Best food to feed dogs?

DogsFirst · 12-01-2012 12:02pm

Draupnir wrote: »

Our dog has answered all the questions on this for us with his behaviour......We've seen absolutely no diarrhoea issues and in fact he has begun to go less and more regularly.......egg to the mix at random.

Behaviour is the first thing you notice, rid of chemicals and antigens the dogs settle almost immediately, lots of vitamins boosting brain function (b vitamins are as effective as ritalin for "curing"hyperactivity in kids......all diet realted). They start to look forward to their food in a way that is not seen in dry fed dogs, or human eating beef flavoured crackers when starving or offered a flame grilled surf n turf.

Next his uncurable symptoms clear up - recurring gastro disorder like you said, skin issues, allergy, teeth in three weeks, brand new soft shiny coat in four.

Less plant protein means smaller, more completely digested stools, pleasure to pick up, and don't stink!! Less salt means less water consumed so less wee.

Egg at random - great stuff. Reading more and more about these random feeding times, seems to be a lot of good science behind it. If you have the same meal times the dogs system gears up for it (like Pavlovs drooling dogs) which creates a belly full of acid awaiting a feed (note your dogs stomach rumbling half hour before feed). Can't remember why that's not the best now..........ahh forget it!!

Draupnir · 12-01-2012 3:10pm

DogsFirst wrote: »

Behaviour is the first thing you notice, rid of chemicals and antigens the dogs settle almost immediately, lots of vitamins boosting brain function (b vitamins are as effective as ritalin for "curing"hyperactivity in kids......all diet realted). They start to look forward to their food in a way that is not seen in dry fed dogs, or human eating beef flavoured crackers when starving or offered a flame grilled surf n turf.

Next his uncurable symptoms clear up - recurring gastro disorder like you said, skin issues, allergy, teeth in three weeks, brand new soft shiny coat in four.

Less plant protein means smaller, more completely digested stools, pleasure to pick up, and don't stink!! Less salt means less water consumed so less wee.

Egg at random - great stuff. Reading more and more about these random feeding times, seems to be a lot of good science behind it. If you have the same meal times the dogs system gears up for it (like Pavlovs drooling dogs) which creates a belly full of acid awaiting a feed (note your dogs stomach rumbling half hour before feed). Can't remember why that's not the best now..........ahh forget it!!

I think we owe you a huge thank you on behalf of our dog because without having read your posts here I wouldn't have been aware of the option of a fresh food diet. It's also great for us as we now feel as though he is getting what he wants and needs in his meals.

DogsFirst · 12-01-2012 4:11pm

I didn't line that up!

Draupnir · 12-01-2012 4:44pm

Genuine thanks, myself and DogsFirst have no affiliation!

westies4ever · 12-01-2012 5:02pm

I have just started my two westies on a raw diet this week. They were previously on royal canin for westies and then I moved to Burns. My four year old female has recurring allergies and I just cant get rid of them. She had courses of steroids which solved it but as soon as she finished the course, they came back. I was bathing her 3 times a week in malaseb which she hated and was at my wits end. The general consensus was that we were going to have to live with it. I hated the drugs and I know they're sore on a dogs liver so I just didnt want to give them to her anymore.

I did a lot of research on the raw diet which was suggested to me by the lady I got my rescue westie from. It's only been 3 days and I see the dogs a lot calmer and their 'poo' looks fine so far. They are really enjoying it as well.

I'm still a bit nervous to be honest and am finding my way in relation to weighing out their food etc. There seems to be some trial and error involved. All the conflicting opinions is making we a little nervous as well. But, I'm going to give it a try.

Its looking like their main diet will be raw chicken wings/thighs/drumsticks with the skin cut off. In the evening they're getting a small amount of raw beef mince with pureed veg mixed in. I also add a spoonful of cod liver oil and sometimes some crushed nuts (not peanuts). The chicken is always fed under supervision just in case.

Once a week I plan to give them fish - tinned sardines or mackerel probably, some liver and a raw egg.

I'll let you know how I get on.

DogsFirst · 12-01-2012 5:16pm

Great stuff.

White coated breeds in general suffer more skin (and thus gut, as it is skin too) issues than others, but westies are up there with the toughest once they go wrong, or have been "sensitised" to an allergen. Invariably these are westies growing up consuming either gluten / cooked protein / food additives, ie dry food. While most dogs make a speedy recovery on fresh ingredients two dogs in the last five years stick in my mind as "not quite right" and they are both westies (in different countries). That said, most have recovered well, completely off their tablets etc.

Be brave, keep it up. It can be a hilly road with a lot of tough to explain hiccups but most of the westie forums are massive supporters of fresh, hypoallergenic ingredients.

The meat has to be raw (cooked protein causes issue in dogs, as it does in humans, but more so in dogs. In fact food allergy was first discovered in the 20's by a guy who found he was allergic to cooked fish and not raw - cooking denatures the protein, making it unrecognisable and thus antigenic to the dogs gut lining).

Best stuff at this particular time - raw oily (omega 3) fish like sardines (avoid those in veg oil, certainly in dogs with sensitivities as the high omega 6 in veg oil will ruin the whole effect of the omega 3, which sensitive dogs need in abundance), mackerel (buy whole in 10kg boxes from suppliers, dirt cheap, top protein and oils for sensitive skins (make sure they have been frozen for a few days somewhere along the line, destroys parasites) or herring. Or go to lidl and pick up a few tubs of their high strength fish oil
and put in 3 caps a day into her.

