I'm a raw feeder, l have been for about 7 years . I started a lot like most raw feeders. Their dogs have an issue and using real foods help to heal and deal with these issues. They are worried about them digesting too much toxins . Eating unhealthy, normally they had an issue with something and you look for what else is there.
Once you find raw it is an adjustment, you're no longer opening a bag but serving a meal.
My journey into raw feeding and natural health actually all started with homeopathic arnica .(use homeopathic remedies with advice from a holistic animal professional)
Although my dog was a terrible eater, he never really liked kibble and after a few attempts of me home cooking l made it worse with not really understanding the ingredients .I then brought raw with it already weighed and a few supplements and never looked back . Now lm diy, l like the control and l find it cheaper. When you start out always get it already portioned up for you and know what is needed to balance or a few recipes from a nutritionist.
I learnt homeopathic arnica would stop or even prevent fever in my dog . He is a Shar Pei with a condition that causes him to have fevers . I was shocked how much it worked not every time but most times. 9/10 . He now has been fever free for a few years . He isn't cured there isn't one . Help due to some life style adjustments and dealing with food and removing as much as l can that might cause toxins and inflammation. Natural products work for us , they are different on different dogs just like people.
He responds so well to natural and real foods that it was a road that needing walking down . Shar pei fever is actually an inflammatory disease. So it just seamed logically to me that if his body gets time where it gets inflamed. I should treat him with foods that are anti inflammatory.
To be honest most diseases both pet and human are caused by inflammation.
Going down this route was healthy for everyone. A very interesting learning which still fascinates me today. Everything l read, watch, do courses on it is how we should trust our bodies to heal, how nature is designed to help and when to use western medicine. Something l was studying for humans .
A lot well most of Kibble is high in carbohydrates. We all know what happens when we eat too many carbohydrates wheat, corn and fillers . We are sluggish tired and hungry soon after. Why are we hungry soon after? We don’t get enough nutrients so we crave more food. Be careful of processed foods with synthetic vitamins added these are not easily absorbed by the body and even going straight through the body . Even after eating loads it’s the same with dogs . They eat and soon after are hungry again , they eat more treats etc and before you know it you have a obses dog . It also aids in diabetes this can be true of our dogs too. Inflammation loves these foods. Plus these days the wheat, corn is mass produced with more pesticides, that can be toxic to us our pets and even the water and earth surrounding us.
When l started raw feeding my dog it was a learning curve, but l began to learn what was good for him and what worked.
Now a days l think it’s became so complicated, with so many people telling you what you must do must add etc. really it’s food . You know what you should eat lm not saying you do that, but there’s a chart with what you should eat ( it’s not always the right chart l should add) dogs have a chart too. Or a percentage based on what wild dogs eat when eating their kill . This was 80,10,10 80 meat 10 bone 10 organ .The organ is the most nutrient rich ( back in the day we too ate organ some still do) .
Some use 10 bone 10 organ 70 meat/ fish with 2% seeds,herbs nuts. The rest veg and a small % of fruit . Now different dogs need different bone amount . This can range 10 around 18/20 .Nature has a way of knowing this by how dogs poop . Too much organ will be runny to much oil will be runny greasy too much bone will be white chalky hard. Remember that film where the young Chinese’s emprior had his staff look at his poop everyday to judge his health . That pretty much you and your dog s poop when raw feeding lol.
You can buy raw already mixed in a packet and add natural supplements, veg fruit etc if needed .Just remove from the freezer defrost open and serve preferably at room temperature . ( most often you need to add a few things to balance . ) You can buy base mixes.( Make sure they are natural not synthetic vitermins/minerals added) .They contain bone power/calcium, organ, veg you just add the protein. Some are base mixes of veg,fruit ,sprouts, mussels ,seeds etc . Then you add the bone,organ and protiens. It's not as time consuming or as expensive as people think . Yes it's more than the cheapest kibble but can be less then a well known expensive kibble.
I go with this as much as l believe the meat organ bone has most of what they need . The meat today isn't as good as the meat years ago so adding a little extra goodness can help. Fiber, micro,macro nutrients some enzymes certain vegetables and fruit, antioxidants vitamins, minerals, herb supplements don’t forget mushrooms ,bone broth ,goats milk, kelfir the list goes on as it does for us too. Start simple and add what they might need , the best thing about raw or lightly cooked is you adapt it too your pet, the exercise, the time of year , allergy season ,health issues and it isn’t just a chicken breast, liver ,wing and kidney the animal has lots of parts.Eyes, tripe, birds have feet, lungs, hearts, tendons etc you can use them all and it best too.
When trying to heal feed like with like .
What is an important thing is you can adapt it to your individual dogs who has individual needs and likes and dislikes. It’s all about differnt foods, different meats ,different fruits veg , don’t forget oils and fish ,salmon, oysters,mussels, sarndines ,mackerel to name a few. Remember small fish are often lower in mercury as bigger fish eat the smaller fish adding to their own mercury levels .They are all unique with unique nutrients.
The earth is full are different varieties, for different climates, needs and different healing .
I feed on a flat dog platter made not of plastic but a fiber. So it's safe , trying to keep those plastics to a limit . He enjoys his food so much better since l used this and l love seeing him self selected what he needs . You and me we probably save the best to last but an animal eats what he needs first ,the bone first if he needs calcium minerals, the fish if he need omega 3 oils , the egg , the heart , the liver, the kidney and everyday the thing he starts with is often completely different from the day before. He rarely starts with the fruit and veg . Sometimes l do hide them .
I use to think he had to eat it all to get balanced. Just because you spent ages weighing,getting all the nutrients to line up , brought the little extras doesn't mean your dog will eat it all. Dogs are amazing at picking out what they don't want no matter how small. lm relaxed knowing he eats all the right things over time. I'm not saying it shouldn't be balance it should but to get it perfectly balance what is that , lm not even sure anyone knows for sure. I give him as many pieces of the puzzle l can and he builds the image of health . I also feed once a day , but sometimes he eats it all and sometimes he eats half and saves half for later and if he doesn't want too much to eat one day that's ok too . I personally feel what we all eat is the one gift we can give ourselves . Sometimes it's hard. You can only do as much as you can . A small step leads to a longer journey . A perfect diet for dogs and humans are only one part of the puzzle , exercise, non stress, love and playing ,jobs we all like a purpose,are also factors in a long healthy life......
This is just my experience if you want to raw feed please research and get professional advice if needed . Two books which are a great place to start are the international best seller "the forever dog" and "feeding dogs:the science behind the dry versus raw debate".....
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