Raw/frozen/homemade food questionnaire

Hi all

Just asking if you would take a few minutes to fill out my questionnaire on Raw/frozen/homemade food vs. dry commercial kibble food for my Animal Welfare degree!

Links:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FDLFJCT
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FDJJ82Q

Thanks very much!
Nicola

Done

Just to comment on the activity level questions. I noticed when Cain was on kibble, for approx 30 mins after eating he'd go nuts, running around, flinging toys. On raw, he has a snooze right after eating. My conclusions from this is that he was still frustrated and hungry after kibble ao acted up, about 30 mins later (once the kibble swelled up) he finally felt full and settled down. However after raw, he is calm and satisfied straight away. He no longer goes mad after food and the time to rip and chew means meals last longer. At least that's my thoughts on it.

But your previous food was probably full of grain? Or did you feed a grain free food such as Orijen?

In cereals, maize (corn) is tryptophan deficient however if there is sufficient complete protein via meat in ratio to maize this should not be a problem. But tryptophan deficiency is a factor in aggression.

There can be other issues with cereals.

Casomorphine is derived from the digestion of casein (milk protein) and exorphine from the digestion of gluten (found in cereals) These substances, together with hormones, hormone like substances and pheromones are naturally present in many dog foods. All have been scientifically shown to alter normal dog behaviour. Casomorphine and exorphines can trigger behaviour in dogs not unlike giving them morphine or other opiates.

There has been a lot of research done on this with autistic children and they have found that they can interfere with the activity of neurotransmitters.

Dietary manipulation by excluding milk and gluten products may have have behavioural benefits as well as digestive ones!

perhaps is what the type of kibble fed, mine dont have an issue

before any states I did feed raw for over 15yrs before switching back in nov 2007

re Maize - in the early 90s I maintained a dog for 4 years longer than the vets gave him to live who had to have low protein he was fed on a mix of cooked lung and high fat mince with soaked flaked maize and Miracoat powder added for trace elements. At the age of 4.5yrs he was given 12mths to live he was turned 9yrs when put to sleep.

Interesting post SB. No it wasn't grain free. He was on Royal Canin GSD kibble as it was the first kibble we found he could tolerate - even then his tummy was sort of dodgy. Luckily since with to raw a year ago, his belly and behaviour is much better Thetes no science behind my satisfaction theory, I'm not nutritionist, he just seems less hungry and more satisfied on raw.

His mad half an hour would happen literally directly after he had finished his meal. Would the things you mention had time to have an effect then as he couldn't have really started digesting it by then?

Another factor may be his age. It's possible his calming down after meals has nothing to do with his diet, but just that he has grown up (he's coming up on 2 years old now). Although it was a fairly obvious change in behaviour after switching to raw.

ETA - wildmoor, it could have been the type of kibble. It could also be that Cains behaviour has simply improved and it's not related to diet. I'm not anti kibble (just anti cheap cr*p kibble ). You should feed whatever suite the dog. I don't really know. Why did you change back to kibble? I'm always interested to know

Dogs are like people, they do ok on all sorts of things. what suits one does not suit another.

Lots of dog foods contain maize (corn). Some dogs cannot tolerate it or it can have unexpected side effects.

I think you will find that running around after eating is not restricted to dogs that are not fed raw!

I don't see Amanda referring to any other dog other than her own though

Never said that it was Just simply observing that, for some reason, Cain's behaviour stopped when his diet changed. I don't know why, just sharing my theory.

Could be something to do with an overload of quick energy release caused by eating to much cereals as against slower released energy that is obtained by eating protein and fats.To much grain can put a strain on a dog's pancreas.