★★★★★
I have found this site very useful. I have moved from commercial to home made and raw over a few years and have seen the benefits. Hair shiny. Eyes cleared up. I have two dogs, both GSDs, one is two years old now and a picture of health and athleticism. Muscular. Energetic. He had a set back with tick bite fever six months ago. I was out of my depth. So I accepted the antibiotic course. After which I ensured he received probiotics and fermented vegetables and raw milk, and raw butter. His heart seemed strained, I had exercised him when ill, ignorant, and I regret now. Heavy panting for no good reason. Yes. Very hot weather here. I started RSO a month ago and he seems to have recovered. Also more positive and lounges around, less biting at the bit for exercise. I do supplement well including krill oil. Etc supplements I can not afford for myself. The GSD puppy is seven months of age. From the best show breeder in this country. Yet. Her structure is not as solid as his. She has developed growth issues. Heartbreaking. The vet recommended more calcium. My research sad this was not the way to go but that zinc needed to be added to the diet. She does eat chicken necks and feet for calcium, and drinks raw milk. I have only become aware of the growth issues recently so I have not had a chance to see whether the remedies will help her. I am using two homeopathic remedies the vet prescribed, including calcarea. To add to the issue she has become a fussy eater after the vet visits. And she is struggling with weight. The vet prescribed Milbemax. I gave her one dose grudgingly. Poison pill. Allopathic medicine is a slippery slope. She however will not eat food with any supplements mixed in. Frustratingly challenging. My adult GSD eats all his food with any supplements and I can naturally deworm him. Black walnut, wormwood, cloves, neem, dme etc and he is thriving. With her she will eat the chicken necks and duck feet, raw milk, raw butter. And some raw meat, not enthusiastic about ground meat, and unlikely to touch it with any supplements. Unwilling to eat vegetables or fruit or herbs. I am concerned about over all nutrition. I asked two different vets who said kibble. I again grudgingly agreed. But she will eat only a few, very unenthusiastic. I have also started her on RSO recently. I am not sure if her growth issues will rectify themselves. I hope so for her sake. Very sweet and loving.
Adulterated Cat Food in Canada
★★★★★
Appreciate this is an old post and may not get a reply but I wanted to put it out there.
Our dogs and cats are minimally vaxxed, not chipped (never ever) and have a pretty much natural diet in that about the most unhealthy thing we feed them is a can of, say, mackerel in tomato sauce (not perfect by any means but human-consumption grade).
Then a relative bought the cats as a treat a massive sack of dried food. I won't out the brand but it begins with P and is expensive.
Immediately, the cats got addicted and begged for it constantly. And within a week, their fur began falling our in clumps (both of them the same). We're talking about bald strips 3 or 4 inches long by an inch wide on the inner legs. They weren't sore, but they might have become so with the licking that was going on.
We threw that stuff away (they went through the kind of cold turkey they don't like) but it took a few weeks before their fur grew back.
On visiting the P website, we see a hypocritical section on pet skin diseases urging people to take cats to the vet....covering their backs because the buggers are causing it!
Am I a conspiracy theorist for believing these depopulation agendas that seem to be going on also apply to our animals? Doh...
CW
Vegan Diet
Thank you for your input. I agree with you. Most legumes are used as fillers, and canine digestive systems just 'move them out'. Dogs do much better on high protein like fish and chicken.
Vegan Diet
Just another thing to think about: @8 years ago, I had my Golden Retriever on a high-quality dog food. Then realized she was pooping 4-5 times per day! I took a good look at the ingredients: legumes were among the first 3 ingredients (these are peas & beans, which are basically filler). This is why she was pooping so much. I then put her on a legume-free, good-quality protein dog food (she did better on salmon than on chicken), and "everything" was normal after that. Bloodwork, her weight, energy-level was always normal, as well.
Vegan Diet
So I noticed you listed that you are an animal advocate. If you truly had the best intentions as an animal advocate, you would want the best for that animal. Which means as close to natural life as possible. Which does not mean vegan in a carnivore species.
