The Primal Eating Plan for Dogs
We imagine many of our readers are strict adherents to the Primal Blueprint. You’re downing almonds by the bushel, guzzling fish oil, and avoiding grains like the plague, but what are you feeding Fido? Our bodies have had over ten thousand years to get used to agrarianism – and the stuff is still killing us! Commercial kibble has only been around for fifty years. Imagine how dogs feel.
Consider the wolf, a dog’s closest relative. Wolves are hunters and scavengers, relying primarily on animal protein. They are not, however, accomplished chefs. Check out a wolf’s den. No pots, no pans, no range stove. Not even a salt shaker. They were on the raw diet before it became hip. You won’t see wolves feasting on Purina; they eat raw meat, and lots of it.
Genetically, dogs are virtually still wolves. They weren’t even domesticated until 15,000 years ago. So, for some 5,000 years the furry guys were tagging along with hunter-gatherers, munching on the leftovers: meaty bones, organ meat, maybe a bit of mammoth rib-eye (if they were lucky). They were scavengers – like their wolf ancestors – and they flourished as our utilitarian companions. Why else did we keep ‘em around for so long? Sure, eating our leftovers may not have been the optimum doggy diet, but it was certainly better than the dry, over-processed sawdust that passes for dog food today. Modern dogs are pampered softies. Store-bought dog “food” works for them because they don’t do much more than sit around and sleep.
And does commercial dog food really work? Well, it certainly keeps them fat and alive. On the same token, the Western grain-based diet keeps us fat and alive, too, but we all know how we feel about that. Just as Big Pharma’s tendency to prescribe expensive band-aids masks the insidious nature of modern nutrition, so too does the veterinary community give the impression that cancer, bone disorders, and other canine illnesses just happen to man’s best friend. Nutrition, according to them, has little to do with it. But just in case it does, they just so happen to sell an expensive kibble – Science Diet, Nutra-Max, or whatever garbage their corporate sponsors have paid them to promote – that will fulfill all of your dog’s dietary needs. What luck!
Before you listen to the vet, check out the ingredients on the package. For you Primal Blueprinters, the results will shock you. You’ll see stuff like lamb meal, ground rice, wheat, corn, sorghum – and that’s for the premium brands! Why would you feed a carnivore grains? Somehow, we doubt wolves were out there shucking corn and harvesting rice. And just what is lamb meal? From Wikipedia, it is “the dry rendered part from mammal tissues, prepared for feeding purposes by tanking under live steam or dry rendering.” After all that processing, what little remaining nutritional value of the “meat” cannot possibly counterbalance the filler ingredients. The dog gets full, and even happy (hey, we all know that dogs will eat anything with a stupid smile on their faces), but the nutritional deficit adds up. You can stick with the kibble, but prepare yourself for a lifetime of vet bills, doggie dental bills (the most preventable expense ever), and vast amounts of smelly stool.
The truth is following a Primal Blueprint for dogs is the best way to ensure happy, healthy dogs. Best of all, you’re already used to preparing your own Primal-friendly meals, so the transition to a specialized dog diet shouldn’t be a huge leap. It’s easy, too: no cooking, no seasoning, no prepping. Just look at what wolves eat (read: any meat they can get their paws on) and go from there.
The Chow
A Primal eating plan for dogs should consist mainly of organ meat, raw meaty bones (like chicken carcasses or turkey necks), and muscle meat, naturally and humanely-raised if you can swing it – just like us! Really, any animal product is acceptable. Wolves ate a wide range of animals, but it’s probably unrealistic to feed your dog antelope, elk, and deer on a regular basis. Some pretty affordable options include:
• Turkey: necks, backs, wings, drumsticks, gizzards, hearts
• Chicken: carcasses, backs, necks, legs, wings, organs, eggs
• Whole, oily fish: sardines, herring, anchovies, mackerel
• Beef: stew meat, ground chuck, organs, marrow bones
Dogs don’t need filet mignon to lead happy, healthy lives. The first things wolves go for are the organs of a fresh kill. They prefer the cheaper, fattier, more nutrient-dense meats, and sticking to them makes it possible to feed your dogs grass and range-fed animal products.
