Raw Diets

[Maria & Sammy]

Hi everyone. I'd like your thoughts concerning raw diets, what your doodles eat and any recommendations you have about feeding.

Sam is getting pretty picky about his food and now I am trying a frozen, all natural raw food for the first time.

[Noble Vestal Labradoodles]

We feed raw, you can find our recipe for raw patties on our site at http://NobleVestaldoodles.com Resources Feeding.

If you have any specific questions I am happy to answer them for you. Donna and Dempsy (sp? I think I mis spelled Dempsy) are also raw feeders. Donna is also a member of Doodle Kisses.

You may also want to join the Natural Doodles group here on Doodle Kisses

[Maria & Sammy]

thanks. I'll check out the site and get your recipe and give it a try. Does the diet create any stool issues?

[2hqvciajyb51y]

Just forgot the "e" Kendra! :)

I bet there are a lot of raw feeders here. I know most ALD breeders feed raw. Dempsey loves his raw food that I make for him!

[2hqvciajyb51y]

p.s. I use the recipe you will find on Kendra's site. I mix it up in a double batch in my kitchenaid mixer, and freeze it in 6 oz yogurt cups, cover with foil and pop in the freezer.

[Tante & Jordan & now Annie!]

I am for it, as long as you feed them correctly. Making sure they have the proper nutrients.
I would feed raw if I had the time to put into meal prep. I feed my dogs Blue Buffalo the Wilderness formula. Which is as close to raw as you can get out of a bag.(that what the bag actually says)
My mother-inlaw feeds her dogs raw. Her dogs do great on it. I know you buy raw dog food prepackaged. I think the brand name is BARF. They sell it at the dog food store where I buy my food.

[Jacquie Yorke (DRC)]

I started Blake on a completely raw diet when I found out that he has IBS....He did relatively well on it but it's pretty expensive and difficult to find around her for some reason...There are only 2 pet stores within a 20 mile range that carry it...Also he developed issues with is anal gland as a direct result of the raw diet..It would fill very quickly and I was having to have it expressed every 2 weeks or so which also became expensive as well a uncomfortable for poor Blake......The vet also discovered that the Raw diet exclusively was not very good for Blake's teeth......

So I began following the Dr. Pitcairn method and cooking for him. Brown rice boiled chicken, baked lamb and beef meatloaf with brown rice, barley and oatmeal mixed in...I will occasionally throw green beans, peas and carrots into the meatloaf....... I supplement with the Raw as well as holistic baked dry food and Nupro powder...For a treat, he gets plain, low fat, unsweetened probiotic yogurt every other day, Cadet 100% dried chicken breast and peanut butter in the Kong...This is working out very well....

If you go to the Forum and look through previous discussions, I started one a few weeks ago that posed the question about bad Doodle eating habits..There is a lot of interesting information in that forum..and many Doodles that are picky eaters apparently!....Also Michele has a group called Naturally Living Doodles where they discuss in depth raw, natural and alternative diets....

I always recommend Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats...It's a great book fillled with info and recipes!...

[Tante & Jordan & now Annie!]

ooo Thank you, I am always looking for a good natural care book. I have a great one it has the acupressure points and herbs and minerals for dogs. You look for a symptom and it explains why and how to help.
The Complete Holistic Dog book, by Jan Allegretti and Katy Sommers DVM.

[Maria & Sammy]

Thanks Jacquie. This is very good info and I'll check out the book. I never even considered the anal gland issue but this is major as Sam too from time to time has had this problem related to diet. My other issue is convenience since we're out and about or on the road a lot and food must be easy to travel. Raw is difficult for that. He eats the dry but some times he'll refuse. He is picky.

[Jacquie Yorke (DRC)]

You are so welcome Maria and Jordan...Blake is a ( pardon the expression ) real pain in the ASS!..when it comes to eating...lol..I could tell you stories!.....If I'm on the road I take a plastic container packed in a cool pouch with the home made food or I take a can of Nutro Natural Choice Lamb and Rice Formula..it HAS to be the Chunks in Gravy recipe...he wont eat the dryer version ....I recommend it....It's completely natural, no bi-products, vitamin enriched, has an aroma like stew and it's wet enough to tingle their palettes...

[Jacquie Yorke (DRC)]

Also the Nupro powder makes a delicious and aromatic gravy...( never tried it personally..lol) but it smells like beef gravy with onions....lol....

[Trish]

My mom used to breed Bassetts and we had a lab that had a litter about 5 years ago. I remember my mom doing this for her whelping moms and I did it for our Roxy when she had her pups as she was disinclined to eat much and we wanted her to have some good food to feed her babies. If you put a couple of stewing hens into a pressure cooker and cook it long enough that the bones are soft all of the bird is eatable and very good for the dog. The bones will just mush with a fork. Roxy loved and just ate it all up ...1 2 ...gone! We also gave her yogurt daily.

Our mini labradoodle has his meal plus whatever meat we are eating, brown rice, yogurt and he loves scrambled eggs. I also cook liver which I cut in 1/4 slices and cook on tinfoil lined cookie sheets at 250 degrees for hours flipping every 1/2 hour or so. When it gets drier looking but still pliable I use my kitchen shears to cut thin strips and then I cut the other way so I end up with tiny little cubes. I put these back on the baking sheet and cook until quite hard and very dry. Murphy will do anything for these tiny morsels of heaven. I use them primarily for training. He figured out the leash in one walk. Heels like a dream. Sits on command, dances and when put in a stay will stay there without moving as I wander around the house making interesting noises. He doesn't move even a bit he just waits and waits for that tidbit of pure pleasure! The neighbors give us venison liver and I use it too or beef.

[3kq44ofsjg43f]

I feed all my dogs raw and most of their food is purchased at the grocery. Most of the time my dogs eat chicken thigh quarters--the leg and thigh attached. They also eat chicken wings, livers, gizzards, beef ribs, pork ribs, and any other meaty bones I find at the grocery. It looks like your dog is a standard so Sam could eat whatever you find at the store and the bones are good for their teeth.