I am sure that you mean well but are letting personal bias enter your decision making.
Vegan Diet
Well I read the article you included, and it uses the word 'may' quite a lot. The fact that there have been only a few studies as the article admits on vegan diet for dogs, is telling.
Also, the longest living dog was attributed to many many factors, not diet alone. Genes play a huge part in any lifespan. Exercise, proper diet, love, genetics, lifestyle (city/farm) etc. To pick one of these and say it's the reason is illogical.
I believe that every living thing must be raised according to its place in our ecosystem. Every living thing should be raised as it would in nature or the wild. Not at the whim of fad diets related to humans, or the emotional connection people have with animals, therefore refuse to partake in their consumption.
I see the connection, and I respect your individual choice no to eat this or that food. I believe humans in general are on a downfall as it is. Obesity is over 40 percent in Canada and the US, 60 percent plus are pre or diabetic, and overweight/out of shape. We have failed to take our health and make it our priority. A vegan diet may work for some, but not for others.
But...if you truly love animals as I do, why would you not feed them as they would in nature. You can love, cuddle, talk to, walk, go for car rides, provide toys and mental stimulation, give that animal everything and more to make his/her life happy and long. But do not short change him on his diet.
Vegan Diet
★☆☆☆☆
Of course they were interested. How often do dogs not notice smells like something cooking?
Many times my dog was interested as well, but either turned down when offered, or ate it.
No one says dogs can't eat or enjoy veggies, beans, lentils, or any other food. But they can not sustain on it. Whether containing all 9 aminos or not. Animals, or rather Carnivores are not designed that way, and you do more harm than good.
Also, science has proved that just because something provides all essential amino acids does not mean it is sufficient as there is a difference in animal and plant protein. There are good free articles on NCBI or National Library of Medicine on this topic.
I am not knocking a vegan diet per se, but it can not comprise of the complete diet. There must be some animal protein in there. There are enough studies out there now that show this to be true.
Vegan Diet
I am a VEGAN, and believe wholeheartedly in Vegan Diet for Dogs👍
Tamara
Animal Advocate🌱🐾
"The Longest Living Vegan Dog Bramble was a Border Collie who was recognized as the oldest living dog by the Guinness World Records. Bramble was born on April 10,1981 and lived to be 27 years old." Vegan Dogs May Live Long…
Vegan Diet
★★★★★
I was experimenting one day to make vegan burgers from lentils, germinated lentils, barley and sprouted barley because the combination provides all 9 essential amino acids. While the mix was on the stove both the cat and dog started begging. They never begged for lentils or barley cooking before I came up with that combination. BTW - tasted good but made into patties it stuck to the pan. So fail on one count but success on a different.
Vegan Diet
Well I must disagree with you. A dog is not designed for veganism, nor is their acids, teeth, jaws, digestive tract, bowels etc.
Our dog lived 13.5 years, just passed last month and lived a long life for a large dog.
We had a really good vet the last 3 years here in Eu, and the owner said that animals should live much longer than they are if people would do 2 things. 1, not get them vaccinated and 2, feed them properly.
Pet vaccinations are unnecessary, other than the first rabies shot. He has tested animals for many years and in doing titer tests found that after their first rabies shots, 99 percent of dogs keep antibodies in the system their entire life. You do not need yearly or bi yearly or any other shots. As for lepto, parvo and all those other shots, they are not needed. In fact the unvaccinated dogs he deals with live longer and have less health problems.
The diet is another he is adamant about. Why do dogs have the digestive system that they do? They have acids that break down things we cant. They can drink ditch water, mud water, eat bad food, eat bone, skin, hair, etc and not get sick, but get nutrition from it. Then, they have these things called canine teeth! You know the long ones! And if you look at the rest of their teeth, they are not at all like yours and mine. They are all serrated. Each and every one of them. You think thats for veggies or tofu?
