We have been feeding Kasey exclusively raw for almost a year now. He never did too well on kibble for the first year of his life - he's 2 now.

I've been feeling a little insecure with the fact that if we had an emergency and had to go out of town for some reason (parents illness or something), and we couldn't take him, then what do we do? He's never been kenneled because we had a bad experience with that and our prior dog, but if I absolutely had to, what would he eat? They will not feed him raw in a kennel, and even if I had a 'live in' person, they wouldn't know how to feed him. Or what if we could take him, but couldn't take raw and wouldn't have access to it?

What do you guys do in these cases? If I just started giving him kibble all of a sudden in an emergency, he'd probably get the runs and who knows what other problems (his stomach has always been sensitive). But I don't want to be feeding him kibble on a regular basis so he'll be used to it just in case.

Just wondering what everyone's thought was on that and what you've done.

I have never, ever had a problem with mixing The Honest Kitchen Embark with a raw diet sometimes even within the same meal. You can pack it up for long term emergencies too since it's dehydrated.

Just add water is a simple enough instruction for most people.

 Quote: melissa thom

I have never, ever had a problem with mixing The Honest Kitchen Embark with a raw diet sometimes even within the same meal. You can pack it up for long term emergencies too since it's dehydrated.

Just add water is a simple enough instruction for most people.

Ditto.

It's made to be mixed with raw, but is also balanced as is.

It's not kibbled (extruded, baked); it's dehydrated at low temps and has a similar digestion rate to fresh raw food.

I always have it on hand for emergencies (and travel). I use it for a little variety sometimes, too, rehydrating it a little thin and pouring some over the RMBs like gravy. (Among other benefits: I know that the dogs are familiar with it and do fine with it; there would be no "unknown" anxiety for me.)

The kennel I board my dogs at will feed raw. Maybe look for a new kennel in your area, just in case you ever need to board if there is an emergency.

Connie, knowing Kasey's allergy stuff, and the yeast problem that he had to take the pills for, would you feel fine about the Force? He has always seemed to scratch more on turkey than chicken - maybe my imagine, but even my husband notices it.

I want to make sure the ingredients are ok for his problems.

 Quote: Lori Hall

Connie, knowing Kasey's allergy stuff, and the yeast problem that he had to take the pills for, would you feel fine about the Force? He has always seemed to scratch more on turkey than chicken - maybe my imagine, but even my husband notices it.

I want to make sure the ingredients are ok for his problems.

Oh, right, I was generalizing .... not even noting who made the post.

If there was an ingredient issue, though, you could do what I do: I pack up baggies of every single meal for the whole time I am gone for my dogs when I leave them with a live-in dogsitter. There is zero for her to do but keep a couple always thawed in the 'fridge (rotating through the freezer supply) and dump the contents into the bowls. I even add the fish oil and E. I don't know if freezing is perfect for them, but they don't get heated or left out at room temp, and it's good enough for me.

I personally will never kennel my dog again. I am sure they treated him well, but when I got him back he was shedding like crazy (a sure sign of stress for him). I can only imagine what it was like with minimal human contact surrounded by other dogs freaking out. I have had to leave him with someone I found on craigslist in a pinch, but that was 100x better than a kennel.

 Quote: Lori Hall

What do you guys do in these cases? If I just started giving him kibble all of a sudden in an emergency, he'd probably get the runs and who knows what other problems (his stomach has always been sensitive). But I don't want to be feeding him kibble on a regular basis so he'll be used to it just in case.

My plan is to bring raw meals for 2/3 days in a cooler (with freezer packs) and gradually switch him over to THK. I worry about disrupting his meals abruptly and have this in the back of my mind. I also have canned food (evo) in the cabinet as treats but also serves as emergency food.

 Quote: Connie Sutherland

If there was an ingredient issue, though, you could do what I do: I pack up baggies of every single meal for the whole time I am gone for my dogs when I leave them with a live-in dogsitter. There is zero for her to do but keep a couple always thawed in the 'fridge (rotating through the freezer supply) and dump the contents into the bowls. I even add the fish oil and E. I don't know if freezing is perfect for them, but they don't get heated or left out at room temp, and it's good enough for me.

I do the same thing when I go out of town. I write on the baggies Monday AM, Monday PM, Tuesday AM + egg, etc. I also give a detailed list that has the same thing. My friends are okay feeding raw to my dog, and it's my opinion they enjoy watching him tear and crunch things, hehe. I also buy them a 12 pk and do some cooking/baking to ensure their satisfaction.

I started feeding Honest Kitchen to avoid this exact scenario.

I feed THK two or three times a month, just to make sure Danke is comfortable with the food. In a worse case scenario, I'd just send a box of "complete" THK to the kennel.

Thanks everyone. I ordered some THK Force to have around and use occasionally so he'll be used to it. I also am going to get some Solid Gold Barking at the Moon kibble - Ed recommends it on this site and it hasn't got anything in it that would bother Kasey's allergy stuff. I can use that as treats and training, and in a pinch on a trip if need be.

I hope I never have to kennel him - my vet thinks he wouldn't do well because as a golden he's very connected to us. Plus the fact that I don't trust kennels! In a couple years they won't take him anyway because his puppy vaccinations will be expired and I'm not doing any more of those.