The minefield of choosing dog food

[PupsterDude]

I have a happy lovely puppy whos 3 months old. She was being fed raw (natures menus frozen puppy nuggets, when she came to live at mine. Having done research, I’d already decided to switch her to dried because I’m immune compromised and I think it’s an unnecessary risk even with extra hygiene.
Trouble is that everyone has an opinion and now I’m feeling confused and deflated. :( I’ve started introducing a dry food but people said, oh you’ll never potty train her with that and that it’s not the right food. Someone said raw is best but if not, dried raw? It feels like I don’t know what I’m doing now.

[quote Wolfiefan]@Veterinari I didn’t say the OP should raw fed. I did say that I do. My specialists have no concern. The OP can of course get specialist advice if they are concerned.
I can’t see how the meat I feed is being “shed” in such a way as to put anyone at risk.
I choose to feed raw as my eldest dog has severe allergies. It’s taken us from daily vet visits to yearly check ups. Other people feed what suits them. As I already said.[/quote]
And no you didn't say the OP should feed raw, but you did give overly simplistic and inaccurate advice on how she could mitigate risk without actually knowing what her risk profile is, or having an understanding of the mechanisms of pathogenic transmission:
I’m immunosuppressed. You just need to observe basic hygiene. Hand washing and not let dog lick round your face

ChenPup came to us on Royal Canin Puppy and we’re sticking with it. I also add some cooked meat to it fairly regularly, he gets a little bit of fruit or some veg from time to time and some vile dried animal part as a treat. He’s 13 weeks and 95% house trained so it seems to be going ok.

I have an eleven year old dog who eats whatever we pick up, he's fine on anything. Don't get yourself too worked up on different special diets unless a dog has an allergy or health problem. Dogs are scavengers, they eat a mixed diet. Ddog currently is on burns trout because he's older and it's got fish oil for joints but when he was younger he ate Harringtons or just supermarket own brand most of the time (he definitely preferred Tesco one with coloured bits and had favourite colours he picked out first!)

I use forthglade ,I use kibble as treats on walks. Also has half a tin of chappie a day as that really makes his poo so much better.

And I stand by that. You do need to observe basic hygiene.
My older dog occasionally eats shit. Actual shit. I’m sure that’s more of a risk.
Each dog owner needs to make their own choices. But it’s not rational to avoid raw as it’s somehow a serious danger to human health.

I’m currently reading The Forever Dog book, which is about increasing dogs’ lifespans, by improving their diet and lifestyles.

The section on diet is interesting. They do advocate raw and have some raw food recipes/plans on their website. They have some home-cooked options as well but, more importantly, also acknowledge that raw/home-cooked is not right or possibly for everyone. Instead they recommend different things you can do to improve a more typical ‘kibble diet’. They advise adding a diverse range of fresh fruit and veg to kibble, even just three times a week, makes a massive difference to overall health and longevity. The book recommends all sorts of different things you can add, to incorporate various antioxidants, pre and probiotics etc.

I fed raw for years, until we moved to this house and no longer had the facilities. All my dogs did really well on it and were super healthy and fit. Ironically though, my longest lived - and probably most healthy over his lifespan - dog has been raised on kibble, high-end (Canagan) for the first half of his life and mid-range (Skinners Field & Trial) for the second. I looked into trying to manage raw for my next dog, but having done the research on pathogens/shedding etc and living in a vegetarian household with a clinically vulnerable dc I decided it’s not for us.

I would only feed raw.

Surely you handle raw meat before cooking it yourself? It's no different.
Dog bowl goes into dishwasher each night so is sanitised.

We keep the raw in a seal lock tubberwear box in the fridge.

I wouldn't use natures menus purely on cost, we get ours online from a supplier and keep in the freezer.

It's what suits to your dog. Mine is on Chappie, I would never have fed him that but he's diabetic and has chronic pancreatitis. It's good for him now.

Great tips on getting my dog to eat kibble, thankyou. He's just eaten a bowl of kibble with yogurt topper. Opened up a new vista of feeding possibilities for us.

@GameofPhones

Great tips on getting my dog to eat kibble, thankyou. He's just eaten a bowl of kibble with yogurt topper. Opened up a new vista of feeding possibilities for us.

My fussy bugger turned up her nose at kibble and wet food this morning. I made a bit of a pantomime of adding a splash of milk, and she then ate two thirds of it.

@Wolfiefan

And I stand by that. You do need to observe basic hygiene. My older dog occasionally eats shit. Actual shit. I’m sure that’s more of a risk. Each dog owner needs to make their own choices. But it’s not rational to avoid raw as it’s somehow a serious danger to human health.

Is your opinion. Contradicted by science

My dog eats anything. He gets posh kibble and the occasional bit of veg. I use live yoghurt too. Good for his digestion.

@PupsterDude

I have a happy lovely puppy whos 3 months old. She was being fed raw (natures menus frozen puppy nuggets, when she came to live at mine. Having done research, I’d already decided to switch her to dried because I’m immune compromised and I think it’s an unnecessary risk even with extra hygiene. Trouble is that everyone has an opinion and now I’m feeling confused and deflated. :( I’ve started introducing a dry food but people said, oh you’ll never potty train her with that and that it’s not the right food. Someone said raw is best but if not, dried raw? It feels like I don’t know what I’m doing now.

