Barf/Rawfoods
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I'm hearing that Raw food only, has lots of benefit in the long run. Shinier coats, less stools and a more active life. Does anybody knows the average cost of raw per month, if you tried a only raw diet, what type of meats you use and how is your bullie doing on it?
Comments
The key elements most people look for in dog food are (1) Protein (2) Fat (3) Carbs. Many dry foods out there are very poor in these areas. However, have a look at some of the 5 star grain free foods and look into their nutritional value. As an example, the main ingredient in Victor Grain Free kibble is Beef Meal which is a meat concentrate that contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh beef. You'd have to provide your Bullie an awful lot of Pure Beef to match it. This is why when people that feed their dog strictly Raw Meats because they are concentrating on protein and other factors I'm often wondering if that compared their raw meats to the actual ingredients in top quality kibble. There's good reason why these types of kibble are so pricey.
I have nothing at all against Raw Meat diets and I think they're productive for a dogs digestive system. However, I don't feel they should be used as a sole source diet. Those that choose not to provide kibble usually add different types of fruits and veggies into their mix. Many reports you'll find documented on the internet explain about the risks associated with Raw Meat diets due to an unbalanced diet that may damage the health of a dog over a prolonged period of time. The Key Words - Balanced Diet. Every dog food company tries to incorporate a balanced diet but most skimp on the essentials due to keeping the cost affordable because the truth is Most people don't thoroughly research what's considered proper diet and nutrition for their dog. This is why foods like Kibble and Bits, Dog Chow, and Pedigree or so popular. Mass produced and cheap.
My preference will always be to provide my Bullies with a 5 star grain free food supplemented with occasional Raw meats, occasional fruits and vegetables, daily NuVet vitamin, and 2 squirts of Grizzly Oil for the omega-3 they need. To date this combination has proven effected for healthy energetic Bullies free of skin ailments and other health issues.
"It's not just a Dog, it's a Bull Terrier!"
www.bulliesofnc.com
Please understand I don't provide Raw Meat as a daily food. I provide it on occasion as I do with fruits and veggies. Their main source of daily food is kibble - a Good kibble at that.
"It's not just a Dog, it's a Bull Terrier!"
www.bulliesofnc.com
AtibaCooper24-the reason Kibble and raw mixed are "bad" is because of a few reasons.
#1. raw meat and kibble digest at different rates-Kibble has a lot of grain and fillers that dogs bodies were not designed to digest.
dogs have short digestive tracts and strong stomach acid-designed for digesting meat and bones-which are digested quickly (feed a dog a raw bone and 12 hours later he will poop it out-feed a dog kibble and 24-36 hours later he will poop it out)
humans, and other omnivores have much longer digestive tracts allowing the vegetation we eat to be broken down and digested easier-ever wonder why deer,cows and horses have several stomach chambers or chew their "cud"? because all they eat is vegetation-so their tracts are VERY long so they can get as much nutrition from it.
despite what many people "claim" dogs systems have not had a very long time to "evole" enough to make the transition from "carnivore" to "omnivore" dog food has only been around since around the late 1940's to early 1950" does that seem like long enough for a stomach to completely change its shape, form and function?
#2. anything other then meat and bones WILL cause bowel irritation, grains, fruits, vegtibles, sugars, vegtible oils etc. when the bowel is irritated-it is unhealthy, working over time to keep bad bacteria from being absorbed into the blood stream.
when a dog eas kibble and fillers, his bowels are in a constant state of irritation-introduce the bactier from raw meat and your morel ikly to end up with a dog who gets food poinsoning-not because of the meat being spoiled-but because the layer of tissue linning the bowel was irritated allowing those bacteria to be absorbed into the blood stream and wreck havoc.
NOW, don't get me wrong, a good kibble is still a good kibble, the reason being that-it has less irritants then a bad kibble.
but im Biase from my research, and to me a kibble is still a kibble and a filler is still a filler.
just like people complain when buying a 10$ steak and getting half of it as fat, fat is not BAD per-say
and is actually good in small doses-but its STILL a filler.