Now, of course you can feed dogs and other animals vegetables. Our dog loved cooked carrots, raw peppers, cucumbers, potatoes etc. He ate them daily, but...they need a level of animal protein that is required to keep their carnivore body in balance.
Where you got that vegan dogs live longer is not true. There is no literature that shows anything other than a natural diet (for them in nature) is the diet that keeps them living long and healthy.
Belief that all things must be vegan is incorrect.
Not even humans should be vegan. We are omnivores. We need both. We in our history are hunters and gatherers. We have the same digestive system as a bear which is an omnivore as well. We do not have a cow system, nor a dog system.
Preaching one diet over another is dangerous.
Vegan Diet
I disagree. Look at canine teeth and you will know what sort of food they are meant to eat. They tear meat off a carcass and swallow it whole. In nature, you rarely see a dog eating spinach or green beans, although I had a malamute who ate strawberries. Vegan is not normal for dogs, in my opinion. Do your own thing, though, and good luck.
Vegan Diet
I believe in a Vegan diet for all. I read about the longest living dog who was a Vegan.
A Vegan diet is best. Does anyone have an opinion?
Re: aspca- foods not to feed..... many vets, breeders, and pet parents feed raw food to thier dog. Aspca says do not. I am not sure aspca is not being 100% truthful. I would research a bit more regarding raw food diet for dog. If I give My dog cooked meat, or carb loaded dog food she always gets serious skin issues that take forever to heal. Just a suggestion.
Brand Comparisons
Where do you find Blue Mountain? I looked but only see Blue Buffalo.
Best Nutrition for Dogs
Just because something is not good for people does not mean it is not good for dogs. Many people swear by vegetarianism, but dogs are created to be meat eaters. How about asking what would be the best nutrition for canines?
Best Nutrition for Dogs
I'd like to find some help for purchasing the right dog-food for my little Deer Chihuahua. She is a "rescue" from a "meth" family but seems to have survived very well. I have had her several months now and get the best I can for her foods, and lots of exercise as we take 4-5 walks a day for at least 15 minutes.
I had been giving her tiny pieces of Greenies a friend recommended for her teeth, then today, since I'm such a healthnut about what I eat, I read the fine-print ingredients of her treats. Now I am seeing the gluten free dog food, but didn't like the label either. There were things like Calcium carbonate on there and heard really bad review about that for people's diets ;( so I'm not about to give it to her.
Anyone find a truly healthy dry, dog food that doesn't have anything bad in it? If not, maybe something home-made that would be good for her. She's not sick, and her coat is shiny, and she has lots of energy, so this is preventative measures I'm taking right now.
Brand Comparisons
I feed my cat mix of raw meat, baby food, cooked fish, I give her some spirulina and flaxseed oil tablets as well. I started rubbing my cats gums with coconut oil and I am also trying to spray her mouth with colloidal silver to her dismay as I just came back from vets routine check up and found out she has a tartar build up on her teeth and gingivitis. Vet suggested a good clean up, hopefully I will be left with some monies for christmas, lol
Barf Diet
Hey Wendy! You may find colloidal silver applied to the gums to be helpful. And about raw food and bones. I can tell you the story of my brother in law who had a 15 pound rat terrier who had tartar all over her teeth and the vet recommended a $600 cleaning; he gave his dog the raw beef neck bones and took her back to the vet a month later and the vet said her teeth were fine, no dental needed. So raw bones do work, however my brother in law's dog needed a cleaning - not a tooth extraction. It is hard to know the condition of the teeth - so your vet's advice to pull them may be spot on. Bad teeth that are left in the mouth can lead to organ failure. So while I would normally advise that you give your dog a raw, meaty beef neck bone or beef rib bone, it may be too little/too late and your vet's recommendation for extraction may be the best advice of all.
Barf Diet
BARF diet stands for Bones And Raw Food. There are many websites - please google and you will find info for BARF diets appropriate for your sized dog.
Barf Diet
I have a 10 yr.old shitzu.What is the "barf"diet and how much should my dog be fed?
