doing it but my gang got tired of it but I know other members are using this company.

http://www.naturesvariety.com/

[KellyV]

I feed an all raw diet and think Pixie is healthier for it! I've notice significant improvements in her skin and coat and I believe her eyes have been tearing less as well....

I use the Nature's Variety and Nature's Menu in addition to other foods (cottage cheese, fresh fruits & veggies, etc). The pre-made frozen diets are a bit expensive, but incredibly convenient because there's little to no prep time.

[abbie's mom]

I've been feeding RAW for 3 years, now. I believe it saved my Mozart's life. Join this group, and ask as many questions as you need, from RAWfeeders (5,000+), spanning many types and classes of dogs - show, working & pets. I found them, when I was desperate to find a way to save my Mo.

I do not use a commercially prepared diet. Meal preparation consists of taking something from the freezer (thaw for Abbie, leave frozen for Mo - he preferrs it that way now), give it to the dog. It's especially time consuming now, with Abbie being so little. I have to sit right with her, holding her chicken, rabbit, whatever, so she can pull the meat off the bone. Takes her awhile - but the effort is so good for strengthening teeth, jaw and neck muscles. I'd love to find one that I felt gave my fur friends as many benefits as does chewing and pulling meat off a raw meaty bone (btw, you should just see her chomping down a chicken leg!); but, I don't see how anything can take the place of the exercise or the nutrition in a natural prey meal. JMO I may consider replacing one meal a day with a prepared product, IF I can find one I'm sure have none of the fillers, preservatives, additives, (and who-knows-what) that goes into just about every commercially prepared pet food on the market.

[bravodarling]

Originally Posted by abbie's mom

I've been feeding RAW for 3 years, now. I believe it saved my Mozart's life. Join this group, and ask as many questions as you need, from RAWfeeders (5,000+), spanning many types and classes of dogs - show, working & pets. I found them, when I was desperate to find a way to save my Mo.

I do not use a commercially prepared diet. Meal preparation consists of taking something from the freezer (thaw for Abbie, leave frozen for Mo - he preferrs it that way now), give it to the dog. It's especially time consuming now, with Abbie being so little. I have to sit right with her, holding her chicken, rabbit, whatever, so she can pull the meat off the bone. Takes her awhile - but the effort is so good for strengthening teeth, jaw and neck muscles. I'd love to find one that I felt gave my fur friends as many benefits as does chewing and pulling meat off a raw meaty bone (btw, you should just see her chomping down a chicken leg!); but, I don't see how anything can take the place of the exercise or the nutrition in a natural prey meal. JMO I may consider replacing one meal a day with a prepared product, IF I can find one I'm sure have none of the fillers, preservatives, additives, (and who-knows-what) that goes into just about every commercially prepared pet food on the market.

I feed Organic meats and veggies but i have been afraid to use raw meats.
I guess i am still worried they will get sick but i do know show breeders who believe its the best way to feed and they throw raw chicken to the yorkies daily.
I am not sure if i will be a raw yorkies mommy but i do know raw it so much better than cooked for all animals human and other.
Hummm i will have to consider more the idea.

[Tiggerwit]

Ok, I've read another post on this that some give their dogs carrots. i read somewhere that dogs can not digest carrots. Is this true or is it a breed specific thing?

At the time I was researching stuff on labs.

[livingdustmops]

Originally Posted by Tiggerwit

Ok, I've read another post on this that some give their dogs carrots. i read somewhere that dogs can not digest carrots. Is this true or is it a breed specific thing?

At the time I was researching stuff on labs.

Most of mine love the baby carrots and they are good treats.

[Repunzel]

Hi,

I've been feeding our dog, not a yorkie, raw since she was six weeks old. We acquired her a lot earlier than expected. The first two weeks were tense for us because she had a lot of diarrhea and mucous. There were moments when we almost gave in to feeding commercial kibble. But I was given a lot of support off of one the raw diets for puppies forum that I joined. It takes an average of two weeks to detox puppy. After that it has been amazing!

I've observed the following:

1. Her teeth are a brilliant white
2. Her coat has a beautiful sheen
3. Her breath isn't offensive
4. She doesn't drink as much water because the meat is moist (my previous dogs were constantly thirsty due to the salt/flavor additives).
5. Her feces disintegrate in a day (you do the comparison with regular poop breaking down over a week or two, yuck).
6. Her eyes are bright and clear.

I've also read raw feeding slows down bone growth (versus rapid bone growth with additives in kibble) and usually results in fewer visits to the vet and pets usually live longer.

If raw feeding is a curious subject for you, I suggest you read the background on commercial dog food industry, it will turn your stomach.

Eight years ago, I was forced to euthanize my dog since he had cancer. Since then I've heard of many cases of pets dying of cancer that it has made me extremely suspicious. After euthanizing my dog, I began to wonder if it was the food or the water that caused his illness and vowed the next dog would eat raw. Maybe I'm overly concerned. I just believe an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. I have heard so many testimonies of the benefits of raw feeding that I wanted to give our family pet a chance.

Hope this helps.

[abbie's mom]

aahhhhh.....I'd forgotten about this thread!

Welcome to YT, Repunzel! You said you're feeding raw, but not to a Yorkie. Are you a Yorkie-owner-in-waiting?

Update: Abbie is doing fine at 6months (6lbs), on raw. She is teething at present, which is trying because she can't chomp those bones like I'd like to see/hear - and she does enjoy them, so! I surely would love to see more toy breed owners feeding RMBs, so we could support each other in the trying times.

[bravodarling]

I too have read alot about the ingredents in dog foods and find no reason to use them unless i want to make my dogs sick very early in life. I have seen the posions listed and fillers made of toxic junk compounded by the bleach and ammonia in the water we use daily for cooking or bathing LOL
Its no wonder the little ones have health problems and teeth issues.
Thank you very much for posting your story we all can think about this issue some in hopes of keeping our little loves safe and healthy.

[Repunzel]

Yes! I'm planning on adding a yorkie to my family and will continue raw feeding. I think for yorkies I'd feed chicken necks as well as meat. I don't know of anything else since their little mouths can only handle so much.

[abbie's mom]

bravodarling ~ What a cutie pie you have, there

Originally Posted by Repunzel

Yes! I'm planning on adding a yorkie to my family and will continue raw feeding. I think for yorkies I'd feed chicken necks as well as meat. I don't know of anything else since their little mouths can only handle so much.

Well, it depends on just how tiny his/her little mouth is . My Abbie was 2.2 lbs at 8weeks, and she was chewing up the ends of chicken wing drumettes. Then, at 3months I gave her chicken drumstick, and she gnawed her way through those! She can't eat a whole one, of course; but when her mouth is not sore (as lately) from teething she LOVES chicken bones and crunches just like the big girls. They need a variety of meat, bone and organs for complete prey model diet nutrition. Chicken breasts are a good thing to start with, as chicken necks are quite boney and may be hazardous to a dog that is not a careful chewer. Neither of mine are gulpers; but, I still wouldn't leave them alone with necks. There's all manner of meats and RMBs to offer besides just chicken. Turkey, beef, pork, bison and emu if one can get it, rabbit, goat...etc. And, let's not forget the green tripe!

[Baby Blessing]

Thanks for posting this thread, will be reading a lot about this diet. Patti