Which food do you feed?

My dogs are never fed table scraps. Ever! The only time they might get "people" food is when David and I are at the cottage and we are eating outside. They will share with our raw carrots, picnic style. They are not encouraged to beg at the table for leftovers.


I don't think a war between raw vs. commercial food is an arguement that anyone can win here. This is why Kelly separated the food threads into two. One for raw, one for commercial foods.

Sometimes the discussions meet when we talk about additional supplements. For instance, I believe that most raw feeders also feed veggies as well?

I think it comes down to how much grain, how much meal, how much veggie is right for YOU!!!! Not your dog! For you. Because the dog doesn't really have a say in it.

I think we really have to keep the emotion out of these discussions. We all have to make choices for reasons that can't always be expressed on openly. Please respect each other in these choices. It's ok to give a differing opinion or offer up other options, but not to the point of rudeness.

Ok - I sound like a moderator here. I don't want this thread to get shut down because it's my thread and its all good discussion. But please, let's be respectful.
 
Barb is right. This thread has turned into a kibble vs raw debate. You can respectably debate that all you want, just please start a new thread in the appropriate place.

Let's keep this thread open to kibble recommendations for Bacca and Indy. Thanks.
 
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BarbV said:
My dogs are never fed table scraps. Ever! The only time they might get "people" food is when David and I are at the cottage and we are eating outside. They will share with our raw carrots, picnic style. They are not encouraged to beg at the table for leftovers.
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I never said you had to feed scraps from the table, just that if you are eating whole foods, it's totally OK to feed them to your dogs as well. If you are scrambling eggs, throw a couple more in and add that to their breakfast. My mother used to do two servings of naked oatmeal; one for her and one for the dog. It would go in his bowl for breakfast. He had no idea that it's "people" food. The line between "people" and "dog" foods is pretty thin, don't get caught up in the terminology.
 
Well, with the wole wellness recall, i would say its safe to knock wellness of your list! I know i would. just a suggestion :wink2:
 
Lacey'sMamma said:
Well, with the wole wellness recall, i would say its safe to knock wellness of your list! I know i would. just a suggestion :wink2:
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There have been recalls on very good kibbles, (blue buffalo, only some of it, not all). What the company does about it is what I rely on. I still feed BB, and feel confident about that. There have been recalls on eggs and certain meats, cereals, etc, and companies have fixed those too. So you can look at it two ways really. Once the company responds quickly and fixes the problem- then the foods are safe again. Recalls are inevitable allot of times. Just like cars- I still drive a Toyota!
 
k9kreationz said:
I cant wait to hear what they say too. I'm assuming you value their opinion or at least I hope they know what they're talking about. ;) And definitely keep testing Bacca. Maybe his liver is fine now. I hope so. Poor little guy.
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The opinion I finally received was not overly helpful.

Dear Barb,

It is interesting that both dogs need to lose a few pounds, I would have expected the hypo-thyroid dog to have more of a problem keeping his weight down. I am not a veterinarian, but as a nutritionist I am usually familiar with medical conditions that are effected by nutrition. Unfortunately in your case I have to admit I am not familiar with the medical condition. In a general it would make sense that the less nutrients that the liver has to process the easy it would be for the liver to function properly. Fats specially, and to some degree protein, are metabolized in the liver. Feeding a lower fat food may help the liver condition. Most Grain-Free are higher in fat, and some like the Orijen are also much higher on protein. I feel a fat level in the 10-12% range would be more appropriate. That would probably eliminated a few of the foods you mentioned.

Sorry I could not have been more help.

"Not familiar with the medical condition"????.....hypothyroidism and liver problems are not rare. Well maybe together they are.

"The less nutrients the liver has to process, the easier it is...." Oh, so I'm supposed to feed a food with low nutrients now?

aaargh! I'm no further ahead. I think I'm going for more help here. e.g. Dr. Dodd's perhaps.
 
We need to find you a vet who's also a nutritionist. Anyone know of one?

Bummer that it wasn't much help. Sigh.
 
Lew Olsons Book, Chapter 22: Diets for Liver Needs

Low-Ammonia foods: Eggs, low-fat cottage cheese, yogurt, chicken (with skin and visible fat removed), fish. Stay away from large amounts of red meat.

The best carb sources are complex carbs, which offer soluble fiber to help absorb ammonia and toxins. Stay away from Oatmeal, whole grain pasta, whole wheat bread, canned plain pumpkin. Good sources - Veggies, barley, rye, beans, carrots, green beans.

Offer only good quality fats, meat and omega-3 fatty acids (salmon oil).

The book contains three sample diets.

Supplements: Probiotic powder, green foods (kelp, alfalfa), Vitamins B,C, and E, Salmon Oil, Digestive Enzymes, Milk Thistle, Sam-E, L-Carnitine, L-Arginine

Iodine will exacerbate Thyroid issues- found in Kelp, spirulina, fish, shellfish.
 
Seems like Bacca's diet has just gotten alot more complicated.....With all the advice I've received, it seems I might have to start again.

Too bad....feeding kibble is SO easy, and the boys are perfectly happy with it.....
 
Barb - have you thought about contacting a vet college,such as the University of Guelph Veterinarian College?
 
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