raw foods: I am planning on switching my pit bull from kibble to a raw diet like raw chicken thighs, necks, backs and things of that sort but i don't know if there is a certain way to feed it or just put the raw chicken in her plate just like that including the blood from the chicken? Also is it safe to feed them raw foods from supermarkets or is there a better way?|||There's a couple different myths this could fall under so I'll just post the entire list. http://www.rawfed.com/myths/index.html But the short answer is, its fine. Most of my dogs foods come from the supermarket. I stay away from meats with added solutions and broths as much as possible. These are often referred to as enhanced meats and have a very high salt content. Some dogs can handle it some can't. Start out with chicken for a couple weeks, and then slowly add in variety, your dog needs plenty variety to balance the diet over time. My own two get chicken, turkey, beef, lamb, pork and venison. Where to feed is really up to you, although its unlikely the dog will keep the food in a bowl or on a plate. I feed my dogs in their crates. You can also feed outside, or teach the dog to eat on a towel or mat. To do that put the food on the mat, everytime your dog tries to leave the mat put the food back on it. Your dog will learn that food needs to stay on the mat. As always practice safe meat handling practices. Dogs digestive systems are setup and fully capable of digesting raw meat, bone and organ. They are also able to handle higher bacteria loads than we can. How many dogs do you know that eat garbage or poo with no ill effects? Dogs with sensitive stomachs aren't born, they are made. We make them that way by feeding foods that aren't species appropriate, and only feeding one kind of food. Think of it this way, if you ate nothing but corn your whole life and then one day decided to eat a steak. What do you think would happen? Your body would go Woah!? What the **** is that!!!! and it would react to it with digestive upset. Same thing with dogs. Sasha, kibble also contains salmonella, even kibble fed dogs poo contains salmonella. Unless you're out there eating poo or not washing your hands after clean up you've got nothing to worry about.|||Let's start with the basics. Dogs are not wolves. Dogs may be the same species, but hundreds of years of domestication has changed their physiology and behavior. Okay. Next thing. If you really want to feed a raw diet, consult with a veterinary nutritionist...someone who has a veterinary degree and is board-certified in nutrition for your pet. You can find a list of DVMs with this specialty at http://www.acvn.org/. Consulting with a nutritionist will ensure that your dog is getting all the proper nutrients from his homemade diet. I personally don't advocate feeding raw food diets. I've seen too many dogs come in to the hospital with horrible salmonellosis from their raw diets. That being said, it is your decision. Just be sure to be careful and thoroughly research the idea, using reliable sources...not everyone who answers questions here is qualified to give advice on every topic.|||The blood is just part of the carcass so it is fine. Chicken is a really good starting point but it is important to provide a wide variety if you can. My dogs and cats get chicken, lamb, beef, pork, fish, whole eggs and kangaroo. Just meat and bone is not enough - your dog needs to eat some offal as well. At least 3-5% of its diet should be liver but not more as vitamin A is stored in fat and overdose is possible. If you aim to feed 70-80% meat, 10-15% bone and 10-15% offal your dog will get every nutrient it needs. * a raw diet does not cause pancreatitis - it is diets high in carbohydrates that put extra pressure on the pancreas. For dogs with EPI (a pancreatic enzyme disorder) a raw meat based diet is the most recommended ** 37% of ALL dogs regardless of diet, will pass salmonella in their stools. This is NOT mean that the dog is ill but that their digestive system is doing what it should.!! *** there was a kibble recall recently sparked by a salmonella outbreak in humans. Whatever you choose to feed always wash your hands after feeding, cleaning up poop etc and don't play with or eat dog poop. **** many vets now promote this type of diet as the best means to prevent many common health problems in our pets.|||When feeding raw food, it has too be very fresh, not bought in the supermarket fresh(often this chicken arrives frozen, is thawed, sits in the back for a bit then gets wrapped and displayed). My old dog ate raw meat we bought directly from a slaughter house. The slaughter house, freezes the meat as soon as it is cut. I do believe the guy above me works for Iams, not a vet. I do not know a single vet out there that would recomend Iams. Google the Barf diet, that's what I fed my dog. Remeber that dogs where once wolves and all they eat is raw meat.