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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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| Renee and Evan Kent (Rhode Island) Renegade Canaan Dogs http://www.renegadecanaandogs.com/ 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. I switched my crew of dogs to raw food in January 2001 and never looked back. I had spent a few years trying to find a food that agreed with all of the dogs, that allowed them to maintain a healthy weight, clean teeth, and normal stool. At the time I had one dog who always had gas and greenish foul smelling stool and another who looked completely emaciated no matter how much I fed him. I tried several high end, special order kibble products. I had wanted to switch to raw food for some time and as soon as I purchased a chest freezer, we made the switch. 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? Raw food made sense to me as I have always been attracted to natural ways to promote health. This was my first step onto the path of natural healing alternatives and I�ve continued down it with other areas such as healthcare for dogs and humans. I read Bones and Raw Food by Ian Billinghurst and The Natural Diet by Kymythy Schultze. I attended lectures on raw food and mostly bothered the heck out of other raw food feeders. At the time they were few and far between, but Teresa Clement, owner of a littermate of one my dogs, had switched to raw already and I bothered her with questions. It didn�t take long to get comfortable with the new routine. 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 take a laid back approach. I don�t follow one specific diet. I am not detail oriented and prefer the �big picture�. Being bogged down in details is overwhelming for me and can certainly intimidate someone new to the diet. I just feed mostly raw meat and bone and throw in extras and veggies when I think of it or when the condition of the dog warrants it. What were the top three things ( name more if desired) that you noticed overall after implementing the raw diet? Perfect physical condition, completely clean teeth, small, nearly odorless and infrequent stools, decrease in water consumption, decrease in inappropriate chewing behavior, and reduced vet visits. Also the lower cost of feeding this way is an added bonus. Are there any supplements, if any, that you use to enhance your Canaan�s diet? What do you feel are the most significant supplements that your dog should not do without? I am pretty laid back on the supplements. I think adding an oil is important, like a fish or salmon oil. Occasionally I like to add a powdered kelp or alfalfa for the added vitamin and minerals. I like to be sure puppies get some Vit C to support ligament growth. I am a more vigilant on adding extras to a bitch about to be bred, in whelp, or nursing a litter. 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? My dogs never eat kibble for a meal, though we do keep a jar around for treats � though they rarely get them. I even send frozen raw food to a stud dog owners house when I send a bitch to be bred � if they don�t feed raw themselves. I think it is tremendously important to their overall health and this is one area I don�t bend on. I see the difference in the dogs health and I believe in the power of feeding a biologically appropriate diet. I feel I would be doing my dogs a disservice to feed them anything else. Do you change your Canaan�s diet according to season? Sometimes they get venison during hunting season. 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? Yes, but I had to switch veterinarians. She doesn�t really understand it but she doesn�t use it as a reason not to do a work up on my dogs. My previous vet immediately blamed the diet for anything, so that is why I switched. Honestly, I rarely see the vet anymore for anything health related. We don�t have hot spots, skin problems, allergies, etc. We mostly see the vet in the case of injuries or health testing for breeding that�s it. How do people react when you mention that your dog(s) is on a raw diet? Curious? Leary? Supportive? At first, when I discovered this great way to feed dogs I felt I needed to tell every caring dog owner I knew. Most of them thought I was nuts. The best thing to do when making a switch to something unfamiliar is to network with others already doing it. The idea of �normal� is simply a reference to what others around you do. If you surround yourself with people who do the same thing, it makes what you do �normal�. So now I don�t seem to get any leariness, sometimes I notice someone is curious but most everyone I know either feeds raw food or has known for a while that I feed my dogs raw food so it�s a non-issue. If someone is curious and inquires, I am happy to help someone learn about the benefits of feeding dogs this way. We spend a long time educating puppy buyers on feeding this way and giving them the support they need because they feel the backlash from family, friends and veterinarians who think they are crazy. 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. I generally suggest books to read and emphasize that it is very simple once you get used to it. Most people are overwhelmed by the idea of having a freezer for food and finding a supplier, facing adversity from friends, family and vets. I try to help them get connected with local raw feeders. As for modifying a commercial diet - In my opinion, no. Kibble to me offers no benefit and when mixed with raw food is risky. There are some good commercial raw food distributors that are a fine alternative though you lose the benefit of it being a cost efficient way to feed, but you gain convenience. If you have children, how do they feel about the raw diet? Our toddler feels very strongly that the dogs be fed a biologically appropriate diet� Just kidding. Though the belief system of feeding ourselves naturally and biologically appropriate foods effects the whole family positively and not just the dogs. 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. Our dogs eat one meal a day. They generally get chicken backs or turkey necks. A few days a week they get a scoop of veggie/meat/organ mix. Sometimes eggs are added. Do you do anything different to the bitch's diet during and after the pregnancy (while still weaning the pups)? After her fourth week of pregnancy we offer the bitch a rich diet that includes more eggs, offal, and vegetables along with some herbal supplementation. This continues until the pups start on solid food. The following is a list of resources that Kent's think would be helpful for others learning about the raw diet. � Give Your Dog a Bone Dr. Ian Billinghurst � Natural Nutrition for Dogs and Cats - The Ultimate Diet Kymythy R. Schultze � Switching to Raw Susan K. Johnson � Raw Feeding Home Page http://www.switchingtoraw.com/ BACK |
| Renegade Crew ready for dinner |
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