The Transition
Going from traditional kibble to raw feed can be a little unnerving for newbies. Try to resist the impulse to do a half-kibble/half-raw dietary transition. This will only confuse the dog’s digestive system and lead to explosive diarrhea. Remember – you’re not switching kibble, you’re replacing poison with real food! Go cold turkey (pun intended). Puppies are blank slates and will take to the diet immediately, but older dogs may need a couple days to get used to the new food. Prepare for detox if your dog’s been on kibble for awhile. Vomiting, diarrhea, bad breath, and itchy skin are all par for the course. Don’t worry… ride it out!
Stick to fairly basic foods at first, like turkey and chicken necks. Dogs love to gnaw and chew bones, so this will come natural to them. If your dog’s a gulper (and most reformed kibble eaters are), hold the bones for them while they eat to promote proper chewing. Once they’ve figured out how to chew, you can start adding different meats.
The Benefits
To truly see the benefits, you have to try the diet out for yourself. Results tell the tale, but some common benefits include:
• Shiny, soft coats: the Primal eating plan for dogs will imbue your pal with a beautiful luster. Heads will turn at the dog park; you better get yours spayed unless you want a promiscuous, irresponsible single mother on your hands. Fish oil supplementation makes this even more noticeable.
• Pearly whites: eating clean food and chewing raw bones will clear up any plaque deposits and leave your dog’s teeth gleaming.
• Lower vet bills: eating food the dog is evolutionarily designed to eat will take care of the allergies and minor illnesses that account for most vet visits.
• Lower costs: buying wholesale and shopping for bones and organ meats are actually considerably less expensive than purchasing “premium” commercial dog food.
• A happy, long-living best friend: the oldest dog on record was an Australian cattle dog named Bluey who dined exclusively on kangaroo and emu. Your dog will live a healthier, fuller life on a Primal eating plan.
• Firm, odorless poop: on a raw, Primal eating plan, dogs waste little of what they eat. That means stool is small, hard, and without much odor. It also turns into white powder after a day or so, making cleanup effortless. Also, the added strain of passing hard stool will naturally express your dog’s anal glands, rendering another expensive vet trip obsolete.
Common Concerns
Don’t dogs choke on bones?
Not on raw ones. Cooked bones splinter, and they can get lodged in a dog’s throat. Raw bones are pliable, and the calcium content is absolutely integral to a dog’s health. Plus, chewing bones keeps the teeth clean. No more astronomical dental bills!
What about food-borne bacteria? Isn’t raw meat dangerous?
Wolves seem to do just fine eating days-old carrion. Dogs’ stomachs are equipped to handle bacteria in much the same fashion, so don’t worry about contamination. Still, humans are vulnerable, so wash up!
What if my dog is constipated?
Again, the straining is actually good for your dog. But if it absolutely refuses to come out, a little raw canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling) will do the trick. Raw pumpkin also firms loose stools.
How much should I feed?
Let’s use a sixty-pound retriever mix as an example. Assuming it gets plenty of exercise, feeding about a pound and a half to two pounds of assorted meats and bones is plenty. Everything varies from dog to dog, of course. If you can’t feel its ribs, reduce the food. If its ribs are a little too prominent, feed more.
Just meat?
Vegetables can be added to your dog’s diet. In fact it is recommended. Carrots are fun to crunch, and broccoli, spinach, and celery can be ground up and added to a mixture of ground meat. Supplementing with fish oil is also recommended for a shiny, healthy coat.
Have Fun
Have fun with it. Your dog is an incredibly eager eater, and watching the transformation is a true joy to behold. Go slowly and listen to your instincts as a Primal eater yourself.
Do you have dogs you feed Primal food? If not, are you thinking about making the switch? Hit us up with a comment and share your stories!
