[weed30]

Just curious if anyone else here feeds a raw diet. Every other doggie forum I've been on has at least a handful, but I've not heard it mentioned here yet. I've fed my dogs a raw diet for 10 years, and when I got Daisy a year ago July, I switched her over the 2nd day. It was funny to see her puzzle over just what that was in the bowl, but within 2 days she was inhaling it

 

[Murphys Dad]

I have considered it, but have decided against it for now, as it's too much mess for me. I don't see myself stock in raw meat/chicken for Chloe's feedings. I've heard good things about it and bad things as well. It doesn't suit every dog apparently. My friends' Great Dane had lost a lot of weight and her development has slowed down since she started her on BARF. She consulted with her vet about it, and was feeding Uli good amounts, but it just wasn't for her.

Call me lazy, but commercial food gives my baby everything she needs, and I don't need to worry about how fresh her feedings are.

 

[Lisa P]

I have fed my beagle raw before but meat kinda grosses me out plus I don't think it's fair to the other dogs that can't eat it.

One of my Shepherds has Inflammatory Bowel Disease and raw can really mess her up, and the other has Megaesophagus and is tube fed. I feel to guilty when I'm handing Bentley a raw piece of yummy chicken and they get nothing. lol

I do cook for them though!

 

[zoeyspop]

I've considered it also and my research on the subject always brought more positive points than negative points but as Eleanor said a good kibble is much less messier and a timesaver .

 

[Thelma Lou]

Mine eat kibble for the most part, but about once a month I give them a marrow bone and they just go ape over it. I hope to get a px of Louise licking through the hole and seeing her tongue curl from the other side!!!! It is really good for their teeth.

 

[angelaH]

It is very popular over here, BARF, but I dont fancy it. Main trouble is making sure the meat/bones are fresh so one is forced to shop several times a week or have a big fridge. They say that raw chicken wings are very good and of course cheap. Please never give dogs cooked chicken bones though, that can kill them.

 

[weed30]

I am lucky - I can buy chicken necks from a wholesaler for .25 per pound. I buy 40# cases and I have a small freezer to store everything.

Thelma Lou, I would love to see a picture of that!

 

[Murphys Dad]

I too considered it but decided to stick with dry kibble. It's just easier. She gets a high quality dog food so I know that she's getting all the nutrients she needs to stay healthy.

 

[beaglesmom]

For about a year I did a combination of BARF, home cooked and good quality kibble. The dogs I had then did very well on it - but I got sick and was in the hospital for 2 weeks then spent the next 6 months recuperating from surgery/illness. It was just too difficult for me to do at that time - so they've been getting a good quality kibble ever since. They all did well on it - but I don't have a good meat supplier here - and with 9 dogs, it's just too expensive - and time-consuming. Hopefully someday I'll be able to get back to BARF feeding. At least you KNOW what they're getting and don't have to worry about your dog food being re-called because of bad things in it. I'd do it in a heartbeat if I could find an inexpensive source of the meat for them. The local grocer wants a minimum of 89 cents/lb for chicken necks or backs - and that's in 40# lots. I could often get the veggies free when they got rid of things that weren't super fresh, so that was a plus.