Question for Raw Feeders

[mygirlsmomma]

I want to switch my girl's food to raw within the next month or so (I need a freezer and to stock up.) I would like to know what additional fruits/veggies I should add to their food (if any.) From the research I have done it looks like all of the prepackaged foods include fruits and veggies, but I think I read somwhere here that it isn't necessary? I'm sure that I will have additional questions but for now this is all I have Thanks eveyone!

 

[RiiSi]

Congrats on making a good desicion. There is a lot of different school of thoughts about the veggies and they all think that they are right, so you can go both ways. How old is Ellie? If she is still growing it would be beneficial for her to have veggies. Growing dogs should not have as much protein as adults. Veggies should be smashed and frozen so the dogs digestive system can take the most out of them. And then some people sware that they need to be lightly cooked, so you can go both ways there too. I try to feed Usko veggies, but he refuses, so can't really force feed him and he is doing great. Now and then I try to sneak in a spoonful, but I'm busted every time. Usko eats fresh pineapple and apple, so he gets some of those when we have some and they come out virtually unchanged.

 

[mygirlsmomma]

Congrats on making a good desicion. There is a lot of different school of thoughts about the veggies and they all think that they are right, so you can go both ways. How old is Ellie? If she is still growing it would be beneficial for her to have veggies. Growing dogs should not have as much protein as adults. Veggies should be smashed and frozen so the dogs digestive system can take the most out of them. And then some people sware that they need to be lightly cooked, so you can go both ways there too. I try to feed Usko veggies, but he refuses, so can't really force feed him and he is doing great. Now and then I try to sneak in a spoonful, but I'm busted every time. Usko eats fresh pineapple and apple, so he gets some of those when we have some and they come out virtually unchanged.

Ellie is a year now I know she has some more filling out to do but I think she is as long as she is going to get.

 

[Bella'sMom]

My Bella gets the raw pre-pattied. I can not tell you enough how much of a difference it made for her and her health condition. Long story short, she can not digest food on her own. So with enzymes on all food, that is the only way she survives. Now she still can get an outbreak of too much intestinal bacteria, which means diarrhea and medication for weeks. Well not now. If she does have a break out (and it is very rare now) it only takes about 2 days to get her back on track. Kudos all the way with raw

I have actually been thinking of mixing and grinding my own food. I was thinking Green Beans, Sweet Potatoes, Blue Berries and A green like maybe some Kale. putting it in the food processor and then mixing with the ground meat. I will be researching this much closer the next week or so.

Let me know what you decide on.

 

[GatorRay]

Personally, it is my thought that they are unnecessary. I say that because every time I feed a veggie or fruit, it comes out pretty much the same as it went it so that is telling me that they don't digest it. I certainly don't think it is wrong if you choose to do it and I know they LOVE the taste (I gave some apple to mine earlier) but I don't count on it for any nutritional value. I could be totally wrong and that is ok! I think it is what works for the dog and their family that is important .

 

[LiLlilly]

I agree with Gator :]

Thing is, if you're feeding raw, you're doing so to represent their natural diet. Why incorporate veggies regularly? As gator said, it comes out exactly as it went in. Same reason why kibble fed dogs have BIG poops when compared to raw fed dogs. Their bodies can't use it, and there is a lot of waste that looks just like the kibble(I'm talking about color and consistency) as a result. I say feed veggies from time to time to throw some variation in there and add some pizzaz to their diet lol. Studies show that wild dogs very rarely eat vegetable matter, and only really do so randomly. But they DO eat fruits and veggies when they feel like grazing. So in my opinion(which isn't much so take this all with a grain of salt) I say represent that as best as possible. Supplementing with different meats, using different organs, and other little tricks is enough for them to get all they need. I started feeding Lilly some raw egg with her morning breakfast for some additional nutrients. There's all sorts of ways to supplement without really needing to use veggies. And why "supplement" their diet with something that isn't really "supplementing" it at all and is just a filler really? If it's not something their body can synthesize properly then it's probably doing more harm then good on a long term basis. Just something to think about. Either way you made the right decision feeding raw, so pat yourself on the back for that one!! It's pretty confusing at first, but I'm getting the swing of things slowly. Also since I started, I find it awfully interesting. It pretty cool learning about dog nutrition in my opinion, but I'm a nerd and love reading about dog behavior. One more tid bit, and I'll shut up...When I didn't know anything about raw, I would just put kibble out and walk away. Didn't think much of feeding time, and just watched my dogs start eating and carried on. Now, I look forward to feeding her now because it's a pretty primal sight to see your dog gnawing on some meaty bones. The sounds, and their overall instincts on how to chew it up is so skillful and amazing to witness I think. Anyways, good luck, and come on here for any questions. There's a lot of smarty pants on here with a lot of valuable information. I wouldn't know didley if wasn't for all the englishbulldognews community! Good luck with your transition, and keep us posted!

 

[RiiSi]

Ellie is a year now I know she has some more filling out to do but I think she is as long as she is going to get.

Being a year old she can take all the protein. When puppys bones are still growing it's not good not feed so much protein. Puppys need more bone and some veggies to bring down the protein intake. I started feeding raw to Usko when he was around 7-8 months and he has never been in to veggies.

 

[mygirlsmomma]

Thank you all for your advice and insights!!!!!! I guess it's safe to say even the prepackaged raw food has some fillers in it (veggies/fruits) and aren't needed. THANK YOU AGAIN and I will keep you posted- like I said it won't be for a while but when I am ready I will let you all know how it goes!!

 

[pamela]

Emma get raw veg everyday. Some research i have done, wild dogs eat stomachs of wild animals, which contain veg and fruit matter. I grind her bones and meat, so i just add her veg in the grinder, so it is already mixed. She is not real big on fruits, but veg are good to go. Her favorite is english peas and sweet potatoes with some skin. . She gets spinach, very big on carrots, squash, brocolli, green beans. her fruits is banana, some cranberry, mango, that is about all she will eat, as I said not big on fruits. Dogs do not need as much as humans, need some meats. She also gets 2 raw eggs a week.
You will not regret raw diet, saved my Emma life.

 

[izstigspunks]

Late to the party but wanted to share what I've also learned.

There are two types of raw, the BARF model and the whole prey model. One of the main differences between the two is the incorporation of fruits and veggies into the BARF type. However, it is true that animals do eat the contents of their prey's stomach, this is mainly done so by those located in the bottom of the pack. Alphas and others on the top gets to feed first and always choose the best pieces. The ones in the bottom get the leftovers, hence, the stomach and similar cuts.

Have to mention, though, that I feed my boys according to the whole prey model, so I've researched more on the subject than BARF. But I do like to share any unseasoned fruits and veggies with Punkin, because he can always smell whatever I'm pealing. lol. Stig for some reason grew tired of them and only forces himself to eat one whenever he sees his big bro enjoying some.