Kim feeds straight up Raw and her bullies fit the par in health, Mark combines both and his bullie is in fantastic health and form, and I combine a variable of everything and seem to be doing pretty good. I think the opinions can go on forever about the perfect nutritional diet but the fact is as long as there's concentration into the things that benefit your Bullie you can't go wrong. One thing to remember is the taste and appetite for each individual dog. People will adjust their feeding preferences and opinions based on the consumption of food that their dog enjoys eating. You can provide the best meal in the world for you Bullie but if he nibbles on it and sticks his nose in the air it's not doing him a bit of good.
"It's not just a Dog, it's a Bull Terrier!"
www.bulliesofnc.com
"It's not just a Dog, it's a Bull Terrier!"
www.bulliesofnc.com
I agree, as much as I love my prey model style of feeding, I know many dogs can do just as wonderfully on a good quality kibble-and that is due to the ingredents!
poor quality ingredents are going to create poor health in any dog of any breed, good quality ingredients are going to create good health in a dog!
Philsergeant- I couldn't imagine paying that much for dog food WOW!
my monthly cost for 2 dogs and 3 cats (also on raw) has never exceeded 20$
all I have to buy are organs
I have been feeding them chicken necks but recently stopped to as they have developed a bit of an allergy and am trying to find out what is causing it. The vet we have seen said it could be the chicken neck because of the additives and growth hormone they give them.
I have two questions:
1. Do you think the chicken neck could be giving them the allergy?
2. Can they eat fruit and vegetable everyday without any problems?
I know you'd never cheat, but you must include in your calculation of your cost of raw more than just the cost of ammo! You have to allow some amount for the value of your hunt time. I can't see how you would get raw meat at that cost any other way.
But he is only nearing 8lbs. and the cost so far has been quite affordable to feed him. But as he and his appetite grow... I'm sure the cost will become much greater and more cost-effective food will be tempting.
Thankfully Small Game season is coming up soon... There will be many Rabbit & Squirrel Popsicles in the freezer for Stoeger's dining pleasure. I don't hunt deer but my buddy butchers during hunting season so I'm sure we will have some venison for Stoge too.
I keep telling Stoges_mom to go make friends with the local butcher, lol!
"It's not just a Dog, it's a Bull Terrier!"
www.bulliesofnc.com
He grinds up venison with some fresh pork-butts for sweet or hot sausage too, I love that but probably lay off the pork for Stoeger. This animal eats better than me!
If I had more free time, the challenge of harvesting an Upstate, NY buck would be fun for sure!
Unfortunately, I only have time to hit the back forty for a quick stint and snipe a few buck-tooth varmints for stew from time to time.
Plus, when someone compliments him on his shiny coat or muscular build... it will be fun to say "Yeah, it must be all the rabbits and squirrels I feed him.: Haha!
X(
Kidding, when either my wife's or my child gets out of a shape a bit, we shout, "Control your ANIMAL!"
@ philsergeant-the hunt time does not take up much time, now that ive been doing it for over a year, I keep several ads on craigslist posted and renewed, and I already have several sorces who contact me when they have raw meat available!
But, when I first started it was a lot of time that I spent acquiring meat, I had to find and keepconnecte with contacts until they "knew me"
"It's not just a Dog, it's a Bull Terrier!"
www.bulliesofnc.com
No ill side affects, his poop was a little runny but I believe it's do to a first full raw meal instead of mixed.
I just want to be sure it's ok with his age to do this. He seems ok and he enjoyed it.
Any comments are welcome!!! Stoegers furdad has Darwin's ordered now but just want to be sure a raw chicken drumstick is ok as well!
But if you are concerned, or can't keep an eye on him all the time he gnaws.... you can always de-bone it, or give him a chicken breast (liddle boys luv breasts! )
8-}
My dog in high school loved carrots, in the winter she used to steal them off the snowmen in the neighborhood
Maybe that wasn't the real cause?
He is still on three meals at thirteen weeks.