Barf Diet
I have a 10 yr. old shitzu. Just at the vet and he wants to pull alot of her teeth because they are rotten {her gums are all inflammed].I am worried about the risks of the surgery! Never having a dog before, I now am learning! I would like to make her food and start some natural remedies for her teeth? Can anyone help me with advice please.
Brand Comparisons
I, like Jenn from NY, have a pug who became ill after vac. shots and 1st round of heartworm med. w/ flea control. He became very sick very fast. it was like his immune system was gone. one day a very healthy active 1 yr old. and then bam! Fever, swelling skin lumps twitching, etc. and the fleas attacked him very bad and caused secondary infections, parasites. all w/ in 30days. I was shocked.
I am now on the natural cures and food.
I use raw and cooked, veggies and fruits. everything in moderation. also no chemical at all! . it takes effort but its worth it. I never fed him commercial pet food anyway. My instincts are not to trust corp. dog food manufacturers. I trust my own food source.
Reader Feedback
To say you shouldn't feed people foods isn't;t quite right, after all, most people foods are natural foods, dogs are (were) slightly omnivorous when scavenging and they would have eaten all sorts in the wild and their digestive system is tuned for it.
Yes, they are mostly carnivorous, but some of the first pieces of prey they would eat would be the stomach, intestines and contents, and this would normally be full of vegetable matter.
Therefore feeding many of the foods we feed is OK in moderation.
For instance, check out the lists first here: http://moderndogmagazine.com/articles/10-people-foods-dogs/1896 and here: http://www.labradortraininghq.com/labrador-health-and-care/can-dogs-eat-apples-tomatoes-eggs-bread/
They list many human foods dogs can eat, along with the reasons why :-)
Brand Comparisons
Must disagree with your assumption that Humans are Herbavores. We are not. If we were we would have a multichambered stomach to digest only plant matter like cows do. We are Omnivores - our species have been Hunters & Gatherers for most of our existence. Dogs are also Omnivores with a bias towards meat.
However, you are right on about Kibble. Dog food is a post industrial convienience food invented to make money. What did dogs eat before they ate dog food?
Oh, but that Purina Chuck Wagon sure is cute! Haha
Barf Diet
This Webinar by Dr Bruce Syme is the best informative video on the net. Karen Becker has a good one too, but I find people get more frrm this webinar by Vet's All Natural Bruce Syme. It is long, but very informative. I have found it to be the best educational resource for bone feeding on the web www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHm7ZD71Swg
Adulterated Cat Food in Canada
Four years ago just before elections, the Pet food industry approached the government of BC (and perhaps of all Canada) to put a filler, possibly melamine, into pet food . It could be more of non nutritious stuff. Now, just before elections in Canada, it has happened again. I used to buy a cat food by P.... I had been searching high and low for better cat nutrition but living in a small place to no avail. My feed store man remarked that they were "rearranging" their food again.
Today this is what happens: cats, seven of them, stare at me and they look hungry. The pet food they had so far in plenty stays on their plate untouched. They eat better quality grain free kibbles but four of them do not well on this alone. When I contacted the company which is also the first company to want to irradiate pet food, big talk recorded with "pet lovers" etc. I returned all the unopened cans and have to cut my losses as the ingredients seem to be a sponge soaked in flavouring and some colouring.
I was told that in turn for gov't favours, the pet food industry gives blocks of votes.
This is cruelty and avarice , greed and total disregard for honesty.
I would like pet owners to be aware that the cost of a can is partly inedible crap.
Sadly, Namaste honouring the integrity within you. Om
Hi Ted,
I just want to bring to your attention that dogs do not have the digestive enzymes to break down raw vegetables. Any vegetables should be steamed or cooked. Otherwise you are putting too much strain on the pancreas. In the wild, dogs would get vegetables from other animal's stomachs (partially digested). The other reason is that dogs do not have flat back teeth which are needed to grind vegetable matter and dog's jaws only move up and down and not side to side to grind. See link.
