Your experience with raw?

[Gempress]

I was just wondering what everyone's experience is with raw, the type of plan you follow, and how long you've been feeding it.

Zeus and Voodoo have been on raw for about 6 months now. They have brilliantly shiny coats, wonderful physique and muscle tone. I think they look better than they've ever been before. Voodoo lost about 6 pounds, but I think it was all in that extra bit of fluff he was carrying on his ribs. He's very muscular now, but not bony. The vet raves about how healthy and fit they look when I bring them in. I'm definately happy with raw.

After the first few weeks, I'm no longer manic about "balance". I just toss a few pieces of assorted boney raw meat---chicken quarters and backs, turkey necks, tripe, the occassional egg, pork neckbones, raw meat scraps from the dinner I'm preparing, canned sardines or salmon (for fish oil), or whatever else is on sale, out into the yard and let the boys have at it. They LOVE it! Once a week they also get a hearty bowl full of assorted cooked veggies, organ meats, yogurt and anything else I feel like mixing in. Normally I avoid grains, although they do get a bit of white rice in their bowls every now and again.

It's worked out really well so far. I'm honestly surprised about how simple this diet really is to feed, once you realize that it's about balance over time and not nitpicking over each individual meal. I don't think I'll ever go back to kibble.

Anybody else? Good or bad experiences?

 

[Red_ACD_for_me]

The only bad effects from feeding RAW to Caiza is that he acts like the tazmanian DEVIL when it comes to meal time :lol-sign: This dog definately LOVES his new diet! He has been on RAW for just over two months. Caiza gets the Natures variety raw diets consisting of Venison, Lamb, Beef, and at some point we will try chicken and see how he does on it. I love how the pre-made raw diets have everything in it he needs and I don't have to worry about supplementing Caiza also has a gorgeous coat, and beautiful teeth as well as no doggy odor

 

[Chewbecca]

I fed Ella what I thought to be a well balanced raw diet.
She got an RMB meal every day and a muscle meat meal everyday.
She got sea kelp, vitamin E, salmon oil and the proper amounts of calcium. Oh and raw eggs and olive oil.

She did GREAT for about 4 months on it. Then her hair started thinning and I had to feed her almost 3 lbs. to keep weight on her.

Now she gets raw with her kibble and other goodies.

 

[DanL]

We've had good success on raw with our dogs. I've posted a lot of pics of our dane pup Daisy, but they don't do her justice at all. She's so incredibly soft, almost sikly/velvety, which you wouldn't expect from a short coated dog. Her muscle tone is amazing- she's almost "ripped". Gunnar is the same, he's got a soft coat, almost like a pelt, not a coarse feel like a lot of GSD's have, and he's as hard as a rock muscle wise. Neither of them shed much, and I've seen both breeds with clouds of fur around them from shedding. Bruzer still sheds a lot but I have to think it's less than what he'd shed if he was on a different diet. All 3 have great teeth, no odor (except Bruzer, and he's not that bad), and are full of energy.

 

[oc_spirit]

I feed combination raw and kibble and its working out GREAt for us!!!! The dogs have loads of energy (as if they needed any more...) they're nicely toned, their coats are great, the length of intense coat blowing was reduced, their teeth are white, the poop less and it is pefect, they are incredibly healthy and in top shape, overall, IO am very very pleased! LOL Oh yes and they love the stuff too!!!

I've also gotten to know the local butchers quite well LOL

 

[Melissa_W]

I've been feeding prey model raw since the beginning of June.

I am extremely happy with the results. It's pretty much alleviated his IBD symptoms. Plus he now has beautiful teeth with no plaque, fresh breath, and a beautiful coat.