Raw diet... opinions?

Question

Out of curiosity, why do so many people support it so?

I'm not being accusatory... I'm genuinely curious. I've read quite a bit on it, but the main argument for it I've come across is "dogs in the wild don't cook their meat", which isn't a good argument at all, considering half of dogs in the wild die before they reach 1 year, and those who survive past only live about 6 years. Likewise, domesticated dogs AREN'T wild dogs.

I realise that raw meat has more nutrients (as they aren't cooked out), but it seems the negatives outweigh the benefits. Raw meat has more nutrients for humans, too... but long ago humans decided to start cooking their food (and life expectancy has been sky-rocketing ever since). Of course, dogs have shorter digestive tracks and are less prone to the problems associated with raw meat (but not immune).

So... for people who praise it so... why? (once again, an actual question, not pointed... I'm genuinely curious. Maybe there's something I'm missing

First of all, I'd like to note that I never thumbs down anyone on questions I ask... so it's not me! Secondly, sweety05: please re-read my first full paragraph. Dogs live in the wild, but they don't live long lives. Also, domestic dogs AREN'T physiologically the same as wild dogs. I'm looking for perspectives other than that, as that one's moot.

al l: a Great point... bacteria, etc... isn't even given the chance to grow in the wild. Very different than store bought.

abbyful: Very good point about other advances contributing... cheers!

owltyedup: Also good points. Thankyou. And yes, I do actually prepare my dog's food... half his diet is kibble (Canidae), and the other half is prepared food (cooked) with supplements that I've been tweaking and perfecting for him individually over the years... he certainly enjoys it more and does very well on it (13 and no health problems except mild arthritis).

...I won't respond to everyone, obviously... but the first few. And thanks to everyone! Cheers!

Answer 1

First I would like to point out that dogs are only different from wolves in appearance and temperament but their internal anatomy and physiology is the same. Dogs have recently been reclassified as Canis lupus familiaris by the Smithsonian Institute in 1993, placing it in the same species as the gray wolf, Canis lupus. http://www.fiu.edu/~milesk/Genetics.htm

Dog food has only been around for less than 100 years, it started in 1922 and did not become popular until the 1950's, yet dogs lived well on table scraps and raw bones in the past, before the creation of the perfect balanced diet for dogs. There are many problems in today's dog that were not as common before everyone began routinely feeding only dog food and these things are allergies, cancers, tooth decay and tartar, hip dysplasia, arthiritis, skin problems and reproductive problems. Dogs lived longer lives eating what was left from the table (back then it was not much), meat scraps and bones. Eating raw guarantees that the dog gets all the nutrition from the food it eats, just like it is nutritionally better for humans to eat whole grains, raw fruits and veggies. It is the way the food is intended to be eaten.

Dog food was not created and manufactured for the health of dogs but for the profit it would produce. Butchers realized the profit potential and began selling their scraps that would otherwise be discarded, to the companies that produced dog food. Also, realize that marketing is what made dog food popular, not the nutrition it provides.
When I was a kid, we fed our dogs raw and whatever scraps we had, they were healthier and lived longer. I started out feeding my own dogs dog food because of the convenience and I had allergy problems, lots of tarter on the teeth, a bloated dog and skin problems such as hot spots. Since switching my dogs to a prey model diet 5 years ago not only do my dogs look healthier but my vet bills have decreased because I do not have to take the dogs to the vet for chronic ear infections, skin problems and my dogs NEVER need teeth cleaning. I do not have to worry about bloat and feeding raw has been a lot cheaper than dog food. I will not go back to dog food for these reasons.

There are several good books on the subject by Dr. Ian Billinghurst and Tom Lonsdale and there are some very informative websites on the subject.