Do Dogs Need Fruits and Vegetables
As far as worms go, I would add FOOD GRADE Diatomaceous Earth (DE) to the diet until they are gone. It can be purchased at any feed store. (I know Tractor Supply has it.) Farmers put it in the animal feed to prevent mealworms and other pests. (DO NOT use the DE for swimming pools!! ) Worms are a reason a dog can lose weight. The DE has lots of other uses too (fleas used topically or in crevices for ants around the house) Go very slow adding only about 1/4 tsp to food and working up little by little so that too much worm die off at once doesn't make the dog sick. See chart of how much to give on the second link. Diatomaceous Earth and Worming with DE
As far as a dog food goes, I would find out what is in the cat food that they like. Is it chicken? Fish? Beef? Dogs do need protein. Perhaps they don't like the brand of dog food you had bought. Is it made mostly of grains like corn (which dogs are not meant to eat)? I would find a different brand and definitely read the label for good ingredients. Here is a good link that reviews dog foods. Best Dog Foods Then once you get a good brand, if they won't eat it, maybe add some boiled chicken or chicken broth to the food. Good luck.
Brand Comparisons
I have two finicky little white dogs. They don't seem to like any kind of dog food. They love most raw veggies and fruit. They also like cat food, kibble any brand. I can sometimes trick them into eating dog food by putting it in the cat dish lol. One has no problems the other has worms almost all the time, and in summer she goes crazy with itch, chewing and scratching, back end and tail.
It's so bad she is losing weight. I just tried one quarter teaspoon Benadryl one hour ago and it seems to be working - she is not scratching.
Cross my fingers.
Brand Comparisons
I am planning to adopt a cat before the month ends. However, I don't know what is the safest way to feed it: home cooked meals, ready to eat cat foods, or raw meat like the dogs. I am looking for something that will keep it healthy without me spending too much. Thanks!
Best Nutrition for Dogs
I am surprised to know that raw meaty bones are good for dogs. I used to cook them first before feeding them to my dog thinking it is the best for him. Thank you for this info. Now I know what to do. One question, can I feed him fish?
Raw Marrow Bone
Sorry, that I have not gotten back to this question, I get raw marrow bones at our grocery store from the butcher. I scrape out 95% of the marrow as too much of this can gives some dogs diarrhea. He chews and vet always says how good his teeth look. Actually I use it as a meal replacement once a week.
Snorting Food
Hey Asdzaan!
I agree that your dog may be eating too fast - wolfing his food down and getting some into his sinuses. There are ways to slow him down - food cubes where he has to work one piece of kibble out at a time to eat, the muffin pan idea is excellent as well. You might also consider hand feeding him; make him work for each piece of kibble by doing a sit/stay - down/stay - come - heel, etc. Hand feeding each piece of kibble goes a long way at creating a very obedient dog to boot!
Snorting Food
Azdzaan, it sounds like your dog eats his food too quickly. May I suggest to you to put a little bit of food into each hole of a patty cake pan which will slow him down good luck.
Snorting Food
I adopted my 7+ years old chihuahua (chiweenie?) Brutus after finding him abandoned in an open field. His nails were trimmed and fairly clean overall so he was not in the field for very long. He was not neutered so he may have been used for reproductive purposes.
The problem is his tendency to eat/attack his meals with so much gusto that he makes snorting noises and often chokes on his food. The food goes up his nose and he blows or spits it out once or twice. Afterwards he often makes long and loud snorts in and out as if food is stuck up his nostrils, then he flicks/lick his nose area and his bedding until there is a huge wet spot. He acts panicky and I try to massage his nose outwardly hoping to help dislodge the food. Is there anything I can do to help him? Could I use a baby's bulb syringe?
