Dry kibble isn't for my dog...

PureMutt · 03-29-2009, 07:41 AM

I've tried almost all kinds, crappy kibble, premium kibble, she just doesn't like it. I have been using The Honest Kitchen as a topper, and still, nothing. Anyways, I am starting a raw diet with Honest Kitchen and Sojos Grain-Free and when I'm done with those, I'm going to try the Dr. Harvey's dog food mix, they have a 6% grain formula and a grain-free formula. It looks good. I have a butcher around here that has 35lbs of leg quarters for only $35. This will last me a month and a half at least. I never knew RAW feeding was so cheap. Even with the SOJOS and Honest Kitchen.

BoxMeIn21 · 03-29-2009, 08:13 AM

That's a pretty good deal. For me raw feeding is the only way to go and I spend alot less on feeding this way than I did with kibble. Just do your research.

Trainer · 03-29-2009, 01:54 PM

I don't know where you are but shop around. I pay between 50 and 69 cents/lb for chicken quarters. You don't need the Honest Kitchen or SOJOS stuff at all. They are both little more than filler. You are making a wise decision by switching diets. Dry kibble isn't for ANY dog.

saintnoel · 03-29-2009, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BoxMeIn21

That's a pretty good deal. For me raw feeding is the only way to go and I spend alot less on feeding this way than I did with kibble. Just do your research.

Hmmm...around how much do you spend monthly for your boxer?

BoxMeIn21 · 03-29-2009, 02:09 PM

It varies - anywhere between 50-75 a month. I use a raw food supplier, so I get human grade meat for a lot cheaper than you would pay in the grocery store.

Check out yahoo's carnivore feed supplier group.

PureMutt · 03-29-2009, 04:46 PM

Does that meat have to be free of hormones and antibiotics?

Trainer · 03-29-2009, 09:48 PM

I don't know who you are asking but as for me, no. I figure any meat I eat is good enough for my dogs. All poultry products are hormone and steroid free and the most of it is antiboitic free. As for beef cattle, they are taken off hormones for a certain period before slaughter. I can't remember exactly how long. Maybe a month or two. I don't know about pork.

BoxMeIn21 · 03-30-2009, 08:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trainer

I don't know who you are asking but as for me, no. I figure any meat I eat is good enough for my dogs. All poultry products are hormone and steroid free and the most of it is antiboitic free.

THIS ^^
Meat sold for the human food chain is heavily regulated by the USDA when it comes to antibiotics and hormones. I know chicken cannot contain any of the above.
But as Trainer mentioned - if it's good enough for me to eat, then it's good enough for my dogs.

Donna5503 · 03-30-2009, 08:52 AM

I've recently switched to Blue Buffalo Dry Food and my guy just loves it! It reads very healthy too and PetSmart carries it.....$15.99 for a 6lb Bag --has a lot of vitamins in it too.

I add a little warm water in it - to make a broth at dinnertime along with boiled chicken or beef or liver.....and in the morning I just leave it dry so it's good for his teeth.

Give it a try ...Chubby is a picky eater and he took to this right away!

DobManiac · 03-30-2009, 09:18 AM

Well, Dusk has always been a hard dog to feed. At one point I swear he must have been 10 or 12 pounds under weight. His fur actually started poking up at the top of each vertebra. Not to mention he a lost lot of his muscle weight along with all of the fat. Muscle has to be feed as well.

But he just didn't like any food I put in front of him. And I started to cater to him, and that just made things worst. Last year I finally found a food he likes (TOTW), and he started getting that twice a day with a half a can of Merrick mixed in. He now weighs 85lbs, and he is all muscle.

But I have to stay very strict them him. Dusk likes to naturally fast once a week. He will generally skip at least one meal sometimes two meals. I just pick it up, and switch him to all dry the next feeding so I'm not wasting food. He also was getting fed with two of my females, and that put a little competitiveness in him. But not much, if they push him aside he generally just looks at me real sad and instead of telling them to move away from his bowl.

If you want to feed raw I think that’s great. I am feeding all of my dogs raw now and they absolutely love it. I have to separate Dusk now so he will eat more slowly.

But if your dog has gotten used to you catering and feeding him the good stuff, he might turn back to his picky habits a month or two from now. And the only difference will be that instead of a wasted bag of dog food, you will have a wasted month of chicken quarters.

I just wouldn't expect feeding raw to cure his finicky habits forever.