Kamia The Wolf, storm gal, This Year’s Love, Crocodillicus, tanakawho, NiteLynx Flickr Photos (CC)
Further Reading:
The Definitive Guide to Primal Eating (for Humans)
The Primal Eating Plan for Cats
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Posted By: Worker Bee
My little wolf (toy poodle) follows the primal diet.
Hello,started my pitbull pup on raw food when he was about 5 months old.He started by eating everything I put down,5 weeks in hes goten pickey and eats very little.Any ideas? THANKS
My boxer-pit doesn’t like raw chicken (I spoiled her by putting pieces of cooked chicken in her kibble) so I found an excellent starch-free (don’t be fooled by the companies who claim to be “grain-free”…potato is still a starch just like rice or corn!) kibble that I can add sardines, soup bones, organ meat and turkey necks etc to. It’s by Wysong and called Epigen.
Wysong completely embraces a primal lifestyle for pets. Check them out:
Wysong.org
Wyson has rice and corn. Why are you saying this is starch and grain free?
http://www.wysong.net/products/labels/MAINTEN.pdf
INGREDIENTS
Chicken, Water Sufficient For Processing, Ground Brown Rice, Ground Corn,
Ground Extruded Whole Soybeans, Carrots, Barley, Bone Meal, Dicalcium Phosphate,
Whole Egg, Yeast Culture, Ground Flax Seeds, Dried Kelp, Dried Wheat Grass
Powder, Dried Barley Grass Powder, Sage Extract, Rosemary Extract, Garlic, Black
Pepper, Artichoke, Ascorbic Acid, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Vitamin E
Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Manganese Proteinate, Calcium Pantothenate,
Thiamine Mononitrate, Copper Proteinate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin
Supplement, Vitamin A Acetate, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement,
Vitamin D3 Supplement.
My dog snappy love chicken, so I give him raw chicken!
for an excellent – science based discussion about myths and truths about feeding you dog (same applies to cats too) this is the best site so far:
http://rawfed.com/myths/
my old dog was put on a carnivorous raw meat and bone diet 5 years ago – she never looked back – at 14 and still going strong
our new pup took to it no problem – we look forward to a long vet-bill-free life
markus
This doesn’t apply just to dogs, the same thing goes for cats. I had a cat who was having bladder issues (which can get quite costly and quickly be life threatening) and the research I did on line all pointed to a raw meat diet with certain supplements being the best answer, the commercial “urinary tract health” diets not being as helpful as claimed by the manufacturer and veterinarians. I never did get a chance to go 100% raw with him as we no longer have the kitty, stress seemed to be a trigger and I figured moving to Europe from Texas would be stressful, and force him to have to hold his urine (another no-no). Hopefully his new owners are at least keeping him on wet food if they haven’t gone raw. Anyway, here is a link with more info:
http://www.catnutrition.org/index.php
I am curious about where people feed their dogs raw chicken. I know my dog would leave chicken residue all over the house.
in answer to a mess around the house from raw bones/meat, it is a good idea to either have one spot on a ceramic floor (easy to clean and not porous) or in a kennel, crate. you can easily clean that area with an antibacterial soap.
or, if you have a yard, your dog will love the benefit of having their own space to chew on their bone.
also, cleaning the dogs mouth and paws with a white vinegar/water solution is recommended. this kills bacteria just as well as bleach does and is not harmful to your pet.
keep this solution handy in a bottle along with paper towels after each feeding.
this diet becomes easier as time passes.
it is so worth the time put in!
Hey Florence, just FYI, a white vinegar/water solution of any strength will not kill bacteria.
While white vinegar is great for removing odours, the concentration of acetic acid in vinegar is nowhere near enough to be an effective sanitizer.
Great idea on the ceramic area, I hadn’t thought of that. Perhaps it should be a meat tile rather than a kibble bowl?
My name is Lisa Smedy and I have 7 yr old American Eskimo Dog.. His name is Blake.. We have recently started feeding him the raw chicken diet and so far it has worked for him.. The only problem we have been having is that everyone that has been saying it’s bad..
I feed my dogs one at a time in a metal crate/kennel to keep from messing up my house. They run into that crate so eagerly!
