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  • Diet change

    This is an old post, but I thought it may be a good idea to have it resurface.

    http://www.danesonline.com/cgi-bin/d...rum=DCForumID9


    Hi all,
    I repeatedly get questions from folks regarding the BARF diet and, quite frankly, the content of the messages are frightening. Folks are asking things like, "I gave my dog a bowl of vegetables and he/she won't touch them. What do I do?" Other peopele want to know if they can continue feeding cooked bones to their dogs (NOT). Still others want to know why their dog is not well after changing to BARF, literally overnight.

    If you got your dog from a breeder that BARFs, make sure you have ALL the information from him/her to continue in a safe manner, if this is your intention. If you currently feed a commercial product to your dog, but the BARF diet is something that you are interested in, please do the research about what folks are feeding and in what quantities. Found out the who, where, what, why's of the diet and make a sensible decision once you have the information. There are many BARF groups on the Internet, some of which are Dane-related Join the groups and then make your own decision on what's best for "your" dog. Ask questions if there is something you don’t understand.

    As far as I know there are no verifiable scientific studies (longitudinal or otherwise) that prove a BARF diet has any specific advantages over a commercial diet (If there have been studies done, please point me to them) This does not say a BARF diet is without merit as there are plenty of testimonials that say it is clearly the better choice.

    The point of this post is not to say /nay to any diet, but rather to bring awareness to the fact that a dog's diet is of crucial importance and YOU must be "informed" in order to make a rational and safe choice.




  • #2
    RE: Diet change

    Ah Paul, where were you before I posted that ever so long message on
    the bad experiences with barf thread? It took me so many words and too much time and you said what I meant SO much more concisely.

    Laura, Rhu and Floyd
    Check out Floyd's latest album:http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4288665789

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    • #3
      RE: Diet change

      >Ah Paul, where were you before I posted...

      It's all about encouraging folks to do the legwork in terms of research, so I see an extra post re this issue as good thing :7

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      • #4
        RE: Diet change

        Excellent response, Paul. So far, I'm not on any 'side' in this matter (I feed kibble but BARF sounds interesting).

        What I like to see are unbiased case studies. If a tv commercial tells you, '4 out of 5 dentists surveyed recommended xxx brand for their patients who used product', do *you* accept this as fact and go out and buy the product?

        It's hard to find unbiased websites when you want information. Vet xyz says it's okay to BARF, vet abc says not to.

        I guess as long as your dog is healthy and happy, who cares? If I say low carb diets are best and you prefer low fat diets, as long as we both lose weight does it really matter?

        Cindy

        http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4288186993


        sigpic

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        • #5
          RE: Diet change


          > a dog's diet
          >is of crucial importance and YOU must be "informed" in order
          >to make a rational and safe choice.




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          • #6
            RE: Diet change

            I fed my dogs a raw diet for quite some time. I am now cooking for them. I don't believe that there is anything wrong with the raw diet. Though, it was always a struggle to get my danes to eat the vegetables. Moeverover, they really like cooked food better. They dance like when they were puppies for the cooked diet we feed them. Anyway, I am not writing this to say one is better than the other only that I paid for a diet for an adult male dane and for a female danepuppy from petdiets.com and an willing to share them with anyone who is interested for no charge, of course.

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            • #7
              RE: Diet change

              I was wondering what types of foods you cook??

              Thanks

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              • #8
                RE: Diet change

                OK ... here's my two bits. I've been reading and reading and reading. This is from a first time dane owner, but I've had big dogs all my life.

                I feed my dogs kibble in the morning. I do mix water with Jersey's food b/c that is the way his previous owner was doing it. She explained to me that b/c danes are so big, their digestive system works much like a horse's does. The water causes the food to "sweal" BEFORE it goes down, so bloat does not set in. I use Iams, which does not sweal as much as some cheaper foods. I did the "sweal test"! The more filler, the more it sweals. Any of the Purina products sweal the worst. And I once swore by Purina. Not anymore. Just my opinion! I used Solid Gold for awhile, but honestly did not see the results I expected, for paying so much for the food. My dogs' coats are shiny, they are healthy, their teeth look good and they like their food.

