A few years ago I participated in a long, detailed discussion on an internet list about raw food diets for dogs. A few of the people had had their dogs on raw food for quite a while, the longest of which was 6 years. This particular group of well informed and inquisitive multi-performance dog trainers still keeps abreast of all written matter about raw diets including research conducted by well-known dry and canned dog food manufacturers. Their participation in dog events varies from 3 or 4 years to 30+ years. Some had previously dealt with dogs with food allergies to well known dry food kibble diets. They own a combination of young dogs, old dogs, ailing dogs and perfectly healthy active dogs all of whom they seek to provide with the highest quality lives. The results of feeding a raw diet that they reported seeing in their dogs’ energy level and physical wellbeing was astoundingly positive. I was impressed and my curiosity about making the change definitely rose several notches.

In toying with making the change I began by taking the easiest step forward - supplementing all our dogs’ highest quality dry kibble with ground raw vegetables. As with most folks who consider switching their dogs to a raw diet, my hesitation came to the raw meat. I knew my dogs would love it but was not yet totally convinced it would be the healthiest diet for them. After supplementing their kibble with raw ground veggies for a year, I finally felt informed enough through reading books, articles and commentary to take the big plunge.

Before making a change of this magnitude my first move was to take all of our dogs to our veterinarian to run complete blood panels. I did not want to tamper with their bodies if they weren’t in the best health. We also ran vaccination titers to be certain their immunity was still normal. When the blood panels came back showing normal values and titer reports showed normal immunity I was resolved to taking the last leap of faith to change their diet.

All 3 Shelties were eating raw ground meat (beef, lamb, turkey, chicken) + ground veggies for breakfast. For dinner I gave them either chicken parts, turkey neck, beef heart, beef liver, beef kidney, sardines, mackerel or salmon mixed with veggie glop and plain yogurt or cottage cheese as well as vitamin supplements (salmon oil, a comprehensive vitamin that includes E and C, B-complex vitamin). My husband, Sidney, chops all of the meat into bite sized pieces so if a dog swallows whole pieces they will not choke by getting a piece lodged in their throat.

It took a while to figure out what quantities our crew of dogs needed. A fellow Sheltie owner feeds each of her dogs 2% of their body weight daily. That percentage did not work for us. After a couple of months my dogs showed more weight loss than was acceptable. So we raised the quantity of food until we felt comfortable with what they were eating and their weight held steady. As an example, 5 year old, 25 pound Dino’s breakfast consists of 5 ounces of meat + 2 heaping soup spoons of veggie glop and an occasional raw egg. His dinner consists of 4-1/2 ounces of RMB (raw meat and bones), 2 heaping spoons of veggie glop and 1 spoon of yogurt or cottage cheese. He probably consumes about a pound of food daily.

It was very easy to see that two out of three of our dogs were flourishing with their shiny coats, whiter teeth, excellent muscle tone, sweeter smelling breath, not to mention smaller stools. I’m not going to say that this diet is right for everyone to feed his dogs. In fact, one of our dogs did not fare well on it. She lost more weight than I thought was healthy and her blood panel no longer showed normal values across the board. She was switched back to the same topnotch kibble she’s always eaten and has remained in excellent health.

Within the past 6 months we discovered that our 13-1/2 year old boydog is in early stage renal disease. He’s still eating a raw diet. But, instead of one that I prepare at home his diet consists of one of the highest quality commercial frozen raw diets. His weight, energy, mental faculties and muscle tone are all as good as if not better than they were over 1-1/2 years ago when we began this adventure.

With my feeding a raw diet my dogs are not subjected to a product that has had all the natural nutrients baked out of it and then replaced artificially. I can offer them as high a quality fresh and varied diet as my wallet will allow. I am in total control of the quantity and quality of what my dogs eat, and have the highest hopes of their living longer, disease and allergy free, active lives.

If you are curious about feeding a raw diet to your dogs, you might ask for some input from folks with whom you “chat” on the internet and/or other folks who own your breed. There are many books available through booksellers such as www.dogwise.com As you might well imagine there are internet lists devoted to discussing raw diets.

Copyright © 2003 - Richard Green and Chris Vassonei