We feed our dogs twice daily, morning yogurt, pumpkin, raw eggs and whatever other veg I can con them into eating. They eat in the kitchen on the linoleum. In the evening, they have raw chicken legs, sometimes turkey, OUTSIDE on the back patio. Both dogs always take the legs out in the yard to chew on them, and one is an inveterate “hider”. I definitely don’t want to find 3-day old chicken “buried” under the guest room bed!
Best of luck!
My dog will eat the bones where I put her bowl down just like eating dry dog food and I mince the meat up in the blender so she eats that like she would when I used to feed her commercial wet dog food
I feed my dogs in the kennel
To feed raw poultry necks or other meaty bones, I put down an old towel on the tile, and I clip a light rope to the dog and attach the other end to a chair or table leg. The dogs like lying on the towel to chew and the towel collects any blood and can be laundered.
I feed my dog anything ‘gross’ outside; oxtails, tongue, bones, whatever all goes out the back door for him.
Thank you for this post, I hate that so many people feed their pets this garbage and genuinely don’t know the harm they’re doing. Why do people not stop to ask, “Why would a dog need medication?” or “Why would a cat be obese?”
Another excellent post! The most amazing thing is I myself just made this realization on my own about 3 weeks ago. I thought about how they say you should never, Never, EVER give your dog table scraps because it’s bad for them. Well, I realized that it depends what exactly you’re giving them. If you are giving them donuts, pizza crust and cake, then they are going to get fat and require some medication. Hmmmmm…… isn’t that EXACTLY what happens to humans too if you eat like that?
There are arguments as to whether a human diet is supposed to be animal based or a diet that is varied with less emphasis on meat. I happen to believe that a human diet is definitely supposed to be animal based, but the point is that there can be no argument about the fact that a canine diet is supposed to be animal based. I’ve since started giving my buddy any meat and fat scraps we have and he gobbles them down like you wouldn’t believe!
Thanks again for another great post!
Great point ega; Guess what two inventions marked the 1950′s?
The refrigerator and commercial dog food. coincidence? I think not.
Great post! Also, dogfoodanalysis.com is a good resource for dog food critiques. All of their highest rated foods are high in quality protein and grain free. My basenji (African hound) does very well on Evo by Natura Pet. It’s not raw but it’s the next best thing.
Any 90 – 100 year olds living now did NOT eat what ppl eat today. They were raised when food was either what you grew on your farm, or what your mother made you. There is a serious problem with what we eat today. Do your research, or what the documentary “FoodMatters” then comment.
sorry, meant for the guy below you!
“Our bodies have had over ten thousand years to get used to agrarianism – and the stuff is still killing us!”
Are you flipping kidding me? I guess that’s why people regularly live into their 90s and 100s–because our food is killing us…
Yeah, but how many old people have you seen at the hospital all drugged up and on respirators? It’s mostly medicine and machines keeping us alive after we hit 60
:/
Not true at all. My Grandfather passed away at 92, mostly because he chose to let death come rather than fight it with medicine and hospitals. He had never been sick in his life, ate an incredibly healthy diet (aside from his whiskey consumption), played golf and took long walks daily and believed in alternative medicine. His brother lived to be 96- similar circumstances, very healthy and active. He simply died in his sleep. My grandmother is 89 and aside from breaking her hip hasnt been sick much. She has stayed active and eats all unprocessed food. Lifestyle has much more to do with it than medicine when people reach these higher ages.
How many 90- and 100-year-olds do you know?
I want to thank Nancy for the cat food link. I have a siamese that became allergic to many things a year ago. After all the testing and predinose pills I am looking for a better way. I don’t like her being on the drug, but everything in the stores and special diets by vets have things in them that bother her. Thanks again Nancy.
Even if your dog is doing “okay” on regular dog food, switching to feeding them a diet better suited to their system is going to show a tremendous improvement.
(Except that now I’ve got a dog who’s hooked on yams. Something about them really satisfies her sweet tooth!)
