raw diet for dogs?

Question

what are your thoughts about a the raw diet for dogs?

I have a maltese/shihtzu 12 weeks 3.5lbs good for him too?

What are the real benefits?

Answer 1

RAW/BARF diet is the most species appropriate diet you can feed a dog IF you do it correctly. There must be a balanced mix of meat,fat,bone and offal in the diet to make it well balanced. You'll also need to rotate types of proteins(meats) every few months. If fed properly,the raw diet is the best diet for most dogs.It works wonders for dogs with food allergies.

Answer 2

I believe a Raw Diet is GREAT as mentioned before aslong as you Do it Right!...
There are many Pro's & Cons to this Diet but, If you can do it right then I praise you ALL THE WAY!
A raw diet is more Natural for a dog to digest then Dog food with all its added Chemicals, Two chemicals to always watch for in your foods is BHA & BHT...Its what some Dog Foods are preserved with and it has been known to cause MANY health Problems in dogs. But, they will tell you its good for them. Stay away from Science Diet, the reason why your vet is selling it is because Science Diet throws alot of Funds towards them, most likely NOT because they like it themselves.
A Raw diet is a better choice all around I believe, and if you look up on Yahoo, or Google BARF then you can FIND Much information on this, and alot of sites are just deticated to this wonderful diet!

Answer 3

Benefits from raw include a CLEAN mouth. That means you don't have to take your dog in for dental cleanings and you don't have to smell their bad breath or brush their teeth! Raw diets are fabulous for this. They also mean that you will no longer have big smelly piles of poo in your yard. The waste generated by commercial dog food is incredible. once you change to raw, the food is almost totally utilized meaning smaller piles and no smell (really!).
Dog foods keep trying to entice people to buy by saying their food has 'more meat' or better quality protein. Well, cut out the junk and go right for the best protein available - raw!
If you have any concerns, i highly recommend the raw feeding group on yahoo for answers. Also, www.rawfed.com is a great starting place. Good luck!

Answer 4

Raw Food Diet Program : http://RawFoodHappys.com/Always

Answer 5

The only benefit from raw is the enzymes that are found in the raw food. The problems far outweigh the benefits.
You have meat that has antibiotics, hormones and everything else in it. The only way to get the majority of that garbage out of the meat is to cook it.
e-coli and salmonella are a huge concern, not only for the dog, but anyone he licks after eating his raw meat.

I have talked to many vets, and the majority of dogs that they see that have chronic issues are dogs that are being fed a raw diet.
You cannot get the balance on your own, and you end up with a dog that has an inadequate diet, not enough vitamins and minerals, and generally a dog that gets sick all the time.
I think that the reason that a raw diet seems to help people's pets at first is because they are getting away from dogfoods that contain corn, or wheat or something else that is causing an allergic reaction in their dog.

A good quality human grade dogfood is far better, and balanced and made for a dog to eat.

Answer 6

One of the biggest benefits will be dental health, maltese and shih tzu are proned to dental disease and it is not unusual for kibble feed ones to end needing to have dental cleaning yearly if you want to keep their teeth in good shape.

A raw diet along chewing on raw bones will to prevent tartar from forming on the teeth

But you need to do your research, pick up a few books on feeding raw, so as to learn how to prepare a balanced diet and how to introduce raw so as to have the least amount of side effects eg using digestive enzymes.

As for e-coli and salmonella most dogs can handle small amounts in fresh meats as they have shorter disgestive tracts than humans.

Now I did say "most", the exception would be dogs who are immune compromised as they are less able to handle bacteria, you can still give home prepared meals but it would be better to cook the meats first to kill off bacteria and supplement to replace vitamins/minerals thru cooking.

Answer 7

The idea of a raw diet is appealing when you consider the fact that canines are carnivores, and therefore should have meat. However, our modern day canines have been made into domestic animals, they no longer are the wolves they once were.

Your animal is a small breed puppy. Small breed dogs have the highest metabolism of any dog size. They also have specific dental concerns and digestive issues. Skip the raw diet approach. Your dog can only eat a small amount of food. It will be impossible to get the proper balanced nutrition your dog will need, in a small amount of food, without using a properly formulated dry dog food. The dry crunchy kibble will help keep teeth clean, proper fiber balance will maintain digestion, and premium pet food will have balanced vitamins and minerals vital for your dog's health.

For your dog in particular, I would suggest Eukanuba Small Breed Puppy food, dry. Always remember to have fresh clean water for your dog, as well as the proper amount of dry food.

Answer 8

I have 3 dogs...my german shepard had weight problems and someone recommended the raw diet ...I don't recommend it at all!!! The "raw diet" as i've been told is for dogs with sensitive stomach's...well my dog has responded great to ANY Brand name as longest it is CHICKEN AND RICE ,if you want to do the raw diet only use turkey and chicken meat no other ;) About what's the benefits: there aren't really any except you're dog getting spoiled and probably not wanting any dry food...
PS: I give my dogs a turkey leg as a treat once a week :)
Smiley

Answer 9

Have you ever tried using Eating for Energy (120 raw food diet recipes) system? Look at this place : http://www.StayEatingRaw.com/Guide . It could obviously explain everybody!

Answer 10

I am usually condone a raw diet or partial one for dogs...However, you have a designer dog mix. I don't think you should pursue a raw diet. Your best bet is to visit a reputable pet food store, who specializes in holistic foods, like Royal Canin, Burns, Canidae etc...

Pick up kibble &/or canned food from a good company, that does not have ingredients like corn or by-products. Then if you want to supplement with the odd raw bone (not cooked), then go ahead.

The raw-food diet works best on working breeds/hunting etc...You need to be concerned with quality and the healthy weight of your dog. Too much protein may be a concern for the growth (skeletal) for your type of dog.