Raw food and cooked treats, food etc?

[BerryBye]

I went to the pet store today to pick up our bimonthly bag of TOTW and I noticed that there was a new freezer of “Urban Wolf†raw food. Until now I have been too intimidated to consider feeding raw because it has always seemed so complicated. So I poked around in the fridge and was intrigued to see that I could buy patties (looked exactly like hamburgers) that are a complete feed. So I asked the person working at the store if there are any draw backs to feeding raw and she said that you shouldn’t feed any cooked food or treats, once you start feeding raw (because of the different rates of digestion).

So I wanted to see, those of you who feed raw, do you also feed cooked food/kibble/treats etc still? I am really temped to feed raw as his daily food but I want to still be able to give him treats and leftovers without any stomach problems.

Also, I know it will be a long time before I’m comfortable with RMBs – how did you get over the fear of bone fragments with these?

Thoughts? Thank you again!

 

[Catsi]

I feed raw, but I also feed training treats that are not. I think it matters what you feed your dog most of the time.

Cooked meats, especially chicken and shock horror - sausage roll filling :yikes: and ocassionally cheese are my staples for training and they are a godsend. I try and at least stay away from packet treats with lots of additives and questionable sources. The amount that is used is pretty small overall though.

I think choosing RMBs that are an appropriate size for your dog and supervising will help you make a start on feeling a bit more comfortable with the idea. What kind of dog do you have? RMBs are great nutritionally but I believe they are great for a dog's mental wellbeing as well. All that gnawing and chewing and crunching. It sounds weird, but I get joy from watching my dog tackle a nice bone. :lol-sign:

 

[RawFedDogs]

Sure you can feed raw and cooked food and treats. I wouldn't feed kibble and raw at the same meal because of differences in digestion rate but raw food and table scraps together is fine.

 

[vanillasugar]

I feed raw, and Sierra gets whatever treats I want

For clients, I tell them not to feed kibble and raw together, but otherwise treats and stuff are okay.

 

[colliewog]

Also, I know it will be a long time before I’m comfortable with RMBs – how did you get over the fear of bone fragments with these?

Thoughts? Thank you again!

I gave my dogs their first RMBs on a day that I was home all day and my vet was open, just in case ... when no one got sick or died, I started to relax.

 

[OutlineACDs]

That's false.

The different digestion rates thing is false too. Your stomach (or the dog's stomach) doesn't set aside food for later digestion because of different consistancies. An apple gets digested at the same rate as your cereal, as your milk etc.

This is a false statement that has been perpetuated a lot. My dogs have eaten raw and kibble in the same meal, they have also eaten canned food and dry in the same meal with no ill side effects.

 

[puppydog]

That's false.

The different digestion rates thing is false too. Your stomach (or the dog's stomach) doesn't set aside food for later digestion because of different consistancies. An apple gets digested at the same rate as your cereal, as your milk etc.

This is a false statement that has been perpetuated a lot. My dogs have eaten raw and kibble in the same meal, they have also eaten canned food and dry in the same meal with no ill side effects.

This.

 

[RawFedDogs]

That's false.

The different digestion rates thing is false too. Your stomach (or the dog's stomach) doesn't set aside food for later digestion because of different consistancies. An apple gets digested at the same rate as your cereal, as your milk etc.

Different foods take different chemicals, enzymes, etc to digest. Plant matter takes more base digestive juices and meat and bones take more acidic
stomach juices. Because different foods have different properties and chemical makeup, they take different times to digest. This is just plain ole common sense.

Apples and cereal are both plant material and their digestion time MAY be very similar. Milk is already a liquid and very little digestion is needed. Meat and bones take different digestion times and different digestive juices to digest. Most plant material must sit in the gut and ferment in order for all the nutrients to be extracted and used by the body. Meat and bones, need to pass through quickly before the putrify. A dog's body is designed to pass food though quickly. Kibble often gums up the works holding back meat and bones that should pass on through.

It's not that the stomach sets some aside. They are all being worked on at the same time. Some just take longer and kibble takes a lot longer than meat and bones.

My dogs have eaten raw and kibble in the same meal, they have also eaten canned food and dry in the same meal with no ill side effects.

Your dogs are lucky. MANY dogs have serious digestive problems when attempting to digest raw meat and bones at the same time as kibble because the kibble slows down the meat passing though the GI tract.

 

[BerryBye]

Thanks so much guys! I'm really really interested in going raw now. I'm kind of afraid that those patties will break the bank, but I do love how they are already balanced for me so I can just give him one and it’s done! Very exciting!
But I'm not ever going to be comfortable giving chicken wings and necks and all of that stuff to be honest. It's just too risky for this worry wart!
I guess I’ll stick to nylabones (and other similar chews) and brushing for teeth cleaning, and interactive toys for “oral stimulationâ€.
Thanks again!
Oh and I have a 50lb Spring Spaniel - my heart of heart dogs

 

[dobesgalore]

Thanks so much guys! I'm really really interested in going raw now. I'm kind of afraid that those patties will break the bank, but I do love how they are already balanced for me so I can just give him one and it’s done! Very exciting!
But I'm not ever going to be comfortable giving chicken wings and necks and all of that stuff to be honest. It's just too risky for this worry wart!
I guess I’ll stick to nylabones (and other similar chews) and brushing for teeth cleaning, and interactive toys for “oral stimulationâ€.
Thanks again!
Oh and I have a 50lb Spring Spaniel - my heart of heart dogs

We just switched over to raw about three weeks ago, and its not as complicated as it seems. The differerance in my dogs is huge already, especialy in their coats. I just can't see us going back to kibble.