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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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| Michelle Harrington and Larry Myers (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 first Canaan, Maccabee was on kibble for about a year. We spent about 3 months researching and investigating raw or supplemented diets. Our decision to investigate an alternative to kibble was borne from the fact of keeping his environment as natural as possible. We had moved away from vaccinations and felt a raw diet was the next step. We introduced our second Canaan Cybelle to raw as soon as we brought her home from the breeder at eight weeks. She thrived on the diet from day one. 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? Our choice was made when we found the �Volhard� diet. Although more complicated (i.e. more ingredients) than a BARF diet, the concept of a �complete kill� meal made sense. The ingredients are to encompass the complete feeding of a killed animal. 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. We started with the Vollard diet, which for us was an excellent basis. From there we modified the diet based on how our Canaans adapted. For us, the Vollard aproach gave us a good grounding and we have since modified the diet based on how are dogs look, feel and react to the seasons. What were the top three things (name more if desired) that you noticed overall after implementing the raw diet? Smaller non-smelly stools, softer and shiner coats, reduction in shedding, and brighter teeth. Even at a years age Macc had some tartar on his teeth. The introduction of chicken necks and backs has "polished" them nicely. Also more stamina and overall improved muscle tone. If you have an overweight dog it puts a lot of stress on his joints. We and the dogs enjoy herding, which requires a well-conditioned dog to perform outruns and cover great distances in the pastures. Another notable change was self-fasting. The dogs always pick a day during the week when they do not eat. We like to keep the dogs a bit under the standard weight which helps wth overall endurance and they seem much more comfortable! 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? The whole diet is made up of various supplements to the raw meat. Oils, vitamins, and minerals are used in various forms. We use Vitamin B and C in powder form, Vitamin E in capsule, Alfalfa and sea salts offer many minerals and other vitamins. For oils we use cod liver and usually safflower. For digestive purposes, apple cider vinegar and yoghurt are added. 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? We try to do the same diet on the road. We can buy the raw meat in supermarkets and we bring most of the supplements with us. Still hoping that Customs won�t be too curious as to what the bags of dry herbs and white powders are:-) Do you change your Canaan�s diet according to season? Macc had demonstrated a habit of licking his rear leg during the winter months. He also resisted eating the raw beef. A section in the Volhard book suggested that he was reluctant with the beef as it was a �cold� meat. We switched him to a �warm� meat, chicken, and he eagerly ate it all. He also stopped licking his leg. We moved back to beef when the warm weather returned. 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? We actively sought out a holistic vet. She has been great working with us to keep our Canaans �natural�. We do annual titer testing to make sure of their immunity and to monitor any problems with their diet. So far, all systems are functional. How do people react when you mention that your dog(s) is on a raw diet? Curious? Leary? Supportive? It�s funny. When we first made the decision to actively practise a raw regiment we felt this need to justify our decisions to others. We thought we needed to show both why we were doing it and how well the dogs were responding. Now three years later, it really doesn�t matter what people think. We have a high level of confidence in our decision and the proof is in the dogs. Both are happy, lively and very fit. If people have a problem with raw, we don�t care. 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. The first thing to do is to determine what results you would like to see in your dog and decide if a raw diet would give this to you. A researching of the history of raw and the steps that are required to feed in this manner have to be explored. This is not an exercise that can be done with half measures. If you want to keep your dog healthy you must either be in or be out. You must look at the cost, the time required, and your dedication. Although we are not a big fan of kibble, that said, there are some items that can added to increase its value to your dog. A Vitamin E supplement for its antioxidant properties is a start. Cod liver oil is another. It has shown to be very positive toward learning functions in the brain. It also contains Vitamin A and D. Essential fatty acids, Omegas, can come from oil additions. We prefer Safflower Oil, as it has the right balance of EFAs for your dog�s skin and coat - it is 95% lineolic acid. 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 deal. This regiment has been based on how they have adapted to the dietary processes we have implemented. We started with two meals a day but both our Canaans have "told us" that for them they only require one meal a day, and they like to have one day where they prefer to fast - funny, thing is we never which day of the week it will be! A typical day consists of: Raw beef, chicken, lamb, venison - according to season We always add the following: Safflower oil - an essential EFA to maintain a proper skin and coat Alfalfa - an herb that is a body cleanser, infection fighter and natural deodorizer Vitamin B, C, E - B is important in maintaining a positive environment for neural regenerative efforts, C is an antioxidant and reduces fat oxidation and increases the production of HDL cholesterol, and C works with vitamin E and helps regenerate vitamin E, increasing its antioxidant effect, especially in times of stress Bone meal � aids in balancing calcium, phosphorus and magnesium levels Apple cider � used not only for mineral content but also for its ability to kill bacteria in the meat Molasses � high in potassium Wheat germ � used for improvement of endurance and vitality and aids in stress Occasionally add: Kefir � contains the richest source of enzymes which can stimulate and increase the efficiency of the digestive system Yogurt �offers protection against contamination of food or water supplies when traveling to different areas egg shells � aids in cell and tissue generation Garlic capsule � an excellent insect repellent They always enjoy chicken necks and backs, and raw chicken wings in between meals to keep teeth clean. We also feed tripe a couple of times a week. Please feel free to list resource links that you think would be helpful for others learning about the raw diet. Holistic Guide for a Healthy Dog by Wendy Volhard & Kerry L. Brown http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/RawDogCanada/ - Canadian raw feeder group list http://www.holisticvet.co.uk/nutrition.htm - to learn more about the wild-type diet BACK |
| Larry and Michelle's Maccabee Photo courtesy of Wendy Sanchez |
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