What to Feed the Dog??
Posted by journeytomom on April 22, 2007
I’ve written recently about my dog being ill, along with the pet food scare. I must say my dog’s illness was not directly related to the pet food – we did not have any of the recalled food. Although he is a relatively healthy dog, with only occasional bouts of illness (diarrhea, vomiting, ear infections), I believe the commercial diet we feed him does have a negative impact on his health. It is not a natural diet for a dog. In the back of my mind as I’ve made effort to eliminate certain types of food from our diet I knew the same types of issues existed for the dog, as well.
Several weeks ago, in the midst of the scare, I checked out the Weston Price website to see what they had to say about dog food. What they recommended was a raw meat diet. I brushed that aside and figured I’d find that cook book my mother-in-law had given and begin to cook him some mixture of food. Today, my husband gave me a news clipping about feeding your pet. They referred to PetStyle.com and claimed they recommended 1/3rd meat, 1/3rd grain, and 1/3rd vegetables. Well, I don’t know where the author got that from. In browsing the PetStyle.com site I’ve found two articles recommending the same raw meat diet as the Weston Price folks!
Aha! I just found an article by a vet recommending various brands of commercial pet food. So the above recommendations for preparing your pet’s food yourself are probably there, somewhere. So I suppose PetStyle offers a balance of the many differing opinions out there. But, the more I read about the raw diet for dogs and cats, the more sense it seems to make. The jury is still out and I’m not off to the butcher just yet. But I’m starting to lean more in that direction. My deadline for deciding and proceeding is before the current stash of dry dog food runs out. Here are some links to the raw diet info I’ve been reading:
onebeggarsbread said
Hi there! I am really enjoying your blog this afternoon!
I have been thinking through the raw food thing with my dog as well. Since last October he has had some very strange allergies. The vet kept prescribing antibiotics and prednisone, which would only momentarily (the 10 days on the meds) take care of the problem.
I switched him over to a whole foods, natural commercial diet (expensive!) called Eagle Pack, and tried several natural remedies for yeast (Nzymes, Ox-E-drops, raw goat milk, kefir). His coat became nice and shiny, but his allergies did not go away. I finally gave in and went back to the doctor for another round of the meds…he is such a happy dog while the allergy is at bay! I’m actually thinking that perhaps he is allergic to grass (can you imagine? a dog with 3 boys under 9 to play with, allergic to grass? that would be tragic!)
Anyway, one of the health food companies I purchased through had recommendations for healthy commercial pet food, thought I would pass on that list in case you are interested: http://www.nzymes.com/Articles/Instructions_for_systemic_yeast_infections.htm (scroll down to part four, where you will also find some commerical folks who make food that is raw based)
If you do find an econmical not-too-complicated way to feed your dog, please share your plans. Thanks for the links you posted.
Margot said
Onebeggarsbread: Unless your dog is allergic to grains (extremely common), a raw diet isn’t going to cure his allergies. Raw isn’t a cure, just a healthy diet, so, as you’ve noticed, he’s got a better coat. Raw would also mean that he probably will not need dentals any more. I live in France and it is a project to keep my costs down for two 50-55 pound dogs plus 2 cats. But I’ve done it. In the States, it’s a slam dunk.
No, really. Preparing your own is much more economical than buying pre-made. I’d suggest you search around the internet for information about raw feeding and join a Yahoo discussion group. I’d recommend mine, but I don’tknow if it’s allowed.
Richard Brown said
IMHO until we stop over processing our food chain these scare will continue – we must get away from this “chemicalisation” of food…for us OR our pets
Raw meat and vegetable mixes have been popular with working dog owners in the UK as you know EXACTLY what goes into your pet’s food – we do it for our children – why not our pets?
Mary Lee said
You’re taking a chance with raw meat. I also have a dog with allergies and have had good luck recently with Paul Newmans organic beef. She likes it just as much as the cooked meat I give her occasionally. Always I mix it with brown rice, and a drop or two of omega 3 fish oil….never grains, never wheat,corn or soy. I read online those grains can even cause seizures in dogs.