Hi, first post here...

After a lot of trial and error, my 6mo GSD Annie is doing quite well with Innova puppy food (along with minimal amounts of veggies and fruits) but I'm considering a transition to a raw-ish diet in a bit. I like the idea of the Honest Kitchen products, mostly because we have a toddler and a baby and the ideas of regularly hacking up plates of raw meat and then watching them get tossed around the crate in our kitchen is not appealing to me (and might be the last straw with my wife).

But I also realize that, once hydrated, this stuff should be considered a raw food. The website says the meat is dehydrated at high enough temps to kill bacteria, but I didn't know if salmonella, etc. would be active concerns for those of you who are using the food.

Secondly...I've never seen the "activated" HK product once water has been added. It is reasonably thick, or is this something that the dog will splash/drool/flick around like water?

Thanks in advance for your input. I sincerely appreciate the site and its great community of posters.

Rehydrated HK looks a lot like oatmeal consistancy wise and can be adjusted in the same manner. Less water = thicker, more water= saucy.

All of my dogs love the HK foods. It is a great convenience food.

It is great food, for any age. I add chicken or what I fing raw in my freezer sometimes. The pup loves it and he is sloppy with water but eats HK like is was something fragile.
Try it, you can make it thicker/thiner as u wish.
I also add cooked rice he seams to be better with eating it like that... for consistency.
And I know that it sounds horrible but I also add Cottage chese sometimes and it helps to make it thiker too.
over all it is great food and havent met a dog that would not agree.

 Quote:

.....I'm considering a transition to a raw-ish diet in a bit.
But I also realize that, once hydrated, this stuff should be considered a raw food. The website says the meat is dehydrated at high enough temps to kill bacteria, but I didn't know if salmonella, etc. would be active concerns for those of you who are using the food......

When I first bought it I read what you read at
http://www.thehonestkitchen.com/background.htm#Dehydration
and compared it to
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/foodfacts/salmonellae.shtml

This convinced me that THK food, rehydrated, is no more susceptible to salmonella than any other similar heat-treated food. That is, I assume that it's safe unless it has been rehydrated and then allowed to sit around at room temperatures. I treat it as I'd treat Thanksgiving turkey -- eat it or get it into the 'fridge.

Did you know that you could order it from Leerburg, too? Convenient, it has dawned on me (a little late) if you're ordering other Leerburg products!

I think you're choosing well for a house with curious toddlers roaming around. Just MHO.

Also, a P.S.: I don't think Martina's occasional cottage cheese for the dogs is horrible at all. I've found that although many dogs are sensitive to milk, cottage cheese and yogurt are much better tolerated. Even a dog I had with over 30 food allergies did well with them.

It just doesn't look that great... that is why I ment horrible.. green cottage cheese... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Thanks for your responses, and Connie, thanks for the links. That's what made me start wondering--how they could dehydrate at "moderate" temperatures and claim to destroy bacteria but not disrupt enzymatic stuff. I'm already well beyond my knowledge comfort zone here, but I seem to remember people I know who are raw foodists (not for their dogs, but for themselves) claiming that food could not be heated over 106 degrees before enzymes starting breaking down. Bacteria exists in 40 to 140 degree environments.

Anyways, we'll try and give it a shot at some point as I really like the notion of something close to a pure raw diet...even though I have to say the Innova has worked awesome for us. Any thoughts on an ideal time to switch a healthy pup over to raw? I'm in no rush. Again, she's 6 mos, 50 pounds, seems quite standard in growth but is catching up after a tough battle with coccidia (and me being dumb with the grain-based treats) as a young puppy. Super happy, solid nerves, gentle with my family, yet nice prey drives and high energy. Horrible problems with grain and a touchy stomach in general. I'm nervous about starting in raw chicken wings...chipping loose stool out of the tundra here in Minnesota is not a lot of fun. Any thoughts any of you have around a transition schedule would be awesome. I'm in no rush at all to switch, and want to do it correctly.

I recommend everyone contemplating the switch do some reading first

the 2 books I send with puppy customers are Natural Nutrition for Dogs and Cats and Raw Dog Food-Make It Easy for You and Your Dog

Both are easy reads, and will give you all the info you need to start the right way!

BTW, I think you would be surprised at the bacteria that lives on kibble also... I think the bacteria argument for kibble vs. raw food is a moot point. Just use proper food handling techniqes with WHATEVER you feed and wash your hands and surfaces that touch the food. I personally would rather handle raw meat than toys that kids play with!! lol
(having a flashback to the rotavirus that my nephew gave to all of us from his preschool days) <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif" alt="" />

Thanks, Cindy! I will get them. And that's an excellent point about dry kibble that is already making my skin crawl a little. ;-)

And I hear you about kids' toys...between our two-year-old, our infant, the dog, and the cat, somedays I would like to flood the entire home with rubbing alcohol. Funny how "dog germs" and "kid germs" have very subjective meanings for many people, including me...

Have a great day and thanks again for providing solid feedback.

 Quote:

BTW, I think you would be surprised at the bacteria that lives on kibble also...

Not to mention fungii also. Just look at the Diamond brand food that's responsible for around 100 deaths