Great post! I’ve been feeding my 5 month old Rotti a raw diet since we got him at 6 weeks old and he is triving. But I do have a question, other then fish oil you don’t suggest any other vitamins or minerals. I’ve been adding the “healthy powder” that I make according to Dr Pitcarins recipe found in his book. My concern is the quality of meats found today and I can’t aways afford the organic meats. Any further information will be greatly appreciated.
My two little dogs have been on grass-fed raw pet food (from US Wellness meats in Mo.) for about a year now and they love it. Since one is old and one has been injured, I add shark cartlidge to it and they gobble!! They also get Seagate’s shark liver oil once a day which they also gobble! Dogs are much smarter than people!
I did not know about raw chicken, but will surely try it now that I do. My littlest one loves to chew on bones, but has had to rely on the grass-fed steaks I could afford to buy for myself in order to get any bones for her! I will not buy them from the local grocery stores.
Humans aren’t living longer because of their current diet, but in spite of it. We have managed to eliminate or control most of the diseases that use to kill hundred/thousands of people at a time. The asian diet consists of a lot of raw foods (including raw fish), and they are traditionally longer lived & in better health than we are. Our children are obese–children!…no, our current diet isn’t why we are living longer. Like the old saying goes: if I’d known I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself. Start now, not later
This diet is for fools. Raw chicken bones will kill your dog. Dogs are NOT carnivores. Dogs ARE in fact, omnivores. Therefore to have a healthy and balanced dog, you MUST include vegetables, and grains in your dogs diet.In fact, with many dogs, food allergies are often present. Many dogs actually require low protein diets. High protein diets can cause your dog to not recieve enough nutrition from its food, and this can cause the dog to eat its own feces, in an attempt to acquire enough.
If you love your dog, do NOT take any of this advice on this site, and consult your vet before altering your dogs diet.
The author of this article didnt do his/her homework, and should NOT be reccomending any sort of advice on canine diet.
As mentioned earlier, there are some great sites out there about the fact that a. Dogs are in fact carnivores (opportunistic, admittedly, but just look at their teeth) and b. benefit from the raw diet. If you feed a dog a carrot, look at what comes out in his poop – the same carrot, with minimal changes. Dogs’ digestive systems have not changed since they became domesticated – they are still less than .2% different in their mitochondrial DNA from their wolf ancestor, and in fact when people want to know more about the wolves’ physiology, they will often use dogs for their studies. A raw meat diet (I personally feed a whole-prey model) is lower in protein than dog food – in fact, other than adding fish oil (to counteract the lack of Omega 3′s in store-bought meat), my dogs don’t get anything else…and are thriving. Their fur is shiny and soft, they don’t have bad teeth, they have much smaller poops (because their body actually uses what it ingests), and they are very happy.
So please do your homework – try http://www.rawlearning.com, or http://www.rawfeddogs.net; join a rawfeeding group on Yahoo, or in general look at the possibility you might be mistaken and dogs are really carnivores who benefit as much from a good diet as we will.
Thank you Kerstin, for your well stated, informative response. I am happy that there are people in-the-know on this subject and that your reply was both kind and factual.
Dogs cannot digest grains. They are an unnatural food source to them.
Kibble can legally contain euthanized dogs and cats, roadkill, leather shoes, etc. I’d rather try a homemade diet because I KNOW WHAT MY DOG IS EATING. Pick up a little book called “Scared Poopless: The straight Scoop on Dog Care” it has won to awards and comes with award winning nutrition CD’s that discuss the myths of low protein diets with experts on dog nutrition.
Bwahahahahhahhahahahhabwhhhahahahahah!!!!!
Wow, do you actually THINK for yourself?
You have made nothing but rue comments towards everyone. If you disagree so wholeheartedly with the home made diet discussion then WHY do you keep coming back? Rudeness does nothing to make your point valid or clear.
