I too am very curious about this stuff. I hope its okay if I piggy back on your really good question.

Echo and Vince both get about 4 pounds of food a day. Garrett gets 2 – 3 lbs, depending on his activity level.

When camping, there’s quite a bit involved with pre-packing their meals in an extra cooler, ensuring everything is cleaned up and stored properly so it doesn’t attract unnecessary visitors; handling with little access to running water at times, etc, etc. All good and no big deal but this stuff sounds like a miracle in a box.

So would I really be able to throw a box of this in the camper and have all their nutritional needs met for the entire time we were out - say 5 days? And how long would a box last? 103 lbs, 132 lbs and 85 lbs.

I probably wouldn't consider THK to be a really satisfying diet for active dogs without the RMBs or meat added the way the package says "many dogs enjoy." It is indeed complete in and of itself, but still, it's a kind of stewy no-chew food.

I have fed the dogs just THK for a couple of days. In general, though, when I use it, I'm using it with, say, poultry backs (although as long as you stay within the limits on the box, even boneless meat is OK). Still, throwing a poultry back into a bowl of rehydrated food is pretty darned easy.

That's just me, though. It is balanced on its own. I guess if I were heading out for five days, I'd carry as many days' worth of chicken backs as I could conveniently manage and they'd have to make do with THK alone for the other days.

I would caution you to get the dogs used to it first ... not on Day One of a trip to the woods. My dogs love it -- they salivate while it's rehydrating -- but they all viewed it very suspiciously when they first encountered it. I introduced it gradually to bowls of "normal" raw.

Great information Connie! That puts a very realistic spin on it.

The boys do enjoy chowing down. So with what you’re saying, although it would satisfy them nutritionally, the activity involved in eating (chewing, texture, substance) would not be there for them.

As well, very valid point on don’t just take it out and expect them to eat it. Different circumstances and away from their regular eating routine would not be ideal for an introduction. They really enjoy their meals out camping and “stew” every meal may take away from that. The mixture of rmb’s and meat sounds like it would help in the quantity we need pack along though.

I think I may try a box and like you say, see if they like it, get them used to it and look at creative ways of possibly incorporating it into meals.

All the required information needed to make an informed decision. You're the best!! Thanks so much!

I hope I was completely clear on what a great product I think this is.

It's the only commercial dog food in my house.

Yes, absolutely, that's why I asked the question. I would never have considered a "real food" meal replacement if it hadn't been for your endorsement.

It just seemed to good to be true and you've shed a lot of light on that for me. It sounds wonderful! I must try it out.

OMG. I just noticed your new sig pic.

 Quote: Connie Sutherland

I hope I was completely clear on what a great product I think this is.

It's the only commercial dog food in my house.

Oh, and more of a recommendation is that Ed and Cindy have THK in THEIR house.

 Quote: cj barrett

... It just seemed to good to be true and you've shed a lot of light on that for me. It sounds wonderful! I must try it out.

It almost is too good to be true. The one tradeoff is the stewiness. But my understanding is that to just low-heat dehydrate it at temps high enough to destroy pathogens but low enough not to bake the food, the food has to be in those tiny shavings. To make "dehydrated raw," it has to be the way it is. But there's so much going for it in terms of quality (IMO) that I thought it was well worth the time to accustom my dogs to it and then use it for travel with RMBs (and more than once for emergencies when I have just not been shopping and the fridge is bare).

 Quote: Connie Sutherland

Oh, and more of a recommendation is that Ed and Cindy have THK in THEIR house.

Something this highly recommended deserves a test drive in my books.

Oh and yeah, the boys insisted that they wanted to share in the love too.

They totally know how much better their lives are because their mom gets to interact with you. And they're so thankful that you're so knowledgeable and that you openly share your information.

They thought they'd dress up to show you because they can't type.