prepackaged vs "home made"

[AngelBunny]

Originally Posted by female locksmith

...you should make sure that you do not give your new puppy too much protein. Protein could cause a puppy to grow too fast for the bones to mature properly...

It's not an excess of protein that is the issue, rather it's the possible imbalance between the calcium/phosphorus ratio.

Originally Posted by female locksmith

...With-out going into detail,...look into the benefits of giving organic, unsalted vegetables to your new puppy.

Perhaps the OP should look into details--people like myself who feed the raw prey model don't feed non-meat items because our research/experience indicates there's no need to do so.

[bruce'spop]

From everything I have read, I would have to agree with some of the posters that too much protein is NOT the problem, and that imbalance between the calcium/phosphorus ratio would be of concern. I do not have any experience YET with raw feeding but its hard to disagree with nature...and nature says dogs are carnivores and dont need veggies. when was the last time you saw a wolf eating carrots or lettuce or worse, rice? if you havent seen wolves in the wild, turn on discovery channel or visit your local zoo and find out what they feed. A good balance of meat, bones, and organs, in my eyes, would satisfy the dogs nutritional needs. Obviously overdoing one or more of those 3 too severely could lead to nutrient imbalance and cause some issues. I think discussions like this are important in order to spread the knowledge and views everyone here has and hope this doesnt turn into a debate. Thanks again to everyone for sharing their wisdom.

[Gunnars mom]

"Director, Advanced Research Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc.,"

"Most pet owners in the United States feed commercially prepared diets, which are balanced and complete."

This tends to discredit much of what he has to say IMHO, which is sad because much of what he say's is accurate.

[California]

If you're looking to do the best possible diet for your dog prey model imo is the best way to go. If you're priority is convenience then you have your answer in pre-packaged.

Keep researching and reading. Find a good co-op to reduce the cost. We enjoy our co-op delivery days. We prepare and "balance" their meals, place them in individual zip lock bags and freeze. And there you have our very own "pre-packaged" meals.

[1wired1]

Originally Posted by California

If you're looking to do the best possible diet for your dog prey model imo is the best way to go. If you're priority is convenience then you have your answer in pre-packaged.

Keep researching and reading. Find a good co-op to reduce the cost. We enjoy our co-op delivery days. We prepare and "balance" their meals, place them in individual zip lock bags and freeze. And there you have our very own "pre-packaged" meals.

I don't have an opinion on prey vs barf on which is better, but I agree with the rest of this post. I feed a mix of pre-packaged which I get when ordering with a co-op. It's easy to divide into meals. I also feed other meats that I mix into meals and separate into zip lock bags and make for easy feeding. Especially for my wife who doesn't really like the raw diet.

I found a mentor through the co-op who has been a tremendous help. She has been feeding raw for over 15 years and helps me plan my diets.

I try and prepare enough meals for about a month and a half. It takes a couple hours, but thats all the work I have to do, and well worth it in my opinion.

-1w1