CALLING ALL RAW FEEDERS!! I need an interview from you :)

[gemini9961]

***IF YOU DO NOT EXCLUSIVELY FEED RAW PLEASE TELL ME HOW OFTEN YOU FEED IT OR WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE TOTAL DIET IT MAKES UP.

How was your dog's health while on kibble? Did you see any problems with allergies (please be specific as to what kind)? How was his/her dental health? Their overall health on kibble was decent. I didn't make the switch to raw because of any specific problems. I wanted to feed them a better diet that I was in control of. Sadie is the only one with any kind of allergies but I don't think they are food related. Her's are more of a skin/enviornmental allergy. Since she has been on raw they have not improved nor gotten worse. They aren't horrible allergies but she does have occasional itching. Their dental health has improved. I check their teeth regularly and they have far less plaque than before. I can compare my 5 year old's teeth to a dog younger than her that is not on a raw diet and my dog's teeth look much better. Grant's teeth are beautiful, pearly white beauties. Maggie is the only one with teeth that aren't as great but she has some pretty crooked ones and the raw bones are not able to get all of the plaque off of them.

How long have you been feeding a raw diet? I'm not sure of the exact date but I would guess a year and a half.

What were the immediate changes you noticed after the switch? (ie. cleaner teeth, cleaner coat, less odor.)First change would have been nicer coat. The next changes are the teeth. Mine have all come down to a nice weight since being on raw so overall weight has changed. As far as odor goes I don't see much change but they weren't too smelly before. Other changes are that they nearly knock the door down to get outside and eat.
How many dogs are you currently feeding a raw diet to? 3

Are you feeding exclusively kibble to any other dogs? If so, what is the reasoning behind the different diets for different dogs?No, all 3 of mine are fed raw and have not had any kibble since being on raw. The transition was very easy and all 3 took to it very well.

How is your dog's overall health? Please note anything that has not improved since the switch. Please only answer this question if you have been feeding raw for more than three months, as it often can take this long or longer for some previous problems to subside. Their overall health is fantastic. All 3 are at an excellent weight. My oldest Sadie had her annual check up in May and this was the first time in years that I was told her weight was good. The vet asked what I was feeding and said that a lot of people were moving to raw since the pet food recalls. I purchased some vitamins for the dogs called Petamins that I pour in their food daily. She suggested that to give them some added vitamins and minerals. The Petamins are great.

What made you make the switch? Please state if the reasoning had any involvement with the pet food recall.I started the raw before and made the switch so I could control the food they were eating. The health benefits also had an impact on my decision.

How did you first hear about raw food?PT of course.

Do you share the information about raw food with others, and are you an advocate of this diet for those who are interested in it? How do people typically react when you tell them you feed your dog a raw diet?I will tell anyone who asks me what I feed them. Some give me strange looks but they are my dogs so it's really none of anyone else's concern what they think. My dogs have had nothing but positive results from the switch and it's one of the best decisions I have made concerning their health and well-being. I am an advocate for those who feed it. I won't push anyone into feeding it as it is a decision that may not work for everyone.

Please note anything else that may be of great interest.I enjoy making their meals for them and seeing what they like and don't like. They are usually fed chicken. I will also brown ground beef and mix in rice on occasion. They also get many different kinds of veggies as well as yogurt and eggs.

[bckrazy]

I feed Raw, with occasional kibble... about 90% Raw.

How was your dog's health while on kibble? Did you see any problems with allergies (please be specific as to what kind)? How was his/her dental health?
Gonzo was always a few pounds over his ideal weight, his muscle tone was average, his stamina was pretty poor, he shedded TONS, and a few of his teeth were very plaquey! Fozzie, who I switched to Raw at about 9 weeks, really loved it from the beginning... he was a very picky puppy about eating kibble, but he has devoured every thing I've given him since switching.

How long have you been feeding a raw diet?
1 1/2 years.

What were the immediate changes you noticed after the switch? (ie. cleaner teeth, cleaner coat, less odor.)
Gonzo's teeth were the first immediate change, almost overnight his teeth were plaque-free. Gonzo also became much leaner, and I noticed a drastic improvement in his fitness & stamina. He sheds way less, as well!

How many dogs are you currently feeding a raw diet to?
Two.

Are you feeding exclusively kibble to any other dogs? If so, what is the reasoning behind the different diets for different dogs? Nope.

How is your dog's overall health? Please note anything that has not improved since the switch. Please only answer this question if you have been feeding raw for more than three months, as it often can take this long or longer for some previous problems to subside.
Both of them are, basically, as healthy as I could ever hope for them to be! They're both very vibrant and happy, and I know they looove what they eat every day, which is also a plus. Fozzie has grown up eating Raw and he has always had a soft, healthy coat, good breath, sparkling white teeth, and clean ears & eyes. I also noticed that his growth was nice and gradual on Raw... which is awesome, because with him being part Corgi, I worried about growth spurts, and joint issues resulting from them.

What made you make the switch? Please state if the reasoning had any involvement with the pet food recall.
I love my pups, of course, and I want to give them the happiest lives possible. I honestly feel that this is the best diet for them... still, I do understand that Raw is not for every dog or for every owner. But it IS right for me and my dogs, and the proof in that is obvious just by looking at them. :]

How did you first hear about raw food?
About 6 years ago, from a family member who bred dogs & fed Raw. I was definitely a skeptic!

Do you share the information about raw food with others, and are you an advocate of this diet for those who are interested in it? How do people typically react when you tell them you feed your dog a raw diet?
Oh, definitely! Five of my friends and several family members feed Raw... mostly because they saw how great my dogs were doing. People typically react by laughing, but they usually seem curious. It really is just common sense, to feed your dog a diet that is appropriate for their species! There are some people who roll their eyes... or blurt out the "bones are baaad!" line. ;3

[.sarah]

Thank you so much, guys!!!! Bri, you can respond if you want to. I already have a lot of great things said from this forum and another but if you want to reply you never know if you'll write something that I can use