All CharmedWons puppies are weaned
to and raised on a raw diet because I believe that it is the best diet for dogs. Most kibble dog foods
contain ingredients that I feel are not healthy for dogs. The first of
these is fillers. Fillers
provide no calories and thus the dog needs to eat more to feel satisfied. These
fillers (consider them fiber) are also the main reason kibble fed dogs have huge
smelly “poops”. Because fillers are cheaper than meat, it is also
advantageous ($$) to the kibble manufacturer to use more fillers than the more
expensive meat ingredients. The other more critical concern I have with kibble is the
preservatives and additives that are added. I believe, as do many, that just as
preservatives and additives have had detrimental effects on human health, they
have also contributed to the increasing cancers seen in dogs and cats, and the
numerous allergy issues that are being seen nowadays. Great link for some
extra reading about
"What's really in pet food?" Just to pre-warn you,
your veterinarian will try to convince you to use kibble. Many Veterinary practices
sell kibble from
their practice, so they will encourage their dog food and discourage raw diets
unless you are lucky and find an open minded, progressive veterinarian.
There seem to be more Vets out there now that are starting to embrace this
concept. Yipee.
How to learn about raw feeding?
I recommend reading the
following" Tom Lonsdale's book "Work Wonders", Dr. Ian Billinghurst’s books “Grow Your Pups With Bones” and “Give
Your Dog a Bone” and Kymythy Schultze’s book ”Natural Nutrition for Dogs and
Cats”. The exception is that I feed NO GRAINS. I hope that you can bring
yourself to feed your puppy as nature intended…raw meaty bones as the staple of
their diet. If you don’t want the bother of preparing it yourself, you can buy
commercially prepared raw diets. Options in prepared raw diets are:
I do have a “recipe” for you to use to
make it yourself, your choice. I make large quantities and then freeze it.
Whether you buy the prepared ground meat/vegetable/fruit mix or you make it
yourself, the other component to supplement your pup’s diet is providing RAW
MEATY BONES as nature intended them to have. Whole uncooked raw
chickens (cut in ¼ or ½), whole uncooked raw cornish hens (cut in
½), whole uncooked, raw rabbits (cut in ½), uncooked raw beef
ribs, canned or raw mackerel, etc. The bones that you should avoid are those
that are weight-bearing (i.e. cow femurs) as these bones are very dense (they
have to support a lot of weight) and tend to break teeth. The other bone to
avoid is any COOKED BONE. Do NOT feed cooked
bones!!! Cooked bones are the ones
that cause problems when dogs eat them. [Other items that should never be
fed to dogs are: chocolate of any kind, onions – raw or cooked, grapes, and
raisins.] Remember if nature had NOT intended dogs/wolves/carnivores to eat raw
meat and bones, most of the carnivores would be extinct, and except for what the
human species has done in hunting them and eliminating their habitats, most
carnivores thrive extremely well. So, just buy meaty bones for your
pup when you buy for yourself. What kind of meats can be used? Well, a good
basic rule of thumb is…… if it ran, flew or swam and didn’t eat meat as a
regular part of it’s natural diet while it was alive, then it qualifies as dog
food. Again, just avoid the weight bearing bones.
For southeastern PA we have actually formed a co-op and purchase large
quantities of chicken, rabbit, emu, pork, bison, etc and because there are close
to 50 of us in the group, we get excellent prices. We typically order once a
month – two different food types. Out on LI, there is an Armellino’s in
Huntington Station. They make a variety of prepared raw foods and I believe
they also have the raw meaty bones, too. There are other co-ops
throughout the country. Buying in bulk does help to reduce costs.
For treats, I recommend any natural treat that doesn’t contain additives,
preservatives or grains. Good dog biscuits are available from Innova. You can
find distributors at their website,
www.naturapet.com . Wellness biscuits are also good.
www.wellness.com
Natural liver snacks are great too, and the pups
LOVE them. Avoid heavily advertised products as they are mostly owned by people
food conglomerates and whatever they aren't permitted by law to put in our food,
goes into dog food as there is only self-regulation.
How much do I feed the puppy? In general, the rule of thumb is that the
puppy is fed 2-3%, up to 10% of it's adult ideal weight. I'll
let you know where your puppy is when the time comes for him/her to
join your family. The vast majority of the daily intake
will be meat whether it be raw meaty bones or ground meats. A
small percentage will be a vegie blend. How to adjust
amount fed? If the puppy looks thin, you increase it; If the
puppy looks a little chubby, then you cut back on the amount
slightly. How often to feed? The pups are converted from a 3 times a day
feeding schedule to twice a day around 3-4 months. In general, the pup
will begin to skip the afternoon meal, telling you that twice a day feedings is
sufficient. Remember these are growing (and active) puppies and their caloric
needs are quite high. My adults eat ½ pound of meat/veggie mix in the morning
and 0.75-1 pound of RMB in the evening. They may get up to 1.5 pounds of
RMB when we are actively
racing and coursing as they are burning up more calories and therefore require
more food/calories.
The question of cost always comes up with the raw versus a kibble diet. I have
found that the raw, in the long run, is less expensive, especially now with the
co-op we have. In general a good quality kibble will cost at least $1 per
pound. Raw is generally very similar. I get whole cornish hens for 0.85 per
pound. Armellino’s prepared mixes are $1 - $2 per pound. The big pay off is in
the lack of teeth cleaning (vet visit which requires anesthesia) and other
health issues. Remind me to show you my dog’s teeth when you visit,
particularly the older dogs who have never had their teeth cleaned at a vets
office.
The other question that always comes up is Salmonella, particularly with feeding
raw chicken. Again if bacteria
content on raw meats were an issue, the carnivores on this planet would have
become extinct long ago. Many carnivores eat their prey over the course of
several days and remember that is with no refrigeration. I always just tell
folks, use common sense, and of course, treat raw meats with the same care that
you would if you were preparing it for your own meal. All utensils, cutting boards and
bowls should be washed thoroughly as well as your hands (for your own health).
But that’s no different than you preparing chicken or turkey for yourself.
Why NO GRAINS? I don’t feed grains because I can’t remember the last time I saw
a dog or carnivore grazing for nutrition. They don’t need them and therefore I
don’t give them.
Life expectancy - is it different for kibble fed dogs?
Absolutely, it's shorter for kibble fed dogs. Check out this
link:
http://www.ukrmb.co.uk/images/LippertSapySummary.pdf
There are several yahoo groups that may assist you in answering or researching
questions. The one I highly recommend is “rawfeeding”. So if you are a member
of yahoo groups, go to
www.yahoogroups and just search on rawfeeding and join the group. They are
very helpful and extremely informative. I get the info in a daily digest as it
is a very popular chat group. If you aren’t a member of yahoo groups, it is
free and easy to join. Even though I have been feeding raw for 7
years, I still enjoy reading and learning other folks’ ideas.
Feel free to call or e-mail anytime you have a question about your puppies raw
diet.
Dietary Supplements:
-
Ester C powder:
500-750mg daily. This supports a healthy immune system. This can
be increased up to 1000-1500 mg daily for those times of high
stress.
Always have fresh water
available. A 2-qt flat-sided pail that hooks onto crate door works well. Anchor
it with a double ended brass snap available at hardware stores. Most pups like
to flip bowls and play in the water, so be prepared.
If your puppy gets diarrhea at any
time, try giving plain old canned pumpkin, 50/50 with food, or give the pumpkin
straight if the pup will eat it.
