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tedsui
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Location: Lydd on Sea, Kent, UK
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24-04-2019, 07:41 AM

What are the advantages of raw food please?

I have just adopted a bichon frise and the rescue is advocating feeding him raw food. In 40 years I have never fed raw before and my dogs (all border collies and BC crosses) have never suffered on health grounds through not being fed raw.
I am trying to understand the benefits of one against the other and apart from the convenience of feeding straight from a pack or tin, against having to defrost frozen raw meat, I am find it hard to assimilate. Perhaps someone can help me with some definitive guidance please.
I think he was only fed raw whilst with the rescue, I have no idea what he was fed previous to that. Thank you x
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Gnasher
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24-04-2019, 08:09 AM
Hello and welcome to Dogsey. It is refreshing to know that a Rescue is recommending raw feeding, because it is the natural way to feed our canine friends.

You need to do research - lots of it. You need to google "BARF" - Bones & Raw Food - and you need to google "prey model raw food". The basis of both forms of raw feeding are simple - raw meat and bones. The BARF diet differs from the prey model diet in that it includes in the diet a small amount of pureed raw vegetables. The prey model consists of just raw meat and bones but includes fur and feather in that a whole or part of a carcase is fed to include the fur, feathers and gut contents of the herbivore or bird.

Bichon frise being only small would only require a small part of carcase - probably wouldn't appreciate being given a whole rabbit for instance - although my daughter's chihuahuas who are raw fed devour raw chicken wings and meaty bones.

If he was fed raw by the rescue I would really try to stick to that, as changing him back to kibble may well upset him. But you need to do lots of research too. There is also an awful lot of very good advice here on Dogsey if you search for raw food.

Good luck and hth!! xx Gnasher
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Forgotten
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24-04-2019, 07:01 PM
I agree with @Gnasher.

I too have fed raw products for a very long time
There is so much that I could say about how good a raw diet is and how it is helping so many of our pets canine to return to full health, that you would be fed up with reading my post.
In my vets waiting room I discovered a little book "Honey's Natural Feeding Handbook for Dogs" and even though I have been using raw for over 20 years, have bought one for myself, it is easy to read and understand and helps with understanding why raw is so good for our dogs.

If you log into the "Honey's" website you can order one of their books for free or give them a ring and request one for free. There will be no sales talk from them! they will willingly answer all of your questions

These days it is easy to purchase raw products from most good pet stores with a freezer, some raw producers make frozen "complete" mixes.
Raw does not have to be balanced every day if a good variety is given with bones and offal over a couple of weeks or so, this will then balance itself.

A raw supplier in Kent is "Davids Doggy Dinners" they have a fantastic variety from different suppliers. I always recommend the "Bulmers" products.
I do hope you can manage to continue with the raw feeding, you will not regret it and I am sure your dog will continue to like it too.
Best wishes and good luck with your choice
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tedsui
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25-04-2019, 08:04 AM
Thank you Gnasher, your post is a lot of help x
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tedsui
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25-04-2019, 08:08 AM
Thank you Forgotten, your post has reinforced my thinking and research and yesterday I got 2 x 1Kg bags of Natures Menu (which is what the rescue gave me) so I will carry on with this method of feeding. I also contacted Natures Menu and they deliver to my area 3 days a week but I would need to purchase 7 x 1Kg bags to fill an order, at the moment I don't have the freezer room, but I'm working on it x
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Forgotten
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25-04-2019, 09:26 AM
Please remember to vary what types of meat you use and include some offal, fat and gristle and also raw bones. (chicken bones are very safe). This will all help to feed a "balanced" diet.
You may find that the Natures Menu blocks are easier to store.
Do you have a butcher near you where you can get some butchers scraps and off cuts.
I have a friendly butcher and I collect a bucket load of assorted waste each week for FREE (all from human quality meats).
Anything that is no use to me I wrap carefully and throw in the bin but I do not tell the butcher it is no good, I just say thank you and take it away.

Enjoy feeding your raw products.
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Gnasher
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26-04-2019, 08:07 AM
Originally Posted by tedsui View Post
Thank you Forgotten, your post has reinforced my thinking and research and yesterday I got 2 x 1Kg bags of Natures Menu (which is what the rescue gave me) so I will carry on with this method of feeding. I also contacted Natures Menu and they deliver to my area 3 days a week but I would need to purchase 7 x 1Kg bags to fill an order, at the moment I don't have the freezer room, but I'm working on it x
Well done you!! Forgotten has given you some excellent advice. A lot of butchers are on board now with raw feeding and many even make their own and sell it - handy for people like yourself who are struggling with freezer space. We travel around the country in our caravan Betty with a very large wolfcross Ben (sadly no longer with us, but we are shortly taking on a rescue Utonagan all being well!) and frequently come across lovely little independent butchers who sell me excellent quality pet mince, some even containing ground bones. The butcher in Wedmore in Somerset springs to mind, and another one in Bampton near Dulverton on the edge of Exmoor.

We use Albion for the bulk of our raw food. They deliver to most areas, and their products come frozen in square blocks so stack very easily in a freezer with no wasted space as with bags. All our raw fed dogs "do the washing up" as we call it - after lunch, plates and serving dishes are put on the ground for them to lick clean before placing them in the dishwasher. Any left over cooked or raw salad vegetables can be mixed in with their meat, remembering that onions are poisonous to dogs. It is a very ecological diet as there is little or no waste. Raw eggs, shell and all, can be fed - any broken eggs in our Morrisons grocery delivery would be fed to the dogs. I could bang on for ever, but I am so pleased you have made the leap across to the natural side (and the best IMO) of feeding our canine friends.
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