Read Watson 1998 for in depth on skin allergy in dogs and use of fish oil to remedy.

Completely cut out gluten / cooked protein food additives (so crappy pet store treats too). Have to start thinking like a nut allergy....just a little bit sets you back weeks.

Best of luck, you're on the right track. Stick with it. Please post again each week and keep us updated, encourages everyone.

DogsFirst · 12-01-2012 5:16pm

Also chamomile to help restore sensitive stomach lining, and any other herbal stuff that works for humans. Avoid prescription drugs as much as possible while her system recovers. Sounds very natural but it's what the immune system needs. High dose omega 3 and some calm time, free of allergens, drugs and stress. Could also recommend the four aces (vitamin A, C, E and selenium) for immune recovery but your move to a fresh diet supplies those in abundance. GL.

TooManyDogs · 12-01-2012 5:20pm

westies4ever wrote: »

All the conflicting opinions is making we a little nervous as well.

I've been feeding raw for about 4 years now but had been researching it for another 2 years before I switched because I hadn't the confidence. I know what you mean about the conflicting opinions, even now I can get my confidence knocked and was recently shredded online (not here!) for the make up of the diet I give my dogs. The way I figure it is that my dogs are healthy on it, poos are grand and crumbly, small and not smelly and my dogs have tons of energy and great muscle tone. I got a blood panel done on my oldest dog recently and all her levels are perfect, you'd think it was my own blood for how proud I was!

I got caught up in the idea that I couldnt possibly balance a diet for my dog because I'm not a vet/canine nutrionist but my hubby pointed out I'm not a dietition yet manage to feed myself, him and our toddler just fine. This led me onto to remembering how much hassle the public health nurses used to give me when they realised we were raising our girl vegetarian. Of course there are unhealthy vegetarian diets out there, but also are there unhealthy omniverous diets but because omniverous is 'normal' in society people don't think twice about cooking for themselves but anything different must need nutition degrees. I think it's the same for dog food, now dry is normal and most people just buy whatever comes to hand assuming because it's normal and common it must be ok. Raw food is the minority so subject to close scrutiny and criticism.

At the end of the day as tk123 said, whatever food your dog does best on is best for your dog!

westies4ever · 12-01-2012 5:29pm

Thanks guys, I absolutely adore my dogs. I have no children and my husband works away a lot so they are my best friends. I really want to do the best I possibly can for them.

Feeding my female steroids and thus shortening her life just isnt an option. My boy is a very healthy fella but he has some issues with his anal glands and his farts would knock you out! He hasnt farted once since the switch! I've just joined the raw feeding group on yahoo for support and will have a look at the suggested reading.

I'll keep you updated. I really hope I can persevere because I will be honest - I am terrified of doing the wrong thing.

DogsFirst · 12-01-2012 5:46pm

Like TMD says, it really is as easy as feeding yourself, just a bit more meat.

It's taken a lot of money and some brilliant marketing to get you, your vet and everyone else so confused that you doubt your own ability to feed a dog yourself, and instead hand your dog health over to a billion dollar multi national company with no other interest but to make money. It really is the bottled milk / breast debate all over again, with the same companies in the middle, but that's another post!

Anal glands are from their lack of expression from soft stools. Re curring soft stools are a symptom of too much water in the stool. Cheap plant fibre that is included in dry food to bulk the protein levels to the "required" 24% minimum or whatever they are going with today, bulks the carnivores poo, as it does ours, and it shoots through. THeir systems are already rapid, they don't need it. Fresh food creates smaller harder stools but once they have been popped may need a re visit.

So don't stress - worst that'll happen your dog gets some diarrhoea from an ingredient he's not getting on with. Worst worst case, he will have to go back on his tablets. You can't lose!!

Zulu · 13-01-2012 3:39pm

How do you ensure you are not over/underfeeding?

DogsFirst · 13-01-2012 3:49pm

Same as yourself. Get a pair of jeans that fit your dog then try them on him every day. If he doesn't fit into them say in a month you know you need to cut back a bit!!

He should look slim all the time, pup to grandad. That's healthy. In very general you should be able to feel the ribs easily without seeing them. If you look down from above his waist should tuck in behind the ribs as opposed to looking like a gas cylinder!

If he's small stand on your scales and pick him up, but far easier is a cloth measuring tape around the waist (just behind his ribs). Measure his waist and keep an eye. Or get a friend to keep an eye!! You'll know.

And don't be deceived by his increase in appetite for fresh food. That's simply a dog that is looking forward to his dinner. Think of yourself dreaming of mums home cooking after three years of stale, jail food-esque beef flavoured porridge for breakfast lunch and dinner.

The increased water content of fresh food means you should be aiming to feed them 50% more than you feed an adult in dry food, or say 20% of his weight a week. But it's not a science like it is with complete food. It's a natural process with meaty bones here and there reducing their dinner size etc. Big walk, extra dollop! Young pup extra dollop X 2.

westies4ever · 13-01-2012 4:02pm

From what i've read the general rule is to feed them 2-3% of their body weight daily - more/less etc depending on how active they are. Thats the rule of thumb I'm following at the minute. I'll know in a couple of weeks if thats right or not!

DogsFirst · 13-01-2012 4:06pm

Yup about that, leaning more to the 3% (or 20% a week), and that's probably on the lean side for non-working adults or young pups. Divide into two feeds and all that. 3 - 4 for pups

Best food to feed dogs?

Comments