Making the switch to raw

[Emily, Bentley, & Maserati]

My husband and I are ready to switch to feeding raw. I have been researching the Prey Model Raw Diet. I read the list of recommended diets and do not see that method listed, but more "pre-made" methods. Are we missing an important aspect of switching to raw of going this direction versus the meal plan styles? I am very new to raw so please don't take offense to my questions, this is just a foreign side of dog ownership to me! 

We have a 7 year old (85 lbs) & 18 week old (growing too quickly!!) Labradoodles & a 6 year old Chinese Crested Powderpuff (12 lbs) 

Bentley, the 7 y.o. doodle now has grain known sensitivities. As a puppy we started him with Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover's Soul. He did well until he hit 2, started having problems with CSDLS so we changed to Merrick but also he did not do well on that, so we went to our vet, he was diagnosed with corn and wheat sensitivities and went grain free. We had been feeding TOTW until all of the recalls w/ Diamond so he has been on Darford successfully until recently. His ear infections, hives, and all the other signs of his sensitivities and allergies have returned, including a sad boy!

Our dogs all eat the same food, so I say he b/c Bentley is the only one with known allergies & sensitivities. Thankfully, the other two don't seem to care what they eat as long as they eat! :) 

Bentley & Porsche do not care for the Orijen, we have tried it several different times over the course of the last 4 years with no luck, so that is what I would consider to be the only other option at this point other than raw. 

We are on-board going the raw route but I am overwhelmed as I've never known someone personally to feed their dog a raw diet and I don't want to mess up. Also, we live in Alaska, so I don't have multiple options when it comes to speciality stores, but I do have easy access to local farmers/butchers/and oceans, streams, and lakes with fresh fish! 

Help or suggestions welcome! Does anyone follow the Prey Model Raw method? Pros/Cons? We just want our Bentley to feel better and make sure that Porsche & Maserati are well feed in the process as well! Thank you! 

[F, Calla & Luca]

I don't feed Acana Pacifica because I don't like the smell, the doodles had no problem.

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

Luna LOVES the smell of fish, Pacifica  is her favorite Acana flavor. :p

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

Mine love the six fish, it's a favorite here!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Honest Kitchen or Sojo's would be another excellent choice. You can buy the basic mix and add your own proteins.

[Shari Becker]

We feed our doodle raw. In theory I love it, but in practice it's really expensive. I have read books about preparing your own raw food, but honestly it is complicated, and if you do it wrong it can be less healthy for your dog. The freeze dried foods are quite easy. We have tried Stella and Chewys and Primal. Both are great. You can order both on amazon, too. I think there is a brand from Australia that is cheaper per ounce, and I am looking into trying it. You can supplement with eggs and yogurt if tolerated. The only thing I'll say is consistency is important. A lot of dogs still want to chew, so you really need to break up the freeze dried. Sometimes we add a handful of frozen peas or apple for crunch. If it's too easy to eat, Lexi wants more, but doesn't need it. If you can find it, Primal makes frozen pellets, which are much more satisfying to our dog because she has to work to eat them. We only do the tiny pellets frozen, the nuggets are too big and I worry a choking hazard. Hope this helps!

[Emily, Bentley, & Maserati]

Thank you, I will check out those methods also. If you think of the Australian name I'd love to hear about it! 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Shari, would that food be Addiction? 

[Shari Becker]

Sorry, no the brand is ZiwiPeak.

And, it IS really tricky to feed raw when you travel. We travel with freeze dried, but it's still hard. You need to be really careful about washing your hands and letting kids touch the food ... because it IS raw.

Our original vet was holistic, and she was hard core about feeding raw. To be candid, while she's still only six-months-old, the only clear cut difference to us (from when she was a puppy) is the smell of her stool. But a 4lb bag of Primal Lamb costs $25+ dollars, and we can go through one of those a week!

We are in the process of experimenting with high quality kibble, like Orijen or Acana, because frankly we can't afford to feed Lexi like this, and I'm not 100% convinced it's the only way to have a healthy dog. I read an article that suggested some dogs might be allergic to the molds that can form on all kibbles regardless of what kind they are, and I find that interesting

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Unless that article included a link or reference to a peer-reviewed clinical study, I would discount it. Sounds like nonsense to me. My dog is allergic to molds, as proven by skin testing under anesthetic by his dermatology specialist, and he has no problem with kibble. Why would mold form on it? 

You have to be careful about taking the information on most raw-feeding websites seriously. The science is completely flawed, and the advocates often remind me of religious fanatics. 

If cooking affected the nutrients in food to the degree that these people believe they do, all of us would be suffering from some serious deficiencies. One "raw feeding" proponent I met at the pet supply store also believes that drinking raw milk cures inoperable cancer in humans. 

And vets, whether traditional or holistic, receive little to no nutritional training in vet school. 

[F, Calla & Luca]

What is proven is that raw milk can give you TB and a host of other illnesses.

[Shari Becker]

I'm a person who walks the line between conventional and unconventional medicine and nutrition for my family, so I try really hard to take it all in, sort through it and figure out what really makes sense. It's hard.

Our holistic vet said that she used to treat dogs who became ill with age, but now she's treating dogs who are just plain sick with cancer and other nastiness. She does't support using pesticides on pets or over-vaccinating, and she pretty much offered me a half a venison last time I saw her.

We are switching to someone closer to us who has more experience with city dogs. Being advised to feed my dog a slab of venison in my backyard is totally useless because my backyard is a driveway in a tight, urban area.

On a personal note, a naturopath pretty much saved me about 15 years ago by figuring out a health issue that no conventional doctor could get to the bottom of. So, I have respect for all sides. 

All that said, my husband believes firmly that dogs have evolved for centuries alongside humans, and that they, too, have adapted to eat different kinds of foods just as we have. So, my quest for healthy, well-tolerated puppy kibble continues. But I also think there's no harm in giving your dog small amounts of healthy, human food occasionally.

We're getting some Orijen puppy food to try next week!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

"But I also think there's no harm in giving your dog small amounts of healthy, human food occasionally."

There is absolutely no harm in giving your dog fresh healthy human foods; in fact, it's beneficial. You can add a little of whatever protein source and/or vegetables your family is having for dinner to your dog's bowl every night if you like, (minus any seasonings, butter, etc) regardless of what type of food he normally eats.