I know there's no way in Hell I can convince my parents to switch the dog to raw food -- no freezer space anyway; not with 5 people in the house -- so I'm thinking of just trying to supplement her kibble with bits of raw here or there. Specifically, I'm looking for bones I can give her to chew on and things to add to her kibble. By the way, she's on Iams, very soon to switch to Wellness.

She is an English Springer Spaniel, adult (almost a senior at 7), and we compete in agility. We practice lightly every day, two 'harder' sessions(long classes) twice a week, and the occasional trial, so she needs a bit more than just a pet but probably not as much as, say, a schutzhund dog? I don't know of anyone personally who feeds raw that I can ask for assistance, so I figured I'd poke around here. <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

There is an excellent butcher shop in town that has all sorts of obscure things, so I figure I can get anything I need from them if I'm not having luck at the local supermarkets.

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......so I'm thinking of just trying to supplement her kibble with bits of raw here or there. Specifically, I'm looking for bones I can give her to chew on and things to add to her kibble. By the way, she's on Iams, very soon to switch to Wellness...... We practice lightly every day, two 'harder' sessions(long classes) twice a week, and the occasional trial, so she needs a bit more than just a pet but probably not as much as, say, a schutzhund dog? I don't know of anyone personally who feeds raw that I can ask for assistance, so I figured I'd poke around here. <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />.....There is an excellent butcher shop in town that has all sorts of obscure things, so I figure I can get anything I need from them if I'm not having luck at the local supermarkets.

Switching away from Iams is a GREAT plan (JMO). Iams is in the same category as Science Diet and Purina, in my book:
http://www.feedmypet.com/dog-food-comparison.html

Just a friendly reminder : Don't mix kibble and raw meat in the same meal.

Kibble takes *much* longer for the dog to digest, and forces the raw that's mixed in to maintain unnaturally long contact with the digestive system, losing most of the canine advantage over humans when it comes to raw food: the short trip from one end to the other.

Raw meat additions (except for additions to The Honest Kitchen, which isn't kibble) should be fed separately, at least 4 hours before a kibble meal. (That doesn't apply to fresh non-raw items.)


My own opinion is that RMBs (with maybe a little produce) instead of kibble for a meal is a good thing. I also think that Omega 3 supplements (salmon oil) would "go" great on that fresh raw meal.

I didn't get this part: "so she needs a bit more than just a pet". More what?

By "a bit more than a pet" I meant in terms of feeding her for her exercise level. She is more active than most pets, but is probably not as active as, say, a schutzhund dog. She is not doing as much training/physical working as they are, not to mention, she weighs less than most schutzhund dogs, so that needs to be accounted for. She probably needs a bit more food in her diet than a one-walk-a-day pet because she's burning more calories.

'RMB's? I'm drawing a mental blank, for the life of me I can't remember what that means. Enlighten me?

What about raw eggs? I though I heard somewhere that some conformation folks will add raw eggs to meals occasionally. Would that benefit her?

And yes, I knew that if I couldn't switch her to raw I needed to get her on a MUCH better kibble, and I fought and fought with my parents over that. Fortunately, Wellness is being sold in a LOT of places near me, including a grooming shop 5 minutes from my boyfriend's house, so it is easier to obtain than Innova or some of the other recommended kibbles. I also obtained some free samples of it that Tessie liked so much I used them as training treats!

Thanks for telling me about not mixing raw/kibble. Didn't think of that, although it makes sense.

RMBs are "raw meaty bones" - chicken backs, wings, necks, pork necks, etc.; as opposed to muscle meat - hamburger, beef heart, gizzards, etc.; and organ meat - liver and kidney.

Ah, okay. Thanks.

So giving my dog one of these to snack on, say, once or twice a week, would be a good idea? How messy are they, and how long do they take to consume for your dogs? I know a lot of people are fans of feeding in the crate; I suppose I can take out her crate pad and give it to her in there and just wipe it down if it takes a while for her to eat it. (I have the distinct feeling she will most definately -not- be getting one of these on the living room carpet, where she does in her Kongs. <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

RMBs are not snacks - they are the major part of a dog's daily raw diet. For a snack, you can choose a knuckle bone or a marrow bone, or the like, but be sure it is given RAW - never cooked. I like to give my dogs these bones outside or in their crates (I have cow mats on the crate floors, so cleaning them is not a problem). They are greasy and can make a mess out of a carpet, sofa, chair, car... I am also one of those who has to be in the general vicinity of my dogs when they have these bones, just to keep an eye on them for small broken-off pieces or splinters. However, I know many people just toss one in the crate in the morning and then go off to work. I'm sure I'm just a worry wart, but I'd rather be safe than sorry.