★★★★★
My husband and I give our dogs oatmeal, very good for humans, also dogs. We also add ground turkey or chicken, sometimes carrots, but the number one item is a can of pumpkin. No. one best over anything for pets. We have a cockapoo; she is very old and we thought for sure this past week she was ready to go-- she just couldn't get up to go out and do her duties. My husband and I would carry her out so she could go to the bathroom.... after awhile and this special diet and the strong will to live, she is back up and running. Thank you Earth Clinic for this site and showing our votes of confidence. Thank you GOD for our loving pets.
Water Kefir
My Cats and dogs get water kefir over their food once a day. I was out of baby probiotics and the health food store did not have it when I remembered the water kefir crystals in my pantry. This works and is really cheap to use. If there is constipation, just a little more of the liquid. It is available readily online.
The other time daily, they get ACV.
Namaste, Om
Diet for Puppy
Hey Kay!
That's a lotta scooping you are doing!
A couple things come to mind.
If you are feeding a puppy kibble, your pup's metabolism shifted into low gear right around 16 weeks; he no longer needs the extra OOOMPH from the puppy kibble, so you might consider switching to adult chow.
That said, if you are feeding grain free you might be over feeding; if your puppy has puppy fat and you cannot easily feel the ribs, you may be over feeding. Even if he looks age appropriately rangy and not fat, you might consider cutting out the noon meal and seeing if that makes a difference.
And what treats are you giving? Pig's ears for snacks, raw hides for working the jaw, biscuits during training sessions? A chunk of cheese because you are standing in the kitchen with the fridge door open and he just happened to look super cute? They add up... and come out!
And the pumpkin - I know you added this for the constipation from the last food, but why are you continuing it? It certainly cannot be over looked as to why your pup has so many stools.
And how is his temperament over all? Is he a nervous Nelly or a laid back Larry? A high energy nervous type will simply have to 'go' more than a couch potato because the nervous Nelly's nerves just work things loose.
Diet for Puppy
My five month old BC poops at least 3 x after each meal and I feed him 1 cup of dry food in am, 1/2 cup noon and 1 cup dinner. This is puppy size high quality food. I mix 1 tablespoon of canned pumpkin. The stools are normal and not diarrhea. I took him to the vet who wanted to put him on the food she sells. I did this and it constipated him. So, I have him back on the high quality food. Vet said he should poop within 45 minutes after eating and that would be all (3 to 4x per day).
any suggestions?
Hey Kay!
IMHO you are feeding your puppy way too much!! No wonder the concentrated protein grain free foods are giving your pup the runs - your BC is eating as if he were an adult Great Dane!
I agree that you should feed a puppy three meals a day, but right around 4 months their metabolism changes so they need far fewer calories than they did at 8 weeks because they are over their major growth spurt.
If this were my dog I would cut it back to one half cup portions - try three feedings a day and consider going to two depending on your comfort level. Do this first and check stool consistency. If there are still multiple stools after a feeding cut it back to one third a cup; if there is only one scant stool after feeding the half cup portion, then try increasing it to two thirds cup: fiddle with it until you find the right amount. As an adult your dog may get one cup am and pm -unless he is *actively worked* on a daily basis chasing sheep from sun up to sun down, which in that case you may end up feeding 2 cups am and pm - but for right now cut back on portion size and monitor stools.
Diet for Puppy
I have had my new now 13 wk old puppy on EN as prescribed by the Vet. The diarrhea is gone, but he goes to the bathroom a lot! I feed him 1 cup 3 x per day mixed with a teaspoon of pumpkin. He poops probably 3 times after each meal. He will go before bedtime, wake up around 1am go again and than again at 6am. When I asked the vet they said I should be feeding only morning and evening which I disagree with as every dog food package and article states puppies need more. Any suggestions? I have tried other grain free foods but they were causing the diarrhea
Hello, my name is Michael. I live in Seattle, and yes, I believe it is raining today. In my years of experience with my dogs and helping other dog lovers learn how and what will reversed nearly every disease, nearly 100%!
Today I never feed my dogs horrible commercial dog foods. They are the major cause of all dog diseases I discovered. These kinds of foods become highly "acidic" in the intestine, and effect the liver and kidneys. Commercial dog foods are totally lacking in organic mineral, trace elements, enzymes and organic antioxidants. Dog foods are "dead" foods. Dead foods cause illness, like it does with humans.
