Advice on feeding raw and kibble

[Bear86]

I have read a lot about not feeding raw and kibble. However, I'm sure I've also seen people on here who do both( I think I saw a thread but can't find it now I need it!) I'd like to feed raw but to do it 100% of the time wouldn't work for us so I want advice on feeding both and whether I should do it at all. Happy to hear from people who do both and how you do it or people with reasons why it shouldn't be done to help make up my mind if you feed both do you feed it alternately at each meal or each day etc or do you put them together and how does this work with their digestion?

 

[ruthcatrin]

SOME dogs don't tolerate mixed kibble/raw at all.

SOME dogs tolerate mixed fine as long as its divided between meals (kibble for breakfast raw for supper)

SOME dogs tolerate mixed no problems.

IF you're going to do mixed kibble and raw you still need to balance the raw portion, if you're doing prey model then thats the 80/10/10, because you're reducing the nutrients they're getting from the kibble by whatever portion you're reducing the kibble by (to give them the raw), and so you have to make that up.

 

[musicdeb]

I now feed Titan 50% raw and 50% kibble (Acana Regionals chicken and grain free). I haven't noticed a change in him with his water intake and poop. It still remains the same.

I believe the issue comes into play with kibble and raw diet is when the kibble is loaded with grains because dogs process grains and meat differently which can cause some digestive upset.

Titan receives his meat meal with the morning and kibble meal in the evening with frozen, raw chicken feet.

 

[Bear86]

Thankyou! ....might have to source a grain free food first. While the food I give Bear has good 'numbers' it does contain whole grains. The few grain free foods I've found here is aus seem to have high cal/phos & protein. Do you feed large portions so they have to chew it or do you chop it up so even if they do swallow whole it won't get stuck? If feeding chicken do you leave skin on? Did you have any issues with him rejecting the kibble after getting raw meals?

 

[ruthcatrin]

If he'll chew its better for his teeth.

Feed skin on, and only trim really large fatty portions. Removing to much fat is actually bad and can do bad things for their skin and coat.

 

[musicdeb]

Thankyou! ....might have to source a grain free food first. While the food I give Bear has good 'numbers' it does contain whole grains. The few grain free foods I've found here is aus seem to have high cal/phos & protein. Do you feed large portions so they have to chew it or do you chop it up so even if they do swallow whole it won't get stuck? If feeding chicken do you leave skin on? Did you have any issues with him rejecting the kibble after getting raw meals?

Titan eats pork chops with bones and all. With the raw bones, it will not hurt them and they instinctively chew the bones a few or couple of times before swallowing, the stomach acid takes care of the rest. Yes, I leave skin on unless there is a lot of fat, I will cut that off.

Titan used to eat his meat whole but now I cut it him into medium-sized pieces before he will eat it.

Titan eats the kibble with his raw chicken feet and yes, there are some days he leaves the kibble but eats the chicken feet. I continue to place the kibble down until he eats it, i.e. he gets kibble no meat the next morning. I then feed him his meat at the evening meal.

Be advised that eating raw that they will regurgitate. The first time Titan did it, I freaked out but learned this is normal. It's actually kind of gross to watch them regurgitate.

 

[Bear86]

Gave Bear a chicken wing today as a treat and to see how he'd go...my god he went crazy when I got it out for him!! But he chewed it up like a good boy

 

[musicdeb]

Awesome!

