My Tasha girl was the same way when I was feeding kibble. She would sniff it, maybe nibble a few kibbles, then walk away. It would often take her most of the day to finish her food. As soon as I switched to raw prey model, though, her enthusiasm for meal time went through the roof. She snarfs down her RPM meals within a minute or two. Occasionally she'll reject pork organs (she always eats beef, game, and poultry organs), and she'll sometimes reject certain game birds (go figure), but all other animal parts are candy to her. It makes a big difference when you feed them what they were designed to eat.

Laurie

That's good to hear. I've thought about going raw but just haven't gotten around to researching it enough to try it. One of our dogs is so finicky he would be a good candidate I think. We have to urge and praise him for eating, and he still tends to walk away. Plus he was on his own in the woods for a few months before he was rescued (had a face full of porcupine quills!), you'd think he'd gobble his food, but he just doesn't care to eat.

What does your vet say about it? I've read on other forums that some vets really do not like it. Meghane, if you're reading this, any thoughts you'd care to share?

Also, do you worry about germy faces? That's one of the concerns I read vets have, that you can be exposed to stuff if you don't keep the dogs clean after eating.

I don't do raw. but I have two dogs who need NO encouragement to eat. They bolt their food morning and night. First is Purina One&Beyond dry. Second is the same with a 1/4 cup of a premium wet food mixed. They even spend times licking the bowls to get every morsel.

jomuir, my vet is in favor of raw as long as i do regular blood work to make sure the dogs are getting everything they need. i don't have a problem taking them in a couple of times a year for that.

i do not worry about germy faces, i just make sure i give it an hour or two before i let them give me face kisses. :)

i do use a bleach solution to clean my counter tops after each feeding. also, i lay plastic table cloths (cut in half) under each feeder and i wipe those also with a bleach solution. stainless steel bowls are put through the dishwasher 2 or 3 times a week and washed in hot soapy water if not. if proper precautions are taken, germs just aren't a problem.

I am getting a female black standard poodle from a man who raises poodles to show, not just to sell. I will get the first pick after he makes his choices. We were discussing feeding my puppy during the different phases of his life. He mentioned he would never feed his dogs raw meat and he is really against dog food with grains in them, so that means very expensive food. He said one or two percent would be okay. I am so excited about my puppy. I am going to let the breeder pick my dog. A dog trainer that I know told me I was lucky to get one of his dogs and especially at the price he quoted me.

Thi is one of those things that some people love and it works for them, and some people don't.

I've only looked into this a little, not seriously.

Glad you're getting good results Nina!

Good for you for giving your dogs not just good nutrition but an enriched life. And yes there are excellent kibbles out there (Orijen 6 fish is one), but if eating the same extruded crunchies were all it's advertised to be, wouldn't humans be eating this perfect food too? :-)

Cynthia with 4 dogs and 2 freezers just for them!

That's awesome Nina! I have never regretted switching my girls to raw!

i had a friend give me some venison from last year and my dogs went crazy for it. talked to another friend who will be giving me some venison after this year's hunt. he said i could have all i want so i will be filling my freezer!

that's nice, good organic meat for your dogs! And free makes it even better.

You have some lucky pups Nina! :)

Again, a newby here. Hope you don't mind my jumping in.

One of my friends was also my vet for many years, like ten or twelve. She went into Holistic medicine and began recommending a raw diet and changing treatments; I love her to death and was more than happy with her vet services but when she went Holistic that just wasn't a choice I wanted to make. Nancy, the vet, really became a believer in the raw diet and put all her dogs on it. If my dogs really needed it for health reasons I would have to do it but my dogs have always been healthy and have usually lived past the normal life cycle. The shortest life span of my shepherds was eleven years which is about average; he had a tumor, which hadn't shown up in any exams, burst and was dead before I could get him to the vet. The oldest one lived to be almost sixteen. My mixed breeds have all lived to be from fourteen to seventeen.

I have no problem with people who want to use the "raw diet" but I just can't handle it........might have something to do with my being a vegetarian.............. just can't cope with that raw flesh. I do cook chicken for my dogs to mix with their dry food.