If you want a dog that will live longer and will never get sick, is just do this: 1. stop feeding harmful dog foods to your best friend. 2. instead feed your animals fresh raw, fruits and veggies, including fresh meats only. You can also semi-cook fresh foods, but above all, please don't deny your dogs the abundant benefits of eating healthier, by feeding our dogs fresh organic foods.
Cascading with real organic minerals and vitamins that the body instantly recognizes and instantly assimilates at nearly 95%! No dog foods even come close to doing this.
Michael - dittovanmp(at)comcast(dot)net
Best Nutrition for Dogs
Diana, could you be a little bit more specific about the raw meaty bones? How large is your dog and how much do you feed. What meats do you feed and do you feed pork?
Best Nutrition for Dogs
I just wanted to jump in and encourage you to do some research on nutrition for dogs. Dogs ARE NOT vegetarians. Their whole anatomy is designed to eat meat. They are CARNIVORES. Look at their teeth, they were designed to rip meat. They also have a short digestive tract that is designed to digest meat. IT IS TOO SHORT to digest vegetables or fruits properly. And grain is DEFINITELY NOT GOOD FOR DOGS!! In fact, it is VERY BAD for them. This could very well be why they are having health issues. I feed my dogs a raw meaty bones diet and they are EXTREMELY healthy. My oldest dog is almost 9, and everyone thinks she is 4. Their teeth are perfectly clean, no need for cleanings EVER at the vet. Their coats are very glossy. Their eyes are very clear and sparkly. I do feed them some vegetables, but I put it in my blender first so they can digest it a lot more easily. You can easily do a google search online to verify what I have said. Good luck to you and wish you and your dogs the very best :-)
Food Allergies
Please check out the book "royal treatment" by Dr. Royal.
Food Allergies
Greetings, I own an 11 year old Westie. I don't vaccinate him (except rabies) and don't use any chemicals to rid him of fleas. He has a beautiful dense coat. But, he can not tolerate any food except chicken breast with white rice (barely). He always has a soft stool on this diet, which is very discouraging. I have tried to eliminate the white rice. When this is attempted he gets very gassy and then gets diarrhea. Due to the white rice he does have a bad yeast infection in one of his paws and depending on the season can get very itchy ears. Lastly, my poor dear also get a crustitis on his lips which makes his canines hang over. My number one concern is his diet. I have tried plain yogurt and pure pumpkin. But after a few days it seems to catch up with his sensitive belly and then gets diarrhea. I would like to replace the rice perhaps with something more tolerable to have with the chicken breasts? Any suggestions would be most appreciated. Many thanks!!
Hi. Can you tell which type of bones are safe and where you get them? Thanks.
Raw Marrow Bone
Raw Marrow Bone
★★★★★
To replace a meal I give my dog a raw marrow bone to chew on. It cleans his teeth and the vet said she never saw a dog's teeth as fine as mine. Remember to clean out the marrow or most of it else your dog could get the runs.
Due to long term unemployment I wasn't able to barely afford even the "good holistic" food for my girl. I found a way, thank to God for provision. I finally got a p/t job and some extra $ from family members. I switched my 12.5 year old German Shorthair Pointer girl to Sojo's Veggie mixed with Basmati Rice as her health was failing.
I could not afford the Vet. This food plus some vitamins and herbals for her made a major difference. In a month she lost about 8 lbs (she really wasn't overweight) but this helped her back and hind legs/knees as well. I can say that I will do whatever I can to always keep her on this food.
I now add some fresh ground meat (cooked) to her food. She acts like her old happy, playful self. Her bloated belly is all gone, ear wax/funk is all gone and she is just happier and I am as well.