Answer 2

Considering all the problems with commercial foods- off and on- and considering that dogs are often allergic to some things which are put in commercial dog foods, like wheat and corn or glutens from these, or rice protein concentrate or third world product that has been contaminated, a raw diet makes a lot of sense to me. I tried this diet on my three dogs after allergies and illness and especially skin problems they had from puppyhood and the results were GREAT. They were on this diet for nearly a year.
Contrary to dogs in the wild that are subject to the elements, parasites, and eating road kill/rotting carcasses and toxins from garbage etc, a dog on a raw diet doesn't mean a person is not picky about the freshness and quality of product they purchase. I had one dog that survived two bouts of pancreatitis, largely due to swallowing chunks of rawhide before I discontinued all rawhides and processed meat/hide products. Since she is a gulper (swallows large pieces whole) I ground the raw meaty bones for all three.
I added supplements and they each got a raw egg twice a week. A raw diet for a domestic dog, in most cases, is not at all like what a dog would eat in the wild.
Right now, I feed a commercial food that was not on the recent recalls and does not contain wheat or corn or artificial dyes. In addition, I give my dogs occasional cubed raw beef heart and raw egg about once a week.
I do this because I don't have the freezer space that I had before and it's more convenient.
They get Brewer's yeast on their food and fish oil supplements approved by Vet. Their skin/coats and overall health is great.
I did not experience any negatives whatsoever with a raw diet but I was very picky about quality of product and preparation.
I praise a raw diet because when dogs are fed this diet with care about the types of ingredients, balance, supplements needed, it doesn't cut their life expectancy but raises it, if anything. Here is the site I used when I wanted to try a balanced raw diet:
http://www.rawdogranch.com

Answer 3

I think raw diet is a feasible option. Many dogs thrive on it, and raw meaty bones are excellent for the teeth. Cooking food (both meat and vegetables) makes it lose some of it's nutritional value.

I don't feed an all-raw diet, but I've started incorporating a lot more raw meat into what I feed my dog. My dog eats half raw and half kibble. (Raw in the morning, kibble in the evening.) I like the idea of my dog having more meat and organ in her diet and also a bit more variety.

Feed what your dog does best on. Dogs need to eat meat, so go with a diet such as raw or a high quality kibble that is mostly meat. Not a dog food that is mostly grain and fillers, like many of the dog foods on the market.

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RE: ""dogs in the wild don't cook their meat", which isn't a good argument at all, considering half of dogs in the wild die before they reach 1 year, and those who survive past only live about 6 years."

> Domestic dogs do not have to face the problems wild animals face. They are protected from the elements, given veterinary care, have no threat from predators, etc.

RE: "but long ago humans decided to start cooking their food (and life expectancy has been sky-rocketing ever since)"

> There have been many other changes, such as advances in medicine to create vaccinations and general care that prolongs our lives, discovery of electricity so we stay warm during the winter, and many many more things. The increase of the human lifespan can *not* be attributed to us eating cooked meat instead of raw meat.
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Answer 4

I have raised both dogs and wolves. I have done tons of research on proper nytrition for both. As far as the RAW diet is concerned it does have some merrtit but it is pretty much a hollow argument untless you are willing to feed fur, bone, intestine, yadda yadda. The best that I have found is not a raw diet but a home prepared diet. Ther is actually abook recommended by an acclaimed vet by the name of "Dr.Pitcarins Natural Health Care for Your Dog and Cat." that is a mecca of information on how to create truly balanced diets for you domestic carnivore. Because the #1 problem in giving your pet real food is not knowing how to balance all of the necessary nutrients... this book breaks it all down for you and backs everything up with scientific fact.
This book is for sale at most any book store that has an adequate section for pet care.
Good Luck to you. It seems that you should be more than intellectually suited to be able to make your own food if this is the decision that you decide to go with.
As far as commercially made dog food. I have never been able to find anything to support it as an optimal option outside of convienience and the fact that it is not detrimental. But not being detrimental does not mean that it truly supports optimal health either.
~Tyed~

Answer 5

Wolf cubs die before a year do to being preyed on. Dogs have the enzymes needed of digest raw meat. It is a more natural food. My family have feed raw diets to our dogs from as long as I can remember. My uncle who bred hunting dogs likewise fed the same way. Never have we had a dog with hip problems, diabetes, or heart problems. All of my dogs that die a natural death was between 15years, a GSmix, to 25 years for a 6lb poodle x. I also knew 3 vets that fed their dogs and cats the same way. Farm dogs for a very long time was fed off the waste scrapes from butchering. It as only been in the past 70 years dog food as been around. There have been a lot of people answer you here that is more read on raw diets than I am. I am coming from a point of view that I gotten by observation and years of doing.