Then again, maybe the idea of realizing that heavily processed food is bad for everyone is hard to swallow. Regardless of whether or not you feed the omnivore way or the carnivore way, it is downright idiotic to trust anyone who profits off of your dietary decision. Research it for yourself, make up your own mind. I have seen footage of a dog being processed in a rendering plant. “Foods Pets Die For” another book, yes I READ, tested commercial kibble and found euthanasia agent is some lines. Why? When any animal is humanely euthanized the agent stays in their body for months and can easily survive the rendering process. Don’t believe me? Good, never a bad idea to question things, but instead of just dismissing it, why not actually research things for yourself?
Really? because the merck veterinary manual state that dog have not dietary need for carbs of any kind.
Inferior protein like the kind found in dry overcooked, previously rotted and or euthanized animals is not a good quality protein. Tell me why my dog stopped aging once I got him off of kibble?
Why he stopped chewing himself raw and why he has sweet smelling breath and a full shiny coat? because I am killing him with good health.
You on the other hand are ok with mediocre health and a dog that just lives. I believe you have never seen a dog that thrives.
Hahaha right.. soo the people up the road from me who have a meat farm have been feeding their dogs chicken backs for decades. Their last dog lived to be 19, and their dog now is 17 and still running around. Oh, must be all the chicken bones inside him killing him, eh? Breeders everywhere of show and working dogs are feeding raw to maximize their dogs and puppies health and potential. It works. Of course vets will tell you there is no point, because they want to sell you their crap. But how many vets have now converted to raw? Just look it up. Hundreds of vets are changing their minds and recommending raw diets. Veggies are necessary for vitamins, and they benefit from them, but grains and fruits are definitely not needed. Apples are the only fruit they could benefit from. High protein KIBBLE can cause what you said, because kibble can cause virtually any problem, but a raw natural balanced diet will not lack anything and there is everything to gain from it. People need to do their research and feed many variety of foods to make sure their dog gets vitamins and minerals needed. I feed my dogs one chicken back in the morning, and at night they get mixed veggie pulp with raw ground meat, Apple Cidar Vinegar, Vegetable Oil, Coconut oil, and eggs. They love it, and have been absolutely amazing since the switch. My rottie, who has dysplasia and arthritis and could hardly get around, can’t stop running now and our 12 year old Retriever is just as much. We also supplement Omega-3s. RAW IS THE WAY TO GO!!!
Unfortunately you are the one who hasn’t done your homework. Dogs are carnivores and raw chicken bones won’t kill them. Cooked bones will. You should spend time researching the concept of raw food both for humans and animals. There are incredible health benefits. Dogs in the wild don’t eat cooked food so why should domesticated animals? We are killing our pets with processed food just like we are killing ourselves with food full of chemicals out of boxes and cans. It’s unfortunate more people don’t do the time to do their own research and trust government organizations like the FDA have our best interest in mind. They don’t.
You obviously have little to no educated knowlege of dog nutrition. From your name I assume you are a dog trainer, and from your attitude I assume you are not a very good one. Although it is RECOMMENDED that you feed vegetables, there is no need for grain. There are so many grain free diets out there (even kibble now) because so many dog’s systems can not tolerate them. I love my dog, and that is why I feed her a natural diet, with everything she needs to be happy and healthy, which does NOT include kibble! Also, many small animal vets do not have a great deal of knowlege of advanced Canine nutrition. I know this for a fact, but even if I did not; If they knew all you seem to think about dog nutrition, why would they highly reccomend kibble with corn as the first ingredient?
this guy is so full of it.. he knows nothing about dog nutrition.. I was lucky I learned about raw meat diet for dogs in 1975, when I worked for a breeder Trainer who fed RAW and I fed 120 dogs a day at her kennels for 2 yrs I saw what different diets and foods did for dogs and there is nothing wrong with high protein it is the carbs that make them sick and nuts!
a friend of mine who has trained Schutzen dogs for decades feeds raw chicken thighs to his dogs.
How many foxes do you find dead from bone splinters near the chicken coop. Ya, that’s what I thought.