Brand Comparisons
If you say you are feeding your dog human food, are you claiming animal products are human food? Humans are herbavores, they should eat only a fruit and vegetable based diet. Dogs are omnivores and should eat food from animals and fruits and vegetables. If you are eating food from animals and you feed your dog your food, then you would feeding them the proper diet and feeding yourself the wrong diet.
All kibble dog food is not a natural dogs food, where would they find it in nature? There are a few acceptable kibble dog foods, but very expensive and not nearly as good as raw meat and vegetables/fruit added for your dogs health. Most all kibble contain grains, fillers and by products, all very bad for you dogs health.
General Feedback
Hi, need some advise. It is okay for a six months old persian kitten ate cakes, cookies and spicy food? I try to give my kitten to eat blackwood kitten kibbles but its dislike instead she ate adult blackwood. She like to eats our foods too. Please advise as I am not sure how?
Reader Feedback
In response to Brenda's post, I also wanted to add that when you switch your Yorkie's food to ONLY dog food, don't start feeling sorry for her and start feeding her people food again if she doesn't eat the dog food right away. Hold your ground and be vigilant! If she ignores the dog food, that's fine! She'll eat it when she gets hungry enough. Don't cave in!
Reader Feedback
First of all, definitely STOP ALL people food! People food is NOT healthy for dogs (except the occasional RAW veggie or fruit and boiled chicken or hamburger with a little white rice if they have diarreah). Make sure you check this ASPCA link for a list of foods that are toxic to pets:
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/people-foods.aspx
Try a higher-quality/better-quality/grain-free dog food. I feed my dog the Taste of the Wild brand and she loves it. If you go to a higher-end pet store they sometimes carry sample packets of the better dog food that you can try with your Yorkie.
NOTE: when switching dog foods remember to switch the food gradually. For example, if you currently feed your dog 1 cup of food twice a day, then start with @3/4 cup of the old food PLUS 1/4 of the new food twice day. Do this for @ 1 week, then the next week, continue to lessen the old food and increase the new food. Make sure to contact your vet if you have any questions about your dog's reaction to the new food (you may need to get a different new food, or the vet may recommend something else).
You might also try mixing dry food with a little bit of wet food (the same brand) OR adding a little bit of hot water to the dry food and stirring it up to make a sort of gravy. I know my dog loves it when I do that.
You could also get canned UNSALTED green beans from your supermarket and add a couple of tablespoons in with the food. This adds bulk to the meal, but no fat or calories.
Again, contact your vet, even with a phonecall and talk with a vet tech to save money, if you have further questions or concerns.
Reader Feedback
I have a 5 yr. Yorkie (under 10lbs) and he will not eat dog food. I have tried every brand, type, wet, dry. He will eat bologna, hot dogs, but I know this is not good for him to continue, so I boil chicken. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
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We just got a Great Pyrenees puppy. He isn't fond of dog food, and neither am I. I figure, when you are insulting food, you call it dog food. Dog food is inferior to people food, why give it to my expensive dog? Cheap dog food is 40cents a pound. I can get quality grains that I feed my family for this price, so I am getting started feeding him some real food. I have been making him oatmeal each morning. I add a little sea salt, a t. of blackstrap molasses, 1/2 t. Garlic powder and this morning I added a teaspoon of spirulina. He shares it with the cats and likes it better than dog food. I am also going to give him eggs every day. I will supplement his diet with dog food just because I may not always have enough leftovers for him, but he should be able to get plenty of meat and grains and veggies from what we have leftover. I grew up with a pure bred dachund in my house. She was fed people food all the time. She hated dog food. When she was an elderly dog my mom fixed her scrambled eggs every day! She lived to be 17. Obviously, people food didn't hurt her.
Barf Diet
Barf Diet
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I put my ShihTzu & LhasaTzu on the BARF diet about 9 months ago. Best 3 Benefits of BARF:
My LhasaTzu was always afraid of loud noises like fireworks or gun shots.... She has way MELLOWED OUT
She NO LONGER has FLEAS (she is light colored fleas love light colored dogs)
Both dogs' teeth have less tarter & good breath.
