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| Spring 2007 Newsletter |
| The "Raw Deal" - a look at raw feeding By CCO Contributing Editor: Michelle Harrington |
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| Dionna and Robert Begg (Ontario) Have you always had your dogs on raw? If not, what inspired you to move away from a commercial to a raw diet? Please be as detailed as possible. Our friends, Larry & Michelle, had been encouraging us to try the raw diet for a long while and I resisted because I was afraid it would be too difficult. Then when Tiffy became ill with an autoimmune disease when she was about 2 �, we decided to take the plunge. Larry & Michelle gifted us with a book on how to go about feeding the raw diet plus were a tremendous guidance as we adjusted to the diet. Larry answered my many questions with great patience. What was your starting point with information? Did you have a mentor? Was there a book(s), an article(s), seminar, that prompted you to research the raw alternative? My starting point was Larry & Michelle and the book they had given me, Holistic Guide for a Healthy Dog by Wendy Volhard and Kerry Brown. The raw diet is centred on different philosophies. For example, some people follow the �BARF� diet and some follow other raw practitioners. Is there a specific diet that you follow or have you adapted your own diet after digesting other sources? Please be as detailed as possible. I have stuck pretty much with the diet suggested in Wendy Volhard�s book. The adjustments I have made include, feeding only one meal, reducing the amount of meat, and adding pumpkin for bulk. These adjustments were made on the advice of our veterinarian as Tiffy needed to lose significant weight that she had put on taking steroid medication when she was sick. What were the top three things ( name more if desired) that you noticed overall after implementing the raw diet? I have to say that the top thing I noticed after implementing the raw diet was an increase in the softness and thickness of Tiffy�s coat. Also, her hair stopped coming out in your hand when you touched her. She still dislikes all extreme temperatures, but her coat is thicker. When traveling ( on vacation, showing, performance trials) do you modify their diet? Or do carry out the same regiment that they would when dining at home? So far we�ve been able to maintain Tiffy�s diet when we travel. Do you change your Canaan�s diet according to season? No. Do you have a veterinarian that supports your decision to go �raw� or did you have to convince them? Did you have to switch veterinarians? Our veterinarian supported our decision. How do people react when you mention that your dog(s) is on a raw diet? Curious? Leary? Supportive? Most people are curious and a bit nervous about the raw meat. Our children, 12 and 10, think it�s gross. What advice would you give to someone who is contemplating the �raw way�? Are there ways to modify a commercial diet to receive some of the benefits of a raw diet. It�s not that difficult. Just get set up and go for it. It also helps to have a mentor that you can ask questions of. If you have children, how do they feel about the raw diet? As I mentioned, they think it�s gross. Although our 12-year-old has fed the dog a couple of times for us. How many meals do your Canaan(s) get on a daily basis? Can you provide a sample of what a typical daily �raw diet� consists of for your Canaan(s). Please be specific as possible. Tiffy get�s 1 meal a day in the evening. She was down to 34 lbs in November 2006. Here�s her dinner menu: � 1 teaspoon each Safflower Oil, Blackstrap Molasses, Apple Cider Vinegar, Wheat Germ, Alfalfa � 3 heaping tablespoons each Yoghurt, Pumpkin Puree � 6 oz Beef � 1 � oz Liver � � teaspoon each Vitamin C, Kelp � 1 capsule each Vitamin B complex, Cod Liver Oil, Garlic � � teaspoon Brewer�s Yeast � 1 heaping tablespoon Wheat Bran � 2 tablets Bone Meal � 1 egg every other day BACK |
| Mathew and Tiffy |
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