Hi Amanda, Here is my take on feeding dogs and again..this is just my opinion. I can share with you that I have spent years studying this topic...so this opinion for me came after a lot of work and a lot of experimentation.
First...I believe dogs are carnivores...they need meat...their systems are designed to handle meat and some plant material if broken down. They do not need grains and I believe with all my heart that so very many of the health issues we see in our dogs today are a direct result of their systems trying to deal with grains. Second I believe that the least processing of any food...either for us or for our pets is the best option. When you cook meats for dogs you are losing one of the most necessary of ingredients for canines...enzymes. You are destroying so many of the nutrients as well. Dogs digestive tracks were designed 100 % to handle raw meat. Next, I believe feeding should be natural, simple and easy to do. Once you know what they really need it is so very simple. I use to spend hours each week in my kitchen cooking what I believed then was the best options for my dogs...as much as I enjoyed that part of pet ownership I really was wasting much of my efforts on processing that which was in direct opposition to what my goals were. Now I feed raw. It is easy...it is cheaper than a good dog food...it is quick...and my dogs ....even though very healthy before, just blossomed...coats, teeth, breath, stools, energy etc....all improved dramatically. They need 75% raw, meat They need 10%-15% edible bone...either ground or fed whole They need 10% organs...liver, kidney etc. They need 5 %... or should I say it isn't detrimental to give them 5% plant material...ie fruits and veggies. These need to be broken down in a blender or food processor as a dogs digestive track is short and has acids designed to break down meat...not plant. Some vegetables are better fed lightly cooked as it brings out the nutrients...sweet potato, carrots, orange and yellow veggies mostly. Many raw feeders feed whole pieces of chicken...such as legs, thighs breasts etc. I do that as well for my guys that are big and are not gulpers. But for my littles I feed those pieces ground...bones and all. I bought a little 99$ grinder that grinds through chickens like butter...I buy whole chickens, skin much of it and grind all of it including all the organs. A whole chicken almost exactly meets the ratios listed above. I also feed beef ribs, ox tails, venison, rabbit, etc. I only grind chicken as I myself worry about splintering bone. The other meats don't splinter and raw, meaty bones are safe. If you consider that I can buy a whole chicken for .77 cents a lb...and there is about 3 ounces of skin waste...that's pretty cheap dog food. I do spend more on the other meats...but I average under $2.00 a lb...I am fine with that. Because there is no waste...they process almost all of what they are fed in this manner...they actually eat less than a kibble or canned food where over 3/4 of it is filler. Their stools are significantly different than a dog eating kibble or any other food. Stools are almost like formed ash...odor is absent...and usually just once or twice a day. I give my guys pieces of apple or ground carrots or dried yams as treats. The only other treats they get are lamb lung or dried liver. Once you get use to this way of feeding it is so very, very simple. You will be amazed at the results. I promise you you will never go back to any other method. Sometimes it takes your dog awhile to see this method as food...but once they do?? It is simply the best! There is no possible way a commercial dog food company can do anything even close to something as good as this... There are a few decent kibbles out there...grain free. Taste of the Wild, Orijen, to name the only two I think are worthy of mentioning...but you can do better in your kitchen. You can do it cheaper...and you can control quality. These are just the conclusions I have come to...it works amazingly well and I am thrilled beyond words with the results. Many of my friends have made the switch as well and are just as happy as I am. Some have had even more dramatic results as they had serious issues in some cases...what a blessing to see what a simple diet change can do. I can also share with you that this diet change dramatically affected the seizures in my poodle Nugget. He went from 3-4 seizures a week to one a month. As long as he continues with this method of eating his