Raw, Cooked, OR store bought?

[jacksonpuppers]

My dog has skin allergies and he is a very very picky eater. I am 13 so I am trying to convince my parents to let me feed my dog raw food. Most people at my dog club feed raw and /or store bought foods. I have done my research and for Christmas I bought a book that tells me all about Raw and Cooked diets. I have everything ready and now we need to make a trip to the grocery store.

I was wondering if you guys feed Raw, Cooked, or Store bought and please explain what you feed. Thank You

[Holmeshx2]

I personally prefer raw or a store bought raw (but it is more expensive) but of course takes a good amount of research before starting it so you still give your dog a well balanced diet.

[lhczth]

I feed raw and have done so for almost 12 years. To me feeding the dogs a diet as unprocessed and biologically appropriate as possible just made sense. We are taught to eat lots of fresh unprocessed foods ourselves and I know I would not be healthy and thriving living on "100% complete nutrition in a bag".

Holmeshx2 is correct, though, please do lots of research first. Raw Dog Ranch (there is a thread in the Raw Feeding forum) is a good place to start.

[Smithie86]

Originally Posted by lhczth

I feed raw and have done so for almost 12 years. To me feeding the dogs a diet as unprocessed and biologically appropriate as possible just made sense. We are taught to eat lots of fresh unprocessed foods ourselves and I know I would not be healthy and thriving living on "100% complete nutrition in a bag".

Holmeshx2 is correct, though, please do lots of research first. Raw Dog Ranch (there is a thread in the Raw Feeding forum) is a good place to start.

And Lisa is an excellent source as well.....

[Castlemaid]

I also feed raw. I buy up stuff that is on sale at the supermarket. Whole stewing chickens (old, tough hens retired from their carreers as egg layers - but dogs don't care), whole pork shoulder hocks, turkey necks, chicken backs, liver, pork spleen, ground beef, pork side ribs, etc. People also give me old freezer burnt roasts and steaks from their freezer, and bones and odds-and-ends from butchered animals. So far I have fed buffalo, Moose, Quail, Duck. (Dogs have helped themselves to field mice, Dead Squirrels, and baby rabbits that were caught by the cats).

I also feed raw, frozen fish, canned sardines, occassionally tuna and canned clams, raw eggs, yogurt, and raw veggies because they like it - not that they get a lot of nutrition out of raw veggies unless I juice them and give them the pulp mixed in with some juices.

To start off, I would only try some chicken leg quarters for the first week to see if your dog has any chicken allergies. Runny poops for the first day or two may be normal with a change of diet, so don't get discouraged. After a week, if all is well, you can try introducing different meats (beef? Pork? Turkey?) and see how your dog tolerates it. When introducing new protein sources, introduce only one thing at a time, and keep feeding the new protein source for at least a week to see if your dog is okay with it. Since he has allergies, you want to make sure that he is not allergic to chicken, or turkey, or beef - and if you start feeding it all at the same time, you won't tell which meat source is causing the problem.

By the way, let me say how impressed I am that you are only 13. I would have never guesses, your posts and participation on this forum is very constructive and your writting skills are very advanced. If you don't mind, I would suggest that you add your age in your signature, it will help people give you appropriate advice for your situation.

[jacksonpuppers]

Originally Posted by Castlemaid

I also feed raw. I buy up stuff that is on sale at the supermarket. Whole stewing chickens (old, tough hens retired from their carreers as egg layers - but dogs don't care), whole pork shoulder hocks, turkey necks, chicken backs, liver, pork spleen, ground beef, pork side ribs, etc. People also give me old freezer burnt roasts and steaks from their freezer, and bones and odds-and-ends from butchered animals. So far I have fed buffalo, Moose, Quail, Duck. (Dogs have helped themselves to field mice, Dead Squirrels, and baby rabbits that were caught by the cats).

I also feed raw, frozen fish, canned sardines, occassionally tuna and canned clams, raw eggs, yogurt, and raw veggies because they like it - not that they get a lot of nutrition out of raw veggies unless I juice them and give them the pulp mixed in with some juices.

To start off, I would only try some chicken leg quarters for the first week to see if your dog has any chicken allergies. Runny poops for the first day or two may be normal with a change of diet, so don't get discouraged. After a week, if all is well, you can try introducing different meats (beef? Pork? Turkey?) and see how your dog tolerates it. When introducing new protein sources, introduce only one thing at a time, and keep feeding the new protein source for at least a week to see if your dog is okay with it. Since he has allergies, you want to make sure that he is not allergic to chicken, or turkey, or beef - and if you start feeding it all at the same time, you won't tell which meat source is causing the problem.

By the way, let me say how impressed I am that you are only 13. I would have never guesses, your posts and participation on this forum is very constructive and your writting skills are very advanced. If you don't mind, I would suggest that you add your age in your signature, it will help people give you appropriate advice for your situation.

When we started narrowing down the foods we think he has some allergies to ckicken. When we took him off the chicken kibble he was showing less symptoms but he was still itchy and uncomfortable. Thank you guys.

[sirius]

Im 13 also, my parents are thinking about going raw since my GSD currently eating Merricks Wilderness Blend. I'd like to switch before we get are second GSD, a DDR/Czech in 1-2 years.

[Castlemaid]

Ah! If you think he may be allergic to chicken, then I would start with something else, but still just keep it to one protein source for the first week or two (try beef, maybe?), then introduce pork, and turkey, and other meats, one new protein source a week/every two weeks. Chicken the VERY LAST THING. And that means no chicken livers, no chicken gizzards, no chicken feet, not chicken hearts, until you get to the part where you start to experiment with chicken.

I've also heard/read that many dogs don't do well with Turkey. They get sick (throw it up, have health issues), and I know people that did have sick dogs until they completely stopped the turkey, and then the dogs were fine. I feed turkey without problems, but just be aware that is can cause issues.

[jacksonpuppers]

Ok thank you!
We were alson thinking maybe some sort of fish.

[Castlemaid]

Fish would be a good place to start, if your dog will eat raw fish. Many dogs won't. It is recommended that fish be kept frozen for at least two weeks prior to feeding to kill parasites, just as a precaution. My dogs don't like raw, thawed fish: too slimy! But they will eat it frozen though, head, guts, and all. I guess they like it crunchy!

My GSD was picky at first about raw frozen fish, until I found something he liked (Nigel Red Fish? - that is what it said on the bag). Then after getting him to eat that, he was eating other type of fish too.