                In the evening I feed kibble mixed with raw veggies (or if I steam some for dinner, I steam some for them), a little raw meat (again if I have left-over roast or burgers ... anything that is not fried, I mix it in as well). When I do indulge myself to fried chicken or steak (yes, I'm southern to the bone), I ALWAYS make gravey for my dogs - enuf for a few meals and they LOVE it on their kibble. I do not feed them left over starches b/c they are all fat enuf! I rarely eat them myself.

                Paula and Jersey:

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                • #9
                  RE: Diet change

                  Well, as I mentioned, I prepare the food according to the recipe from petdiets.com. The main ingredient in the recipe is protein. I've used ground beef, ground turkey, ground lamb, canned mackeral, and sometimes chicken (though it's an awfully lot of work to get it off the bones.) I once baked a turkey for them and took all the meat off the bones. I've also used beef stew meat and beef liver, though they seem less fond of these two, especially the liver. I also give them cottage cheese, yogurt, and a raw egg for dessert twice daily. I use rice and/or pasta for the carbohydrates and usually fruit or carrots for the fiber. They are especially fond of chicken and rice.

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                  • #10
                    RE: Diet change

                    Sorry, but I have to take exception to the comment about a dog's digestive system resembling a horse's. This comment is so wrong, I wouldn't even know where to start.
                    My best boy, Trooper.
                    sigpic

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                    • #11
                      RE: Diet change

                      The reason I do not soak my danes food is because you can end up feeding him/her less and therefore they get less nutrition.

                      My opinion, and I'm sticking to it :P

                      I realize this post was not about soaking food. I was thinkng of the nutrition factor here.

                      Chris

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                      • #12
                        RE: Diet change

                        Some dogs do not like the "veggie meal" - tho, if made certain ways it becomes more appetizing. When I make a veggie meal, I puree 3 or so different vegetables (no root vegs) w/ fresh garlic. I cut up beef heart, beef liver (or chick liver,) and beef kidney and put it on the bottom of the bowl. I then put a couple spoonfuls of the pureed vegs (w/ garlic) over the offal. Then I top w/ plain yogurt. A dog will have to eat thru or around the veggies to get to the offal. I usually have clean bowls- licked spotless- after these meals.
                        Or, one may substitute green tripe for the "veggie meal." I've never heard of a dog refusing green tripe. Kim

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                        • #13
                          RE: Diet change

                          I know you said you don't know where to start but do you have a place others could start? A website or article????

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                          • #14
                            RE: Diet change

                            There are several book available here: http://www.njboxers.com/books.htm
                            I personally like how Kymythy Shultz book is written. (Natural Nutrition for Cats and Dogs.) 'Give your dog a bone' by Ian Billinghurst, is OK and gives you some really good info but I found it to be a little confusing and contradicting. If I was a critique, I would say it reads like he is having a really long boring conversation with himself after smoking some Mary Jane. But thats just my opinion! LOL There is alot of good info in the book also.
                            Martin Goldstein DVM has a great book on all around natural health with alot of very good info about foods in it. It is called "The Nature Of Animal Healing" I think everyone who has a pet should read that book. It is excellent. (again my opinion).
                            Ann Martins (Foods Pets Die For)is one that will help convince you that you are doing the right thing by switching from kibble to a natural diet. Be prepared to be disgusted and angry after flipping through that one.
                            There are also alot of raw diet websites. Just do a search on Raw diets or BARF and the information is never ending. Good Luck!
                            Kim E.





                            http://www.imagestation.com/picture/...c.jpg.orig.jpg

                            Feeding Raw Since January 2003
                            www.eastwooddanes.com/Kyrabed.html
                            www.eastwooddanes.com
                            Kim E.

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                            • #15
                              RE: Diet change

                              To Oslo's dad
                              I see that your letter was posted in 2002 - how are your Danes doing healthwise with the cooked diet? I am thinking of leaving kibble out of the picture alltogether and cooking all their food. So want to see how you experience has been.I have 2 danes and i feed them a mix of kibble (Wellness) and cooked meat, Yoghurt and cottage cheese.
                              Many thanks

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