seizures remain controlled. If something changes...so do they. There are so many amazing groups, websites etc on feeding raw...you may really enjoy jumping in and learning all this stuff and reading everyones experiences. Wagging Tails in the Dog Park! Deanna and the Dog Park Gang: Nugget, Shuai Li, Mable, Mouse, Myrtle, Madison, Caleb and Maxine >From the mountains of CA http://swlf.lilyslim.com/v3T7m8.png?h9j6wId9 On Feb 10, 2011, at 9:22 PM, Angela Mose <[email protected]> wrote: > So, I decided on Blue tonite at the pet store. Did I do okay for now? The > very sad thing is I realized I spent $18 on a small bag of food and I balk at > the idea of paying $2.89 lb for hamburger for my family's dinner. I think I > just became one of "those people" I always told myself I'd never be. It's > true, never say never, cause God's got an amazing sense of humor. > Seriously, though, is it more cost effective/healthier if I just cooked for > them? > Peace, > Angela Mose > Pray, Hope and Don't Worry- St Padre Pio > > On Thu, Feb 10, 2011 at 6:24 PM, dasha <[email protected]> wrote: > > Why wait till they are 7 months old? Just curious > > From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On > Behalf Of ann banks > Sent: Thursday, February 10, 2011 4:32 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [Chihuahuas] Another question... > > I have always fed my chi's Science Diet Small Kibble for small puppies but > will change them soon as they will soon be 7 months old. Time flies. > > Ann > > > On Thu, Feb 10, 2011 at 3:27 PM, Deanna Corey <[email protected]> wrote: > > For me I would not feed Royal Canin...chicken meal is not a clean source of > protein as it is a rendered product...and as such dead,dying and diseased > animals can be used... > There are other ingredients I would not feel comfortable with. The second, > third, and forth ingredients are rice, brown rice and oats...way too much > grain content for me as well as chemicals instead of real food. Also the use > of Rosemary has been questioned as it is a toxin...I would not ever feed > royal Canin, especially to small dogs. There are so many other better foods > out there. But this is just my opinion! > Chicken meal, according to the Association of American Feed Control Officials > (AAFCO), is the dry rendered product from a combination of clean chicken > flesh and skin with or without accompanying bone, derived from whole > carcasses of chicken, exclusive of feathers, heads, feet and entrails.[1] A > meal in general is "an ingredient which has been ground or otherwise reduced > in particle size."[2] > > Chicken meal is ground up chicken meat that has been carefully dried to a > moisture level of 10%. The protein content is 65% and the fat level is 12%. > Regular chicken contains about 70% water with 18% protein and 5% fat. To > create chicken meal, ingredients are placed into large vats and cooked. [3] > This rendering process not only separates fat and removes water to create a > concentrated protein product, it also kills bacteria, viruses, parasites and > other organisms. Because meat can be rid of infectious agents through the > rendering process, “4D” animals (dead, dying, diseased or disabled) are > allowable chicken meal ingredients. While not always present, the possible > inclusion of these ingredients makes chicken meal always considered unfit for > human consumption.[4] > > > > Ingredients for royal canin, chihuahua > > > Chicken meal, rice, brown rice, oatmeal, soy protein isolate, chicken fat, > natural chicken flavor, dried egg product, dried beet pulp (sugar removed), > pea fiber, anchovy oil (source of EPA/DHA), potassium chloride, soya oil, > sodium silico aluminate, fructo-oligosaccharides, sodium tripolyphosphate, > DL-methionine, taurine, calcium carbonate, Vitamins [DL-alpha tocopherol > acetate (source of vitamin E), inositol, niacin supplement, > L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), D-calcium pantothenate, > biotin, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), riboflavin supplement (vitamin > B2), thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), vitamin A acetate, folic acid, > vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin D3 supplement], choline chloride, marigold > extract (Tagetes erecta L.), Trace Minerals [zinc proteinate, zinc oxide, > ferrous sulfate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, copper sulfate, > manganous oxide, calcium iodate, sodium selenite], glucosamine