Contrary, a raw meat diet is not a high protein diet. Most raw meat has ca. 20% protein, a lot less than many commercial feeds. Most wild dogs eat a small amount of berries and vegetable matter. No wild canine or vulpine eats grain unless it is a small amount, predigested, in the gut of a small mammal or bird. Raw bones from small prey rarly cause a problem. your dog is more likley to die from choking on kibble or swallowing a toy.
You’re a tool.
ear anon:dog trainer.
I can see why you want to stay “anon”. The only fool in this group my friend is you! I do include veggies & grains in my dogs ALL RAW diet and they are doing just GREAT!
Time for you to find a blog that agrees with you.
anon dog trainer,
Wow, thanks for pointing us in the right direction! I had no idea that my dogs ancestors had mastered the art of growing, harvesting and preparing grains for use as food. Could you please, Please, PLEASE give us a link that shows where you got your information from so that we can all become enlightened.
You’ve never heard of sprouted grains? I grow them on my kitchen counter and they are much the same as the greens wild animals tear from trees and shrubs where they live.
You’ve become obnoxious and I will reply no more!
There is a lot of confusion about a species appropriate diet for dogs.
The “why” is that we have crossed the line between science and prolific
industry propaganda. Since the 1950s vast sums of money have been
poured into shaping public perception because the profits are enormous.
Not to mention that “we the people” have a tendency towards
anthropomorphism, and convenience is a driving force.
For unbiased scientific information see the “Ol’ Shep’s Plight: Diet”
article at: http://achinook.squarespace.com/
There is also a “lighter” fabricated “Dr. P. Kibble Interview.”
My best to you and yours,
Lee C
The persistence of varied views seen here has more to do with the “quality” of research employed, and not recognizing the potential shortcomings of our mental facilities in arriving at “beliefs,” than it does on the extent of unbiased scientific support. For a better explanation see the article:
http://achinook.squarespace.com/journal/2008/10/11/mankinds-achilles-heel.html
My best to you and yours,
Lee C
I have just started my labradoodle on the raw diet. My concern is his beard and ears in the raw meat. Should I worry?
Hi Joy,
A clothepin on the fur (not the flesh) of my cocker spaniels ears held them up while she ate and a wet paper towel cleaned the beard of my brussels griffon after she ate. Probably no need, but I worried about “rotten” meat too, so I soothed my worried mind with these extra measures.
Hope your labrodoodle does as well on this diet as mine are doing!
Thanks so much! I will do just as you suggested! So far so good, except Maxx plays with the chicken bones and roles in them:) But he sure seems happy so we will keep moving forward with the new way of feeding. Thanks for the reply
I haven’t went raw because of the difficulty traveling while feeding it however I have switched to high protein, grain free Orijen and my dogs are doing great on it!
Me too – best “dry” food in the world
Thanks for the article Mark.
btw the link to the wiki is broken
here is the real one:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluey_(Australian_cattle_dog)
That dog lived for 29 years! Wow.
Great article, thank you
We have a Dal. Dalmatians are prone to bladder infections, it turns out. What do you think about adding raw cranberries in with the meat? Or will switching her to a raw diet eliminate the need for cranberry “supplementation”?
If you want to raw feed a Dal then look into low purine raw diets. Also, BARF feeders have a special section on raw feeding dals, though I’m not a BARF person I still think it would help you. I hope that it helps!
I put raw pumpkin in my dogs “mix” to prevent diahrrea and/or constipation and it is working really well, so I bet cranberries would do just fine for your Dal! I would puree them so your dog won’t get a full “blast” of the sourness!
My mim pin started on a raw diet at 12 weeks old. I got nervous of the chicken necks because she’s only 5lbs, so I just feed the pre-pared raw foods at my local raw food dog store. They’re frozen in individual trays by the day, so it’s super easy. I add in salmon rolls as a chew toy, instead of the chicken necks, as well as Tripe once a day.
This dog eats better than I do!
After our last dog developped allergies and licked off all his fur and had to be put down, I no longer feed SAWDUST! I wanted to be sure my newe puppy didn’t develop allergies eitehr! Most dogs are ALLERGIC to wheat and corn!
People are so brainwashed by marketing!