 

[Young347]

Just wanted to maybe tell you guys my short story and resent changes. Had my cane corso for about 7 months and realized he was not gaining good weight and was a little small. So I took him to the vet and had his blood tested and come to find out he had a liver problem so following the news I had put him on medication dog food and liver pills and they did not help a bit his stool was still runny and he was not gaining weight so I did some research and chose to try my owe way a better diet I changed him over to raw meat only not kibble raw meat due to causing problems in the dogs stomach from trying to digest 2 totally different types of food kibble a slow digesting food and raw a fast more clean digesting at first I fead him chick but then realize he didn't like it and also doing more research finding out how much better red meat is for him long story short 3 weeks later he had gained 15 pounds and his health was 100% and since then he gains another 15 lb so from being on kibble and bad liver he was 107 lb at 1 1/2 years old now he is a comfortable 135lb and his stool and health is amazing

If you have any questions pm me anytime I do a 80 % lean meat 10% bone and 10% organs

 

[musicdeb]

Yes, raw is amazing diet. The raw diet cleared up Titan's severe skin allergies and chronic ear infections (yeast). I'm a strong advocate for raw diet. I had to go to 50% raw, 50% grain-free kibble due to budget constraints.

 

[Young347]

I can defiantly understand that I see you love in Dallas tx I did find a butcher around there that was going to give me a great deal on some beef scraps might wanna call around and get a small freezer ( I am in the prosses of doing myself) so you can store more meat and buy on sale how large is your massiff I am cutting my dogs food down to 3 lbs a day raw to see about distancing his size and not making him larger

 

[musicdeb]

I appreciate the advice, Young347, but I live in a one bedroom apartment for now, moving to a home next year. Freezer would not fit and I've checked around for good deals on meat. I used to order from a dealer in TX but his meat made Titan sick once and I quit ordering from him.

For now, it's 50% raw, 50% kibble until I move next year. I may consider putting him back on 100% raw at that time. We'll see.

 

[Bear86]

The cost difference for me wouldn't be huge but I think in the long run it would be easier to still have have him on a partial kibble diet. Just thinking if we were to go camping or even just out for the day where he would need a meal, it would mean I could just give him kibble. While the extra prep work for raw isn't huge it's still a consideration and at the moment I feel like a 100% raw diet would be too much. Sometimes I wish I could put a bowl of kibble out for my human children instead of prepping dinner all the time ;-) In an ideal world I would feed raw all the time and if feeding both doesn't agree with him I'll make a decision then.

 

[musicdeb]

You are right the cost difference isn't huge but over time it does make a difference. My last 3 dogs were kibble dogs with some meat and cooked meals mixed in, they all lived to be 13 years of age. They had no health issues until they hit 13 years of age which eventually killed them. They all ate Pedigree which at the time I didn't know it was crap food.

I didn't use chemicals on them, didn't give them vaccinations or used heartworm preventive on my last 3 dogs dogs and they were heartworm tested once a year. Never tested heartworm positive.

In the grand scheme of things, go with what is best for your pup and fits your budget and you do not have to justify why you do what you do with your pup. That's my 5 cents...

 

[Bear86]

Out of curiosity what do you do for fleas? That stuff is nasty but it is the only thing that controls the little buggers!!

 

[musicdeb]

I use Dawn dish detergent when I find evidence of fleas to bathe Titan. I sprinkle DE (Diacatomous Earth) around the apartment, especially under furniture and in the corners where the vacuum can't reach. I vacuum every other day, not only for the shedding happening right now but to keep fleas at bay. Titan has had fleas 3 times over the last 2 years. Not worth it to use chemicals to keep them away.

I found this website which helped me immensely when Titan had fleas. Die Fleas! Die! Die! Die! Freaky Cheap Flea Control

 

[Bear86]

We've never had a flea problem inside, thank goodness!! But we have a huge yard(1acre) and lots of bushy, sandy areas which fleas Love!! I'm keen to give the DE a go especially outside where it's really hard to control them...we are just coming out of winter and when the ground starts heating up but is still moist is when we have trouble! Have you tried DE for worms?

 

[musicdeb]

I believe DE does a great job outside with bugs but not sure about worms. You must be in Australia. Make sure to use the food grade DE around animals and humans.

 

[Bear86]

Yeah we are in Aus I meant feeding it to the dogs for worms, food grade of course.

 

[musicdeb]

Definitely do not know about feeding it to the dogs for worms.