hydrochloride, > L-carnitine, tea (green tea extract), chondroitin sulfate, rosemary extract, > preserved with natural mixed tocopherols (source of vitamin E) and citric > acid. > T > > Wagging Tails in the Dog Park! > Deanna and the Dog Park Gang: > Nugget, Shuai Li, Mable, Mouse, Myrtle, Madison, Caleb and Maxine > From the mountains of CA > > http://swlf.lilyslim.com/v3T7m8.png?h9j6wId9 > > On Feb 10, 2011, at 11:50 AM, Joan Croft <[email protected]> wrote: > >> >> Someone wrote earlier that Chihuahuas need puppy food longer than other >> breeds. It is just the opposite. Chihuahuas can start adult food at 8 >> months. The larger breeds need puppy food longer because their growing >> stage is longer also. >> >> As I said, I feed Royal Canin Chihuahua…and I just looked at the bag and it >> confirmed that is for Chihuahuas 8 months and older. Puppy food has a lot >> of added calories and fat that puppies need to grow. If you keep your >> Chihuahua on puppy food too long, you are not doing it any favors as the >> added fat and calories can cause heart problems and joint problems later in >> life. >> >> Desi was already a little ‘hefty’ as my vet said; the vet had me put him on >> adult food at 4 months and it still took another 6 months to get the fat off >> of him. He is doing well, has more energy than Dolly ever had and grew well >> with the puppy food. Perhaps you should check with your vet to see what >> he/she believes is the proper age to change the food to adult food. >> >> >> >> From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On >> Behalf Of Joan Croft >> Sent: Wednesday, February 09, 2011 11:14 PM >> To: [email protected] >> Subject: RE: [Chihuahuas] Another question... >> >> >> >> I have Dolly & Desi on Royal Canin Chihuahua food. >> >> Royal Canin has a small puppy food also…I was feeding Desi that when he was >> little. >> >> The only time that mine have stomach issues is when they are at someone >> else’s house and eat the food that they have left out for their dogs. >> >> Dolly had serious colitis as a baby and so she was on Science Diet ID and a >> little canned puppy food, but when she was old enough to be on adult food >> and her stomach had been doing well, I put her on the RC. I knew that it >> had a money back guarantee if she didn’t like it. >> >> Dolly loves it; Desi loves it….Desi loves anything that he can eat! >> >> My vet says that I shouldn’t change a thing because they are both doing so >> well on it. The RC Chihuahua has everything that the Chihuahua needs…stuff >> for their coats, their hearts, their more sensitive tummies, and for their >> joints. >> >> I know others feed other food; but I just have to say that RC Chihuahua has >> been excellent for my two. The kibble is very small also, and quite easy to >> chew (although Desi refuses to chew his food!) >> >> >> >> From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On >> Behalf Of Angela Mose >> Sent: Wednesday, February 09, 2011 8:45 PM >> To: [email protected] >> Subject: [Chihuahuas] Another question... >> >> >> >> I am wondering what would be the best diet to wean our new chis to? The >> breeder starts them on Science Diet, then for some reason, she switches to >> Puppy Chow. I think she said it was because some of her pups were have >> stomach upset. I was thinking of using Royal Canin eventually, but I need >> some input form you much more seasoned chi parents. I know that RC is very >> expensive and I'm not sure if it is really the best diet for them or not. I >> have read that because chis are so small that it is vital for them to get as >> much useable nutrition as possible for their small stomachs. I also have >> read that they need frequent small meals, but I'm not sure about free choice >> feeding because I do want to be able to housebreak them. Any pratical >> guidance would be appreciated, as I want to get off on the best foot >> possible. See, my big dog is very low maintance. The only thing he can eat >> is a lamb and rice diet because anything else just runs through him, >> especially the food he steals off of the 3 yr old's plate. You'd think that >> after eight years he would realize that food in bowl good, food not in bowl, >> bad. Oh, well. At least he (big Alex) is a rescue dog. I would have liked to >> adopt a chihuahua, but, they are scarce around here. >> >> Thank you so much for all of the help allready. >> >> Peace and Blessings to you all, >> >> Angela M >> >> > > > > > -- > Ann > > > >
