Raw Feeding Journal - 1st Installment

[Raw Food Eating Doodles]

I am starting this blog because I want to try to dispel some of the myths regarding raw feeding. I also want to share my journey from a kibble feeder to a completely raw feeder. It was quite an amazing turn around and something that my DH is so glad I took.

Phil grew up in Australia and his family had numerous dogs and what they called garden cats. All their pets were fed scraps and various raw bits of fish and meats. It seems that in Oz during that time the cost of food was so cheap that the processed dog food that came from America was laughed at as it was very expensive. So when I started my research into raw, he was very happy.

We lost our beautiful black lab Buster some years ago, and I didn’t want to get another dog but then I met a doodle. Well you know how that one turned out. I was hooked and over moon in love with this breed. So we ended up getting Riley, the brother of the dog I met. The breeder recommended a locally produced kibble that she used and the company even delivered to our home. All was well and Riley seemed to like his kibble. But he had terrible ear itches which never seemed to go away entirely.
We decided to get a second doodle – silly us - and we got our beautiful Molly from the same breeder about 7 months later. I think it was because she had such strong poodle traits that I started looking more closely at the traits of both the parent dogs. I was appalled at some of the health issues that can arise particularly with Poodles but Golden Retrievers are not immune by any means. I thought there must be a way to protect my dogs from some of these health issues. I was casting about for a better way.

I first found website describing something called BARF. I spent some time on that one but finally said thought that’s way too much work. I stumbled on a website called Raw Dog Ranch. I spent many days looking at how one family came to raw feeding for their German Shepard’s and how they went about the whole process. After I knew what I was looking for I finally was able to enter the right search terms and came up with a wealth of information on raw feeding.

So after all this research, I was ready to jump in. I bought chicken quarters, beef liver, beef heart, and some kidney. I had learned that you start with one protein source and stick with that for two or three weeks straight. Yes I know, dogs need a variety of food to be all vitamins and minerals and trace elements they need. I have to ask, “Do you eat such a balanced diet every day that you get all the food groups and vitamins, minerals, and trace elements that you need?” I thought not. The goal as I found out is balance over time. Introduce raw food slowly and carefully to let their systems adjust.

So the day finally came and with much trepidation, I weighed out what the spreadsheet said each should be eating. Weighed out!!!!! Spreadsheet!!!!! Yes you can see in the early days, I was OCD about the whole thing. I placed the chicken, raw, skin and fat and all, into bowls and out we went to the back porch.

At first Riley and Molly just looked at the food. Then Riley started sniffing – good sign there – then Molly picked up a piece gingerly by her front teeth. Then I just about screamed as I heard Riley start to crunch into the chicken bone. WHAT DO YOU MEAN MY DOG IS EATING A RAW CHICKEN BONE? Every instinct in my brain wanted to grab it out of his mouth. But I held on and just watched them eat up every scrap in their bowls. I could not really believe it. My two beautiful doodles had tucked into their first raw dinner with nary a hiccup.

Over the next couple of days, we kept up the same routine, whole chicken quarters chopped in two with skin, fat, and bone just as it came from the supermarket. Usually there’s a bit of the backbone still attached and even a few pieces of organ. I must say as the days went by the doodles would finish dinner and lay down to digest with what I say are looks of happy contentment.

This first blog has been long and if you are still with me. I want to suggest that if you are interested in more information you check out this website: raw fed myths. It has in one spot some of the best information and sources on raw feeding that you will find on the Net and it’s recommended by many others who have written on this topic.
Cheers, till next time
Andrea

[LucyR]

Thank you Andrea!!!  This is a wonderful personal expose' of what it's like to begin feeding raw.  My journey was similar except I began with frozen commercial raw.  After a while, I realized that it was too expensive and not that hard to do!  Ozzie's diet is similar to the one you describe.  I do grind up whole chickens and mix with organ meat.  I put in veggies as a food extender because Ozzie needs to lose a few pounds!  It's fun to do, I am finding and I feel much better about his food now that I know exactly what is in it!

[Vicky & Cassidy]

I am so glad to see your Blog!

I have been feeding raw for a quite a while now and I think my journey towards it was much the same as your own.  I did a lot of research and had a lot of support from other raw feeders, and so had no qualms about jumping in.  My Jamaica is one of the happiest and healthiest Doodles I know, and I can't imagine why everyone doesn't feed Real Food ~ as we call it.  Sadly, I think the term "raw" has taken on a bad conotation.

And you just have to see how much the Doodles enjoy the food and look forward to it to know it is what is best for them.

I also laughed at myself and stopped weighing and measuring some time ago.

Where is your husband from?  I was born in Brisbane.

Vicky & Jamaica