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Originally Posted by brutus'mother ...I also believe I am doing the best I can for my dog by feeding a species appropriate diet for a carnivore. |
It took me a loong time and a boot from my vet, but in June 2007 I finally put our foster and two personal bitches on raw. For years I long believed raw is best for our canine companions, but I thought I didn't have time. I used to joke that when I retired, I'd feed raw.
I've come a long way in my canine nutrition education.
Back in 1984 when I got my first Rottie, I fed that poor dog SD because I didn't know any better. Otto was plagued by hot spots his entire life. Knowing what I know now, I believe Otto was allergic to something in what I fed him.
In the 1990s when the Internet came along, I had ample opportunity to learn about premium kibble, and so fed our dogs premium kibble. I also started learning about raw, but didn't move to feed raw.
Then we started fostering Sailor in January 2007. He had yeast and bacterial infections in his ears and his coat looked terrible. Sailor was the first foster who didn't do well on premium kibble--first 3 months of Canidae, followed by 3 months of CA Nat. His poops were frequent, huge, and ranged from firm to very loose (often one right after the other). He was tested for this and tested for that as my vet and I struggled to figure out what was wrong with him.
Finally my vet told me to put him on raw. I did alot of research--read books, talked to all the raw feeders I could find, attended a seminar on dog food, read extensively on the Web--before putting all the dogs on the raw prey model.
The change in Sailor has been nothing short of astonishing. His coat is now so glorious I call him my "Velveteen Rabbit"--he has the smoothest hair of any dog I know. His coat is so black it has a bluish hue to it in the sun. His ear infections are a thing of the past. I joke that Sailor is a celiac dog.
The change in our two personal Rotties hasn't been as extraordinary. I attribute this to their simply being healthier dogs than Sailor and all their lives they've gotten appropriate vet care and been feed premium kibble.
However, the coat of our youngest dog looks better on raw than it did on kibble. It's hard to say exactly how it look better, but it does. Slicker, perhaps?? Nicer to the touch??? I can't really put my finger on it, but I think she looks better.
I'm sorry I didn't start feeding raw years ago, but regret is useless and a waste of energy.
My journey with canine nutrition now has me at a place I think is the best for my dogs.
Henceforth, all personal dogs will be fed raw following the raw prey model.