RAW FOOD DIET is it good, is it expensive and it is a faff?

[ThespianTendencies]

That's all really. Considering changing my two dogs to a raw food diet. My lab is 6 and my Yorkie/bichon is 1. The little one is so fussy and I am considering switching the pair of them to something that may be better for them in any case. Anyone got experience of the raw food diet and roughly how much more than a normal kibble and wet food diet is it? Thank you all - Happy New Year!

We use the stuff you can get from Pets at Home. It's called Natures Menu and it's in little lumps high are already made up of a mix of raw meat, veg and rice. It's £3.50 ish a bag and I think there's about 60 chunks in each bag so for my medium sized dog, it's just over £1/day. Poos are much firmer and less smelly and less farting!

We feed raw and went the expensive, no faff option. Honey's, note the no prices on the website! But there are a lot more companies doing this now.

Dogs are way better on it, but we do supplement with Fish 4 Dogs.

One dog was particularly itchy with some auto-immune issues and she's benefited hugely. They eat better than we do with higher welfare standards for the meat.

The vet who was on AMA wasn't a fan. She recommend complete dried food.

No Board registered veterinary nutritionists advise it. There are risks with bacterial infection to the dogs, but also to owners as the dogs can shed pathogenic bacteria in their faeces. They are very rarely balanced partly due to the fact they don’t tend to be made up by nutritionists. People will say that their dogs did great on them - the coats will be shiny as they tend to be higher in fat, their faeces will be smaller because they also tend to be low in fibre.

Definitely better for your dog as that is what they are meant to eat, Iook on Facebook there are lots of groups - BARF is one, very sensible advice as you should transition properly.

Good selection of raw food providers who do completes which should be around 80% muscle/10% bone/ 10% offal.

All my pets are on raw and I must be lujycxky my vet has seen the benefit and welcomes it.

My pets have been on raw over a year now, they are much healthier and happier.

I also get most of mine from pets at home but also order from kiezebrink.

There are a lot of nay saying from people regarding raw feeding but the proof is in the pudding especially when you actually read the ingredients that you are feeding your pets when feeding generic pet food.

There are a lot of Facebook groups who will be able to help you.

Forgot costing, I have a 16kg spaniel and her food costs just over a £1 a day on average

Raw feeding is much better than most dried (supermarket /branded) foods but it must be done properly or can do more harm than good !

I've 4 dogs & one didn't do well at all on raw even though the others did so it's not the best for all dogs.

There's a great website that rates all foods ,raw & dried plus gives you all the recent information & research on brands & their ingredients etc .

www.allaboutdogfood.co.uk

My girl appeared to have a sensitive stomach so I swapped her gradually onto cold pressed kibble and then onto a morning raw meal from Natural Instinct and still Gentle fish cold pressed in the evening. I have found that turkey or fish still suits her tummy best, she was explosive on pure tripe! But, she eats with relish and gets the benefit of raw even though I will approach new flavours with caution! It isn’t expensive, she loves it and her poo is firm and non smelly.

There are lots of raw delivery places and pet shops selling raw but without all the fancy packaging and high prices.

My 2 are raw fed with minced meat/bone and supplemented with chicken wing, lamb necks etc. We also give them offal, liver, kidneys etc.

The best advice I can give you is to buy a 2nd freezer for the meat as the larger the quantities the cheaper we find it. Local butchers are good for lots of meat on the bone but tend to find supermarkets cheapest for chicken wings and liver/kidneys etc.