Raw Feeding and Children

[Girolle]

We are getting a puppy soon who is currently been fed on Natural Instinct by the breeder. I have been reading into the benefits of this and obviously want to do the best by my dog. NI seems a very convenient way of raw feeding, but my main concern is children and small visitors.

My youngest child is 5 and whilst I know to follow all the basic rules of hygiene with handling any raw meat, I am concerned with the dog licking the children and adequately cleaning the dogs face etc ( they are a beardy variety). I would also be concerned about when we go away with the dog where it might be more difficult to follow this regime.

I would be really interested to hear of anyone in a similar set up and what influenced your choices. Obviously I am going to discuss with the breeder too.

Many thanks.

I keep the food in a sealed tupperware box in the fridge
Food goes in the bowl, dog eats it, hands get washed, tupperware goes back in the fridge
The bowl gets washed a couple of times a week, although you could just pick the bowl up off the floor and wash it straight away if you are worried about toddlers licking it

Raw food is less 'messy' than other food, because there isn't anything to spill. Compared to say, pedigree chum, where they would be dribbling their face in the 'gravy'. You could always get the beard clipped if it is getting dirty? I imagine drinking water out of muddy puddles will cause more problems than the food will!

You should be training your dog not to lick faces from day one, regardless of what you feed them. That's easy though - a firm 'NO' every time they try to...

Re going away... It depends where you go, and how long for.
If we go away for one or two nights, we tend to take food with us.
Food is packed with ice packs, in a carrier back, in a chiller bag. Then it goes into the fridge when we get there (assuming it is hotel or friend's house)

If we have a very long drive, we stop at a supermarket near our destination and buy chicken wings and carrots, and feed those.

If we are going away for longer, we buy a bag of high quality kibble to take with us. It won't hurt for a week or so, and buying raw food locally just isn't feasible in a lot of places... We introduce a bit of kibble along side the raw for a few of days before we leave and phase it over to mostly kibble, then phase it back to raw afterwards

Thank you. Much appreciated.

The good side of raw feeding is that the poos will be tiny hard and easy to pick up so that is a bonus with young children in the garden.

I have always raw feed and with young children in the house - we have never had a problem with germs etc from feeding raw. Obviously as you say basic hygiene rules apply eg picking up ad washing dog bowls as soon as they are finished and hands etc.

Re going away we order the food online to be delivered to our holiday location.

An alternative is Pure dehydrated food which is like powder and you just add water. Small to pack if travelling and does need refrigeration.