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I've never fed my dogs raw, and I don't ever intend to. I don't know enough about it. I'm too lazy to learn about it. The veterinary nutritionists I work with don't recommend it. I'm not sure how cost effective it is to try and feed 3 large + 2 medium breed dogs raw vs. kibble. I don't have enough time to plan it out.
That being said, I used to be a huge kibble snob. I only wanted to feed the best, premium, top shelf foods. And my dogs looked like utter crap on them. Gross, flaky, greasy, dull haircoats. Disgusting poops. Eye boogers. Overall, very lackluster and definitely not like how I imagined they'd look.
As it turns out, my dogs tend to do very well on a midrange food; they looked and felt fantastic on PurinaONE. I have also fed ProPlan lamb with excellent results - soft, shiny, non-flaky coats, bright eyes, good energy levels, great bloodwork. They very rarely get baths (maybe 2x a year at most), unless they get into something rancid. My SIL, while on vacation last month, mentioned how they didn't "smell like dogs" and was shocked when I told her we never bathed them. They're currently on Hill's Ideal Balance (grain inclusive), but I'll probably be switching them back to Diamond Naturals in the next month or so (for no other reason than it's more cost effective for me).
I'm now in the food camp where you just feed your dog what you *both* do well on. If that means Puppy Chow or grass fed organic Kobe beef every meal, then so be it, as long as everyone is happy & healthy.
That being said, I used to be a huge kibble snob. I only wanted to feed the best, premium, top shelf foods. And my dogs looked like utter crap on them. Gross, flaky, greasy, dull haircoats. Disgusting poops. Eye boogers. Overall, very lackluster and definitely not like how I imagined they'd look.
As it turns out, my dogs tend to do very well on a midrange food; they looked and felt fantastic on PurinaONE. I have also fed ProPlan lamb with excellent results - soft, shiny, non-flaky coats, bright eyes, good energy levels, great bloodwork. They very rarely get baths (maybe 2x a year at most), unless they get into something rancid. My SIL, while on vacation last month, mentioned how they didn't "smell like dogs" and was shocked when I told her we never bathed them. They're currently on Hill's Ideal Balance (grain inclusive), but I'll probably be switching them back to Diamond Naturals in the next month or so (for no other reason than it's more cost effective for me).
I'm now in the food camp where you just feed your dog what you *both* do well on. If that means Puppy Chow or grass fed organic Kobe beef every meal, then so be it, as long as everyone is happy & healthy.