Raw Feeding: Is it Okay?

Recently I acquired a new dog, Hoka. She is a 75-pound beast of a dog, and she is a pretty rare breed. One of my clients needed to rehome her and I agreed to take her. I had some reservations simply because training a large dog is one thing but having one in your home forever is another game in itself. The other reservation I had was her original owners only did raw feeding with her. When she came to live with me, I had to learn about raw feeding. Now lots of people have asked why I didn’t just swap her over to processed foods. Well, there is a very good reason for that, besides the obvious as to what we know about processed dog foods - by the way - no matter the brand either! Too, I knew if I switched her over and she began to have issues such as diarrhea, itching, scratching, clawing, foot chewing and so much more then I would just have to switch her back. I’ve seen too often over the years with dogs of my own the damage processed dog foods are doing to our dogs; they are living shorter lives not to mention all the health issues dogs now have. So here are some helpful hints and tips on how I prep for raw feeding. I use Midwest Legacy Beef which is located in Iowa. So far, they are the only company that ships the meat frozen to you in coolers. The other thing I like about this company is there are no fillers, chemicals, nothing is processed, and these foods are high in vitamins A, D, E & K as well as no artificial colors or flavors are used. Most companies prefer you actually pick the food up. There are many varieties of packages to choose from like just raw beef, beef with bone, tripe, organs and even venison. This meat come in 1-, 2- and 5-pound tubes which of course varies in price. Dry raw food is available as well, but my dog eats a lot, so I cannot see freeze dried meat going very far with her. The meat arrives frozen, so I just put them in my freezer and the night before I put one in the refrigerator to thaw. I have learned that once I open the tube to point the opening away from me because poking a knife in it will cause it to spew blood on you - ewww! Yes, that happened to me on the first tube! I prepare two bowls: one for that feeding and another for the next. Of course, the second bowl will need to be refrigerated. But I don’t stop there. Remember, I am following what the previous owners did with feeding, so it’s a lot. Here are some foods I add (not every time because I swap it up): canned carrots, broccoli, spinach, sweet potatoes, raw eggs with the crushed eggshells, strawberries or blueberries (pureed), a pump of salmon oil, turmeric or coconut oil, canned sardines and beef liver (cooked and cut up). You can also cut up apples but very small because some dogs will tend to play with the apple instead of eating it. Other ideas are preparing food pops or treats if you will with strawberries & blueberries pureed and placed in ice cube trays to add as a topping. Now you see why I said it is a lot! I’ve become accustomed to this regimen, so it is no longer a hassle. I have considered switching my two small dogs over to raw feeding, but that is still up in the air. BEFORE you switch your dog to such a drastic diet, you should always consult with your veterinarian. But beware, you will most likely find most vets are against raw feeding, so take what your vet says at face value. Also, do your homework. Research everything because there are foods that people do add to their dogs’ diets which should not be added such as grapes. Also, there is some hype these days about processed peanut butter (the human grade) that is full of sugar and other ingredients being added, so there again, do your homework. I know this was long, but maybe it has helped someone who was possibly on the fence about this idea.

midwestlegacybeef.com