picky eater thinking of trying raw

[Lynda and Bella]

Hello,

I have a 6 month old goldendoodle who will not eat any kibble.  She only is eating a cup (if that) a day and I am finding I have to supplement it with other items. I just picked up Natures Variety raw yesterday. It is still in the freezer b/c I am a little worried about the comtamination around the house and her licking the kids after eating.  The plan was to move her over from Life's Abundance (we have also tried innova and orijen) to Natures Variety instinct kibble for breakfast and then the raw patties for dinner. She loves people food when she gets her paws on it (counter surfer but that is another post...lol)  so I guess my question is - has any one else had the concern about contamination and what other picky eaters have done for their pups. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

The commercial raw diets are supposed to be bacteria free and that's the point of spending the extra money for prepared raw foods. As long as the food is kept in a stainless steel or ceramic bowl which is washed after every meal, there shouldn't be any problem with contamination. Licking the kids or anything else after eating should not cause a problem, either.

[Ann O'Connor]

I feed my labradoodle raw with her kibble. I just mix it in. She loves the raw. I have not had any problems with contamination so I would not worry about it.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Ann, have you had any digestive issues? It's my understanding that combining raw foods with kibble at the same meal can cause difficulties with digestion.

[Ann O'Connor]

No I have not had any digestive issues.

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

If you are concerned about raw foods, with children in the home, then how about homecooking? Sounds like she enjoys people food.

[Lynda and Bella]

I did consider home cooked. My trainer is starting to make and sell a cooked version made with turkey. I may go that way if I cannot get over worrying about the doggie kisses after she eats and the kids contantly kissing her on the mouth (just can't help it. She is just too cute). We cook boiled chicken for her training but she sometimes has stomach problems when she gets home so I am not sure she can tolerate it. I do add carrots or sweet potatos to her kibble when we have it for dinner. She also enjoys cooked eggs. There is just so much information with various trains of thoughts on feeding that it makes my head spin. Sadly I don't think I put as much thought into my kids diet as I do this puppy!!!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

There's no one right way to feed your dog. As long as all of her nutritional requirements are being met, you really can't go wrong with homecooked, raw, premium kibble or canned food, "people food" add-ins such as your carrots & eggs, or a combination of all of them. It depends on what your dog enjoys, what she tolerates digestively, and your own issues of time, convenience, and budget.
The stomach problems from the cooked chicken are related to her eating them during training classes. Activity slows down the digestive process, and whole foods take longer to digest than processed ones do. If you just gave her cooked chicken at home as part of a meal, I'm sure she would tolerate it just fine. I would use something else as a training treat, perhaps freeze dried liver treats or Baa Baa Qs.
I frequently add fresh foods to Jack's kibble...eggs, chicken, beef, fish, lima beans (he loves them), and many other Food Groupies do too. Others here homecook, and you will find many tips, recipes, and help with that if you would like to try it. Recently, some of our members have been experimenting with the commercially prepared raw diets, and you will find discussions here on that as well. We even have a very humorous discussion about picky eaters called "Come Have a little Whine With Me"! If you click "Back to Food Group Discussions" above, and then "view all", you'll be able to look through the wealth of info here and even do a search for topics of interest.
Bravo to you for putting thought into your puppy's diet! That's what we're all about!

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Because of Guinness's digestive issues I landed on a home cooking diet. He also hated kibble (any kind - we tried them all). In doing my research I came across the following paper that you may find informative. I think it's generally referring more to the "homemade" versus commercial diets, but some of the points are probably applicable to either. I hope it's helpful.

[Sandra Griffith]

I also have a puppy who is very picky when it comes to eating kibble. I started adding in Primal chicken nuggets with her kibble and she started eating a lot more. She was underweight before this and now is at a normal weight since I started using the Primal. I find it extremely easy to use. I place the frozen nuggets in a glass container the night before and then just divide it up between her three meals the next day. I do mix in a little kibble at breakfast and have not had any digestive issures. My thinking on the contamination issue is that (from what I've read) we tend to be too clean which has led to an increase in allergies in children. Our dogs walk outside and tend to have their noses to the ground (at least my puppy does) not to mention whatever she tries to sneak into her mouth. I don't disinfect her paws or have her gargle to kill things in her mouth so whatever she brings in from outside is going to be a potential exposure point to my children. I just tell myself that I'm building a strong immune systems in my kids. This being said, if my children had any autoimmune issues I would probably have a very different attitude.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Exposure to dirt and animals, such as one would get living on a farm, has been shown to help prevent the development of inhalant allergies in children. It really has nothing to do with being "too clean", nor with exposure to bacteria in food, like e coli, which can and has caused death in children. Deadly food bacterias cannot build strong immune systems in anyone, and the hazards to young children, the elderly, and anyone with a compromised immune system should not be underplayed.
The issue of being "too clean" and its relationship to the immune system has to do with the use of anti-bacterial cleaners, handsoaps, etc. These products tend to encourage the development of "super viruses" and very resistant strains of bacteria, and have consequently been banned from use in hodpitals and other places where frequent handwashing and illness go hand and hand, no pun intended. Again, this has nothing to do with bacteria in food.

[Sandra Griffith]

Thank you for making this distinction. I am carefull to use stainless steel food bowls and this is why I use a glass container to defrost the Primal nuggets. I also wash out the bowls and any spoon that I used after use. Lastly I also wash my hands after handling any of these foods.