That is one of the problems I am having- because I can't get local raw diet, there is a risk of ordering from a supplier that the meat will not be kept at a controlled cold temperature.

Some vets do not recommend feeding raw because 1) risk of salmonella and other food-borne pathogens to dog 2) risk of same to owner through improper handling and cleaning 3) risk of major health issues caused by improperly balanced diets (ie bad calcium:phosphorus ratio, etc.).

I feel that most people, if properly educated, can safely prepare a well-balanced raw diet. But many vets do not want to take the time to properly educate their clients, or don't really have any idea how to do it properly themselves so can't advise clients.

I feed my own dogs mostly commercial dry food and occasionally give them raw foods (2-3 times/week), mostly for budget reasons- I have 2 rotties, 2 huskies, and a lab and making a raw diet for them would be really expensive. Some people have access to less expensive meats than the grocery store like me.

Thank you meghane for your response. So breed does not matter?

No breed is more 'dog' than any other. I think all dogs would benefit from a raw diet in some way - if it's properly done.

A LOT of vets don't like raw, or at the very least won't endorse it or recommend it. Some don't care, others will advise it. IF you do decide to feed raw, be sure you find a vet who either doesn't care, or supports the decision, because if you find a vet who strongly dislikes it, any medical problem that comes up, will most likely be blamed on feeding - plus you want to be on the same page as your vet anyways.

That said, I don't feed raw yet because it would be complicated with our dogs, and I don't feel confident that I would do it right, just yet.

If you do decide to feed raw, there are lots and lots of forums and websites that will be more than helpful with any questions you'll have!!

I was going to say the same - most vets I've met do *not* recommend feeding raw (I'm in the process of "educating" our most recent vet - she recommended against it, but is changing her view with the health of my dogs). That said, I do feed raw, and while I spent a ton of time doing research to get it "just right" for my dogs/situation, it's a lot easier now that I know what I'm doing. There's plenty of information out there, and lots of different philosophies, so you need to decide which one you agree with (all meat/bones? meat/veggies? pre-made raw?), and then go from there. Lots of reading and research involved to find what you personally feel comfortable with (and lots of info available).

But it's totally worth it, in my opinion, if you have the time and money. And vets can run a comprehensive blood panel to check the calcium/phosphorus ratio, which is the most important aspect. I'm having that done for one of my dogs in a couple weeks just to make sure everything is balanced.

But I'm very comfortable with raw foods too - including meat/eggs, and not too worried about salmonella (I still make my eggnog with raw eggs - never a problem in my life). If you're someone who worries a lot about germs, bacteria, etc...you're going to worry yourself to death with feeding raw, and it's not going to be worth it.

Good luck with whatever you decide. :-)

Thank you everyone for your responses....Right now we feed our pup Orijen kibble and she has fruits and veggies as treats. I can barely keep myself on a balanced diet so It would probably be really hard to keep the dog on one. Although since she's been eating fruits and veggies we have too. There is a website called Balanceit which gives you the proper proportions to feed the animals. I have not checked it out in detail but it looked like cooked food, would be nice if they had something similar for raw.

I use BalanceIt. You could always just not cook the meat (even though is says you're supposed to)- the recipes will still be balanced. That's exactly what I do for my dogs. One of them has several issues that require special diets, so they made a recipe specifically for him. I just don't cook the meats; the veggies and rice are cooked.

Thanks again everyone for your responses. I think I will keep doing a mixture of raw and kibble. This way I know she is getting a balanced meal from her kibble and her treats are all raw.

My vet supports the raw diet, but says not to mix the raw with the dry. But I don't buy my raw meat from a grocery, I buy it frozen at the pet store. Not all pet stores have it. Steve's is one brand. My Pomeranian gets a lot of vegetables too.

Sue