Well I have just paid a huge amount of money to have my GSD puppys septic joint operated on because of raw food. My vet and vet consultant said run for the hills away from raw. Its total bollocks and most vets think its the dog equivalent of anti vax movement. My puppy had bacteria in his joint caused by the raw diet recommended by the breeder. The health risks are enormous and Id never feed raw after reading up. Currently feeding purina which seema good.

@Wolfiefan

I feed raw. Dogs love it and are healthy. I’m immunosuppressed. You just need to observe basic hygiene. Hand washing and not let dog lick round your face.

What about the risk to your dog? Raw is a mugs game.

[quote Wolfiefan]@Veterinari what risk? I handle raw food and wash hands. I actually have a separate prep area and fridge/freezer. All bowls are washed and stored away. I don’t allow dogs to lick my face. I wash my hands after cuddling dogs and always before eating.
I honestly can’t see what the issue is. I’m on immunosuppressants. At no point has any medical professional expressed concern about my animals or how I feed them.[/quote]
Go read the reports about the dangers of raw. My puppy just had a serious issue because of raw related bacteria.

The vet at Liverpool animal hospital told me to stop raw feeding. This was after my dog was diagnosed with inflammation in her oesophagus. The hospital vet said there just isn't enough evidence to say one way or another that potential pathogens from raw food could cause health issues for dogs. She couldn't say whether it was the cause of my dog's inflammation as they ran a whole load of tests and couldn't find a reason for it, but along with the immediate treatment for the inflammation, she advised I stop raw feeding. I switched her to Different Dog and she's done really well on that.

@Janeandjohnny I disagree. My dog was very unwell on dry food. It’s a mugs game to feed the highly expensive and processed food the vets push on you. My dogs have a balanced and healthy diet. They’re happy. So I am too.

Not feeding raw doesn't mean people just feed whatever their vet tells them to though.

Just because someone doesn't feed raw (for whatever reason) doesn't make that person stupid or their dogs don't get good nutrition.

Personally I've had new dog owners proudly tell me how much they spend on raw and how amazing their dogs are. It's just food and myself and family have had dogs for years without falling for latest fads in diets, all healthy dogs and very happy.

[quote Wolfiefan]@Janeandjohnny I disagree. My dog was very unwell on dry food. It’s a mugs game to feed the highly expensive and processed food the vets push on you. My dogs have a balanced and healthy diet. They’re happy. So I am too.[/quote]
Yes what would vets know?
Please, do share your canine nutrition qualifications, or the evidence you're using to inform your decisions?

Please do explain @Wolfie why you disbelieve all of the peer reviewed science demonstrating the public health concerns and why you think vets 'push' nutritionally appropriate diets?

As far as I'm concerned, you can choose to feed your dog what you like but don't deny science and spread misinformation to justify your choices

I'm sorry this is a slightly off-topic question but I am a soon-to-be novice dog owner. My husband has owned dogs for 40+ years and always fed them dry. All his dogs have lived to 15/16.
I suggested that maybe we look at raw feeding the new dog (springer) and he is adamant that raw feed rots dogs teeth. However everything I have read suggests it does the opposite - doesn't get stuck to teeth, helps stop plaque build up etc.
Happy to hear from experienced owners!

@Stellaris22

Not feeding raw doesn't mean people just feed whatever their vet tells them to though.

Just because someone doesn't feed raw (for whatever reason) doesn't make that person stupid or their dogs don't get good nutrition.

Personally I've had new dog owners proudly tell me how much they spend on raw and how amazing their dogs are. It's just food and myself and family have had dogs for years without falling for latest fads in diets, all healthy dogs and very happy.

Yes I'm always astonished at how much folk are happy to spend on raw food (many of which are nutritionally inadequate and of public health concern), but sneer at foods produced by manufacturers that actually employ qualified nutritionists, and make specialist clinically proven prescription diets backed by evidence.

I guess it's the same attitude that supports homeopathy and nodose 'vaccines'

vets can't genuinely state they don't push certain dog foods.. my SIL is a sales agent for one of the big names routinely stocked (and its shit)

Raw feeders are often like the dog owned equivalents of vegans. That snooty superior vibe that they are better dog owners as it’s “natural” and they love their dogs more as they’re prepared to spend loads of cash and time on their food.

Meanwhile in the real non-competitive dog ownership world, most people just pick a food they can buy at their local supermarket and most dogs thrive.

There's a middle ground, which is high nutrition kibble. It's not a "raw or shite" argument. Some dry is crap. So use a decent independent website like all about dogfood and make an informed decision from there.

@whereisthekey

vets can't genuinely state they don't push certain dog foods.. my SIL is a sales agent for one of the big names routinely stocked (and its shit)

Vets definitely sell certain brands - usually those employing qualified nutritionists, and producing prescription diets with a clinically proven evidence base. But as with any product, clients are free to purchase what they will

Vets certainly don't tend to sell nutritionally imbalanced raw food with public health risks.

If you choose to interpret making evidence-based decisions as 'pushing' a brand that's up to you

What would be something you consider as 'shit'? And On what basis?