Answer 6

I did read your question fully, and am of similar thoughts to your own. I think that so called 'Raw Feeding' CAN sound logical, in theory, but I am yet to meet anyone who is clear about which kind if diet they are actually trying to emulate, or anyone who does it 'properly'. Feeding some kibble, some cooked, some raw simply serves to confuse the digestive tract, and make it unable to extract the nutrients it wants, as it has no idea what kind of diet it will be processing day in, day out.
I remain 'on the fence'. I am intrigued by some of the 'pros'...but too terrifies of the 'cons' to risk experimenting myself. My dogs will be staying on the high quality, compete extruded food that their digestions can easily process, to the benefit of their over all health.
I am NOT anti raw feeding - but nor have I met anyone who can explain the benefits to me, without either contradicting themselves, or quoting, parrot fashion, someone elses points.

Very good question.

Answer 7

I have fed a raw diet for 13 years. The reason I started to feed it (and to stop vaccinating) was because my dogs were always at the vets. Not only did it cost me a fortune, but my dogs obviously were not in the best of health. I did a lot of research. Our dogs digestive system is exactly the same as that of the wolf or wild dog (and the fact that our dogs live cosseted lives compared to their wild cousins means that they are able to live longer) and therefore they can digest meat and bones with no problem. They also have the strong digestive juices which not only deal with bones, etc., but also deal with the e-coli, etc. that everyone seems so worried about. What problems do you think are associated with raw meat for dogs? I can't think of any that haven't been made up by the kibble manufacturers to scare you off feeding raw. In actual fact, feeding dogs kibble is reducing their life-span. Dogs fed kibble have arthritis, they have chronic digestive problems, etc., etc. They die young of kidney problems, because the kidneys weren't meant to cope with the strain placed on them of a kibble diet, especially a bad kibble, with low-grade ingredients and preservatives that should be banned. Dogs don't have a digestive system that is meant to cope with grain, which is mainly what kibble consists of....and bad grain at that.

My raw fed dogs have *never* been to a vet for any illness whatsoever all of their lives. I have four dogs, aged 5, 5 1/2, 10 and 12. No illness, nothing. I feed a balanced diet, which I carefully formulated years ago. However, I now feel confident in what I feed. Chicken wings, beef, tripe, lamb, liver, kidney, heart, etc.

You are welcome to join my list below. :-))

Answer 8

I feed it for a few reasons.

1. My grandparents fed their dogs this way. Their dogs routinely lived 4-5 years longer than the dogs of the same breed today. They also vaccinated less... I am now using a revised vaccination protocol also.

2. I have healthier dogs with fewer issues that require seeing a vet. My dogs rarely are affected by diarrhea (even when all the other dogs at the dogshow get it), they have cleaner teeth, no anal gland issues, and no allergy or ear issues.

3. I'm lazy and hate picking up dog poop. My raw fed dog's poop disintegrates into the lawn... I now have a VERY lush lawn... I asked my lawn guy if there was an issue and he told me that my yard is one of the cleanest ones with dogs (although he laughed about the number of toys!)

4. I'm cheap. I can feed my four big dogs raw less expensively than I can feed them a premium brand of dog food.

5. I'm competitive. My dogs look great and win more.

Edit: FWIW... I don't believe my Samoyed's intestinal systems are that far off from a wolve's. Most of the dogs I've dealt with are less than 20 generations off of original imports from the arctic... where they were scavenging and being fed scraps of reindeer (not much grain up there with the Samoyed people). Sams will still scavenge and are formidable hunters.

Answer 9

My personal belief and motto is Freshest is always better or as close as you can get, for yourself and Your pet. The less hormones, processing, and chemicals the better. what you put in is what you get out. I'd much rather eat fresh veggies and cooked meat then have some frozen dinner variety. I apply that to my dog as well. I am responsible for his healthcare and what his diet consists of, so I make sure it's the healthiest and most holistic I can. Afterall, this society is over run with obesity, cancers, and other ailments that can be directly linked to Diet and exercise.

Answer 10

120 Raw Diet Food Recipes - http://Go.StayEatingRaw.com/?uaDI