|||RESEARCH Join a Yahoo! rawfeeding group Read as much as you can find Raw feeding is a matter of BALANCE of nutrients over a relatively short time- my goal is within 2 weeks the dogs have eaten 80% meat, 10% bone, 10% offal from a variety of sources--- at least 2 meals of fish, a meal of raw eggs, the rest comprised of chicken, beef, pork, lamb, game animals. I feed my dogs in their crates. Since I have no small children or elderly people wandering about I don't worry about salmonella. I let the dogs drink the blood from whatever meat source I'm using. I get WHOLE chickens from the grocery store or a wholesale meat supplier. I choose to feed whole chickens because these are usually kept frozen. I've become very adept at chopping up a chicken and I usually save the breasts (and whatever other parts I want) for human consumption. I get raw ground offal from my butcher. He grinds a mix of 40lbs liver, 40 lbs heart (which doesn't count as offal since it is a muscle) and 20 lbs of fat for me, freezes it and then chops it into 1.5 lb blocks for me. There are a variety of ways to source meat. People get quite fanatical about what they believe is the right way. Many people don't feel supermarket meat is "fresh enough". Personally, I don't really worry about it. My dogs don't seem to be phased by whatever I feed them.|||Don't do it. I lsot my dog at 3 years old (2001-2004) He got salomania and just died. The kibble diet is fine don't swich. |||I know most raw feeders try to feed in an inclosed area because it never stays in the bowl. I will tell you what I do and if you need more information, I highly suggest you go to www.bigdogsporch.com. There are many experienced raw feeders there and a canine nutritionist that also feeds raw. Many raw feeders fast the day before feeding raw, I did, but it is not a requirement. You will want to start with chicken or a readily available meat. Remove the skin and fat until poop is firm. Once poop is firm, add in the skin and fat. Once poop is firm, feed that for a week. Then add in another meat. You dont need to remove the skin and fat this time, but introduce it slowly. My dogs lived off of chicken thighs and quarters for atleast three weeks and to prevent accidents in the house, keep the dog on a floor that is easy to clean, especially while you cant be there. I buy from walmart, publix, kroger, ingles, etc. I buy the meat that is on sale, all is under a dollar per pound. My dogs are healthier and do fine on the supermarket meat. I know some people buy from wholesale markets and can get some of the specialty meats at a good price. Keep in mind a dog will sometimes bury their meat to let it "ripen" and then go back for it later. Skip the organs in the beginning to avoid big episodes of diarrhea. Once the pup gets used to the chicken and has consistent solid poop, then add in organs. Keep Plain mashed pumpkin in your house. I always have it around just incase my dogs start having diarrhea and it is supposed to work for constipation as well. |||I agree that there are quite a few dog foods out there that the ingredients are just scary, but before going to a diet sure to cause pancreatitis, I suggest you try some higher quality dog foods. Domestic dogs are not used to the richness of raw, cooked, or basically any kind of human food. It takes a heavy toll on their digestive system, espcially their pancreis. I would suggest going with Iams Premium Protection food. It's not especially costly, and most supermarkets carry it. It has glucosamine chondroitin for healthy joints, as well as real meat in it. As long as their are know it all's in the world, there will be conflict. I did not go to school for this long to be taught nothing. These people answering, have no training in animal medicine, no experience in animal medicine, just their own opinions. If you were to ask a vet, they would tell you exactly what I told you. Perhaps they would recommend Science Diet, but that is only because they make more profit. Actual profit on a 40lb. bag of Science Diet is $20+, while Iams is less than $10 :)|||Most raw feeders feed the chicken as it is . The "blood will not harm your dog...however 11.9% of all chicken sold in supermarkets for human consumption contains salmonella. Though for the most part, the dogs do not get sick from it, it does pass through their feces and can infect humans and other dogs. Small children and the elderly are especially susceptible. Freezing the chicken does not kill the bacteria. You will need to handle the chicken very carefully. Additionally, 30% of dogs fed a raw diet had salmonella in their stools. The other problem with a raw diet is that it can cause deficiencies and excesses in vitamin and mineral requirements of the dog. You will need to research what to give as supplements. The best research book I have found (after exhaustive research) is: Raw Meat diets for Cas and Dogs? An assessment of the Research Arguments and Relate Advisability of Feeding Raw Meat-Based Diets to Cats and Dogs. by James O'Heare, PhD. www.DogPsych.com Many people find this diet to be great but you should do the research and decide what is best for your dog.|||Your dog can get salmonella from raw chicken just the same as you can from eating raw chicken. Why would you want to put your dog on a raw diet anyway? I would stick with the kibble or if you want to feed your dog chicken boil it first.