you probably can start by using the sample diet that is posted on the Leerburg website (there are links earlier in this thread).

thanks, i'm sort of having second thoughts. i might just switch to a more natural kibble but im really torn between the raw and the other. i want whats best but im nervous about it. everyone else i have talked to is against it and says she wont get all her nutrients but i think she would if she was on it. just really unsure and nervous about it. she is having dry skin and itching so Im thinking it will help...

Erin,

If you're really too nervous to try going full raw, then why don't you start out with the pre made raw diets? They're not as good as full on raw, but they're a great transition for people who are nervously stepping out of kibbleville, IMO.

I can relate to what you're going through. I felt the same way when I was getting conflicting advice from vets. So I compromised, got the patties (which met AAFCO feeding standards and the bones were ground into the meat so the vets couldn't bitch quite as much) and saw great results. Gave me the courage to go full raw, and I don't know if I could have done that without a baby step. Looking back, I don't know why I waited, but I'm always overly-cautious with my dogs.

You can order the patties online and have them mailed to you. You have to have freezer space, however, but that's true with the full raw unless you buy daily (not me!).

I will tell you though, while my dogs loved the patties...there is nothing like watching them eating meat with the bone. Pure doggie bliss!

im stationed in germany so they prob wont ship to me but its a great idea for when we move back stateside in june. maybe i will do a more all natural kibble until then. but im still not totally decided yet. i really want to do raw i just want to do it right so...waiting on my book on it to get here to make sure. thanks a bunch though, i need the positive encouragement to balance out the negative lol!

Erin, you can't really go wrong witha raw diet, or even a mix of raw and good kibble. I would say don't worry about getting all the nutrients in the correct balances, as long as you have variety and sense a dog will get everything it needs. A healthy eating human wont have deficiencies of anything, but a fast food junkie will. I look at it the same way with dogs. Variety and common sense are what I use.
I don't give vitamins or anything, but I do give cod liver oil sometimes. My dogs get healthy scraps, kibble and raw meat etc. when we can afford it. The kibble we're giving now is bad quality (Madra), its a bag I won in a show, I wouldn't buy it. It has coloured kibbles but I pick them out. I only give it to my big fella because my small dog is sensitive.

Does anybody feed hunted meat??
I know fellas who give the dogs whole raw rabbits that the dogs themselves catch. Skins and all. The skins apparantly act as a natural wormer and a sort of fibre.
I also know of people who used to get culled for age animals from farms for their working lurchers. Picture two lads hauling a full grown feckin rigor mortis cow around the back of a council house! Lol! I don't think you can do that anymore though, every animal has to be picked up I think nowadays.
When I have rabbits I gve the dogs skin and meat scraps, organs, etc.

You's Americans are so lucky in the choice you have of food for dogs. You can't buy dog grade meat here in Ireland. The only meat you can get is basic supermarket stuff. We're very limited in dry food choice here too.

If I could afford it, I would feed all raw, totally fresh! The results speak for themselves.

Frankie,
I only got one deer this year (too much work + taking online classes) but I totally deboned the carcass and gave the dog the sinewy meat scraps that I didn't want to grind into hamburger. He also got some heart/liver scraps, but we ate most of those. He LOVED it. But then again there is not too much he won't eat including fruit.. (great way to get rid of overripe banannas!)

Erin,

Get your book, read it, but don't stress. We do some raw, and then some honest kitchen to make sure that ours gets some vegetables. If we run out, we just give more raw. No big deal. We occasionally throw in an egg for good measure. Toss him a big raw bone now and again too. He gets piecees of apples/banannas/oranges if he's around when someone is eating one.

Dogs have only started eating dried food out of a bag recently in their evolution...Just because it is convenient and made in a factory doesn't make it better. Don't let people get inside your head and get in the way of common sense.

HERE ARE 2 PHOTOS OF ZEUS TAKEN EXACTLY 3 MONTHS APART

FIRST ONE HE IS 7.5 WEEKS OLD

SECOND ONE 20.5 WEEKS OLD

I HAVE BEEN FEEDING HIM RAW SINCE 9 WEEKS OLD

CHICKEN NECKS,CHICKEN HEARTS,GIZZARDS,GROUND TURKEY,GROUND BEEF,COTTAGE CHEESE,EGGS.

COAT IS LIKE "SILK"

NOW WEIGHS 56.5lbs AND 23" TALL AT 5.5 MONTHS OLD.

http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/rr357/WILLIAMMARTIN46/ZEUS/DSC08083.jpg

http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/rr357/WILLIAMMARTIN46/ZEUS/DSC08695.jpg

Edited by Connie Sutherland (01/06/2009 09:31 PM)
Edit reason: fix pics

Great looking dog!! http://i728.photobucket.com/albums/ww284/Shogan9654/meapictures002.jpg
Cottage cheese helps for the coat?

Edited by Connie Sutherland (01/06/2009 09:32 PM)
Edit reason: fix pics

Hi, Bill, and welcome to the board.

Photos go in Member Bios, two only, one with the owner(s). The other place in in the memorial section for a dog who has died (one photo).

Otherwise, please link to photos.

I have to add that these are way too big, forcing scrolling to the right. A lot of scrolling.

I'll see if I can fix them to link to Photobucket instead. If I cannot, I will have to delete them, but you can post two of them as outlined above in Member Bio (re-sized).

And again, WELCOME! :-)

(BTW, live-culture yogurt is a better choice than cottage cheese, which is loaded with salt. Most dogs tolerate fermented dairy quite well, in addition, and many do not do well with straight milk, like cottage and other unfermented cheeses.

Good for you for doing a fresh diet!)

Hi, Stephen,

Ditto.